I am very surprised that motors don't come with instructions in basic maintenance. Maybe this will be a moot point if brushless motors take over the hobby. Until then, we are stuck keeping our motors clean and running in top shape. For those who don't know the basic terms, the picture to the right shows the armature on the left, the endbell in the upper right and the motor can on the bottom. We will start with an assembled motor and show basic cleaning methods.

 

After some practice runs or after a race, you need to clean the motor to keep it in peak performance. Start by using a good motor spray. Pull the brushes out of the endbell to keep the motor spray from getting on the them. Spray into the motor can through all openings around the can and from both ends. Keep going until the liquid is coming out clear. If you have a lot of time on your motor without any cleaning, you will be amazed at the muddy gunk that will run out of it for a while.

 

Once the motor is cleaned out, take a comm stick and put it into one of the brush slots. While holding the stick in with your thumb as show, spin the motor. It may help to have a pinion gear on the motor to make it easy to spin it. You may also want to build a small stand that can hold the motor and either connect a slave motor to it or even a Dremel tool to spin the armature while holding in the comm stick. You will see the comm turn shiny in just a few seconds

 

The comm stick has a rounded end on it that is used to clean the carbon off of the brushes. Scrub the brushes until they are nice and shiny. If the brushes are too worn or show inconsistent wear, you should have your comm turned on a comm lathe and replace your brushes. These cleaning techniques will just prolong the need for comm turning, it wont eliminate it.

If you see some lingering gunk on the comm hat wont come off easily, then it is best to pull the motor apart. Be sure not to loose any spacers from either end of the armature. Once you have the armature out, you can use the comm stick to scrub the comm to a nice shiny finish. While you have the armature out, give it, the endbell, and the motor can a thorough cleaning with motor spray.

 

Whether you pull the motor apart or not, make sure you have some bushing oil and put a drop on the bushing on either end of the motor. Replace the brushes, take a moment to check the solder joints on your capacitors and diodes and your ready to drop it back into your car. With these basic cleaning tips, you will greatly extend the useful life of your motor and ensure peak performance.