APE Rampage Board Hyperframe Install Guide

[p8ntbal4me]

How to install an APE Rampage A-5 Board in a Hyper frame

Here is a simple project I did today. I was board and Im waiting on parts for another project to come. This will make replacing the older baord and installing an APE Rampage A-5 Board a simple task. Now I have done it, it would probley take me an hour.

Before you begin, here is a list of tools I used and pre-mod cuts I did to keep the install simple and quick.

1 pair of needle nose pliers
1 pair of pliers (any will do)
1 pair of wire cutters/strippers
1 screw driver
1 soldering iron w/ wet sponge
1 desoldering iron
Some solder (I use 60/40 .032dia/8.0oz) Rosin-Core
1 razor blade
1 pen or small point marker
1 roll of 22-24 gauge stranded wire (Red)
1 roll of 22-24 gauge stranded wire (Black)
1 ligher
Some heat shrink tubing (4" or so will do more than you need)



Pre-cut wires



Step 1: Gut the hyperframe. You only need the screws for the trigger switch. You can leave your trigger in if you want.



Step 2: Mark the solenoid leads BEFORE you desolder the leads from the board. I do this to ensure that if there was a change in the board later on and someone doesnt catch it, the instructions listed here will remain current.

What I do is flip the board over and make a note of which leads go to what. Here is an example of the desoldered board with the leads from my board (yours may vary some so be sure to complete this step to prevent alot of work in the later steps)



Step 3: Desolder your Capacitor. I used to just cut wires and re-solder them back toegether, but I decided with this install I was going to try desoldering the leads on the board.
Once you have the leads off the board and they are clean to you can see through the holes, proceed to desolder the wire leads from the capacitor. Your going to install new ones.



Step 4: Desolder your micro switch. Same process as with the capacitor, just make sure you keep the holes on the board clean.

Step 5: Solder your new wire leads to the board. I recommend stripping both ends of all the wires so that you dont have to do it after you spend time getting them all soldered to the board and there is more to break.



Step 6: Modifying the new micro switch. The micro switch that comes with the APE Rampage board is (hands down) beter than the 80gram Radio Shack brick that comes with the hyperframe.
In this picture you can see what the switch looks like after desoldering and before the mod. (dont cut the middle post as shown)



Shave a little bit of the screw hole off on BOTH holes. There are 2 reasons for this: First being that if you drill the hole bigger, you will destroy the inside of the switch and it wont work,.. you can try it,.. but I'll save you the hassle and show you this way. Second reason is that you can adjust the pull to your liking by simply "flipping" the switch over. I like my trigger switch with the leaf pointed up.



Step 7: Solder the leads from the board to the solenoid. Try to keep the board connections the same as the ones your leads are being soldered to on the noid. This is why you labled/made a note of the order the wires ran before desoldering earlier.

Step 8: Solder the leads from the board to the capacitor. On the capacitor, there is one post that has a light blue or black line on the side running toward the solder point. This post MUST be connected to the " - " point on the board where the original cap leads came from.

Step 9: Solder the leads from the board to the trigger switch. Use the middle post and the one just below the small button on the micro switch



Step 10: If you used the wire lengths I listed, you should be able to run all the wires under the board and the board will sit parallel to the battery when installed. I added the extra (its not a whole lot) so you can move the items around a bit and not rip your install apart.

Step 11: Mounting the board (not complete yet) I know what I want to do I just dont have the screws I needed and I was too tired to go get them. Basically you need to drill a very small hole and tap it. Simple. I will modify this post later on!

Step 12: Mount to your AGD marker,... and go mow faces!



Enjoy!!

~ P8nt

[Jaan]

Although I've used a lighter many times for heat shrink tubing...a heat gun is only about $10 and has lots of uses (stripping paint etc.). Just a pet peeve of mine.

Great guide!