My own Dewalt 14.4 Instal. LOTS OF PICS

I did some searching around when I sat down to start this install... I was looking for some tips and pictures of things I should be doing. I couldn't find much, especially in the way of pics. I found enough info to get it done but I figured id take my own set of pics as I went and post up a step by step how to... might be helpful for those looking to do the same upgrade. I did NOT install caps on the motor... Im not sure if I should have... I can always go back and do it later if someone could suggest a proper cap to use. I had also previously installed 5mm castle bullets on my truck, thats why your seeing them installed. The process would obviously be the same if you were using stock wires. Here we go:

+++As always, click the pics for a MUCH larger version in Photobucket+++

Heres a shot of the motor. I bought the new 14.4 volt motor. The number stamped on it is 396505-21...
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01408.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01408.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The next step is to solder your power wires onto the brushes. To do this you must first remove the brushes from the motor. I had to go online to figure out how to do this and found a helpful video on youtube. Bascially, you just slide the entire brush structure and plastic hold out as one piece. Just put a flat screwdriver in the little gap at the motor shaft end of the brush and holder and pry it out. It slides out very easily. Be careful when as it releases from the motor as its under spring pressure and will pop out.
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Heres a shot of the whole brush unit... very slick and easy to use system. Spring and everything is all in one piece.
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Next you need to tin the brush end and install the wires. You'll see the section of the brush that would typically have a flat connector attached from the drill... I chose to attach my motor wires to that area. Remember to use flux and remember you don't need a GLOB of solder...
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01413.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01413.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01414.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01414.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01415.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01415.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

When you done with both sides you simply slide the brushes back into the motor housing. They can really only go in one way from what I can tell. When your done... the motor should look like this:
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01416.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01416.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01417.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01417.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01418.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01418.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Heres a few comparison shots of the Titan 775 and the Dewalt 14.4. Most would do this first... but not me. I save it for the middle.
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01420.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01420.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01421.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01421.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01422.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01422.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Next is to remove the pinion. Im sure there are many ways to do this... the one I read about and liked was to cut the pinion off in a width wise cut... across the top of the pinion and taking off a small section of the shaft also. This does 2 things... first, it removes the pinion and 2nd, it cuts a flat spot on the shaft... all at the same time. Once I got the pinion cut all the way through I used a flat blade screwdriver to pry the 2 halves off the shaft in 2 pieces.
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01423.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01423.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

O.K.... now we need to think about mounting the motor. This is the most annoying part. The holes on the dewalt motor can are just SLIGHTLY farther apart than the holes on the 775... so you need to widen the holes on your motor mount. I did this with a metal drill bit... I just pushed the drill bit sideways against the hole where you want it to be wider... kind of like a CNC bit. But WAY more ghetto. Heres how the holes look when they're done:
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01425.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01425.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Once you get the holes widened on the mount and the motor will bolt up... you just install it like you would the stock one. I went back to using 14/68 gearing because the Dewalt motor is physically larger than the 775 by a tiny bit and I really don't think I could have got it to fit with the 12/58 gearing I was running before. I didn't need any spacers or shims or anything...
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01426.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01426.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01427.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01427.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01428.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01428.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01429.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01429.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Heres an overhead shot of the install when its done. This shot also shows the batteries installed. I cut the fins out of the rear battery vents so my battery wires now come through there instead of the little openings on the battery doors. I also installed a balance lead extension and mounted my LVA beside the ESC. Overall this is a pretty slick install I think. What do you think?
[URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01431.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01431.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/?action=view&current=DSC01432.jpg][IMG]http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/pavmentsurfer/Summit/th_DSC01432.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

i think its a pritty clean install
like the blacked out look

to which battery do you have your LVA hooked up to left or right? what brand pinion do you have?

The pinion is a Novak 14t... Im not going for speed... just cool temps and LOTS of torque. If this motor has the power I think it does I will likely go up to a 15 or 16t but it all depends.

I have the LVA hooked up to the BEC side of the ESC... in my case it was the one with the red tag on it... but it might be different for others. Not sure.

