WL TOYS 144001 / 124019 / 124018: ULTIMATE BRUSHLESS UPGRADE GUIDE

WL TOYS 144001 / 124019 / 124018: Ultimate Brushless upgrade Guide

11/6/2020

The WL Toys 144001 is an excellent low cost hobby grade RC buggy that I ordered from Banggood. I've already taken free and low cost steps to improve performance in part 1 and part 2 of my upgrades guide. This upgrade guide here is dedicated to installing a powerful and efficient 2838 brushless system that is optimised for balance, handling and efficiency. It will also be much faster and reliable that the stock system. This upgrade is fully compatible with the new 124019 and 124018 as well and an excellent option to improve performance and battery life.

As mentioned above the brushless upgrade I am doing here is based on a smaller, lighter more powerful motor than stock so I can get the best handling by reducing weight and improving balance. For this reason I have chosen a brushless 2838 sized motor (28mm diameter, 38mm can length) that runs at 4500kV. This is the same spec powertrain used by the premium LC Racing EMB-1 on which the 144001 is based. The objective is to optimise handling by removing the extremely heavy and power hungry but inefficient brushed 550 motor.

I have not gone with a brushless motor the same size as the brushed 550 (3650, 3652, 3660) as these are really only suited to speed runs - see my speed run build guide if that is the kind of build you are looking for

Benefits from this 2838 brushless setup over stock will include:

Stronger acceleration
Higher top speed
Better front/rear and left/right weight balance
Lighter overall weight
Ability to run 2s or 3s safely
Much better battery life
Greater crash resistance since car carries less momentum.

Click on any picture in this article to Embiggen or go to product link

Motor size comparison: The stock 550 weighs 271g and the new, more powerful 2838 weighs 95g. Damn!

I strongly recommend looking at the first 2 articles I've written on mostly free or very cheap upgrades that significantly improve the handling and life of the EMB-1 before you upgrade the powertrain - you will enjoy it so much more and will get to know the car better. They are here:

Parts needed
Unfortunately upgrading to brushless power is not simply a matter of changing the motor. If you want to use a brushless motor your will need a brushless ESC. The stock ESC has a receiver built in so you will also need a new receiver and transmitter. Lastly the stock servo is a 5-wire servo that is incompatible with regular receivers so you will need a new receiver too. There are some other minor parts too, I've listed everything I've used below:

$28 Brushless 2838 motor / 35A esc combo 4500kv is the set I used. Consider this one as an alternative if unavailable

$76 Flysky FS-GT5 transmitter and receiver with built in gyro and multiple model storage. This low-mid range set has great features and range. My choice for this upgrade

If you want a stronger ESC then consider the Hobbywing 16BL30 here for $37. You can buy the 2838 motor seperately here

$9 PDI-1181MG digital metal gear servo THIS IS THE ONE TO GET - a direct swap with stock zero for 3-wire PWM control. The Emax ES3054 is a good option if the 1181 is unavailable

$2 WL Toys A969 17t pinion. This set has 2 gears and is needed to drop the gear ratio back from the 27t stock pinion

The following can be considered optional although I would stongly recommend:

WL Toys 144001 spare motor mount. Please strongly consider getting one of these as the motor screws and pinion are nearly impossible to remove with damaging something.

3.2mm hardened drill bit for drilling out pinon gear. If you can't get one locally these work well

WL Toys 144001 full screw set. If you don't have spareM2, M2.5 and M3 screws and nuts I'd recommend this pack for a full set of spares.

For tools you need a drill, a fine needle file (<3mm diameter) or dremel, 1.5mm hex driver, + screwdriver and some good double sided foam tape. I also used the tools below to make the install cleaner but are not crucial:

Side cutters. These particular ones are actually surprisingly good for $2

6Pcs 3*140mm Mini Diamond Needle File Set. Something like this should be ok for slotting the motor mount holes for the 17t pinion

TS100 Soldering iron. This model is the absolute business. If you are into RC of any kind this is the one to get.

63/37 Tin Lead Rosin Core Solder. This stuff is fine if you can't get locally.

Step 1: Remove the old gear
All the old gear will need to come out - the motor, the ESC and the servo. Follow the steps below:

Remove the circled screws to release the top plate

Unplug the servo and motor and remove the whole assembly

Remove the plastic motor cover and it should look like this

Remove the circled screws at the rear of the car from the motor mount

Like so...

The mounted motor should come out like this after you rotate it around the driveshaft bearing. I strongly recommend stopping here and keeping this entire assembly intact.

If you want to recycle your motor mount you'll need an impact driver or butane torch to remove the motor screws...

... this is why. Motor screws are absolutely superglued in. There is more superglue than screw!

Even if you can get the motor screws out the pinion set screw is worse. Mine needed to be drilled out to get the plate off. Again, strongly recommend you buy another motor mount and keep the original motor, mount and pinion intact.

Step 2: Motor install
This is the hardest step as you'll need to drill out the pinion and slot one of the motor holes on the mount. Moving to the smaller 17t pinion is a critical part of this upgrade and a big reason why it performs so well.

Adding a thick oil will help keep the bit cool during drilling. I used 2-stroke but you can use anything

I'd recommend a lathe or press but you can use a regular drill with a steady hand. If you have a clutch make sure you use it as the bit will bind on the set screw hole.

A959 pinion hole increase from 2mm to 3.2mm alongside the stock pinion

This shows the motor mounted using the narrower 380 sized holes and rotated out a little to allow for the 17t pinion. The difference between the current hole and where it needs to be above needs to be slotted

Here is a pic of the motor mount slotted. You'll also need to remove some material to allow for the countersinking of the screw. I forgot to mention elsewhere but the 2.5mm diameter holes for the 380 mount will need to be taken out to 3mm

Hole slotted, countersunk and fitted. I re-used the stock motor screws but if your get damaged you'll need m3 x 8mm countersunk screws

You'll need to remove some material from the lower plastic cover to allow for the new motor location. I started with the side-cutters and tidied up with a dremel.

