koabich

Honestly, if you are not going to cut the com, do not bother. If you are club racing, it's not going to really matter. Or just bring 2 or 3 motors for each race night and switch them every other run.

I have never had luck cleaning the com with a fiberglass or comm stick. In the past when I have tried them the motor was terrible afterward. I would have been better off leaving the motor as it ws before hand then using a comm or fiberglass stick.

I know that most people on this forum do not like Tribo com drops but, I tell you what, they do work. It all depends on how I feel that night but most race nights, I use only one motor. I break the brushs in well at low voltage (2 volts) for 300-500 seconds (I do not use any com drops or anything to break in a motor). Before each run I apply several drops of Tribo to the comm. After each run I remove the motor from the car and spray it down with motor spray (not removing the brushes). At my club we run 3 qualifers and one main. My motor gets faster through the night. My lap times (with the same motor) are always faster on my third qualifer than they were for my first or second qualifer. My main times are almost always faster than my qualifing times (that's after 4 riuns on the same motor). My motors usually perform stronger with each run (to a point...meaning that each run is stronger or faster than the last). Using this methed described above on practice days, my lap times get stronger with each bettery until after the 6th pack where my times start to fall again. But my lap times are almost always faster for the 6th cycle on the motor than they were for the first.

Some say that Tribo may not offer some of the performance gains that other dropps do but Tribo does help keep motor wear to a minimum. I am convinvced of this.

duckman996

iTrader: (14)

I too notice that my motor's get a little stronger as the night goes on. The reason for this is that the brushes actually seat to the comm better increasing the current that they are transfering to the comm area. As long a you have selected the correct springs, in increase in power is usually a side-effect of the motor running.

As long as the comm is not discolored - or there is not a build-up of carbon, I just clean the brushes and continue racing until I see a performance drop on the track. At a club level, I see way too many people cut their comms too often - too much work without equal gains. I am no-where near being an expert driver - however, I have become pretty-good at tuning motors. Depending on the brushes and springs that you are using, at the club level, you can get 5-8 runs on a motor without having enough of a performance loss to justify a complete rebuild. As for cleaning the comm between runs - try using com sticks, or a cut down eraser and see how your motor reacts ... it may work for you. My recommendation would be to buy a good comm stick and only clean your brush face - and any carbon built-up on the side of the brushes off and you will probably see a greater improvement then by touching the comm at all.

Jusy my 0.02

Hyper1

I just run my motors in some alchohol at 2 volts for about a min or so,cleans up great and keeps the brushes seated,I've seen guys use glass cleaner also it works real well to.

Jack2

iTrader: (1)

Exactly right.

Mason

Jack Daniels ol No. 7 speed secret.

If you are going to mention the alcohol method please post the instructions and risks about using it. Oh and how to solve any problems that may arise. We really do not need little Johnny catching himself on fire, or half the garage.

Hyper1

Yea it's an old trick but it still works good,as far as hazards there may be some but in 16 years of racing I've never had any issues,just make sure you blow out the motor real good after dipping it,relube the bushings and off you go.

RCMits

iTrader: (30)

and when alcohol burns, its a blue flame, you can't see that well... doh!
be careful.