How to convert a Traxxas Bandit XL-5 from brushed to brushless

[Solus]

Hey all,

I Bought a Traxxas Bandit about a year ago because I wanted to get into the RC hobby. I have been using it a fair bit, but I would like to upgrade it to brushless. My first inclination would be to just buy a Traxxas velineon motor as it should be the most compatible. However I have found cheaper brushless options from other vendors that are more appealing. I have a couple questions in regards to upgrading:

1. How can I make sure that the screwholes on a new motor I buy from a vendor outside of traxxas will fit with the motor mount on my bandit?

2. The shaft size for the motor that comes with the traxxas bandit (550 Titan 12T) is 3mm. However many of the motors I have found that are not from traxxas have a shaft diameter of 3.175 mm. If I were to get a motor with such a diameter, would I have to get a new pinion gear as well?

Thank you in advance for your time!

 

[RustyUs]

Most, if not all, brushless motors will come with multiple mounting holes for a person to choose best position of the motor and its wires. Yes, you'll need new pinion to fit on motor shaft. Just check the specs of the motor when shopping.

 

[RustyUs]

I'm guessing Traxxas uses the 3mm size loosely for motor shaft/pinion gear hole size. Do they in fact omit the 0.175 decimal point value when doing their 1/8" conversion? I'd measure your current motor's shaft diameter.

 

[CertifiedMike]

The 3mm shaft diameter that you're finding is likely just an abbreviation of 3.17mm.
5mm shaft would be the next size up.
Chances are good that your current pinion will fit your new motor.
You may want to consider a few extra pinions with your motor too. With a bit of trial and error, you can prob gain some speed without heat issues.
I'd also recommend a temp gun so you can monitor your esc and motor temps while you get your buggy dialed in.
You can kill a motor or esc by overheating.

I would recommend that you look into Hobby Wing as an option over Traxxas Velineon. I would avoid RTR, stock options.

Likely a 3652 or a 3660 motor (36mm diameter x 52 or 60mm length can) will fit fine. The longer motor will be a bit heavier but also produces more torque. It is not needed or strictly necessary tho.



The screw holes will line up without issue.

Fitting the esc with a bit of servo tape is generally easy once the stock stuff is out of the way.

The spec diagrams like the one @RustyUs posted should help you with any details.

Hobby Wing is a pretty easy company to deal with. You can contact them directly with questions if you are still unsure.

I have a couple HW XR10 escs and and motors currently. I have a couple Max10 esc/motor combos on my wish list too.

The other thing I would recommend no matter which brand you go with is a programming card for your esc.
You can get by without one, counting beeps and flashing lights... I find its much easier with a screen and buttons.
Bluetooth phone integration is another programming option lots of ppl like.

 

[xjtorc]

1. How can I make sure that the screwholes on a new motor I buy from a vendor outside of traxxas will fit with the motor mount on my bandit?

2. The shaft size for the motor that comes with the traxxas bandit (550 Titan 12T) is 3mm. However many of the motors I have found that are not from traxxas have a shaft diameter of 3.175 mm. If I were to get a motor with such a diameter, would I have to get a new pinion gear as well?

Welcome!

1. Whatever motor you buy will fit the motor mount as long as it is a 540 size.
2. You do not need a new pinion. Though, you may want a new pinion to change the gearing to unlock some more top end from the brushless system. Or to cool it down if it's a high kv system with significantly higher RPM than the stock brushed system.

 

[Solus]

Thank you all for the information! Finding specifics about motors online has been a pain. Most of the YouTube videos or websites I found would show motor conversions from brushed to brushless, and would recommend how to choose the correct size of motor. However they don't go into fine details like the ones I asked about in my questions.

Ill make sure to post a build of my updated bandit with a brushless system in the future

 

[CertifiedMike]

Thank you all for the information! Finding specifics about motors online has been a pain. Most of the YouTube videos or websites I found would show motor conversions from brushed to brushless, and would recommend how to choose the correct size of motor. However they don't go into fine details like the ones I asked about in my questions.

Ill make sure to post a build of my updated bandit with a brushless system in the future

Ask lots of questions here! There are lots of ppl here who are familiar with Traxxas and the Bandit chassis.

We can learn from our mistakes, yes! But that doesn't mean we HAVE to learn from our mistakes.

I recommend you ask before you spend if you are unsure of your potential purchases.

Videos are also a great idea to help you understand the job ahead of you.

I will recommend right now that you pick up some blue threadlock for the set screw on the pinion gear.
It is common for pinion grub screws and for RC screws in general to loosen and back out over time.
Threadlock acts as a glue and prevents this.

Color indicates threadlock strength and usage. For metal to metal with small hardware like RCs use, blue threadlock is what you want.