To install the motor you'll need to slide the driveshaft bearing sideways into the slot...

... And rotate. Now to test the mesh. I was lucky I got it right first time with just the smallest amount of backlash. You may need to increase slotting or adjust if you don't have the mesh right - this is crucial. More on meshing here.

You'll need to take a little material away from the top gear cover too.

Cover on and mesh set!

Top plate back on. Congrats, you're through the worst of it!

Step 3: Servo and receiver install
If you use the PDI-1181MG servo as specified it will not require any modification and install is simple. If this is out of stock then the Emax ES3054 is also a direct fit

$9 PDI-1181MG digital metal gear servo THIS IS THE ONE TO GET - a direct swap with stock zero for 3-wire PWM control. If this is out of stock then the Emax ES3054 is also a direct fit

Before anything else power up the servo by plugging in the powered ESC and servo with the transmitter on. This should bring it to neutral position. You can now unscrew the stock servo, change the bracket to the new one and install.

Next install the servo horn at perpendicular to the chassis as above. Remove the ball joint from the stock servo arm and reinstall on the new arm. Choose the hole that has the same or less distance from the servo drive as the stock unit. Note - you can re-use the stock servo arm if using the DPI-1181MG servo

Use the radio trim to ensure the servo horn points directly up.

Adjust the tierod connecting the servo horn to the steering rack so that the rack is square as above. Adjust toe in/out to be neutral. This should make for even and precise steering. More details on adjusting tie rods and toe here

As above there is about 23mm between the motor and the servo to fit a receiver. This is plenty of room for the Flysky-BS6 gyro receiver included with the FS-GT5 transmitter. Stick this to the chassis firmly with double sided foam tape.

Step 4: ESC install and wiring

I'd recommend taking a bit of time here, it is worth fixing everything down securely so things do come loose in action. Move things around and do a lot of test fitting before you fix things in place

Here's all the spaghetti you start out with. You'll need to coil, wrap and fold wire to keep them out of the way of moving parts (like the drive shaft especially.

Use both double sides tape and zip ties to fasten everything securely. Don't leave things like the switch flapping around

Don't forget to test fit the body as well. With these parts it should easily fit but you need to make sure your cable management is sorted like above. I cheated though - more on that below.

Step 5: (optional): Tidy up the wiring
As an RC car guy I'd leave the wiring as is and just run it. As a quad guy I know that tidying up wiring is pleasing to my eye and I know it will be better to make sure I don't accidently damage wires or connectors and can fit the body on cleanly every time

Servo connector and silicon wire. I used two sets of these to replace the crappy plastic coated wires from the servo and ESC. Silicon wires are so much more durable, flexible and heat resistant.

First job on the ESC was to desolder the 3 black motor wires, measure the length they needed to be, cut, tinned and reconnected.

Although the ESC isn't stuck down here you can see how much tidier and shorter the motor wires are. Note, each are a different length to allow for them going around a corner.

The white connector here has the 3 wires that go to the receiver and the power switch. Make a note of which goes where or refer back to this image.

The white plastic sheath was cut away separately so that each pin could be desoldered separately. Here I used the new silicon servo wire and a shortened power switch wire after trimming each to the correct length

I had the silicon servo wire exit the bottom of the ESC as it suited this install more. End result is shorter, more functional wiring.

I did the same with the new servo too - replaced the crappy long plastic coated wires...

...with shorter trimmed to length silicon wires that are much nice to work with and of course more durable.

Here are the results. The cable ties make it look a but ugly but everything is very sturdy and will not get in the way of moving parts. I may plan to shorten the battery cable later on and will probably change from a t-plug to XT30 at the same time.

Step 6: Get it running
Now that everything is in the right place it's time to get it running.

The ESC should be set just fine from the factory in terms of trim and endpoint. You should have a proportional speed increase as you squeeze the trigger up to maximum speed. If the wheels are still spinning pushing in the opposite directions will engage the brake. If you return to neutral and push back again it will reverse

With all the work you did on the steering links you can now trim it to track straight with no steering input. Next use steering End Point Adjustment (EPA) or dual rate to adjust maximum steering points so that the servo isn't straining at full steering either way. Refer to your controllers manual on how to adjust EPA/dual rate

In terms of programmable options the default settings are fine - medium punch, medium brake force, 25% reverse speed, 3.1v cut off to protect your lipo and 9% deadband. If you wish to adjust these they can be done with the programming card I reviewed here.

So how does it go?
The performance has improved in every single way you can consider performance. Immediately the punch off the line is just incredible and it goes on to a much improved top speed but that is not even the best part. Massively improved efficiency means I get about double to battery life out of even the stock 1500mah 2s pack. Significantly less weight means handling is much more nimble and it jumps way more evenly. Rear suspension is no longer undersprung and under dampened with the decreased weight (ok maybe slightly undersprung and dampened). I've already had a few tumbles and so far as I can tell the lighter weight means I am bending and breaking less. Now that this upgrade article has been out for sometime and has become very popular, this setup has been GPS measured at around 60-64KM/hr on 2s and 96-100km/hr on 3s with stock tyres. That is certainly no slouch!

