Lubrication

[DanMan32]

I started taking apart a 2312a that I had replaced, only got as far as removing the retaining clip and brass washer. In trying to remove the clip, a silver piece I believe to be a bearing shield came off. It appears to be a nylon cap on the bearing as an additional shield or to hold the balls in place.
If you know how to press out the shaft from the bearings on a 2312a, please let me know. True the motors are relatively cheap, I can't see throwing away an otherwise good motor that only needs bearings.

 

[Gearbox]

I started taking apart a 2312a that I had replaced, only got as far as removing the retaining clip and brass washer. In trying to remove the clip, a silver piece I believe to be a bearing shield came off. It appears to be a nylon cap on the bearing as an additional shield or to hold the balls in place.
If you know how to press out the shaft from the bearings on a 2312a, please let me know. True the motors are relatively cheap, I can't see throwing away an otherwise good motor that only needs bearings.

How about some photo's ? Ball Bearings you say , got to be small , lol .
I would have to see them to know for sure , sometimes the two housings come apart & bearing are pressed out individually , but like I said I would have to have one in my hand to know for sure how they come apart .

 

[solentlife]

Most BL motors have a C clip one end of shaft and a grub screw at other end locking Bell to the shaft..... but the motors used by DJI don't have the typical grub screw config.

mmm will have to pull a motor and see ...

Nigel

 

[metronome]

I also would be interested in pics of the "how to".....

 

[DanMan32]

There are videos for taking apart the 2312, one person pushes the shaft not only through the bearings but through the rotor. Unlike the 2312 though the 2312a does not have the shaft go through the rotor, nor does the rotor provide access to the top bearing. Clip is different too.
Since the shaft is press fitted, makes you wonder what the point is for the clip.

 

[Gearbox]

After looking at a video of the Motor disassembly , nothing on the actual bearing removal or the removed Bearing , the bearing shows a shield on it , can't tell if its a Ball or roller Bearing type , but as was said in the other comments on the Motor disassembly , as inexpensive as these Motors are , why bother disassemble the Motor or oil it , just replace it .
Piece of mind having a new Motor , instead of a rebuilt one , that you really don't know what else could be wrong with it . I wouldn't want to find out that something else was wrong that you didn't find when your Drone is a 1/4 mile away & 200' high .

 

[KayJay]

Would I add oil to a bearing on a motor, no, the reason is simple, if you do add oil it will attract dust and that dust will not only make its way into the bearing and all that dust will turn into lapping paste and cause the motor to fail. This comes for 20 years experience as a mechanic. If they were meant to be lubed there would be previsions for oil.

 

[HueyPilot]

I would agree with the small drop of light oil now and then. I've done a lot of slot car racing with expensive and powerful motors, we always oiled them.

 

[jlcinga]

Well, I think it is clear now!

 

[MacPhantom]

I think we can summarize that the bearings are not sealed so you can oil them.

It also sounds like there are those who oil them and those who don't but either way there doesn't appear to be many bearing failures on the new motors yet as there have been very few people who have actually taken one of these motors apart.

I will not oil anything like another poster had posted till my warranty is up. I then will monitor and oil if I have signs that I should oil.

Anyone have any insight on how you would actually reach the lower bearing with oil?

 

[solentlife]

There's no need or difficulty on oiling ...

If you use Sewing Machine Oil .... its so thin it will wick in itself.

Remove the four screws holding motor and lift it up ... motor wires will be short and not allow it to move too far ...

With motor 'leaned' to one side so bottom shaft end can be seen ... invert the AC and then with a toothpick and a small drop on the end ... touch the side of the shaft end ... Let drop run down to the 'shield, thrust washer and C clip'. While still inverted just spin the moor a few revs ... then remount to AC ...

Simple .... 5 mins each and done.

Nigel

 

[DanMan32]

That only lets you get to the bottom bearing. You can manage to get to the top one on the older 2312 but not the 2312a or newer.

Bearings not being an issue because people aren't replacing them isn't a valid conclusion. Most just replace the motor. If you know of a way to easily replace the bearing on a 2312a, please let me know because I do have bad bearings on a motor. It was still air worthy but I replaced it as it did seem to start getting worse and did cause the AC to vibrate a bit on idle on the ground. I feel it is a shame to throw out the motor over bearings. Perhaps someone that does RC car racing could use it. No danger of damaging crashes over failed motor there.

 

[solentlife]

I'm not going to pull my motors apart just yet till I have to.

But given that brushless outrunner motors follow a common build - even these with their integrated prop shaft.

Removal of C clip should allow removal of bell and shaft as one from the main stator part.

Usually most BL motors do not have a top bearing as the magnetics and bottom bearing holds bell true to stator.
But let's say this one does - you now have stator and shaft hole clear for you.

The shaft I assume instead of being locked by grub-screw, may be pressure fitted or screwed into bell.

I can only assume at this stage as I have no reason to dismantle to repair etc. If I can get hold of a 'damaged' motor - I will certainly investigate it further.

Nigel

 

[DanMan32]

All one has to do is look at their motors. All phantoms have the top 3/4 of the motors visible.
The P3 has two versions of the 2312, the older one without the A suffix, the newer one with the A suffix. The older one you can see the inside from the top and plenty of videos about replacing the bearings. They are press fit. One guy used a press and pushed the shaft through the bell rotor, not something I would recommend. The newer A the prop threads are part of the rotor bell cast and not the shaft. Plenty of videos and posts comparing the older and newer type 2312. For the A, the only access to the inside is the slits at the bottom part of the sides, and the bottom of the motor where the mounting screws go.

 

[solentlife]

That is why I said the shaft must be press fitted or screwed into the bell for the A. Because the prop threads are part of the bell.

The C clip is there to prevent shaft and bell from separating from the stator / base mount of the motor. The shaft and bell should come away as one unit from the base mount / stator once the C clip is removed. (No need to even know how the 'internal' shaft is fixed to the bell ... unless you ever want to change that due to bent etc. Best then to just replace motor).

Once the stator and its base mount are in your hand ... you have total access to any bearings it has.

Nigel

 

[solentlife]

Here you go ... a 2312A motor being dis-assembled ...

Just as I said ... bell and shaft as one comes out once C clip removed ... bearings shielded only etc. etc.

Nigel

 

[120CCPM]

Here you go ... a 2312A motor being dis-assembled ...
Just as I said ... bell and shaft as one comes out once C clip removed ... bearings shielded only etc. etc.
Nigel

Hi Nigel, that's a 2312, not a 2312A. I looked around for videos of 2312A disassembly, could not find a single one...

 

[solentlife]

OOOP'S ... I looked at the "bell" on the bench and assumed it a 2312A as it looked different to the 2312's I've seen ...
At end of day ... it shouldn't really be that different ...

Nigel

 

[120CCPM]

Here's a photo of the 2312 vs 2312A. straight from the DJI site:

 

[solentlife]

Did you read the comments under the video on Youtube ... which also adds to the confusion I suffered.

I am actually aware of the visual difference ..

Nigel