I ask about which side it's hooked up to(LVA) 'cause according to what I read the green lite is supposed to blink when you connect the batt on the BEC side, I've done it with both batt's independently and do not see any light blink, what mine does is that when i connect the left batt and press the "set" button on the ESC the system will power up for a few seconds (lights, receiver led, servos come on) and when right side is connected nothing happens, so I'm unsure which side is the BEC side.

My 14.4 Dewalt motor will be here Monday :D so thank you for the helpful tips and the pictures.

Rotarynut... the BEC side is the side that allows the system to power up for a second. The other side does nothing... When they say "makes the light blink" they mean it makes the system come on, but not stay on. So you've found it and your doing it right...

Thanks YZmoto... just figured it could help someone so its nice to know it might.

[QUOTE=pavmentsurfer;4968145]Rotarynut... the BEC side is the side that allows the system to power up for a second. The other side does nothing... When they say "makes the light blink" they mean it makes the system come on, but not stay on. So you've found it and your doing it right... [/QUOTE]
Cool, I just wasn't quite sure. the Dewalt mod will be done on mine in a no so distant future, have you run yours yet?

No, just finished it tonight and theres 8 inches of wet snow on the ground. Im hoping ill get one more good run in soon before we get a full winter of snow. Not that I won't run in the snow, but I need to compare it to running in the dirt and crawling like I've been doing all summer... otherwise I have no way to know if its better.

I have been searching too & found these. In this first link the OP built an alum spacer, to space over the motor, to line up the pinion. You did not have to do this. Reason I ask, I have a couple of motors on the way. I have been looking for the (3ea - 100nF Capacitors) (second link) found them on Ebay. Need to read more about them tho. I am hoping it is eveything I have read about. Feedback run her yet? Looks like a clean install. Congrat's

[url]http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread.php?476989-My-Dewalt-story&highlight=my%2520dewalt[/url]
[url]http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread.php?500182-DeWalt-Conversion&highlight=dewalt[/url]
[url]http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread.php?464568-A-few-pictures-of-my-12volt-DeWalt-install&highlight=DeWalt%20installation[/url]

Thanks for the links 87GN... I could not find those when I started looking but I knew they did exist somewhere. I see they were all hiding the ERBE forum.

I flipped my pinion around... no spacer needed. The set screw bites on just more than half of its surface on the very end of the shaft. If I was to grind off the excess metal from where the sides of the motor are crimped over the end I could probably gain another 1/16 but this seems to hold very tight. I like it this way VS using a spacer anyway. The farther that motor hangs off the motor plate the more likely it is to flex and effect mesh... that was my feeling anyway.

I haven't been able to run this thing yet at all... there was still alot of snow on the ground today and I didnt feel like hiking through it. The temps have come up so its all melted now and I'm going to try and get out for a test run tomorrow after church and before the race (homestead). Ill let you know how it goes when I do get a chance.

Im very interested to see how this does with no caps on it... I see most people use 3 of them... all the brushed motors I've ever run only had 2... if its fine for the 100 or so feet I need I won't bother. If I get glitching at this close range... ill get some.

Thanks for the heads up on the pinion. My motor's showed up today so have to see about the 100nF Cap..IDK I don't get why they are soldering the +&- together..:unsure:

Nice thread.
I hope you don't mind the addition:
[URL="http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread.php?8922571-How-should-I-solder-the-100nF-Capacitors-to-dewalt"][COLOR="#0000CD"]How-should-I-solder-the-100nF-Capacitors-to-dewalt[/COLOR][/URL]

^ I remember that thread.

The last link I posted. On post #9 has a real good pic. of all 3 caps.

You can get the caps at Radio Shack or even Kershaw sells them.

Pav - Thanks for sharing all this.. I will be waiting for your feedback on this upgrade.

Once you are done with this mod and have reached a conclusion, another thing that I wish you would try out and provide feedback are the P1 rockers instead of LT. I have actually tried them and to my surprise they were very good (part of me even feels that they were better in terms of trail crawling etc.) The problem with the LT was that the rig does not to raise itself when one of the tires gets on top of an object, and the other objects close to the arms and chassis rub against them. Yes, the articulation is reduced, but because of the locked diffs the tires that has the grip pulls the truck pretty well, even if the other tire goes up in the air (due to reduced articulation). Then i realized that not all scale rigs have that much articulation (although ofcourse they have linked suspension what changes almost every thing). But yeah, I tried discussing this over here on the form and no one came up with a feedback. I wish you could try it and share your thoughts.