Why not just buy the EMB1?
Given all the gear you need to complete this build you are no longer less than half the cost of the LC racing EMB-1, which begs the question - why didn't you buy the EMB-1 in the first place? Well I have both and I'll tell you why I prefer the upgraded 144001 over my EMB 1 - because I love to tinker and I made it. Objectively this makes no sense because the EMB-1 is superior to even an upgraded 144001 but it is the customisation and pride in build (as well as encouragement from the community) that makes this car really special to me, Not that special though, after all this is still a basher that loves to be run! Update: I've done a direct comparison on this upgraded brushless 144001 vs the more expensive LC racing EMB-MT - article is here

Exact Parts used in this build to replicate mine:

Surpass 2838 4500kV motor and 2-3s 30A ESC

Flysky FS-GT5 Radio

PDI-1181MG 17g metal gear servo

Stock 144001 motor mount

0.7mod 17t pinion gear (2 pack)

3.2mm hardened drill bit

What's next?
I still have lots planned for the 144001. I'm planning on simplifying the upgrade process as I look for unicorn pinion gears that allow you to use the stock motor mount 380 holes (completed - here). I'm going to look at a number of aluminium parts to see which are worthwhile (completed - here) and which cause more trouble than good and lastly I will build my 3rd 144001 as a road-only speed buggy (completed - here) and see how fast we can go for cheap and minimal modification.

Update! I've found some unicorn pinion options that allow you to bypass the slotting of the motor mount and using the stock holes instead, full article here WL TOYS 144001 BRUSHLESS 2838 UPGRADE EASY NO CUT OPTION

If you want to stay up do date with my very lastest guides and articles, check out my new facebook group here - QuadifyRC 144001 124018 124019 Modders' group

Other parts worth looking at

I'm trying to keep a running list of parts I use and think will be useful. For those parts that come from Banggood please try the code "parts8" for an 8% discount. It works on some products and not others otherwise check my coupons and discounts page as I'll add any 144001 cars and parts there if they get discounted.

Wltoys 144001 1/14 Metal RC Car Whole Screw Set
I strongly recommend these on hand because - even if they are soft you don't want to run out

7.4V 2600 MAH Lipo Battery T Plug For Wltoys 1/14 144001
This is the largest 2s battery that will fit - more peak current and nearly twice the run time

RC Car Wheel For Wltoys 144001 1/14 4WD
These are cheap enough and good enough to run on or offroad. Unless you are going for 80kph + speed runs these are the best allrounders

M3 locknuts
These are the ones that are used to hold the wheels on. You WILL eventually lose yours and these ones are less than $2 for 20 of them

Upgrade steel drive gears
Possibly and overkill but the steel spur gear is worth considering if you need the durability

LC Racing LC RACING Anti Roll Bar For EMB-1
This sway bar set will fit the 144001 if you need to control body roll

Upgrade metal parts multiple colour options
Most of the metal chassis parts can be found in this listing

Spare Diff (front and rear)
Probably the easiest way to replace a damaged diff. Don't forget to grease them!

Wltoys 144001 Upgrade Metal Front/Rear Tower
Stronger shock tower upgrade to replace the bendy stock ones. 4 colours available

CVD driveshaft
Use either as a replacement in the from or an upgrade for the rear.

Surpass Hobby Waterproof 3650 3900KV Brushless RC Car Motor With 60A ESC
Larger motor and ESC combo good for 3s speed runs. I prefer the set used in this article but it's a horses for courses thing. I've reviewed here

ISDT 608AC AC 60W DC 200W 8A BattGo Smart Battery Charger
The USB charger included with the 144001 is a piece of crap. This ISDT charger represents the best bang for buck at present. Full review here.

114 Comments

lance young

25/6/2020 04:29:13 am

hi will this set up work with the DumboRC X6FG transmitter and receiver?
thanks

Quadify RC

25/6/2020 08:38:16 am

Yeah for sure but not sure if the receiver will fit between motor and servo as I've done here.

Erik

29/6/2020 10:12:57 am

What are you using for a battery tie down? The stock Velcro piece seems to be the right length for the half size batteries only.

I just got my 144001 and the 1500 mah batteries barely last 10 minutes so doing this brushless swap for efficiency is reallly appealing to me.

29/6/2020 11:58:02 am

I haven't moved to the larger batteries as I've only every run my car with brushless and the little ones are fine. I will be going to larger batteries with my son's car (which is stock) for reasons you've already found. I intend to use these - narrow and long straps: https://bit.ly/2NAFh4X

29/6/2020 12:00:03 pm

Actually there are a lot more size options here: https://bit.ly/2NCgIon

Davide

30/6/2020 11:35:48 am

I want to install the same brushless system to my 144001. Can I use original LC emb-1h 17T and LC car brushless motor mount? Thanks

30/6/2020 12:46:39 pm

Unfortunately no. The EMB-1 motor mount doesn't fit and it runs a different modulus pitch (0.6) vs 0.7 on the 144001. I'm currently working on a solution to make this easier, parts arrive soon. I can say the mod I've done here has a very good gear ratio but does need some filing to the motor mount.

Daagel S Fossati

5/7/2020 02:48:36 pm

What length of silicon wires do you use?

9/7/2020 08:59:06 am

Hi Daagel

For the servo? about 50mm. The one I link comes with nice long wires that you can trim to suit your install

Thomas B.

20/7/2020 07:05:30 am

Thank you for this great detailled overview - a great timesaver for anyone looking to take this on. My little boy crashed my 144001 and broke the stock motor - it tore clean of the mounts. Never waste an opportunity to upgrade so your recommended parts are now on their way!

20/7/2020 09:22:09 am

Hey Thomas

Thanks for the kind endorsement, I've just written a companion article on a pinion gear that makes the install easier. Sounds like you have a great excuse with your son's car ;)

Best of luck

Emi

18/8/2020 02:59:05 am

I've done the mod follow yours.but the problem I'm facing is the motor sound louder..like f1 engine..
Is it the motor make sound louder than original motor?. I've set the gear mesh use paper and feel correct.

