You're fricken awesome Josh. Seriously. Some people have the knowledge, experience, skills, and fundamental understanding that you do, but they're completely incapable of teaching it effectively to others. Some people are great teachers and very articulate in conveying effectively to others what they know, but they don't actually know much that other people want to learn. Some people have all of the above but have little interest or enthusiasm in sharing it. But in the quadcopter, FPV, and Tx/Rx world, you DO have all of that. So rare. And SO appreciated. To be honest, we need a few additional Josh Bardwells...one for RC planes, one for RC helis, and now that I think about it, probably a lot of other topics too. Thanks for all you do man.
some of my motor's mounting screw holes are too wide and the screws just slide in there freely , no grip,, any help please so I can mount my motors ? thanks a lot in advance , it would be a great help ,,by the way the screw size I'm using is correct, as I said, just some of them is like that ,
Your knowledge blows me away! I’m an aircraft mechanic and thought this hobby would be simple but found quickly that quadscopters a lot harder to deal with than a 747 seriously it might sound crazy but it’s true!! I laugh everyday how much I have to learn! I love this hobby and appreciate people like you that share freely
Was about to order a new motor, saw this video, twisted and shook the motor, armed it a few times holding it upside down (using KISS, so no death spirals) now it works as normal and no grinding... Saved me a few bucks, Appreciate you Joshua!
JB, i was just flying outside of a machine shop yesterday and crashed right into the metal shavings dumpster... so this was the EXACT video i needed. you saved the day, as usual.
Hi Josh. I have been into RC cars 🚙 and trucks 🛻 for years. When I get dirt into my electric motors and had to clean them I learned different ways to do this. Brushless motors I’d remove and disassemble and easily whip them clean with just simple water 💦. Dry them out with air or a dry cloth than spray them down with electric motor cleaner which helped remove a lot of access dirt. Finally use a clean cloth use a couple drops of silicone oil on the steel rods to keep them lubed and reassemble the motor. Brushed motors (or where disassembling isn’t an option like DJI drones): remove the props place each motor into some water 💦 with a drop of dish soap 🧼. Shake the motor in the water if motor doesn’t want to free spin due to sand and this will generally remove access problem pebbles. To really get the dirt out turn the motor on in the water and run it. The water will wash out all the dirt. Dry the motor with air or a cloth than spray down with electric ⚡️ motor cleaner or an electric ⚡️ connector spray that will remove the iron particles from the motor. Whip clean and use a Q-tip with a couple drops of silicone oil on the ends to help keep lubricanted. I never had an issue doing this, no rust and my motors work like new afterwords. ❤
if you have a bit of thermal paste laying around, place a dab in the screw head. it wont get in the way of the tool, and will easily squish out when you place the tool into the screw.
JB, tip for tight screws/ bolts,just try and tighten the Screw/ bolt slightly this will stretch the stem ,and now you can undo,still use heat on locktite applications! A
Late to the party here.. Thanks for the info. Super helpful because I've got some mud bogged motors. When removing the bell I ended up having to put the prop nut back on and using a pair of pliers pinched on the bell rod. Worked out perfectly.
Josh, For installing the bell housing try putting a dowel into the shaft area. Use the dowel to control how fast the bell housing slides back on the stator assembly. Tony
I feel like twisting to get the dirt out might damage the stator if you have big particles in there. I believe the stator is composed of thin isolated sheets of metal, and rubbing them might cause them to make contact with each other. I don't know if that may cause significant performance loss tho.
i think you're right... just twisting to grind the dirt out is also grinding on the magnets and conductors. i did a little bit of twisting with a whole lot of canned air and it cleared it out pretty easily. If your lucky, the air might grab some of the mangetic stuff but taking it apart is the only way... i like the silly putty idea though... if i ever fly through iron filings, it'll come in handy.
ferrous dust is the WORST!!! I can't tell you how many times I've had to dissemble and clean motors just like this! Toothbrush, alcohol, compressed air, blue tac, q-tips... yup use them all!!! If you can get enough PSI out of a compressor, sometimes you can blow through the top of the bell, while slowly rotating the motor back and forth.. sadly it only works about 1/2 the time and motor disassembly is required! For those that were requesting bearing replacement, I suggest looking up "Project Blue Falcon" (RIP miss ya JC) he has many excellent videos!!! Cheers and #sendit
@Barack Obama This may work for putting them back on, but when you take them off the clip is flush with the bottom of the motor (and often sunk under the naked bottom feet so very hard to do..
