Genral motor care.

[sandboy75]

Ok so I'm new.

What do I need to do with a TC4, and the stock motor I just got.
So far I have run the TC4 for about 3 days and have done nothing with it.

What do I need to do to take care of this motor?
Mind you I'm new so try to type like I dont know what I'm doing...

[JB_The_Evader]

Are you racing or bashing?
If you're bashing, you could get away with pulling the motor out of the car, cleaning the comm with a comm stick (Sorry, I don't have a link to one - you should be able to find one by searching for it on tower or something), spraying it out with motor spray, and relubing the bushings.

For racing, here's what I do:
I race two classes, and for each I have a pair of motors: one for practice, and one for racing.
During a day at the track, I'll generally put 4-6 runs on my practice motor. Before qualifying, I'll switch out the motor for my better motor. Then I tear down the practice motor, cut the comm, clean it well with motor spray, put it all back together, relube the bushings, and break in the brushes (4 cell pack for around 2-4 minutes depending on the brushes and the comm). It then gets put away.
After running two qualifiers and a main on the race motor, I do the same thing for it. Tear it down, cut it, etc.. Every two days of racing the brushes on my race motor go into a container to either be recycled into my practice motor or given away to a new racer. I change the brushes on my practice motor every 3-4 days of running.

[shadowghost1]

What type of brushes are you using to change them that often. Sounds like overkill, you are taking brushes that are just getting fully seated and broken in and changing them out for new ones just to start the process over again. That is hell on your comm and wallet. Those brushes that you are putting into your container are the best brushes you have.


Original poster:
Bashing- New brushes when the others are bad, always cut the comm before adding new brushes(reduces arcing). Spray with motor spray and oil bushings.
Racing- Com stick, Align brush hoods, change spring rate, higher content of silver brushes. Spray with motor spray and oil bushings.

Truck- Clean after every run. Tighten any loose screws and oil any binding part. Keep electronics clean and safe from water. When the diff feels gritty-rebuild it!

[Kucheg]

Now thats exactly why I am buying a brushless!!

Way too much Maintenence, I did less maintenence on my nitro!!

It's best to take the advice and do the maintenence, I destroyed my motor in about two weeks, I cleaned it but I didn't have a comm lathe, the the comm is in very bad condition.

[TimisTim]

I had a d-5 twelve turn motor and could get away with about 20 to 25 runs before I had to cut the comm (just bashing no racing). Now I have gone brushless also :)

But just as far as mainenance is concerned just keep it lubed and clean and everything shold be fine. The only thing you have to worry about is the motor and differential.

[TEM]

Timistim, 20-25 runs on a 12 turn motor before a comm cut is absolutely crazy! How much did you have to take off the comm?

For basically any class I do the 2 motor thing. No so much 1 practice motor and 1 race motor, but a pair of motors both good for racing. Theres ALWAYS a crappier motor I have thats either same or similar that I use for practice. As for the motor pairs; A gets 2 qualifiers, B(faster one) gets the last qualifer and main. Comm cut after a couple race days for both, or comm cut after 1 if I did something stupid and the comm looks bad. This is just for club racing.

If you are starting out or bashing, I would say use a long-life brush instead of a high performance one cause the extra speed won't make you much faster as of yet;the maintenance of the high performance brush is not worth your trouble and costs. Use the trinity street spec brush. You can get a crapload of runs with that before your comm needs attention. (PM me if you want a bunch of them for cheaps). So cut the comm or get it cut if you don't got a comm lathe; LHS does it for 5bucks or so; fellow racers does it for free or for a can of pop("Soda" for the folks south of the border). Clean the motor out with motor cleaner or brake cleaner. Oil the bushings. Thats your basic maintenance. WHEN and ONLY WHEN you can drive perfect around the track, THEN start worrying about getting making a motor fast, etc.

Tips for all beginners; "Going slower means going faster". It's like if you start out inexperienced and hitting all the walls, a faster motor will just make you hit more walls and hit them harder! You may look faster on the straight, and half the time you're fighting the car to go straight. But check your lap times!

[dammod]

Soz but whats a comm?

[TimisTim]

@ TEM.....I actually didn't have access to a lathe but now I do so I'll let you know. It still had great power, well at least enough for off-road. I have three comms that were ran like this beacuse I couldn't cut them so I just purchased new ones. One had (I kid you not) almost 50 runs on it before it got so bad I would have to shove the truck to get it moving, then it stalled. Heres a couple of pics, they are all 12 turn but the two on the right are made for big tracks and drive more like a 2 wind. Notice how bad the last one is :p

[TEM]

If you run brushed motors, a lathe or access to one is very important. Comm cutting actually prolongs motor life and not take it away (like some beginners thinking you are cutting the comm smaller and smaller!). Why?, cause you take less off when you cut it often. Run the crap out of the motor, not only does performance decline, but also you end up taking a LOT more off the comm.

50 runs!... ouch! The only motors I believe I would have ever put 50runs on with no comm cut is a silver can type motor, back in 1987. I mean if you got no comm lathe and no access to one, can't blame you. You be good to your motors, and they will be good to you!...

[TimisTim]

I wish I had a lathe back then. I took these up to my LHS and they didn't have anyone there that would cut them for any price. I should have gone to my track, but this was way before I wanted to race. The two on the left are in suprisingly good shape for what I did to them. Oh well now Im on to brushless, and am donating these comms to a friend that is getting back into the sport.

One thing I did learn is that if you are going to do what I did and not cut the comm DON'T change the brushes until you do. The new brushes will not seat on the comm like the others and just arc themselves to death and burn the comm. (hint last comm on my pic above on the right)

[TBone77]

Are you racing or bashing?
If you're bashing, you could get away with pulling the motor out of the car, cleaning the comm with a comm stick (Sorry, I don't have a link to one - you should be able to find one by searching for it on tower or something), spraying it out with motor spray, and relubing the bushings.

For racing, here's what I do:
I race two classes, and for each I have a pair of motors: one for practice, and one for racing.
During a day at the track, I'll generally put 4-6 runs on my practice motor. Before qualifying, I'll switch out the motor for my better motor. Then I tear down the practice motor, cut the comm, clean it well with motor spray, put it all back together, relube the bushings, and break in the brushes (4 cell pack for around 2-4 minutes depending on the brushes and the comm). It then gets put away.
After running two qualifiers and a main on the race motor, I do the same thing for it. Tear it down, cut it, etc.. Every two days of racing the brushes on my race motor go into a container to either be recycled into my practice motor or given away to a new racer. I change the brushes on my practice motor every 3-4 days of running.


Man... when do you find time to actually race?

(Shameless brushless plug :D )

[cheerwhiner]

i did about 50 runs on a p2k2 and man once i got a lathe i just threw that armature away and used the can from that motor for the lathe (cobra comm that requires the motor can and an endbell to have the brush hood remove- i just use the same endbell all the time to make it easier!!)

but do get motor spray and spray it down and keep it lubed. if you are just bashing, see if your hobby shop can cut the comm for you and do it probably once a month maybe. have a spare motor also so you can switch 'em out if they cannot cut it immediatly