18/8/2020 09:00:35 am

It should definitely not be loud - do not run it if it is. Brushless motors should actually be quieter in operation. First, have you got exactly the pinion I linked? There are very few that are compatible. If that is ok then I'd look at your mesh again. PS you shouldn't need to lube pinion or spur. Good luck

laz

18/8/2020 07:40:22 am

Fantastic guide, thank you.

I've got all the parts on the way. For better or for worse, I opted for the A969 17T gear.

Any chance you could ball park the locations of the cuts/holes for the motor? I got 2 motor mounts on the way, but might as well take fewer guesses, and save one.

Thanks

18/8/2020 09:03:41 am

Awesome! Yeah I reckon overall with the stock tyres the 17t pinion is the best. The 15t pinion from the other article is a little short unless you change the gears or go up to 3s. There are a couple of pictures in my guide showing how much I slotted the mount. Click on them to expand but you can see it is not a lot. If you go too far it shouldn't matter because it is slotted rather than having a fixed hole. Best of luck!

10/9/2020 05:53:21 pm

Upgrade done!

I think you're right, the car is better in every respect. Punch, speed and battery life.

Despite it still be a small-ish motor, I'm worried about it doing a number on the car. The motor sounds a lot clickier than the brushed one.

The car already has a good amount of slop contributing to vibrations. Some play in the dogbones/CVDs, in the diff cups, a bit more on the wheel hubs, a whole lot of slop on the steering assembly, all leading to a fair amount of wheel wobble.

So, yeah, with that extra punch, I hate the noise it makes when starting up. Sounds ok once it's moving, though.

I've got a metal servo head on the way, I'm hoping that'll cut some of the steering slop.

Anyway, thanks again for the guide. Wouldn't have been able to piece most of this together from YouTube videos without weeks of trial and error.

10/9/2020 10:03:55 pm

Well done, it's a good accomplishment getting the upgrade done. It shouldn't really be clicking, check the pinion mesh but I'm a little worried it may be your diff starting to let go. Mine doesn't have any extra noise from the brushless setup.

I think the aluminium steering rack took out some of the slop in the steering for me because it doesn't flex as much. I'm not too worried about the slop though, I can live with it.

Vince

18/9/2020 03:41:21 am

Hi! This is an awesome piece of work. Thank you soo much. As always I’m looking for a cheat... too scared of hard work. Can I use a 19t pinion and avoid the mount modification? It seems to be just that little bit larger than the 17t and might fit... but I’m sure you would have just done this if it worked!

18/9/2020 10:32:40 am

Thanks Vince. If you want a pinion that fits without modding the mount, check out this article: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/wl-toys-144001-brushless-2838-upgrade-easy-no-cut-option

19/9/2020 12:13:07 am

Thanks. I’m going to try that first. Just ordered the 15t pinion.

SteviePie

1/10/2020 12:03:40 pm

Hi, I have just ordered two of these cars for my son and I and looking forward to tinkering with it. Thanks for all your information it is brilliant. I have a noob question about the radio options for the brushless upgrade. What is a gyro in the FS-GT5 and what does it do?

1/10/2020 12:41:22 pm

Hey there!
Awesome, such a great way to spend time with your son, playing and tinkering with your cars. The gyro helps with countersteering when the car changes direction without your input. There is a better explanation including a more telling video in this article I wrote: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/flysky-fs-gt5-transmitter-review-and-setup Have fun!

BenLandel

6/10/2020 03:26:22 am

First, as it's my first comment I must thank you for your amazing website.

Did you try this esc/motor combo on 3S? The 4500kv is 12V rated, but a fully charged 3S is 12.6V...I've only ran it on 2S for bashing so far and it's amazing...I wonder if I should order a 3600kv (14V rated) to try 3S on tarmac...

6/10/2020 09:19:39 am

Hey there

Thanks! The ESC and motor is definitely rated for 3s but sadly I never had the chance before my 3s batteries arrived (All my gear was stolen). You should be fine on tarmac with 3s assuming you are using the gear ratio in this article or the 15t pinion in the other article on here. It'll be a rocket!

LDIZZ

9/10/2020 05:24:05 pm

I'm having a problem my reverse is running like it was in foward with a tremendous force and my forward is quite tame what did i do wrong or what can i do to fix it

Julio Chavez link

11/1/2021 09:11:23 am

Your wiring is crossed from the esc to Brushless motor.

11/1/2021 09:14:19 am

Crikey I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier. I guess you have it ficed by now but yes, you need to swap the connectors on any 2 of the 3 wires that go from motor to ESC and potentially reverse the servo on transmitter as well.

9/10/2020 05:26:54 pm

I know exactly what is wrong. Both your motor and servo reversing are the wrong way. First swap any two (of the three) wires that go from the esc to the motor. Next you'll need to reverse (or unreverse) to throttle channel - basically the opposite of what it is now. Please let me know if this works.

Randy G

11/10/2020 09:09:28 am

I want to be a really solid version of the 144001. I don't care if it goes more than 45mph just want something that will last and possibly put on bigger tires for bashing in the grass, park, and possibly some dirt. Any thoughts on motor / ecu and the gearing?

