No matter if it's a stock motor or bronze axle bushings, they need to be polished to get the best performance. Just stop by your favorite automotive store and pick up some "Mother's" aluminum polish paste. Just force some into the bushing and run the motor or axle slowly for about 5 minutes. The polish will turn black while it's doing it's job and may need to be replenished once or twice. Make sure you really clean out and oil the bushings before you race.

Great tip hank - I started doing this racing off-road this summer and I has made a big difference and have seen on the track and my dyno! Now with on-road - wow.

Everyone should take the time to do it.

mc

with the new thinner bushings, crome polish works even better since it's not as abrasive and removes less material when you polish the bushing. I like to spin the motor with a dremel tool as well, since the comm won't be worn weird if any gets on there.

good tip... thanks for sharing.

I had read on a otor building site it is actually bad to do this.. The bushinga are oil impregnated.. the polish works it way into the bushing causing them to wear out faster. it also prevents the oil from comming out of the bushing.. im sure if you properly lube them they would be fine.. just thought i would share the info i saw..

I also had problems with polishing or using sythetic oils, it dried to bushing out. I ream my bushings with a .1255 reamer and polish the armature shaft.
Just my .02 cents..
Wayne

so how exactly do you do this? where do you put it in?

on the endbell where the motor shaft comes out, the side oppsite of where the pinion goes

Try using a toothpaste that polishes teeth. It will polish the bushings and can be removed with water. It doesn't harm the oil impregnated into the bushing.

Polishing bushings is not something you want to do. It's better to score tiny X grooves in the bushing, going against (at a 45 deg. angle)the direction of rotation. The scores will hold oil and make the bushings last longer. This is the same for main bearings in cars and gibs in lathes and mills. If you polish them the oil has no place to adhere to.

Actually, I don't use oil on the bushings, I found some liquid graphite that drys on the bushing and is a dry lube. sort of like the old paragon stuff but I don't think that was graphite. I found this a long time ago in a sears store, just a couple of drops, let it dry and spin the armature till it loosens up, (it will start off tight). 2 oz has lasted me a very long time.

Paragon Liquid Bearings is the stuff you need, it works on everything that touches metal to metal.
I have been using it for 15 years, with 3 track records to my son's credit.