Mabuchi 540 vs Paradox Pro

[dugrant153]

Hi all,

Well, I got a Paradox Pro, but I was thinking of getting Mabuchi 540s. I know they're kinda slow, but I'm wondering HOW slow are they? I mean, are they really that slow? They're used in the TCS all the time to keep things even?

The reason for me getting the Mabuchi 540 was so all my friends and I could race at the same level, and not all have to spend $55 CDN on a brand new motor. Mabuchis are pretty cheap.

[SteveK]

Well, they aren't what could be considered fast, but they aren't too bad, at least IMO. They will get a stock TL01 into the upper teens, and would be better in a car with bearings, an ESC, and decent batteries. They will get lost in big areas, but they are good in smaller areas. They will last forever, and run a long time on a single charge, and of course they are cheap and can't easily be tampered with.

I liked them when my LHS ran a stock TL01 class: You had to drive more carefully to stay up front, instead of just slinging the car around the track, powering through corners and everything.

You guys might consider running 20 turn motors like the Traxxas Stinger or HPI's version. Same design, just a 20 turn armature. Or you need even more speed you could try some of the cheaper motors like the Duratrax Evader kit motor. Tower has a whole bunch of motors under $20.

You can get Mabuchi/Johnson 540s (Look different, same performance) from www.mpja.com for $3.95 each, or $2.95 each for 5 or more. Also have 550s, which would have more torque. The 540s are '12VDC Motor Johnson' and the 550s are '12VDC Johnson Tool Motor'.

[highroller]

Many years ago our club & hobby shop ran a IROC class. Tamiya Grasshoppers, stock:motors, gearing, 6cell stick bags and Airtronics radios & ESC. 6 cars were built by memebers, checked and tested then 6 drivers would race them in 10 races each getting a different car by pulling a colored ball that corresponded with the color car. Club members would repair & clean cars and charge batteries so no racer had an advantage. The racer with most points won the championship.