11/10/2020 08:49:32 pm

If you want my favourite setup I'd say the Remo P6973 in my wheels guide and this brushless combo after setting the shocks and diffs up correctly as per my starter guides. That setup was fast enough, accelerated quickly, would last ages on the stock battery and was very reliable. Furthermore the bigger and better wheels and tyres offered better grip off road and on. Happy bashing :)

Ariel Silbert

3/11/2020 05:01:40 pm

Hi - I am wondering if you can help me. I followed your tutorial for my WLTOYS 144001 and installed a new 2838 surpass motor and 35A esc. I have actually tried two different receiver/transmitter combos (Flysky fs-gt2b and fs-3gt-3e), but the throttle in both forward and reverse is stuttering before acceleration, and sometimes not responding in reverse. I know something is wrong, but for the life of me I can't figure out what. Obviously not the receiver(s) and the mesh between the 15t pinion (hobbyking like you suggested) and the main gear on the driveshaft is fine, not too tight or loose. What am I doing wrong? It sounds like cogging, but it can't be I'm sure. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

3/11/2020 11:46:07 pm

Hi Ariel

This is always a tricky one to troubleshoot because it could be so many things but first of all I'd check the connections from ESC to motor. Move it round, swap connectors etc to test. If you are 100% sure this is fine (including the wires) then it is possible it could be ESC. Sorry this is difficult to diagnose over text

Stefano

4/11/2020 08:16:39 pm

Hi!Your pages are great,finally some no-nonsense and trustable info,I stopped following all the misleading videos on youtube thanks to this! I see there is an alternative red version from surpass hobby named KK on BG. Apparently it incorporates a capacitor. Do you know whether that could be any better than the blue one?
https://banggood.app.link/46UL7m4i8ab

5/11/2020 09:00:59 am

Hi Stefano, thanks for the kind feedback. I try to make the guides as helpful as possible but sometimes I get a little caught up on th detail. I only have direct experience with the blue surpass hobby one in this article so that's what I recommend as it has been bulletproof for me. Although I don't think it needs it, it is easy to add a capacitor bank if you want. Also that included servo is too big for the 144001

Josh

15/11/2020 01:14:24 am

Can I do this brushless upgrade with JUST the motor and esc and/or do I need anything else for the upgrade (sorry if this question is answered I had limited time to find it)

16/11/2020 09:46:10 am

Hi Josh

Unfortunately not since the receiver is integrated into the stock controller and the servo is a 5-wire unit. All the parts mentioned here need to be changed I'm afraid.

Troy

25/11/2020 06:07:12 pm

Hmmm. Just realized in my haste that I have ordered the 3600kv version of the 2838 motor and not the 4500kv. What sort of impact will this have on the swap? This is the only part that has arrived so far. Would you suggest not using the 3600kv or making changes to the build?

25/11/2020 09:50:14 pm

Hi Troy

I think I may have answered you on Facebook but it will be fine. Go with the 17t pinion here and run 3s if you want more speed. It will still be faster and WAY more efficient than stock on 2s

26/11/2020 12:12:13 am

You did, indeed, answer me on Facebook. Thank you for being awesome. I appreciate all the work you have done and the continued input. Cheers!

Rcguy

26/11/2020 12:40:11 am

Fried the ESC on 3s. Starting smoking and lit up. Was pushing the car hard but I guess the esc can only take short bursts from 3s cells. Ordered a hobbywing 60a esc as a replacement.

7/12/2020 08:55:47 am

Sorry, notifications to posts seem to be broken at the moment. Sorry to hear it fried. These ESCs are solid on 2s but I've seen the odd one cook on 3s. The ESC you've ordered will be a big improvement - as well as handling 3s reliably you'll probably find it faster on 2s as well.

ETX

5/12/2020 05:28:44 pm

Two questions: Is there a screw upgrade kit for this buggy? Is there a manual on rebuilding this if I take it apart?

7/12/2020 09:01:25 am

Hi There

There is a screw kit but they are just stock screws (and has been discontinued). The LC racing screws are better and use hex drives https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ABzXpB The screws that hold the motor on are m3 but can't remember the length. I've seen that some mounts need the smaller holes drilling out to 3mm as they are only 2.5mm

Jefferson

6/12/2020 08:49:34 am

Hi and thanks for this tutorial! Could you tell me where to find the 3.2mm flat head screws that hold the motor down? The wltoys screw kit doesn't seem to have any.

7/12/2020 09:02:58 am

M3 diameter but can't remember the length sorry, doing another conversion soon so will measure. You may need to drill the small holes on the mount from 2.5mm to 3mm - I had one that was fine and one needed drill. QA non-existant!

7/12/2020 09:09:10 am

Thank you much!

Zombie2Monster

17/1/2021 12:50:54 pm

this combo will be good for basching?? https://www.banggood.com/Surpass-Hobby-3650-Waterproof-4Pole3_175mm-Unsensed-Brushless-RC-Car-Motor60A-ESC-For-1810-Vehicle-Models-p-1550371.html?p=4818154699821201605X&utm_campaign=4699821&utm_content=3312&fbclid=IwAR00DawhLaLvjTzWrvGZ7xIR630Ta47_F2d20kKhrp2ebRYiWO3mJCWLsrI&cur_warehouse=CZ&ID=521372

18/1/2021 09:15:06 am

In this car no, it would be fast but have no control and would cog terribly at low speed. It would also generate a lot of heat. I'd recommend the motor/ESC combo in this article instead

30/1/2021 10:20:58 am

but you have reccomended this motor in this article only esc i take
by myself

zombie2moster

30/1/2021 10:22:33 am

sorry my bad please delete this
i missed this with other my post

batracio

6/2/2021 04:54:08 am

Hi there! This little beast is the ultimate evidence proving that brusless motors are no really needed in most of cases. This brushed 550 offers lot of power and torque.
Right out of the box, in my opinion, this car is almost perfect; extremely nimble, quick of response, stable and fast more than enough.
The only cons and a possible issue is that afer some use, shocks get stucked in the middle of their way; probably harder springs are needed, since I changed the oil inside using a heavier/denser one and this didn´t solve the problem.
I did what we were told not to do; I run it on 3S lipo and the difference is BRUTAL. On 2S I reached 52Km/h and using 3S the top speed is 76Km/h. Simply awesome. Reaching this speed with a 1:14 model is quite impressive.
The good point is that with all that extrapower the car is still perfectly under control. However, with all that power now we must be even more carefull with diffs, pinions, gears etc. Extra lubing attention will be wellcome.
The other extra bonus is the ESC, still alive after many hours of wild bashing and over speeding. Surprising!!
I´m thinking about testing the car with bigger tyres, might be even 1:10 rubbers... Have u tested this mod?
My most sincere congrats for your work, QUADIFYRC. I really appreciate it.
Best regards

6/2/2021 09:52:42 pm

Hi Batracio

Thanks for the kind words. I complete agree - stock it is very fast, especially if you can get it running reliably on 3s. Sometimes the ESCs hold up and sometimes they don't.