You blokes could always buy the correct pliers for slotting in to the loops on C-Clips. E-Clips (like the ones on Phantom1/2/3 motors) will push off with a Jewelers flathead screwdriver.
JB a ZMX Motor Rep told me to use bearing oil if they have some time on them as grease wears away, and lightly coat stator face to prevent rust and shaft before reassemble.
I use a q tip with rubbing alcohol to wipe the bell and Also , you need to clean the stator as well , that's probably why the motor still had some "crunch". Also, its an good idea to keep cans of compressed air around to blow out the motors .
Hey Josh,, I know this is an old video, but I've found that using a tiny drop of 70- 90% isopropyl alcohol will wick into the threads and start to dissolve your locktight.. This will remove any threat of overheating your motor with a soldering iron.. give it a try on any locktighted bolt you have,, you'll see how it really loosens up.
Thank you for this. I had to drill out a screw head on my frame and got shavings in my magnets. The screws that come with a source one V5 area all junk I've now changed them all out.
a wet rag is also a great way to pull magnetic dirt out, a compressor tends to blow metal particles from one magnet to another the silly putty is awesome
you saved my motors josh! i was not sure how to remove these screws and had to angle grind my way through a screw once.... now i know that 3 mins of heat at 800F will do the trick too ; )
Tip for gently lowering the bell: use a plastic rod inserted up through the bottom of the stator and as you lower the bell in place you can use the plastic rod to control the seating speed of the bell... These bearings are so not a fan of lateral forces 👌
I use contact cleaner because the dirt here in Oregon is very ferrous in my area. Just spray the motors while wiggling then back and fourth. Everything comes out after a second or two. Then I drop a little trip of lube if I've had to do it a bunch
Omg, blue tack! Why in the world havent I thought of this? Dude. Ty. So much. If I could fly a beer to you, I would - if only my drone could make it lol
Thomas AZ I was commenting on what Joshua himself claims to have landed in and how he described that material... my ego is fine, but thanks all the same for your concern 😉
air compressed (canned) is working fine for me to clean motors (on field mainly), and a little drop of sewing machine oil (singer) is good too for bearings
Hey Joshua, I don't know if you remember back in Sarasota Kwad Camp. I had set my motors down on my work bench next to my drill press. The LeDrib HL were pretty screwed. Drew suggested I use gum to get the shavings out and it worked like a charm. I'm still flying 3 of the original motors. Great info.
Take hex driver that fits thru motor bearing hole in frame and can guide motor bell back on,I ruined 1 of my Bh deadpool motor bearings after letting bell pop on,bearings were toast after that sounded like had rocks in between bell and magnets,thanks for all you do:)
More how-to videos please. I ruined some motors with construction site gravel dust, even after spinning upside down to clean them out. now i just remove the bell and use the sink for it, and air compressor for the stator because bearings and water don't mix. Good duct tape is so sticky that it can be used for the ferrous particles.
I'm a Californian, you use warm wax to remove the hematite from my bell housings. Just cool down candle drippings until you can knead it and it grabs that crap off cleanly.
Take the outer and inner apart as you did . I've had this problem many times Just wash them with good old water under a sink or a hose and they come clean as new. water works
LOL at the end of each video, JB says "happy flying" and then this sorta sad music cues up - reminds me of Bill Bixby at the end of every episode of the Hulk :P
I use a small flat head to carefully scrape out the iron from the space in between the motors, so that the putty can easily get it out. (Not on the spacing with the mud). I also use a nylon brush to pile in up in one spot at the end of the groove so it’s easier to get off
Most of the time, if you just get em spinning, they will throw out even the magnetic particles. It's tough for a mechanical person to do, but it's really the easiest on the motors. Just swallow hard and hit the throtttle, they will grind a few seconds but in 10 seconds they will have thrown all the crap out and be good as new. I use tape to clean when I have to, any kind works in a pinch, and I usually have some in my bag. Use a 1.5mm driver pushed thru the bearings (from the bottom) to let the bell down without it slamming. Just push the driver thru all the way and put the threaded shaft over the tip. Then lower the bell in place. This is also the best way to tap the shaft loose if necessary. A drop of good oil once every 10 or 12 flights seems to help. (I like the Cobra oil, but 3 in 1 works well for 1/10 the price) Add the oil just before a flight and it will throw the excess off, and not attract dirt to the bearings. Oh, yeah, beware of the new Emax motors, they have a shim between the bell and bearings. If you're not careful it will fall in the grass and be gone. This shim keeps the bell from going on too far - the screw pulls against it. They are special, having a taper on one side to clear the shaft fillet. They didn't sell them separately when I dropped mine, not sure if they do as yet. Cost me a new motor to take the shim out of.
