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If
winning races is the best indicator of a
motor-builder's prowess, then Mike Reedy is some
kind of motor man. After all, more IFMAR World
Championships have been won with Reedy power than all
other brands combined. (Yes, the drivers have
something to do with it, but c'mon—22 titles!)
Mike's latest model is the Ti, which debuted in
double-winds and is now offered in single-wind
versions as well. It only takes a look at the results
sheets from a few big electric races to see what the
Ti can do on the track; I'm going to find out what it
does on the dyno.
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P-94
Features
•
Stronger C4 magnets.
• Black- and red-anodized brush heat sinks
indicate polarity.
• New endbell design increases ventilation
for greater cooling.
• Thicker, "Max-field" 1.4mm can
for maximum magnetic-field strength.
• New armature creates a more intense
magnetic field for increased torque and
acceleration.
• Factory-equipped with 729 Quasar Touring
Competition brushes.
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DYNO
TESTING
I tested a 10-double-wind Ti motor fresh from the package
without tweaks. Although performance gains may be had by
playing with the brushes, springs and timing, I expect a
hand-wound mod to be dialed in at the factory. That's what you
pay the extra cash for—a pretuned motor with the right
brushes and timing.
The Ti cranked the flywheel up to an impressive 40,528rpm.
Maximum torque was a beefy 119.9 Nmm and created 235.5 watts
of power. The Ti also surprised me with 83.4 percent peak
efficiency. This is all accomplished with the factory timing
setting of 10 degrees. That means there is room to crank it up
and get more power, but that extra juice really depends on the
track conditions and batteries.
| DYNO
DATA |
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Test
results
Peak rpm:
Peak power (watts):
Peak torque (Nmm):
Peak efficiency (%):
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40,528
235.5
119.9
83.4
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| Test-setup
specs |
Wind:
Brushes:
Springs:
Comm diameter:
Timing:
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10
double
729 Quasar Touring Competition (included)
copper (included)
7.51mm
10 degrees (factory setting)
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INSIDE
THE Ti
The Ti's new can is designed to keep temperatures down
when things get hot. More important, its two-vent design
creates a magnetic field that increases torque (the Fury
series had a three-vent can that gave it more rpm).
The endbell has been redesigned with
new ventilation openings and also features an improved
brush-damping system to prevent the brushes from getting
the jitters and affecting performance. Reedy explains
that the brush-damping system on the Fury series
supported the brush only at the shunt end, and that
allowed the brush to tip forward toward the comm. The
new brush-damping system supports almost the entire
brush, and that will keep it truer to the comm.
Inside you get the latest C4 magnets
(great for producing huge torque) and Mike's latest
winds in either a double or a single configuration.
Reedy claims the new-style armature—a 5mm lightweight
blank—is designed for increased torque and quicker
spool-up. That means your car gets a shot in the pants
faster, with more cars staring at your taillights than
passing you. A high-quality set of Quasar Competition
brushes is included with every Ti motor. Mike explained
that he chose those brushes because they provide
exceptional power and are very easy on the comm. He
recommends that you clean them after every run and cut
the comm after a few runs; he said the brushes will last
for a few race weekends.
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| LIVIN'
THE SINGLE LIFE |
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Single,
double, quintuple, google... There are lots of options to choose
from when picking a wind. The Ti series simplifies it with two
winds—double and single. After dyno'ing the 10-double Ti, I
strapped a 10-single into the Robitronics Pro Master to see
exactly what I would get if I chose to stay single (besides a
messy apartment and a refrigerator that contains only condiments
and leftover Chinese).
Not much difference! The single had more
torque—127.5 Nmm compared with the double's 119.9 Nmm—and
its power was also slightly higher, edging the double's 235.5
watts by 5.7 watts for a total of 241.2. But the double won the
spin contest with 40,528rpm; that was just slightly higher than
the single's 39,906rpm. The efficiency of both motors was about
the same.
Which should you choose—the double or the
single? Consider the time to maximum rpm. The single spools up
more quickly at 6.06 seconds to maximum rpm, while the double
takes more than another second to reach maximum rpm, clocking in
at 7.42 seconds. So why would you want a slower spool-up time?
It's all about traction. Low-traction conditions favor less
torque, and a longer spool-up means less torque. So if traction
is low, you can put down power more easily with the milder power
band of the double.
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THE VERDICT
Reedy designed the Ti series for touring-car racing, which typically requires
high amp draw and needs extra low-end torque. Based on the dyno-test results,
the Ti double-wind delivers exactly that type of performance. But the Ti mods
aren't just for touring cars; the series is well suited to any application that
requires high-performance mod power. Pick the appropriate wind and bolt it in;
there's no promise that you'll score a 23rd Worlds win for Mike Reedy, but
there's a good chance you'll cut a few tenths off your best lap time.
SOURCE GUIDE:
Reedy; a division of Team Associated, (714) 850-9342; http://www.teamassociated.com/.
Robitronics; Distributed by Trinity Products; (732) 635-1600; http://www.teamtrinity.com/.
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