I like these small brushless setups not because they are a lot faster but because they offer much better efficiency and battery life, run less hot and are much lighter for better handling. Everyone has a different set of needs though.

Be careful going bigger on the wheels - check out my wheel upgrade article here https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/wl-toys-144001-upgrade-wheels-best-for-bashing

Jens

3/3/2021 09:22:19 am

What 3S battery did u use?

3/3/2021 10:36:17 am

It's not an easy fit but this one: https://bit.ly/37XYZBv

Jindřich Beneš

9/2/2021 09:03:29 am

Hello. Thank you for the great reviews. You are great. I have a question how much will the speed and overall driving characteristics change with this upgrade? Then what ESP would you recommend for this new engine to be reliable? Next, if you think the upgrade will pay off for quite a bit of money ... Then, if you would recommend some other nice car body. Thank you for your answers and I apologize for my English. I'm writing through translator ;-)

9/2/2021 11:48:32 am

Hi there, my pleasure. Top speed is about 50% more the the brushed motor and very noticeable but the most obvious benefits are through acceleration and battery life - so much more efficient. To be honest the ESC in the kit I've recommended here is fine - start with that and then upgrade to one of these ones later on: https://bit.ly/3rD31sc or https://bit.ly/38Dgngr

As for bodies, try google phat bodies - they have a range of options for the 144001

9/2/2021 12:28:39 pm

Hi again Quadifyrc! In my case, using a denser/thicker silicone in the shocks have not solved the issue, on the contrary what I´ve obtained is a worse side effect; instead of absorbing the iiregularities of terrain, the car tends to rebound.
So I finally think regarding this issue that the solution might be using sttifer springs. What do u think? Where could I find harder compatible springs?
Best regards and once again, congrats for this awesome guide. I do really appreciate it.

12/2/2021 07:50:06 am

Thank you very much for your answer. I ordered everything I needed, except for the radio. I don't know if I need a 6 channel for this car. What do you think? And is it necessary to order a programming card for the motor? Please help. thank you very much.
And something else. Will it then be possible to run the system on 3s batteries, or do you have any recommendations for purchase?

12/2/2021 10:30:40 am

Hi Jindrich! Congrats I think you'll really like this mod. You're right - you do only need 2 channel (steering and throttle/brake) but it just happens that radios like the dumborc have 6 available. Stock settings on the ESC are fine but if you want full control a programming card is a handy tool. 3s is possible but would recommend 2s because it's actually very fast as is and physically fitting a 3s battery in the car is very tricky with the dip in the top deck. Good luck with the install 😁

Paul A walczak

12/2/2021 06:15:21 am

I notice a vw body on your 1440001 where can i find one like that

26/2/2021 02:35:50 pm

Sorry, think you may be confusing me with someone else? I haven't had a VW body for mine before

Peter Hampshire

17/2/2021 06:24:54 am

Hi what over pinnan can I use as well as the one your using on that motor

26/2/2021 02:36:33 pm

Sorry not sure I follow, maybe a little too heavy on the autocorrect?

John

26/2/2021 02:33:31 pm

Wow this is about the best written, most thorough article I've read on ANY topic! Thank you so much for going through EVERY detail of this project.

26/2/2021 02:37:10 pm

Cheers John, very kind of you to say, Check out my other nerdy articles as well!

Zacharias

14/3/2021 05:41:01 am

Hi,
Just finished the upgrade and indeed the car is definitely faster the acceleration is quite improved and is more responsive.

Question. After running one full battery the ESC and motor got quite hot. Is this expected? I used the 17t pinion and think that I got it right. The car is almost noiseless when running. No clicking. And the reduction wheel seems to work relatively easy. I have the P6973 tires on and the whole battery was run on dirt.

The battery life has not improved significantly. Just roughly by a minute but nowhere close to doubled.

Do you think I got something wrong? Any recommendations?
Should I have another look in the pinion? Waiting for another base and the 15t pinion but will be here in about a week.

As always your help is highly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Zacharias

15/3/2021 10:30:54 am

Hi Zacharias

From your description it sounds like the gears have a good mesh and the driveline is free so we'll look past that. Also I'll assume you are charging and discharging the battery to a similar point as to when you were using it with the stock system.

I'd expect you to get more than an extra minute but it depends largely how you drive it, brushless motors (especially small ones) are much more efficient by design. Based on what you have explained above the 15t may help if you are driving it hard

Lorenzo

19/3/2021 11:53:19 am

Hi!
Just wanted to say "Thank You".
I am in the FB group and I think you managed to create a very nice community for this little "toy".

I have just ordered all the tools and components to do the upgrade, many thanks again for sharing your experience (and experiments!).

You managed to make me re-join the hobby after 10 years of "stand-by".

Have a good weekend, and I hope you managed to "recover" from the bad thing happened to your models :-(

19/3/2021 12:27:55 pm

Hey Lorenzo

My pleasure, the writing and sharing of information is part of the hobby for me. Hehe yes, I was 25 years out of RC cars and now am right back in but more bashing this time rather than racing. Thanks for the kind wishes. Was full insured but just takes time to remake all the custom builds.

