Originally Posted by
billdelong
brushless motors are vastly more efficient and vastly more powerful, they also offer some very sophisticated mechanical timing features which can be read digitally using a motor analyzer to help you fine tune the readings across all 3 phases to help you optimize efficiency to power settings when shimming the rotor. I don't think this level of tuning is available for brushed motors, yeah maybe you can get some RPM readings, but I don't look at those numbers when I'm tuning my motors on the bench. I set timing based on current draw and check the phases to ensure optimal power/efficiency.
There was much more tuning opportunity with brushed motors than there is with brushless (windings, timing, shimming, air-gap, brush hardness/cut, spring stiffness, commutator diameter, armature stack, etc..). It was common for a guy who liked a 12-turn to have 3-5 different windings (single through quad strand windings) of just 12t. Some used actual Dynos to tune their motors. It was more than a little crazy. They were also just as powerful (modified, stock is on a different level now) even with nimh batteries. Ever since batteries went up over 3,000 mah, we’ve had an excess of power available. Brushless has pretty much saved electric racing for its ease of use and maintenance.