You can use painters tape to remove iron filings and other magnetic stuff. Apply the tape like he did the putty. You can use a pencil or small screwdriver to push the tape into the crevasses to get the stubborn stuff out.
Just getting into the hobby but been racing touring rc cars and buggys and truggys since the 80,s. But one essential tool we would have is a small compressor and electric contact spray like Dynamite or TA Emerald. Alittle spray and blow it out. Now they have an electric blower that isn't as strong but is more portabke. A cheap inverter from Harbor Freight ,at the field, would be ideal
There is a electric cleaner you can spray for dirt and mud. Also when you heat the screw the shaft will begin to absorb the heat which means it will expand. So try to heat the screw not the shaft.
I am using "kontakt 60 spray" which is really nice if you want to clean electrical parts. It safes your electronic parts from corrosion if it fell into the water and did not short circuit. 👍
U flying the xrtonic 3020 solder station I love that iron...have u ever had it fly the heat fly away...had to watranty one station. Great customer service!
Hey Josh! Your video are always so helpful and are soo easy to follow. The one video that i couldent follow and was not successful with was the 2 switch arming. Is a updated version possible?
Dang! That is what I messed up. I had a nice set of rotor riot hypetrain motors, and I had my motors get packed with mud and washing them out but that did not get it fixed. So I went to take the bells of, the first worked perfectly but the next two stripped out and I had to drill them. I was rather unhappy to say the least. I ended up buying two new bells and then this stripped out when I tightened them. Man I was mad. Thanks Josh I will be able to do better at fixing them next time.
I'm from New Zealand. You guys should consider yourself lucky. 95% of our beaches are volcanic iron sand. When we crash, the motor literally attracts so much sand, it looks like just a giant ball of sand. You can't even see the motor. When I clean, I use compressed air to get rid of most of it, followed by using blu-tack to grab all the excess sand particles. I use a knife to help push the blu-tack into every little gap.
to reassemble gently insert a long screw through the base of the stator (same thread as retaining screw) and screw it into the bell so the bell is just above the stator. then holding the screw in one hand and bell in the other with the drones arm between your palms slow navigate the bell back on.
that's a cool trick. a friend found out there's a lot of magnetic dust at the bottom of rivers. i might try to salvage them to use in airplanes or something, might not trust them in quads
Aften unscrewing the motor screw, I screw it in about halfway, and then press the screwdriver in, and IMO, hat is the easy way to break the magnetic bond between stator and magnet... Now keep the pressure on the screwdriver and unscrew and it will push the bell off.... (works with any screwdriver, but the ones with the rotating nob on the end is best)
Just a thought but that magnetic dust is probably the result of running motors with sand in them. Sand is super abrasive and can sand the magnets or other metal parts making magnetic dust. Also sand can contain metal on its own
Nice video, love the caution about the head snapping. Been there, learned that. About 4:30 in I was just thinking, doesn't he have a flir camera? And bam, there it was!
Instead of Blue Tack, use Plumber's Putty. Pretty much the same consistency and tackiness. A small tub can be bought for around $2 at most hardware stores and home improvement stores.
My 1st set of motors were racerstars, current are the $9. DYS (samguk?) freaking love them for the price. Both have tiny c clips. Does that mean they’re cheap/poor quality ? My samguk motor bell popped off during a crash. Didn’t have my parts bag or tools with me at the time. I popped it back on and finished my day without any problems. Iron shavings are common minerals throughout the world. I like the blue tech 💡.
Joshua Bardwell I like the idea of a screw over those clips. They work ok but you have to un mount the motors from the frame and flip them over to get at them. Ok by me but a screw would be easier.
Good video josh My advise is to not use the original exa screw but replace it with a torx steal one. Easy to find on ebay (do not make my mistake ... it is M2.5 ... not M2 ;)
Even with heat on the first version of the hypetrains, that 1.5mm bell screw was super tight, and 1.5mm also didnt help, but she came out. Thank fully they changed it to a 2.0mm screw.
Can you show us your skills on trying to take the C clips off?? which is the worst to take apart. E clips are the best/easiest to take off.. No heat require just a small flat head screw driver. :)
Joshua, i have a problem with one of the motors of my quad copter. Default motors are 2206 2300kv and my question is if replace the broken one with 2205 2300kv, thrust differences between motors would be big?