How to Break in a R/C car brushed motor--The Water Method.

[brandonwalus1]

@mrjacq1988. I swear that's exactly what I was thinking!!!

[krisiluttinen]

LMAO @"Dont put your hand in the water" dude its just 3V.

[Zeuslillie1]

Ummm next video don't add music u can barely hear ur voice

[MrJacq1988]

RED SOLO CUP!!!!

[tmaxxman1980]

do you need to brake in a rtr rc ???

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@tmaxxman1980 Yes. 

[Bongwater123]

i have the same motor and have been using it steady for 4 years in a drift car without 1 problem and have been using it in a dirty ass garage. i just spray wd-40 inside the motor before each run (once you start using wd-40, dont stop because wd-40 attracts dust and dirt like crazy and you need to lube regularly). i wouldnt suggest doing that if you use your car inside your house. wd-40 will most likely drip on the floor. also never heard of submerging a motor in water

[bufilobill32]

are all brushed motors water proof

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

PART THREE: Don't skip cleaning out your motor and lubing the bearings frequently...this is just as important as the break in, and you should do this on a regular basis anyway. You can do this on a motor that you have already used a few times, but the more use on the motor, the less of an effect the break in will have, obviously. Running your motor in water does NO HARM if you clean and lube it after. 3/3

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

PLEASE READ ME PART TWO: The most water break in is important too. Even though the water washed away the brush dust, it also washed away any lube on the bearings, and creates the potential for corrosion. So, use a motor cleaner to clean out the water and left over dust. You can find motor cleaners that are specific to RC. There is no better one to use. Maybe Do NOT USE WD40 INSIDE THE MOTOR. It is a crappy substitute to oil your bearings with if you don't have the right lubrication

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

PLEASE READ ME BEFORE COMMENTING: Answers to questions that have been asked a lot about this video.  You can use any kind of water. When you run the motor underwater at low voltage, it decreases the friction and heat caused by running a new, square brush against a round commutator, as well as washing away the dust created by break in and keeps the motor at a low speed. This process gives a better shape to your brush, increased contact, and decreased brittleness,= better performance. 1/2

[Ewaldas009]

That works with tap water without short circuit ? Or its better to use distilled water ?

[Fadeaway97]

where can you get motor cleaner

[vivalashay]

WD40 is NOT a lubricant...

[airsoftisawsome]

is the motor cleaning spray something special for rc cars or is it the kind that you clean car engines with? 

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@airsoftisawsome the stuff I use is special to RC but there are other similar products around

[bear123bc]

great video, Makes this easy to understand how to do it right. I'm going to do this this week.

[s1msalab1m1]

@bear123bc And does it work???

[minecraftdud]

I have used my motor 9-10 times can I still do this or do I have to do this when the motor is brand new?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@minecraftdud This question has been asked an answered multiple times, please read the comments. You can still do it but it might not do that much at this point.

[RCHobbyist]

Hey how well do it work after u lub it with WD40? And can u still do it after u run your car for a while like a week or 2? please respond ty Hey what kind of motor spary did u use?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@RCHobbyist If it didn't work well, would I post the video? It's pointless after you run your car after a week or two...just do this ONCE. It's not regular maintenance, its part of getting a new motor. I think it was a Tamiya Super Stock 540 can I used.

[RCHobbyist]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 k ty

[RCHobbyist]

Hey how well do it work after u lub it with WD40? And can u still do it after u run your car for a while like a week or 2? please respond ty

[unbracedkevbot]

can i do this to an rc engine that has only ben driven twice?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@unbracedkevbot sure

[rockbandmlb]

how doesnt this ruin your motor it seems like it would short out or something

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@rockbandmlb did it short out? no. electricity will take the path of least resistance and in this case, its thru the motor and not the water.

[funkilishes7]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 you no that u should not use the batterys u should take the esc and the stock battery that comes with the truck th it

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@funkilishes7 Nope, too much voltage.

[funkilishes7]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 nope its not using just plain batterys is bad for the motor it weakens it and also its not to much voltage

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@funkilishes7 It doesn't matter whether the power source is a alkaline, NiCd, Nimh, LiPo, Li-Ion, Lead Acid, converted straight from DC. The 3V alkalines (2x1.5V, series) are the best I have found for the purpose of breaking standard 540 can motors. If you care to disagree you can hold your own opinion. I find it strange that you would "know" more about the topic if you had to search "how to break in a brushed motor". IKeep your bullshit off of my video, and move on with your life. Bye.

