Machine wound mod-motor shootout

Radio Control Car Action, Aug 2000 by Vieira, Peter

Facts, features, tuning tips-and DYNO NUMBERS

We've dispensed this advice many times to many readers and fellow hobbyists over the years: if you want to get more performance out of your "entry-level" car or truck, install a machine-wound modified motor. That good advice has only gotten better, thanks to a spate of new motor releases that brings even greater horsepower (and lower prices) to the machine-wound scene. Which motor is fastest? Strongest? Cheapest? All the answers are here, along with tuning tips, your most asked questions and-best of all-real dyno numbers to help you choose the best mod motor for your machine. With more than 50 motors listed (and even more out there for which we didn't have room), there's sure to be one for you.

ORION

ORBITAL 2 MACH MOD

Orion's Orbital motors share the same can but have different features. The Mach Mods are the econo powerplants; they use bushings in the can and endbell. Installed bullet connectors make installation a snap, and surface-mounted capacitors keep glitch gremlins at bay. Timing is not adjustable, but Orion uses two different cans with different timing to suit the winds; 14-turn and higher motors have 20 degrees of timing; 13-turn and lower have 14 degrees.

AT A GLANCE

Surface-mounted capacitors.

Installed bullet connectors.

Bushed, non-adjustable endbell.

ORBITAL 2 PRO-BB

The racier "Pro-BB" Orbital features ball bearings (hence the name) and an adjustable endbell. Polarized brush heat sinks are a nice touch, especially in those cars that make it hard to see the endbell; just solder the positive wire to the side of the motor with the red brush heat sink and the negative wire to the black heat-sink side, and you'll be set. Of course, if you use the included, installed bullet connectors, you won't even have to worry about that!

AT A GLANCE

Installed bullet connectors.

Ball bearings.

Surface-mounted capacitors.

Polarized brush heat sinks.

Adjustable timing,

PILOT

This is Orion's least expensive mod, but it still has some nice features, such as an installed capacitor and plug-in bullet connectors. Oddly enough, Orion epoxy-balances the Pilots, but not the Orbital mods (see "What to Look for in a Mod Motor" for an explanation of each balancing method). Pilots are bushed, but the 11-, 13- and i5-turn models have a ball bearing in the endbell.

AT A GLANCE

Plug-in bullet connectors included.

Ball-bearing endbell in 11-, 13- and 15-turn models.

Epoxy-balanced.

Fixed endbell.

"The most powerful motor will make my car fastest-right?"

Wrong. Although it's tempting to rush out to the hobby shop to buy the motor with the biggest power number on the chart, you won't be able to use that power if your vehicle isn't set up for it The hottest motors will make life difficult for "sport" ESCs and will drain a 1500mAh pack in 3 minutes or less; that isn't much fun time. If you're way off the mark on your gearing, you may even smoke your new motor or ESC on the first ron; no one wants than Here's a rough guide to matching your motor to your machine:

14 turns and less. For trouble-free running and decent ran times, these winds require rating-quality ESCs and high-capacity packs (2000mAh or more). If you have a big-tire monster truck, gear it as low as possible, but you'd really be better off with a milder motor. Pan cars, racing sedans and competition off-road cars are the best homes for the low-- wind powerhouses.

15 to 18 buns. These "less powerful" winds can actually make your car or track faster than very low-- wind motors because they produce more torque. Look at the chart, that torque equals low-rpm power to spin big off-road tires and turn the relatively tall stock gearing of most vehicles. You'll go faster and still have decent run times, and sport-level electronics should be able to cope with these winds without difficulty.

19 to 27 turns. These mildest of mods aro still fire-breathing monsters compared with the plain silver motors included with marry kits, but they won't overtax mechanical speed controls or bottom-rang ESCs. You'll also enjoy long run time-close to those your kit motor delivered.

About Timing

The "timing" of a motor relates to the position of the brushes relative to the magnets. When the brush is perfectly centered over the magnets, the motor is said to have 0 degree of timing. If the endbell (and with it, the brushes) is rotated opposite to the direction of motor rotation, the timing becomes "advanced," and if it is rotated in the same direction as armature rotation, the timing becomes "retarded." Timing is measured as the number of degrees the brushes are rotated from the centered position; some motors have calibration marks on the decal to show where the timing is set. Although "timing" refers to the position of the brushes over the magnets, all motors use a molded-in pointer or the endbell screw to measure timing in relation to a "zero point" on the can located between each pair of mounting holes.

So how does timing affect performante? As timing is advanced, amp draw and motor speed increase, but efficiency suffers. Retarded timing makes the motor run slower and hotter, and it's never used; 0 degree is as close as you should ever get As a rule, winds with 15 or fewer turns are best set with 0 to 15 degrees of advanced timing; milder winds may go as high as 20 degrees. When in doubt, go with less timing; your car will run cooler, longer.