when to change motors and/or bearings

[calipilot]

How often should the motors and/or be changed on a phantom?

If you change the bearings, how often does the rest of the motor last?

Where is a good place to get replacement motors and bearings. I see some different ones on ebay that claim to be bearing upgrades but Im not sure if those are better than the stock ones.

Who is using some great aftermarket motors and bearings? If so, what type and where did you get them?

Thanks for the help!

Mike

 

[freelanceshots]

Motors should be good for a long time as the internal magnets don't actually touch anything so no wear. No brushes that need to be replaced like in the older RC motors. Bearings are the contact point. Boca, Avid and Acer make some of the best RC bearings and offer different quality levels and price points. I don't know the sizes of the bearing in the phantom but I have seen someone here post the dimensions. I'd call anyone of these bearing manufactures and see what they recommend for quadcopter use. I'd think you'd want to be sure to get full stainless steel or they may recommend the ceramic because they may run cooler which means they'd typically last longer with proper care. Supposed to have less drag/rolling resistance creating less heat. With the ceramic bearings you need to get the proper ceramic lube and they sell this stuff as well.

 

[Gizmo3000]

How often should the motors and/or be changed on a phantom?

If you change the bearings, how often does the rest of the motor last?

Where is a good place to get replacement motors and bearings. I see some different ones on ebay that claim to be bearing upgrades but Im not sure if those are better than the stock ones.

Who is using some great aftermarket motors and bearings? If so, what type and where did you get them?

the bearings are kind of like the brakes in your car, you only need to change them when they start sounding bad.
you can kind of tell just by spinning your props by hand and listening.

the motors themselves can last quite awhile, as as mentioned, contain parts that don't even touch.
however if they're involved in a crash, can get slightly bend and can cause really bad vibrations.

you'll want to avoid cheap bearings, but paying for the overpriced bearings might be overkill.
I got mine thru
http://www.gothelirc.com/shopdisplaypro ... t=Bearings

another thing to keep your bearings (and motors) happy is using brushless oil to keep them lubricated.