M3EATER

iTrader: (1)

I'm just curious ....
Being an old Novak fan ('80s ... before that upstart Tekin & early '90s), and getting back into RC and racing. I look at the Ballistic 17.5 and it looks like a great motor, on paper. High kv, modular design, etc. However, it rarely is mentioned when current racers talk about their favorite 17.5 motors. Is this a case of looking good in stats, but not following through when the rubber meets the ... dirt?

Grandturk

iTrader: (5)

I've run the Ballistic 17.5 for a year in 2wd SC. It's a good reliable motor. At this point, I wouldn't buy anything other than the Trinity D3.5 line of motors. They seem to make much more power and run very cool.

M3EATER

iTrader: (1)

By the way, I'm running SC with an XXX-SCT

lilws6

iTrader: (11)

ive got a brand new d3.5 i'll be testing today in my sc10. Ive also got a rev tech i'll be testing as well. I bought the 3.5 for the truck and the revtech for the buggy but we'll see which i like better on the track. Spec wise the 3.5 is out of its leage take a look on there site. The d3 monster isn't a bad motor either a buddy of mine runs one in his xxxsct and boy its fast and tons of low end torque thats what i'm hoping the 3.5 will be. On a side note the novak motors tend to run on the warm side I has an older ss17.5 in my sc10 forever and i couldn't gear it right for the track because it would over heat we'll see what i get out of the two new motors

M03Racer

iTrader: (33)

The Novak Ballistic is great line of motors. I ran Novak years ago and I just got back into the hobby about a year ago and I race and I'm running Novak again and I'm glad I chose Novak again. One thing that Novak has that no other manufacturer has is you can change the stator in your motor and make it any turn motor you want. A stator will cost you about $35 versus a new motor. As for the 17.5T motor don't forget you can adjust the timing to make it run faster. As for the motor running warmer they don't. I run an 8.5T motor and it never gets warmer then any other motors. If you gear it right you will have no issues no matter what you run. The SS line of motors form Novak on the other hand was designed for on road cars not SCT so that is the reason it ran warm. And the plus side is if you by accident burn out the motor because you geared it wrong you can rebuilt it cheaper then getting a new motor. So bottom line you can't go wrong with Novak.

Grandturk

iTrader: (5)

The Trinity d3.5 is just a faster motor. In my XXX SCT - at the last SC race at CRC I cooked my Novak 13.5 and replaced it with a Trinity d3.5 13.5 and took two seconds off my lap times and added a lap in my final qualifier.

jsinclair

iTrader: (3)

All motors are not created equal, even from d3.5 to d3.5. There are many people out there buying 40+ motors just to take them all apart and find the fast ones.

gamedog1966

I run several diff motors and t5he novak had served me well and still is. And yes u must gear em right for low end, top end and to run cool. In my buggy I like it better that sc because it do stay kooler in the buggy. I'm competetive with it ever race day that I'm on the track bro

Rysuleod

iTrader: (1)

Novak and Novak stators worked for me but they have questionable quality control.

I bought a 10.5 stator and the screw channels on the side didn't line up with the top blue part due to a manufacturing defect. I sent it back in. Novak sent me a new one... with the same dang problem! So I sent that back in and got one that was okay. Then when assembling it I found out because of how sloppy they put the epoxy on that I had to do some sanding to get the motor to assemble correctly. It works. I will say that Novak customer service was good, but after shipping the 10.5 stator back to Novak two times I was almost up to the cost of a new 10.5 stator.

Later on, I bought a 8.5 stator and the wire was wound sloppily and that one wire was interfering with the sensor board side assembly. After all the money wasted on shipping the 10.5 I decided to just squash it back 1mm with pliers. It works.

So with that history in mind, when it came time to go to 17.5 I went with a Trinity D3.5 for my buggy and I've been happy with it.

M3EATER

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the replies and input, guys.

jason151

iTrader: (1)

Has anyone used the Novak PREMIUM 17.5 vs the regular 17.5? They market this as superior to the production 17.5, I'm just wondering if it's worth the extra $40ish.

M3EATER

iTrader: (1)

Premium has vented end bells and ceramic bearings. Same "yellow label - red wire" high RPM stators and rotors.

linkless

iTrader: (38)

I have been very successful with the Ballistic 17.5 and never seen to give up any speed in off road or touring car. Unfortunately I have recently discovered the Speed Passion MMM series of 17.5 and will be using them instead. They seem a bit smoother and faster and I have certainly run the fastest time with it in the car now.

elecRC23

iTrader: (2)

i like the orion 17.5 vst pro motor. i hav it in my buggy with the timing cranked all the way up with 35/72 gearing. The thing FLIES!!!

Dave H

Thunder Power also has changeable stators and are highly rebuildable. Seem to go pretty good too, better than my Novaks.