One motor feels tight

[mmee1992]

Hello all,

I am flying a Phantom 3 Professional and all of a sudden one of my motors feels a bit tighter than the rest. I normally check them before each flight and I went to fly yesterday and checked them and one feels tighter than the rest and it didn't before the previous flight. It was not crashed and the motor isn't dirty. Its spins smoothly it just feels a bit tighter. Maybe bad bearings? Are the bearings something easily changed?

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Sinisalo]

Did you take off prop guard mounts? If so and you put the long screws back in you could be hitting the motors. How many flights do you have on the Phantom? If you have been flying a lot it might be time to change the motors. The motors are under warranty for 6 months, have you had your phantom longer than that? If you are already out of warranty I can assure you that changing the motors is both cheap and easy. You should change the whole motor, all 4 of them and not just the bearings. Each motor can be purchased from the DJI website for $18. You need 2 of each CCW and CW so the total will be $72.

To solder them on just pre-tin the wire on the motor, touch the solder on the old motors wire long enough to be able to remove the wire (the soldering will likely be left in place on the board) then heat the wire on the new motor and the solder on the board and set it (the wire) in place. If you do not want to do it yourself ask a friend or family member that is good at soldering to help you out. Use clear nail polish with a small dab on the threads of each screw before you put the motor screws back in and don't over-tighten them. I am planning on doing the motors swap at least every 18 months but probably every year during the winter, I can use the old motors for other flying things my kids can fly like a slow stick or maybe something else that won't matter if the motor craps out.

Oh and make sure if you have the old style motors that you order them and if you have new style you have to order them, see this compatibility notice: Compatibility Notice for New Phantom 3 Professional/Advanced Motors

Buy Phantom 3 Spare Parts | DJI Store

 

[mmee1992]

Did you take off prop guard mounts? If so and you put the long screws back in you could be hitting the motors. How many flights do you have on the Phantom? If you have been flying a lot it might be time to change the motors. The motors are under warranty for 6 months, have you had your phantom longer than that? If you are already out of warranty I can assure you that changing the motors is both cheap and easy. You should change the whole motor, all 4 of them and not just the bearings. Each motor can be purchased from the DJI website for $18. You need 2 of each CCW and CW so the total will be $72.

To solder them on just pre-tin the wire on the motor, touch the solder on the old motors wire long enough to be able to remove the wire (the soldering will likely be left in place on the board) then heat the wire on the new motor and the solder on the board and set it (the wire) in place. If you do not want to do it yourself ask a friend or family member that is good at soldering to help you out. Use clear nail polish with a small dab on the threads of each screw before you put the motor screws back in and don't over-tighten them. I am planning on doing the motors swap at least every 18 months but probably every year during the winter, I can use the old motors for other flying things my kids can fly like a slow stick or maybe something else that won't matter if the motor craps out.

Oh and make sure if you have the old style motors that you order them and if you have new style you have to order them, see this compatibility notice: Compatibility Notice for New Phantom 3 Professional/Advanced Motors

Buy Phantom 3 Spare Parts | DJI Store

I never had prop guards so that is not the issue. I've had it since the week it came out. I am pretty comfortable with a soldering iron so maybe I will just change it out. I probably have 50 flights on it.

 

[Sinisalo]

I never had prop guards so that is not the issue. I've had it since the week it came out. I am pretty comfortable with a soldering iron so maybe I will just change it out. I probably have 50 flights on it.

you might as well change all 4 out, these quadcopters go down if even one motor goes out, a hexacopter or an octocopter could handle a motor failing but the DJI website says the motors should be changed out as part of routine maintenance. Don't use loctite when putting the motors back on, it will eat the plastic. Use clear nail polish instead, let us know how it went.

Edit: one last tip, you probably already know but lead free solder can be brittle so I would recommend you use a solder with lead but read the msds first so you can be safe.

 

[mmee1992]

you might as well change all 4 out, these quadcopters go down if even one motor goes out, a hexacopter or an octocopter could handle a motor failing but the DJI website says the motors should be changed out as part of routine maintenance. Don't use loctite when putting the motors back on, it will eat the plastic. Use clear nail polish instead, let us know how it went.

Edit: one last tip, you probably already know but lead free solder can be brittle so I would recommend you use a solder with lead but read the msds first so you can be safe.

****, I hate taking that **** she'll apart. It was so much easier on the phantom 2

 

[Dome]

Hello all,

I am flying a Phantom 3 Professional and all of a sudden one of my motors feels a bit tighter than the rest. I normally check them before each flight and I went to fly yesterday and checked them and one feels tighter than the rest and it didn't before the previous flight. It was not crashed and the motor isn't dirty. Its spins smoothly it just feels a bit tighter. Maybe bad bearings? Are the bearings something easily changed?

Thanks in Advance.

I have discovered this issue on both my P3P from day 1 (many month ago), and this is not present on the P3A. I asked DJI and they said that it is safe anyway. After many flight I had no problems and no overheat on them... It seems a production batch motors little tighter than others.

 

[Pierrot78]

One of mine is the other way round: easier to spin compared to the 3 others.
I thought it could be less powerful and cause trouble, but no. The Phantom flies and reacts well balanced.

I think it's a matter of production batch, too. But when you have 1 different of all others this doesn't seem very professional...

 

[Dome]

One of mine is the other way round: easier to spin compared to the 3 others.
I thought it could be less powerful and cause trouble, but no. The Phantom flies and reacts well balanced.

I think it's a matter of production batch, too. But when you have 1 different of all others this doesn't seem very professional...

Yes, Veeeerrryyy professional guys in Shenzen .. They scared me really, but P3Ps stay up in the sky and no issue (for the moment).

 

[Mark The Droner]

One of mine is the other way round: easier to spin compared to the 3 others.
I thought it could be less powerful and cause trouble, but no. The Phantom flies and reacts well balanced.

I think it's a matter of production batch, too. But when you have 1 different of all others this doesn't seem very professional...

My P2V has been like that since day 1. Seems to fly fine.