11 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

I did a (Slotblog) search and found an old thread on this subject.

Didn't really see a clear cut consensus, so I'd like to ask it again, please.

 

Brushless handout race coming up locally here in TN this summer, using Parma #1304 4500KV.

Are the savvy guys oiling, or not?

 

Thanks,

Pablo

[John Luongo]

i use allison approved trans synd fluid for all bearings. i only need to oil once before the race with no issues. sometimes i will heat up an oil lite bushing a bit, then apply lube oil to it so the bushing can "draw" the lube in.

[Pablo]

And that's on brushless motors, John?

Thanks for the reply.

[John Luongo]

no. i dont own one, yet. it works for me on gears, axles, axle bearings and guide tongues. for sealed bearings, one can only hope that the provided lube is a good match for the demands of the application. one hint would be if replacement bearings for brushless motors are not available or upgradeable. best regards

[Larry Horner]

Pablo, since these motors were originally developed for drones, I googled if drone motors need to be lubricated. The general consensus is no as most have sealed bearings. But in drone usage, the prop is pulling directly along the axis of motor rotation which is different than in a slot car where the resistance is perpendicular to the motor's rotation. So do the same rules apply ... I have no idea. My suggestion would be not lube the motor and see what happens and luckily these motors are fairly cheap if that doesn't work out.

[John Luongo]

as more brushless racing gains popularity, measuring bearing temps may prove interesting. working in transportation years ago, we had particular blower motor bearings that seemed to be failing frequently. i upgraded the sealed bearing with an aircraft grade replacement and was able to increase the service life of the blower motor.

[Bill Breck]

The direct approach never hurts - ask Roger at Mid America. He's always answered my questions about his products.

[Pablo]

Thanks Bill, I may do that 

[Bill Seitz]

A couple things you may consider about bearings. Whether sealed or shielded, rubber seals or metal shields cause extra drag on the bearing particularly until the bearing breaks in and wears a groove in the seal or shield. Sealed or shielded bearings are often lubricated from the factory with grease. Grease being more viscous than oil, especially a light oil, causes more drag on the bearing than one lubed with oil. An oiled, open bearing will have less rotational friction and therefore require less effort or attain a higher speed with equal effort. Synthetic ATF is an excellent lube for small bearings due to extreme film strength and low viscosity. There are other low viscosity, high film strength lubes that also work well, and always better for speed performance than grease.

 

Seals and shields work well to keep lube in the bearings for longer periods and keep dirt/contamination out in harsh environments. They're great for extended life and reduced maintenance. Grease is great for when lubrication needs to last for an extended period and not wash out in extreme environments. Seals, shields, and grease do cause extra friction loss, so not great where max performance/minimum resistance is important.

[MSwiss]

Pablo,

There's a brushless Facebook page.

[bbr]

most BL motors we use in slot cars are 2mm BBs. easy to replaced and about the only thing that wears out.

[Ken Lenz]

Pablo,

There's a brushless Facebook page.

Really as if we didn’t know.
Isn’t this the Brushless sub-group for motor building?!?