Wild WIlly M38 motor pinion.

[richb77]

I am part way through a WW M38 restoration and have decided (after trying to fix it) The motor is dead.

Someone before me has had a go at removing the pinion too and it looks like a wad of well chewed gum.

Can anyone recommend a replacement as i believe these came press fitted from factory?

Cheers

[waterbok]

I think the 58035 Wild Willy M38 has a 15T 0.6 mod if I remember correctly, but if the motor is dead you also will need to make an adapter to make any other motor fit between the motorplates.

[richb77]

SH#* Isn't the motor a standard 540?

Dimensions seem the same to me!

[njmlondon]

SH#* Isn't the motor a standard 540?

Dimensions seem the same to me!

The older 540 motors had the screw holes for mounting them in slightly different positions to modern motors. Very annoying!

[waterbok]

No, its the plastic endbell that is the spoilsport. It is an exact fit into the alloy mount plates

[richb77]

Ok. I'm now confused. I am looking at the plates and have a brand new (we'll never run but maybe 10 year old) 540 from an M05 I had kicking around. It must be a JE motor as it's not a Mabuchi but came from a Tamiya kit. I also have a scabby old Mabuchi from my sand scorcher (vintage). I see what you mean about the plate being a perfect fit on the vintage motor but the JE motor fits in just fine. A little loose but it fits.

[waterbok]

The little loose might be a problem, have to check on one of my m38 gearboxes. If too loose the pinion might eat up the plastic gear.

[richb77]

Mmmm. This is the plate with both motors. If its such an issue i will try to rebuild the vintage mabuchi.

Vintage Mabuchi

Modern JE

I would think that as its screwed in from the opposite side "wobble" at this end is surely not a huge issue (it will only ever see a test run and occasional run i suspect).

[njmlondon]

Does it screw in perfectly on the other side? I always thought that it was the screw holes on the pinion end that were out of kilter.

[richb77]

Yeah! The other side matches up exactly as the old motor and this vintage Mabuchi.

[WillyChang]

Chrome cans new & old are fine hole wise, only 1pr of holes in the can. Only the 540Vs (techni) have 2pr

The new cans are a bit longer though, think they don't sit well inside the cradle once it's bolted to the battery shelf. The motor gotta be free enough to pivot...

Old plastic endbell avoids such issues Sometimes can be easier to find a Black 540SD motor (red or blue Endurance) than a good std 540 plastic endbell.

[waterbok]

The motor gotta be free enough to pivot...

Thats were I expect the problem, as I wrote if its to wobbly the motor could slightly bend the gearboxplate and the pinion might eat the plastic gear (which is still to be found in LB gearsets btw.)

An adapter ring at the other side for stability might solve that.

[richb77]

I managed to strip and fix the vintage so I am good. But logically thinking....if I made or 3d printed an adapter ring to fill the gap in the modern bell it should be all ok?

[WillyChang]

Afai(can remember) it wasn't just the endbell profile, but the whole new motor can being longer than the old. I'd measure them closely & in relation to the length of the crosstubes... wasn't just making a suitable flanged bushing to fill the endbell gap.

We were mucking about with these in the 90s and didn't go much further... when we realised a stock 540 was already enough to propel a WW crazy quick. plus it wasn't too hard to find Black Motor or even OE WildWilly motors NOS back then (with pinion already installed). Possibly not the same case today.

Ironically there's a M38 in sorry state which joined the fixup queue in recent years. Haven't pulled apart to investigate yet...

[wildwillydriver]

Hi,

as a WW maniac, some time ago i had some adapters done for both the Sport Tuned and New Generation Silver Can motors.

See below some pics of them on the motors and also on the chassis were they fit nicely, leaving the motor free to pivot.

Up to now, i only tested them "on the bench" not in a runner, all my stock motors are still working fine....

My first idea was to have a "Sport Tuned LWB WW runner" but at the moment is still in the project wish list.....

Bye

WWD

[waterbok]

That looks like a nice project for my mini lathe, as we will be having 40+ degrees at the WE nice reason to stay inside.

[njmlondon]

That looks like a nice project for my mini lathe, as we will be having 40+ degrees at the WE nice reason to stay inside.

Get cracking! I would be interested in buying one off you if they work out and you feel like mass producing!

[WillyChang]

Neat job

They don't have to be aluminium, even nylon would be more than enough & probably easier to lathe

[wildwillydriver]

Neat job

They don't have to be aluminium, even nylon would be more than enough & probably easier to lathe

Yes you are right aluminium is the last option...

I have them done also in carbon fiber.

Bye.

WWD