Q&A 1:18 Mamba Brushless Systems
This Q&A has general information pertaining to the Mamba Brushless Motor System. There are several Q&A sections and you will find an index of them at Q&A Central.

General


What is so great about the Mamba?
It hauls ass dude...

What's the difference between a Brushless motor and a brushed one?
Both brushed and brushless motors spin by setting up an electromagnetic field that counteracts with the permanent magnets causing the shaft to spin. the difference is how the 3 electromagnets are powered and where they are located. In a conventional brushed motor, the brushes make mechanical contact with a set of electrical contacts on the rotor called the commutator, powering the electromagnets mounted to the armature. As the armature rotates on axis, the stationary brushes come into contact with different sections of the rotating commutator. The commutator and brush-system form a set of electrical switches, each firing in sequence, such that electrical-power always flows through the armature-coil closest to the stationary permanent magnet. In a brushless motor, the brush-system/commutator assembly is replaced by an intelligent electronic controller. The controller performs the same power-distribution found in a brushed DC-motor, only without using a commutator/brush system. The electromagnet coils are located on the outside of the can and the permanent magnet is located on the rotating shaft so no physical contact is required. This reduces friction as well as heat since there is no power loss from the brushes. The end result is a much more efficient motor that runs faster, cooler and makes more power.

Mamba Performance Comparison


Which Mamba should I get?
It really depends on your goal. There are four different Mamba systems. Below is a chart which shows the performance characteristics of each system.

Mamba Performance Comparison Chart
Motor Battery Pack Speed in MPH
4200Kv 6 Cell Std. 17
4200Kv 2S LiPo or 8 Cell Std. 25
4200Kv 3S LiPo 32

The 4200Kv is likely the best choice for serious racers. Very flexible via gearing for 2S or 3S LiPo packs for track use with very long runtimes for bashing and practicing on 6 cell Std. packs. Its not particularly fast on 6 cell Std. packs, but has a TON of torque, and is lots of fun. 3S LiPo runs are still much faster than any brushed motor option out there, and you get longer runtimes as well, due to the increased efficiency.
5400Kv 6 Cell Std. 20
5400Kv 2S LiPo or 8 Cell Std. 33
5400Kv 3S LiPo 40

The 5400Kv is a very good 6 or 7 cell Std pack racing set-up with long runtimes, and also the best racing set-up for running 2S LiPo packs. It is the most versatile of all the combos because you can race it with a 2S LiPo pack and switch to a 3S LiPo pack for insane speed runs.
6800Kv 6 Cell Std. 27
6800Kv 2S LiPo or 8 Cell Std. 40
6800Kv 3S LiPo 50

The 6800Kv is a most likely, the best 6 cell Std. pack all-purpose racing setup. This will yield good runtimes and blistering speed. A little hot for racing with more than 6 cell Std. packs, but you will be capable of ridiculous bashing speed runs on 8 cell Std. packs, or 3s LiPo packs. Only experienced drivers should go for this one as it will be a challenge to control.
8000Kv 6 Cell Std. 32
8000Kv 2S LiPo or 8 Cell Std. 48
8000Kv 3S LiPo 60

The 8000Kv motor is almost unusable for actual racing, unless you've got a really big oval track, or use only 6 cell Std. packs or less! Also be aware that the drivetrain parts will have a reduced life span, so stock up on diff sets and go with aluminum and carbon fiber parts wherever possible. Insane speeds are possible with the 8000Kv brushless motor and 3S Lithium Polymer batteries, so make sure you have it pointed in a safe direction before pulling the trigger because if you hit someone you could really hurt them. No really, I'm not kidding...
Speed testing was performed on a Mini-T with the stock gearing. By running taller gears, even higher speeds can be reached. "Std." refers to NiCD or Ni-MH packs and "LiPo" refers to Lithium Polymer packs.

Troubleshooting


I have a Mamba and my motor pinion gear will not stay seated on the shaft, is there a way to fix this?
The Mamba motor has a polished chrome shaft and tends to be slippery, but if you scuff one side or better yet file a small flat on the shaft this will solve your problem.

My Mamba system seems like it has turbo lag where it takes awhile to get going, the takes off. Why is that?
The most common cause of lag, or lack of initial torque with a Mamba is inadequate batteries and/or inadequate connectors or too small a wire on the battery pack. For a brief period when starting up, the Mamba motor will want to draw almost 100 amps! Resistance from the original connectors, or low discharge performance battery packs will not be able to supply the current for “better than stock” performance. We recommend Deans plugs between the battery and the ESC, and 16 gauge wire from the battery packs (same size as on the controller). The best NiMH cells are GP1100, regardless of pack manufacturer. There are a lot of 1100mah cells out there that vary widely in capability, but the GP (Gold Peak) cells are by far the best. Right now, LiPo packs also vary widely in discharge ability.

My Competition X Mamba system in my Mini-T keeps flipping the truck over if I give it too much throttle. When I can keep it rubber side down, it's so fast that I keep hitting things. What's going on?
Congratulations! Perfectly working system!