Brushed Motors

[HauntedMyst]

We've seen dozens of threads talking about brushless motors and I think they are a good thing for the industry. However, I like tinkering with brushed motors. To me half the fun of running electric is fiddling with the motors and doing the maintenance such as cutting the coms and finding the right brush/spring combo. Sometimes it works, some times you muck a motor but who cares. I don't even own an electric car at the moment but I still take out my equipment and work the motors for fun. It's like fiddling with your real car, just a whole lot cheaper.


Any one else here just enjoy working on motors?

[hawdon]

I dig it. Don't have a dyno though to experiment with different brush and spring combos. Usually just replace with whatever is recommended by Reedy.

[SteveK]

I don't personally care for fiddling with brushes and springs one bit, but then I don't race, and when I did I would just use whatever somebody told me too: Never really made a difference.

One thing I will agree with is that until brushless motors get cheaper, they won't really 'take over' the hobby. There are just too many people with brushed motors and the compatible ESCs to give them up now.

Plus not everybody wants to spend $200+ on an ESC/motor combo. I know the performance isn't comprable, but a $50 ESC and $20 motor will run pretty good for most people.

I wonder if they could de-tune a brushless motor to perform about like a competition stock or 19 turn spec motor, would that help cut costs? I would like the low maintenance and long run times, but don't necessariy want a ton of power.

[End Overend]

SteveK,

Novak's Super Sport system with the 4200 motor instead of the 5800 motor will do what you are looking for. It was designed to be a stock class brushless motor and should give power in the 19-27 turn range.

Personally, I love to work on my car, tuning it for best operation on the track. I however can't stand performing maintenance on my motors. The cost of worn parts alone doesn't make them cost effective when compared to brushless motors. Then add in the cost of a comm lathe, brush serrator and hood alignment tool and the cost is not worth it at all compared to brushless motors.

Anyway, this thread isn't about brushless motors it's about brushed motors and tuning.

As I said I love to tune my car but despise tuning motors.

[rcguy2477]

I love tinkering with my motors, but i hate running them. I run brushless in races when i can. I have sat around for hours tinkering with differnet springs, cleaning the motor, and other stuff just to get a few more hundred rpm.

[TRF Drive Hard]

As much as i enjoy electric racing, i have yet to explore motors in depth... of course this will require investing the equipment i need... comm lathe, dyno thingy, etc... i sure would love to do all those things...;)

[trw]

i have a lathe of my own now.....i find lots of enjoyment tinkering with them and its fun to...its not driving and not sitting, its being tuned..so with a brushed motor your activites with your car arent black and white, it has gray in there too lol

[Grizzbob]

Absolutely, I love playing around with my motors, & that's why I bought my dyno, so I could learn more about how they work & what works to improve a motor & what doesn't(as well as getting a better idea of how long they can run before the performance degrades). I really love the feeling I get when I've been working on a motor & finally see it start to reach its potential because of my efforts.....:cool:

[mab_man20]

I agree entirely. Being an avid racer, there is nothing more fun and rewarding than working on a motor and finding a fast combo and or set up. Racing is all about setting up the car and i see no reason why motors should be no different.


However, i also think that there should be seperate brushless classes (like at the 2004 Novak USTC champs) and they are great for bashing.

[toddzilla]

well, i'm all for sending you guys my motors every week and you can tweak them till your heart's content and send em back to me!

:D

[TSR6]

Brushed motors rock, I know I have a good binary, and some fairly good monsters.

When people run the "limited" mode on their super sport in stock class, That I do not like. I was racing against someone last week for 3'rd spot, and had it not been for my tight lines, he would have passed me. :(

[rocknbil]

Yeah, me likes to tweak 'em, I've got a virtual RC motor history and here's about half of 'em :D

Just FYI, that G.M. on the right has never been opened and probably never will be, it boasts "91 ROAR legal" on the back of the card . . . and that pinkie on the left is a near-mint 36º and even nearer extinction Trinity stock with about 10 runs and zero cuts on it. :D Go ahead, have your fun with the "classic" racing jokes - the ones in the box aren't too old. :D

[-=ADA$=-]

hey rocknbill you got some nice collection there!!

