how do you get a mabuchi/johnson 540 to go faster?

[The_In_Kid]

how do people boost the power of the factory stock johnson/mabuchi 540 without others noticing?

i saw one car with a cheated 540 but they won't be sharing how they boosted it

[Woody218]

The easiest is to replace the stock armature with a mod motor armature.

[The_In_Kid]

i'm talking about this motor

http://www.eaelec.com/jmot.jpg

[k_sw31]

I race in a spec type class where we have to use the silver rs40 mabuchi 540.

So far the things I have done to boost performance are the following:

1) Proper breakin: These 540 motors use super hard brush compounds, break them in properly you have to use water. Basically you run the motor on a low voltage with the endbell submerged in water for a period of 5-10 minutes. I have done this 3 times, I know some people who have done it 5 times and thier motors seem faster than mine.
2) Good maintenence: Even though these are closed end bell motors, you still need to do regular maintenence. Basically it just involves soaking the motor with cleaner, and oiling the bushing.
3) Comm drops: these are for the last little bit of power, every bit helps right?

Doing all these tips has gained a few mph...very noticeable when racing with these slow motors.

Or if he was really cheating, he could have been running over 6 cells, or he coulda pryed off the endbell and popped a different armature in thurr.

[shadmaster4]

I just realized the fun of these motors a few days ago, when i was at my grandma's house, in Staunton Virginia, and the whole neighbor hood is giant hills, i mean, when you go in the driveway, from your car, you think you tip over, these hills are soo huge. So anyway, i got out my old 540, and Tryed to put it in the evader. Funny thing is that the bushing on the end is so big, it wouldn't allow the motor to seat flush to the motor mount. So i filed away, and soon it fit. Man i had fun with this, i geared it low, and it craws the hills faster than my XX4 with a 11turn. The tourqe is so insane....I decided to do some rock climbing.(with an evader.haha), and it was good at that...it could hop up on those street curbs like nothing. That was soo fun...If only i saved my other one of those motors...I took the other one to the vice, and detroyed it.:(


Dude, that is soo cool that there is actually a class for just the stock 540's. I bet you all run lik 20minute mains...LOL, how much battery time do you get with a 3300? I have just 1900's. - Zack

[k_sw31]

Yeah, I race in the Mini Cooper class with TCS regulations, mains are around 10 minutes, qualifiers are 5. But, on a good GP3300 stick pack I can get close to half an hour of run time...its a blast! :D

[rcguy2477]

I have heard of some people unwinding the armature to make it go faster. You cant do much legaly if you are going to race though.

[rcnerd]

Are you using it in the boat shown??

[The_In_Kid]

i found out how to do it with a 12 volt battery

[highroller]

Wjat was done years ago was cranking in more timing - but what this does is shorten the life and sometimes you can snap the wire if too much pressure or force is used. To crank more timing put an allen wrench between the armature stack take a set of vise grips and twist armature shaft is a counter clockwise direction to increase the timing. What this does is reorient the position os the armature stack in relation to the comm/brush when fields get charged with current. You can usually crank about 5 degrees more timing - without causing problems.

[rocknbil]

Originally posted by highroller
....To crank more timing put an allen wrench between the armature stack take a set of vise grips and twist armature shaft is a counter clockwise direction to increase the timing......

ROFLMAO HAHAAHAA . . now that is what i call a "SWEET CHEAT!"

:D

[k_sw31]

Don't temp me dude! :D

[highroller]

It's not cheating unless you are racing and rules specifically state no tampering with timing.

[k_sw31]

I guess I'll have to check those TCS regulations. :p

[rcnerd]

Originally posted by The_In_Kid
i found out how to do it with a 12 volt battery

If you use 12v on a direct drive boat like the one in the picture it will fry. Are you asking about the boat in the pic? this is important to know. Also the motor shown in the boat isn't a standard 540. (what we consider standard in r/c is the RS540SH motor)
Give me a little more info about what you are doing witgh it etc, racing, what the race specs are or just playing and i will give you some expert advice:rolleyes: ,j/k but I have raced some boats in my time......:D

[SegaBowMan]

I just tweaked my motor and it seems to have gain a little speed. But I'm not completely sure because I had to test it inside. We'll see tomorrow. But one thing though my pinion didn't fit as well because the shaft was scratched by the pliers. I guess next time I will cover it with something. This is a heads up to anyone who is going to try this.