[QUOTE=nabilmalik;4969617]Pav - Thanks for sharing all this.. I will be waiting for your feedback on this upgrade.

Once you are done with this mod and have reached a conclusion, another thing that I wish you would try out and provide feedback are the P1 rockers instead of LT. I have actually tried them and to my surprise they were very good (part of me even feels that they were better in terms of trail crawling etc.) The problem with the LT was that the rig does not to raise itself when one of the tires gets on top of an object, and the other objects close to the arms and chassis rub against them. Yes, the articulation is reduced, but because of the locked diffs the tires that has the grip pulls the truck pretty well, even if the other tire goes up in the air (due to reduced articulation). Then i realized that not all scale rigs have that much articulation (although ofcourse they have linked suspension what changes almost every thing). But yeah, I tried discussing this over here on the form and no one came up with a feedback. I wish you could try it and share your thoughts.[/QUOTE]
great pics pave... there is no perfect setup for everything it's mostly what you are driving on and even bigger how you drive(driving style)with this truck once you get it dialed in for how you drive, there is very few places i cannot get up or to

I got a chance to run this thing tonight... and I can say that while I'm impressed... its not an upgrade I feel is "necessary" unless you really need more torque... and I recon few truly "need" more.

But, heres my assessment. I ran it with stock gearing... top speed is less, but torque is certainly up in a big way. I also perceive a smoother power curve... or at least the feeling that power is delivered more smoothly. I made NO other changes to my setup. So this is all motor.
I will gear up 2 teeth on the pinion to a 16... I'm sure that will get me most of my speed back and I have NO doubt the torque will still be incredible.
Its freezing cold here and I was running my new 8200mah packs from SPC so theres no way I could test run times with the new motor. I ran for about 45 minutes and my BEC pack was at 3.96vpc... not sure what that really means but I think its a good sign.

Another observation I made tonight was that in really cold weather the stock tires are crap on rocks. Obviously as temps go up the rubber gets harder and will grip less but traction was simply terrible in places it was excellent when temps were higher. I think the stock tires and their less than aggressive tread rely mostly on the soft rubber for their excellent traction on rocks and not the actual tread itself. Whereas a tire like a trencher would probably have given me better traction due to the sharper lugs... just a thought.

Nice, I think you could gear up a few more than 2 pinion teeth. Especially when it's cold out. Does that dewalt have a KV rating?

The 12 volt motor is 1650kv, 14.4 volt motor is 1350kv and the 18 volt is 1100kv.

What's the stock motor?

hey silly question but with that mod to the motor mount can you still mount the stock 775 without any issue?

Another stupid question...what function do the caps perform with the DeWalt setup?

Somebody can confirm but I thnk it is for radio interference. IDK yet but I have read with the 2.4 GHz radio it in not such a prob. (interference)

I'm running my 14.4v without any caps no issues(2.4). with the AM i knew the second a cap broke started glitching immediately
on mine anything more than 5 feet it would glitch badly

No caps here with 2.4 and no interference at all.

Reod12x2- Yes you could mount a stock motor back in the mount. All you have to do for the Dewalt motor is elongate the stock holes out a little bit. Took me 5 minutes with a dremel and I have switched back and forth between the titan and Dewalt a couple times now.

I had no interference when running the other day... everything was smooth as butter. Im going to gear up for the next run and see how that effects things. Hopefully get my speed back without hurting that awesome low end smoothness.

Got a great run in tonight, almost an hour of straight crawling in some of the gnarliest conditions I've run in so far (gnarly as in big falls when you make a mistake).
Heres what Ive found after 2 hours of running (approx). I didn't break the dewalt motor in... I know I know... but I figured, who breaks their drill in before they use it? No one... After about an hour and a half of running I noticed a BIG increase in power... top speed is now pretty close to equal to stock IMO but torque is way up. After an hour straight of crawling motor was only warm to the touch. It is close to 0 degrees here so thats having an effect but still... barely warm is darn good. Im still going to gear up.

