RE: Electric motor help
I'm fairly new to all this but I have read alot it. The 17.5 BL motors are approved by ROAR to run in the stock 27t brushed class so they must be pretty close. When you look at what's available in a good 27t brushed motor, it's very obvious that they are a dying breed. Maybe ROAR is pushing us into the 21st century, like it or not. The only brushed motor that can hang with the 17.5 is the Trinity CO27. Not sure what the difference is but from what I have read, this is a great motor. However, it will kill a battery pack quickly. They say it is designed to take advantage of the new high ma batteries that are now available. I think getting through a 6 min heat race with a 3000ma pack is kind of iffy. So, you can spend the money on the CO27 and some good batteries or step into the future and go brushless. In the long run, I think you would be better off going brushless. You can get by with the lower ma batteries and they require no maintenance which means they should last longer.
That said, you can still have fun and be competitive in the class with your old brushed motor. When I watch the races at my local track, it is very obvious that the fastest car doesn't always win. You may pick up a second a lap with a BL motor, but if you are waiting for the marshal for 6 seconds after you smack the wall, your advantage is gone. Driving skills are what wins races, not motors.
I'm waiting for Tower to deliver a new TA05 to me so I can race in the same class you are racing in. I plan to run the motor that comes with the car till my skill level gets to the point that I need more. If that comes before I can spend the money on a BL system, I'll buy a used brushed motor from the shop at the track for about $5, They have a box of them) freshen it up a bit and continue racing. But in the long run, I think a BL system is in both of our futures. They just keep getting cheaper and cheaper. You can get a Novak system for $150 now.