[MrMcMiniMidgetMan]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 You say the normal battery pack is too much voltage. As long as you have the motor running very slow with the throttle trim shouldn't it be ok? Please reply.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@MrMcMiniMidgetMan Yeah, you could use the throttle trim method if you want to. The goal is to keep it at a low AND constant speed (so don't be using the trigger). I just prefer using alkalines because I know the motor is done when they run out, and it keeps my ESC, reciever, nice batteries, etc away from the water. Either way, I don't even own any brushed motors anymore...I'm all brushless and nitro :P times change!

[MrMcMiniMidgetMan]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 Ok, thanks but, someone also said to get the motor going slow then speed it up and leave it and then just keep gradually speeding it up so the motor gets used to all speeds? Is this wrong?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@MrMcMiniMidgetMan I don't like the sound of that, but that's my personal preference. You don't want abrupt changes to the motor when it's new

[corery31601]

an u give me the item used to do that.. me live at malaysia and there is nothing at the mall like what u use.....can u tell me what is it?

[Leprechaun79]

I will be using this method today!

[igpx1man]

why cant i just play with it and break it in that way

[dtown12v]

Thanks for the reply. I'm new to rc after a 20 year hiatus or so.  Looking forward to trying this out- if I can find any brushed motors these days!!

[nvr2lo88]

will this work on a titan 550 motor for the e revo 1/10 scale I would hate to wreck my motor ??

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@nvr2lo88 Quote: It will work for ANY brushed RC motor"

Why would I post this video if it would wreck your motor? It's GOOD for it.

[dtown12v]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 What gauge of wires are you using to connect the batteries to the motor? Thanks for the vid

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@dtown12v Nothing crazy, I think they were 16 gauge. Anything around that would be fine.

[razvianus]

you usually dont put music too loud in how to videos so we can hear you properly.

This music annoyed the fuck out of me.

But besides that, this is a good tutorial.

[0clutch0]

when you but a rtr do the motors come broke in cuz im geting a 3903 emaxx and i will break them if i have to but is it necessary.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@0clutch0 You should break all motors in, even if they came on a RTR. Nothing comes pre-broken in :)

[0clutch0]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 ok thank you

[Justin4958]

Do you think this will help a 15turn firebolt

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@Justin4958 If its new

[cristianoid]

i apreciate you dedication ...but....

myyy god!!

please, connect your motor directly to a 3-4.5-6-7,5... DC adaptator stabisised

or buy directly a traxxas 12 T with fan

or... forget brushed and go for brushless, forget bussings , forget brushes

any way good vid

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@cristianoid I don't own any brushed in any of my kits. This was just to show people that don't know how to do this, how to do this ;)

The traxxas motors are the worst pieces of crap I've ever seen, IMO.

I run brushless in all my kits now.

[hockeydude5122]

DONT DO THIS WITH THE TITAN 12T MOTOR IT KILLED MINE THEY OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT WATERPROOF

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@hockeydude5122 Hello. I find your comment rather annoying. I've done this to multiple titans with good results. I know and can refer many people who have done it as well. Titans do have a good history of burning up fast, so I'd bet it's either that, or you did something wrong. But let's not make assumptions on a whole brand of motor just because your trial went bad. Mike.

[hockeydude5122]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 sorry to be annoying but i tried this and it killed it(must have done something wrong) and then i drove through puddles and it killed another one. soon to get a brushless system. my local hobby shop told me it was the water.bill

[rogermorsee]

I don't understand. How will the motor dry if it stays closed after having been submerged by water?

Those batteries were normal 1,5 alcaline volt? (3 v together) ?

Will this method work with new engines?

I've read some comments but i still don't understand what exactly does water do to the engine.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@rogermorsee Hi,

To dry it out, you can use compressed air or run it outside of the water to dry up the water. the batteries were normal 1.5V, in series to make 3V.

Water lessens the friction between the brush and the commutator, and cleans out the shavings as the brushes break in for the first time. It also slows down the motor to allow for optimal break in.

[zagonielod]

Hi there! Maybe it was allready asked before, but aprox how long (minutes)should it run in the water?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@zagonielod It said in the video. Did you watch it? Until the batteries die.

[CABINETDUDE69]

I HAVE A TITIAN 12T THAT I DID NOT BREAK IN WHEN I GOT IT BECUASE I WAS AT RACE AND THE OLD MOTOR WENT OUT AND I DID NOT BREAK IT IN. I HAVE USED IT FOR ABOUT 20 RUNS WOULD IT HELP TO STILL BREAK IT IN?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@CABINETDUDE69 I CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE WITHOUT THE CAPS.

..and, I wish I had a nickel for every time this question has been asked here.

The answer is it MIGHT help but don't expect anything dramatic.

[Del350K4]

Lucky you warned us not to cheat and use WD40, which is just what I´d already decided to do...

[iamwieb]

Will this clean, and or just give me better performance on my used ( still running) Titan 12t?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@iamwieb Both

[bigguy55100]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 so your saying you can take a titan 12t motor that is still running and and do this and it will clean and smooth the brushes?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@bigguy55100 I would say yes.