The motor is smoother for sure, but i notice that brushed motor whining sound is WAY louder with this motor when your crawling really slow.
Other than that, no big news to report. Im very impressed with this upgrade. Still, its not a "must do" by any means. The improvements are very marginal for the average summit trail runner/crawler.

Just a quick comment, I can't believe how tough this truck is. That exo cage is insane. I rolled off a rock cut and the truck dropped at least 6 feet straight onto its lid... no damage at all. Scratches sure, but any other body would be dinged or cracked... my body is not hurt AT ALL. Im also VERY impressed with the aftermarket light buckets on the roof... I figured they would be busted after the first bad crash... but seriously, they are scratched and dinged but they still work and aren't falling off. Im amazed.

I attempted to change gearing today and learned something. The traxxas 32p 5mm bore pinions that come with the summit/ERBE/EMBE stock have a MUCH shorter non toothed shank area than the Novak pinions I have. This means they can be mounted as I have done in the above pictures, with the pinion reversed WITHOUT spacers.

The novak pinions can NOT be mounted this way and would need to be mounted with the set screw on the motor side and a spacer between the motor and motor mount as many others have done.

I believe traxxas makes their own line of 32p 5mm bore pinions so I think ill order a 16t and see how that works. I have a selection of Novak pinions but I only have a 14 and 18t traxxas pinion. I thought about using the 18 but thats a pretty drastic jump in gear ratio for a truck I want to crawl with mostly.

any news with the 16t pinion? I'm starting to gather up parts for my convertion, I was thinking of getting a 15t, 16t and maybe a 17t what do you think on the 17t ? overkill? got a motor mount coming that way I can swap motor quickly if I need to. I can pick up the motor any time Dewalt place is 1/2 mile away from my work. Got my second set of lipo's in Gens Ace 5000mah 40C , so I'll be set to run well over an hour for sure.

[QUOTE=pavmentsurfer;4972338]I thought about using the 18 but thats a pretty drastic jump in gear ratio for a truck I want to crawl with mostly.[/QUOTE]
If you want to borrow a 27T I'll be happy to send one out to the Great Frozen North.

What is the height of the Novak pinion? In mm, s'il vous plâit.

Ill have to look at them... its quit a bit larger than the stock pinions. Ill get a pic of them side by side so you guys can see what I'm talking about.

[IMG]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s181/ksb51rl/RS%20Batts/DSCN1431.jpg[/IMG]
[U]Tooth Thickness Brand[/U]
12T 12.20mm RRP Xtra Hard
13T 12.15mm RRP Xtra Hard
14T 13.00mm Traxxas!
16T 12.10mm
17T 16.15mm
18T 13.00mm Traxxas!
18T 12.05mm
21T 14.45mm
21T (installed in E-Revo but same as 22T)
22T 12.10mm
24T 12.10mm
26T 12.10mm
27T 14.55mm

Your 17t is a novak im guessing. Thats the same size as all my novak pinions. The rest of them are the same as my traxxas pinions. So IMO they would all fit just fine with no spacers... the novak pinion would need a spacer with the dewalt motor.

[QUOTE=pavmentsurfer;4978787]Your 17t is a novak im guessing. Thats the same size as all my novak pinions. The rest of them are the same as my traxxas pinions. So IMO they would all fit just fine with no spacers... the novak pinion would need a spacer with the dewalt motor.[/QUOTE]
Depending where the set screw is located(close to the gear teeth) you could possibly cut off the end, making it the same as the rest, looking at the picture I can't really tell.

[QUOTE=ROTARYNUT;4978849]Depending where the set screw is located(close to the gear teeth) you could possibly cut off the end, making it the same as the rest, looking at the picture I can't really tell.[/QUOTE]

Good idea but I just looked and there is not enough material to safely remove enough to make much difference. FWIW I like the RRP pinions very well. The teeth are a bit narrower than on the others but still as wide as the spur so no biggie. I think most of the other pinions in the photo are New Era steel but I got them second-hand and am not sure.

it was worth mentioning, sometimes there's more than one way to skin a cat, :lol:
Do you think the Dewalt can pull 17/68 gearing? in high and low gear?

I have an 18t Traxxas pinion here but for me it's not worth risking the smooth torque for higher top end. I'm sure the dewalt could do it though.

My Novak pinions have the set screw centered in the shank... So you can't cut anything off.