Jonathan Ruhe

23/3/2021 06:12:43 pm

Someone finally makes an adjustable mount for the 144001/124019. Also there is a 17T 3.175mm motor pinion available on Ali Express.
US $1.58 45％ Off | 2pcs Brass Motor Gears 17T Golden Pinion Cogs for WLtoys 12428 12423 12628 and 3.175mm Diameter Shaft RC Car Crawler Truck Buggy
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNFTEEB

24/3/2021 10:55:05 am

Unfortunately that is a.0.8mod pitch (I have one). I've ordered that mount bit it is only for larger 3650 and f540 sized motors

AARON SOMMERS

5/4/2021 10:40:42 pm

Anyone know what the thread pitch is for the wheel nuts? M3x0.5?

5/4/2021 10:47:55 pm

You know I've never heard the pitch referred to in M3 size in RC, between quads and cars they only tend to use one pitch - I've not ever come across another pitch other than plastic tapping screws.

12/4/2021 02:40:22 pm

Yup, m3-0.5 is the pitch. My ebay $5 pack of 50 work fine for the tops of the shocks and the wheels.

6/4/2021 03:25:52 am

Thanks, I'm going to go ahead and assume it is .5 pitch. According to a few reputable metric hardware spreadsheets there's only course thread pitch options below m6 for machine screws. I'll be sure and update if it doesn't work. Pack of 50 for 5 bucks from ebay should be in Friday (4/9). Fyi Blue locktite seems to definitely help.

6/4/2021 09:50:42 am

0.5 pitch rings a bell but yeah, roll the dice! If you are talking about the countersunk m3 motor screws I've had feedback that 8mm is slightly too short and in fact 10mm may be a better length

Thomas B

6/4/2021 07:54:08 pm

For me, with the 8mm the motor would come loose after big jumps. I solved it by countersinking a bit deeper in the motor mount as I didn’t have any 10mm on hand. Let’s hope it holds up now!

6/4/2021 03:32:35 am

Flysky BS-6 problem

My BS6 reciever that came with the GT5 transmitter suddenly stopped on my brushless maiden drive. There is no life in it now; no led and no function no blue smoke or even a wif of anything hot. I'm getting 5v out from the esc. Any thoughts on whats wrong? Maybe a dud receiver? Voltage spike?

6/4/2021 09:52:40 am

Oh that sucks - I've never had a receiver die on me. Perhaps try feed the receiver a power supply from a different source on a different channel to see if that helps and isolate the issue? Could be a dud receiver, could be a voltage spike although the latter is less likely.

6/4/2021 10:00:25 am

Thanks, I just wanted to put it out there on this thread to see if there is any trends. I have pretty much followed it to the T. Good to hear that it may be just a fluke. I have tried about everything short of re-wetting the rx's circuit board. It is a two layer one held together with a line of pins so maybe the oven will find a new purpose.... or Amazon.

9/4/2021 12:19:20 pm

I've ran a couple batteries on a new BS-6 reciever without a problem. So I'm just going to pin it on a dud rx.
+++The gyro sure is a powerful feature! Keeps me from crashing so often!

12/4/2021 12:51:40 pm

Bummer it sounds like it was a dud. I guess in the scheme of things these are not expensive electronics so there will always be a failure rate. Yes, that transmitter and receiver are my favourite and the gyro is amazing. If you are worried about voltage spikes (may or may not be the issue) then capacitor packs on the battery lead can help.

C. Dustin

16/4/2021 05:54:09 am

I want to do this upgrade but my skills are very limited. What are the chances that I could buy the parts and send to you for project completion? I know that it's a long shot but can't hurt to ask!

16/4/2021 10:15:25 am

Hi There

Unless you live in New Zealand, the postage would be a killer. I have since released some new guides for more simple brushless installs that just bolt in:
https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/drop-in-brushless-upgrade-guide-for-wl-toys-144001-124018-and-124019-quadifyrc
and
https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/144001-brushless-upgrade-the-cheapest-setup-worth-having

Or if you really lack the confidence perhaps at this article:
https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/brushless-upgrade-144001-vs-lc-racing-emb-mt-cost-and-performance-comparison

Jared Fleischaker

4/5/2021 02:50:17 pm

I got the emax servo. Why is it steering backwards? Lol. Thanks.

6/5/2021 09:15:13 am

Haha you should be able to reverse the steering by flicking a switch on your remote (channel 1). Check your transmitter guide and it will have it in there if you get stuck.

David

31/5/2021 10:26:10 pm

Hello, I have a 124019 , for me the stock motor has the enough power but I want to go to brushless to gain a more fresh electronic and battery life.
According with this, can you recomend to me the 2440 ??? I prefer "plug and play" using a new 15T 2.3 pinion than 28** and drilling.
Is the 2440 faster than 550 motor , right?
I only think going at 2S , not 3S.

31/5/2021 10:39:59 pm

I've tried both a 2440 and 2445 with similar kvs and same 15t pinion in my 144001, and the 2440 even in my smaller car seemed to struggle a bit. In your larger 124019, I would definitely go with the 2445.

DAVID

31/5/2021 10:49:21 pm

Thanks man by your reply.
and how many kv? and that 2445 is cooler than the stock one, right?

3/6/2021 01:47:48 am

thanks by the info.

1/6/2021 10:26:51 am

Hi David

That's a really pracical set of objectives and I have just the answer. 2445 with 15t pinion - all the details are here: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/drop-in-brushless-upgrade-guide-for-wl-toys-144001-124018-and-124019-quadifyrc

Make sure you get the 3600kv motor. You'll have some really good runtime, even on stock battery

2/6/2021 01:59:27 am

So, it will be fine with ESC Surpass KK 35a ? (2445 3600kv)

2/6/2021 10:47:02 am

Yes, I'd expect the KK35a esc to be fine with the 2445 3600kv motor on 2s.