[bigguy55100]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 Thank you,alot! Im starting racing my brand new slash in a week or two and i noticed it was a little sluggish and i blew it out with my air compressor and it helped a little but now i will dry your nicely demonstrated video.  Thanks Again.

[Drakhar1]

i love daft punk 3min in.. great video bro. i want to change to brushless and this looks simple enough

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@Drakhar1 Remember this is only for brushed. You dont break in brushless motors.

[gtdrummerdude]

Actually I have a Titan 12T motor that was very weak and had pauses in acceleration. I did the water break in and cleaned it very good and it didn't fix the problem. I was about to throw it away when I decided to spray the comm and brushes with WD40. I did this several times while running the car and the motor performs infinitely better now. WD40 either cleans the comm and brushes VERY well or helps break them in. Either way, it restores motor performance.

[cwebb809]

awesome vid thanks for making this

[moab50]

Why why and WHY do we break in motors in the water and not in the open air?. what make this method better?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@moab50 The water cuts out a lot of friction and slows down the motor so the process is smoother. And the smoother your brushes are broken in, the longer they will last.

[lastpally]

@moab50 Also the water softens the brushes and makes the brushes easier to seat to the comm. You need to clean the motor out with motor spray and oil the bushing/bearings to pervent rust on the can, magnets and armature.

[thecoolman101]

@moab50

it speeds up the process

[sgtGrif]

@moab50 "The main reasons I have heard to do the break-in in water is to reduce pitting during motor arcing in the break-in, and to keep the temperature down low, and wash away the carbon buildup during break-in. I also cannot confirm this, but I have heard that water break-in’s result in a higher performance motor that doesn’t last quite as long as a dry break-in."

[sweir127]

hey i no this may sound like a stupid question but does the motor have to be new?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@sweir127 Nothing is a stupid question. This procedure is for all new motors, or old motors that you put new brushes on. Hope that helps.

[duramaxin81]

dont use motor oil i did it smoke started to come out of the motor

[duramaxin81]

can you put in a cup of beer for say bud light

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@duramaxin81 no idea, sorry man

[xRawlins]

God, I kept attempting to turn down that shitty music.

If you're going to talk at a whisper, don't attach crappy music and have blaring over you.

[tharshan02]

dude shut up he is nice in off 2 make a dam video

[sandstorm156]

what are brushes

[jtr431996]

@sandstorm156 are you supid

[M0NKH0USE]

thanx dude ur ace!

[M0NKH0USE]

hey, im getting an orion sv2 method 19x2 motor soon and was wondering if i can definitly use the water break in method with this motor? i only ask coz ive used this water break in before but only on simpler motors like the one in your vid, thanx for any reply!

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

This break in will work perfect on this motor :)

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@funkjon it creates less friction between the brush and the commutator, so the brush breaks in more smoothly. Plus, it slows down the motor so the break in goes smoother

[guily6669]

I wouldnt use WD 40 if i were u, WD 40 kiils rubber and a few more surfaces, dont know if it doesnt damage any component like the brushes too...

[richhi95]

Hi im getting a rustler vxl do i need to take the motor an clean it, also how long will motors last for because i want my car to last please reply because i am concernd it will only last a few months, thank you

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

No, you do not need to do this with a VXL motor. And it will last forever.

[MrThemEe]

I live in Dubai and its really, really, really (etc) hard to get stuff like wd40 that i will need to break it in. But is it ok if i just drive it in the water instead and then im done?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

I suppose you should run the motor outside of the water once more after you are done, that way it will dry out some.

[Goldroger3]

So Generally if am correct you just need to have new brushes to do this to a motor,but does it work on a old motor if i change the brushes and put new in,which means that you improve the brushes however the motor is(the uses i mean).Thank you and Awesome work and very helpfull.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

yes, you are right. You should break in the motor anytime you have a new motor, or new brushes in an old motor.

[skatesoft44]

@chunkyfunkymonkey28 could i do this to an orion 35t motor and what the name of the engine spray

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@skatesoft44 Yes and go to your LHS and see what they have.

[lukejwillmot]

is this aplyable if i put new brushes in my motor

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

yes, I would recommend breaking in new brushes.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Just because you most likely did the procedure wrong doesn't mean you need to be rude and make comments as such. If you want to play nice, we can discuss what may have happened right here. If you don't want to play nice, go ahead and inbox me and we'll discuss what you may have done wrong so that you can learn for next time.

[wallinsky95]

why you want to make thata to heli are you going to go submerged with heli or what?

[pat0696]

I have driven my car about 19 X 8 minutes

Is it useless to do the break in process.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

If it was useless, I wouldn't have wasted my time making this video. Your motor would have run better, but too late now. Do it with your next motor. CM

[34kevin34]

is it necessary to break it in?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Yes. Or your motor life is gonna be short. I said that in the video a dozen times.

[34kevin34]

oh i didnt watch teh whole video but thanks.

[Hortizuela66]

do you have to use motor cleaner or could you use somthing else

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Motor cleaner will work the best. If you find something similar, you can use that.

[otoakki]

Um people... the back of the WD40 says not to be used for electric motors O_O

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

@otoakki you can use it on bearings. But no where else.

[otoakki]

I know you technically can but, to be safe use bike lube. cause WD40 says it might catch fire from the fumes, which is a bad thing unless you wanna see flames lol

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Yeah it's a point... technicall you can but reccommended, no. I use CowRc Moo-slick on my bearings.

[otoakki]

Is the stuff you use like a paste or liquid?

[MrPokegeek212]

witch way is best your way or another way i heard is with double A batteries and run it in water for 3 min.

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

It will do the same thing. I dont believe using one size of batt over the other is better. I just prefer C size. Aa's will work i believe.

[torreschan1]

then if mine is a tamiya motor and i used it for quite long already say 8hrs?

[traxxasslash26]

is this okay to do with modified brushed motors?

over time, wont this start damaging the motor?

also, is motor spray like nitro cleaner or something?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

1) Yes

2) No (you only do this procedure once)

3) Close. You want something like CowRC Moo-ter Cleaner, Duratrax motor cleaner, Team Checkpoint motor cleaner, etc.

[traxxasslash26]

oh thanks

[allantung]

thnaks for the info......i like the song too but its better if it is off while you are explaining

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

yeah my videos from now on are going to be without music... just wanted to try it out on this vid ;)

[triggadigga]

did you say do this Every time before a run??

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

No.  Just do this when u buy a new motor, before running it for the first time.

[triggadigga]

I just bought a motor and have driven it once for only about 5-10 mins, its a 12x2 brushless .....is it still worth doing this? or have i gone passed its chance

[triggadigga]

its a brushed X@

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

If you've only driven it for 10 mins, I would recommend doing it.  :)

[triggadigga]

Thanks man. The esc actually burnt out before i could do any more driving oh well good for me in one way haha

[JustMyHobbies]

can i try this with an old motor ? does it help the performance and life time ?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

If you have already run this motor, I wouldn't bother. Re-breaking it in won't help an old motor any. This works the best on brand new motors and brushes.

[traxxasboy101]

cool..can i use other kind of batt during the break in method?if so what??thnks!!

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

you can put 2 NiCd or nimh cells together..but regular alkaline batteries are the easiest

[traxxasboy101]

cool ..thanks ill try that. .so totally drain the two alkaline as well? if i dont have a motor cleaner what do i do?im from the philippines and i think theres none of that here :-(?pls im a noob. . :-)

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Yeah, you want to more or less drain the two batteries. If you don't have a motor cleaner, try using an aircompressor or something to dry out the inside of the motor. And I would put some oil on the bearings.

[traxxasboy101]

ok cool..thank you so much dude..hopefully all that i ordered for states will arrive here in the philippines..thanks..

[princecaspian101]

can i do this with my new titan 12 turn brushed mototr?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

yes sir! I would highly recommend it

[Cylence01]

I think I should have tried this with my Reedy 19T Challenger.......Trying a Komodo Pro Spec 19T next,I think I'll give the water break-in a try.......

[stanedblock]

whats the differance between a brushed motor and a brushless motor?

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

A brushed motor uses brushes. The magnets are on the can and the coil is on the rotor. They are cheaper, harder to maintain, last less, and generally don't perform as well. They are more commom. Brushless motors are completely sealed, the magnets are on the rotor and the coils are on the can. They are more expensive, but have excellent performane and time, and little maintenance. Don't need break in either.

[food13]

Sweet, im going to go buy a new brushed motor soon and will have to do this.

Thanks!

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Glad I could help.

[tbmnbo009]

could you help me?every times when i was playing, smoke always come out from my motor

what could be the problem of this?

thanks

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

Sounsd like your motor burnt out. You will likely need to replace it. Next time, break it in first...that could solve the problem

[Cylence01]

Gearing is one of the biggest causes of Premature Brushed Motor Failure........after break in,make sure the gearing is right...if it's getting to hot to the touch,you probably have to go down a few teeth on the Pinion......

[tokayd]

Thank you very much, very well illustrated and well described, great tutorial for a beginner like me..

[chunkyfunkymonkey28]

No problem. Glad you liked it

[BluckisLove]

a) my dedication is...where?

b) nice camerawork....elf will be proud

c) you said "lubricate" and "shaft" in the same sentence....