Most likely the stupidest question you will ever be asked.

[TheLaxPlayer]

Do you have to break in electric cars? I have only had nitro.

[SteveK]

When the motor is new, or you add new brushes, you do have to break them in. It only takes a few minutes of running at 2-5 volts to seat the brushes (Getting their curve to match the commutator). Serrated brushes shorten that time to a few seconds.

The rest, not really. When they are brand new, sometimes the parts will have to wear in and seat themselves fully, but nitro vehicles can be the same way. You just might not notice if you break in an engine in a new vehicle.

[TheLaxPlayer]

Can you drive them fast in those first few minutes?

[Rustler Dude]

You could, but you wont go too fast because you're not getting the best contact between the comm. and the brushes.

[dont slow down]

actually that is a good question, it shows you care about your car and that you want to take care of it. what people normally do is take a 4 cell pack and hook it directly up to the motor for a few seconds, that helps break the brushes in. also you can stick the output shaft of the motor in a dremel and run the dremel on low for a minute or so. but once your brushes have seated, you can let it rip! have fun and remember, the only stupid question there is, is the one that isnt asked.

[SteveK]

Well, like I said, there are serrated brushes with break in virtually instantly. Instead of a smooth face, the brushes have ridges carved into the faces and they wear away very quickly when the motor spins, letting the brush take the shape of the comm much faster.

[InspGadgt]

Dude that's a good question not a stupid one. Yes it's a good idea to break in your motor brushes and bushings if it's a stock motor. There's many methods of doing this one of the easiest is the serated brushes mentioned earlier. Also running your motor very slow for awhile until the brushes fully seate works well too.

The stupidest question I've ever seen in RC was while working at a LHS. Phone rings "Hello hobby shop" customer: "do you have tires for my rc car", shop "probably, what kind is it?", customer: "it's a 57 chevy"

Or this one: Customer: "do you have the black part for my car?", shop: "maybe, what kind of car is it?", customer: "I don't know...it's the one I bought from you 2 years ago" (like we are really going to remember that!)

[stormperson]

there arent stupid questions only stupid people:D jk, but that is a very good question, since alot of people still dont do it correctly (or at all). i personally have a turbo 35 which you can break in motors with at different voltages. If you dont have one, dont worry about it, for stock motors with serations i generally break in for around 40 seconds at 2 volts, mod brushes i do for like 200 seconds at 2 volts. For hard brushes like for mod or the brushes that come with most stock motors you can use more than 2 volts, but for stock where the brushes are very soft i would only use 2-3 volts for break in.

you dont have to break in your motor, but its a good idea, since it makes sure the brushes are "seated" properly with the comm, and will give you full power when you start using it.

[slodsm]

Yeah dude, definately not a dumb question. I had to ask the same thing because I started out as Nitro only as well.