Da22

3/6/2021 01:46:13 am

Hello,

I bought 2838 , pinion 15T ( I don't need speedruns) a new motor mount.

My question is related to the new motor mount, If I use a new mount, new screws, I need also to drill o modify anything in the new mount ? I used you gearbest link mount, it's necessary to adapt it to the15T pinion or only for 17T???

Thanks friend.

3/6/2021 08:41:45 am

All the details are in here. Good luck! https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/wl-toys-144001-brushless-2838-upgrade-easy-no-cut-option

Travis Crites

7/6/2021 08:49:34 am

HI, I'm considering taking on replacing the driveline in my daughters 128019. The factory ESC seems to be trying very hard to melt itself in the Arizona heat. Even when we run this in the morning, it's still over 90-degrees F and the surface temp is likely close to 110 or so. Afternoon surface temp is closer to 130 F. Can you recommend a brushless motor + ESC (with fan) + Servo + receiver that work particularly well in higher-heat environments (and don't break the bank)? Any additional advice would be helpful - we're 2-weeks into RC as beginners, but I'm very comfortable with electronics and mechanics. Thank you!

8/6/2021 01:05:00 pm

Hi Travis. Great fun with the kids right? That is crazy hot!! I'd recommend the setup is this article with the 3600kv motor option for sure. It's a little faster than stock, better acceleration and much better battery life. It also runs really cool.

The build is reasonably inexpensive and is one of the easier ones to do (no cutting or drilling) https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/drop-in-brushless-upgrade-guide-for-wl-toys-144001-124018-and-124019-quadifyrc

And here is the follow up article where I talk more specifically about the 3600kv: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/rc-car-theory-2s-vs-3s-high-kv-vs-low-kv

9/6/2021 12:47:36 am

Thank you!

LAWSON CURRIE

7/7/2021 04:22:28 pm

could u help

i have done the brushless upgrade

when i give my wltoys 144001 some throttle it will sit there for half a second then it will move

7/7/2021 10:52:50 pm

Sorry I can't tell what's going on, there is just not enough information there. Can you be more detailed?

7/7/2021 04:34:36 pm

LAWSON CURRIE link

7/7/2021 04:34:46 pm

Egoitz link

29/7/2021 11:57:44 pm

I want to upgrade to this same setup, Will i be able to put bigger tyres on? If the answer is yes, what Max diámeter?

Nimma Sherpa

30/7/2021 03:37:44 pm

If you want to run larger tyres I'd recommend 85mm max but you'll need to go with the 15t pinion as per this guide: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/wl-toys-144001-brushless-2838-upgrade-easy-no-cut-option

SteveB123321

2/8/2021 02:59:19 am

Hi Quadify,
First of all thank you for excellent guide.
I followed this guide closely except for the motor I got a 4700kv Surpass 2838. My runtime is only 8 minutes with the kin 2s 2600mah 25c batteries which should be able to deliver 65A which is under motors max 55A. Also motor gets pretty hot and battery gets warm. I run mostly in short grass backyard.

I have hobbywing 16bl30 and a sc8. Battery lasts same amount of time and motor runs pretty hot on both.

I have a 3s 35c 22mAh bat coming do you think the extra volts and running less throttle will extend my run time?
The max rpm listed for the motor is 50krpm I’ll be slightly “surpass’ing” that on 3s hopefully it holds up.

Any suggestions to extend run time. Maybe I should replace motor?

3/8/2021 11:10:50 pm

My pleasure Steve

Those Kin batteries aren't the best. To be honest I quite like the stock 2s 2200mah stock batteries, they are pretty good. If you are worried about heat or battery life you can drop down from the 17t pinion to the 15t as I wrote about in the no cut guide.

Going up to 3s will decrease your run time unless you go to a lower kV motor. You will stress all your gear more too. I'd recommend reading this: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/rc-car-theory-2s-vs-3s-high-kv-vs-low-kv

STEVEB123321

5/8/2021 01:44:24 am

Thanks for this info. I read the article you posted.

I do suspect the batteries. With a fresh battery and an alarm set at 3.3v the alarm goes off on hard acceleration. I’ll have to look for better batteries. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i-Tq5ft-Vncourh8lEiOod0WIj89sffk/view?usp=drivesdk

I also have a 15t pinion on the way and might go to a lower KV motor if need be.

I’m new to the hobby and having a blast so far.

5/8/2021 04:52:14 pm

That looks quick! 3.3v sounds like a good setting, you'll probably find with a 15t battery that it might solve most of your issue. Looks like you are having fun and you've even roped a few people in to capture footage!

George Herron

28/8/2021 04:11:39 am

Thanks for the awesome info! I did the 2838 with the 17T pinion and the stock 44T spur. Im still looking for more top end speed and I have a 38T spur gear from a 959b. Do you think this is too drastic of a jump and would run too hot?

31/8/2021 12:28:06 am

Hey George. 17t is as big as i'd go with the 2838 4500kv. If you go with a bigger pinion or smaller spur it'll be not so much more speed as it will more heat. If you want to go fast consider dropping to 15t pinion and trying 3s.

Joel Bergman

23/9/2021 12:32:32 am

Hi!
What about the brushless kit on AliExpress and banggood? Example https://a.aliexpress.com/_msJhcOT
That’s a lot cheaper than in your article, but is it crap?

23/9/2021 11:30:50 pm

Hi Joel, I'm afraid those are a bit of a disaster. Avoid!

rc noob

30/9/2021 07:53:02 am

how do you adjust the motor position to set the mesh.. from the picture i see it was fixed position.

1/10/2021 11:57:44 pm

You'll see in the article that I slotted the mount and have adjustability that way

QUADIFYRC RC Car Review and Upgrade Guides