[rcguy2477]

Originally posted by TSR6
When people run the "limited" mode on their super sport in stock class, That I do not like. I was racing against someone last week for 3'rd spot, and had it not been for my tight lines, he would have passed me. :(

Yes i agree, they are unbelievably fast. The reason they are so fast is probably because novak compared the mode to the fastest stock motors out there. At the level i am racing at, i look fast compared to every one else, but if i ran with the big boys, i would look incredibly slow.

[rocknbil]

Originally posted by -=ADA$=-
hey rocknbill you got some nice collection there!!
Well it's small by most of these guys' standards, but they are indeed historical.

[shadmaster4]

rocknbil i have that same lathe..how u like it? Mine seems to have a ton of slip back and forth and sideways..I have even tighned down the hex screws.. Also, do you put any shims underneath or above the bit? - Zack

[shadmaster4]

I bought two of those all pink motors from texracer...what are those called? how old?

[rocknbil]

I told you - at least the pink ones ones I have - are fixed-can Trinity 36º stocks, circa 1992 or thereabouts. Most people burned them up which is why they stopped making them, the fixed advanced timing got you higher RPM but less torque, they need to be geared down and are GREAT for buggies that way. No one ever listens when you say "you need to gear down." :D

I like the Cobra, but it's designed for fixed-can stocks, everyone bashes them since they started making rebuildable stocks, but I've always managed to get it to work fine even on mods. Never noticed any slip though - you mean the motor you're turning slips? Have you tried a scrap of paper between the can and clamp, anything like that?

[shadmaster4]

Mine slips or is loose on the nobs..Like when I try to set the Comm depth, and i start cutting, then I go back and try to cut where i was (for instance 15, or any number on the wheel) mine cuts as if it never cut it at 15.. U understand?

[rocknbil]

There a material, been wracking my brain and can't think of the name of it, it's like a putty but it's got grease in it, you could **try** taking it apart and packing the threads with it, it might tighten up the slack. Mines pretty snug and never had any problems yet.

[shadmaster4]

Hey thanks, I am taking mine apart right now..dang do they have big hex heads on some of those screws..I might have to go find a wrench big enough..

[Ideal]

Originally posted by End Overend
Then add in the cost of a comm lathe, brush serrator and hood alignment tool and the cost is not worth it at all compared to brushless motors.

If you think you really need all that cr*p, then you've lost the plot..

Most people will never have the need for any of this.
The common backyard basher only needs slight regular maintainance, if he takes his motor apart every six runs, cleans it and checks the brushes for wear, he could probably run through four sets of brushes before needing the comm cut.

Even if you are into racing, most likely you don't need your comm cut more than every once in a while, and then you can find some guy who'll help you do it for you, so it won't cost you a million dollars.

This extreme hysteria regarding motor maintainance has gone too far.

PEOPLE SHOULD BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR DRIVING, THAN THEIR EQUIPMENT :rolleyes:

[rocknbil]

You're the one who missed the plot. :D The opening question was,

Any one else here just enjoy working on motors?

[Ideal]

Originally posted by rocknbil
You're the one who missed the plot. :D The opening question was,

I'm sorry, did you miss the fact that my response was to the guy who said he despised working on his motors?

http://www.xs4all.nl/~adleeuw/ForumFun/Negative/lerantoread.jpg

[mafiaracer]

I get no better pleasure than rebuilding someones motor and watching them burn people down the straight. I love motor tuning...especially stock motor tuning. I doubt I'll ever go brushless.

[rocknbil]

Originally posted by Ideal
Engaging in snobbery is not worth the effort.


Is that working out for you shadmaster?