If this year's batch of Banebot RS775 motors also suffers from a lot of case shorting problems, but still delivers on the 273 Watts claimed in the motor spec sheets, then there is an easy solution: complete electrical isolation from every other metal part on the robot.
This must be done both via the mounting plate (I'm thinking either Lexan or Delrin)
and via the motor gearing (I'm thinking steel or brass pinion on motor, then using an Delrin/acetal spur gear for the first reduction). To achieve the latter requirement, I'm thinking this can easily be achieved by going 24DP for the first gear reduction and making a custom hex/keyed aluminum hub for the
VEX 60-tooth High Strength gear (yup, I'm biased

), as shown below:
