CIM Motors reusable?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

CIM motors do last a long time if they are not abused. However, the brushes do wear and produce varying resistance to case. Do not be surprised to measure a 2K to case. I have taken some apart and cleaned the dust around the brush assembly. While apart we also added some oil to the bearings.
Do not believe that simply mounting a motor to a gear box will eliminate loading problems. I have seen more than one motor damaged by improper mounting to a transmission. Also, depending on design, a severe side load on a transmission can translate to the motor shaft.
The good news, a CIM smells really bad when it has been abused. Take a good whiff at each end of the motor. If it smells burnt, don' trust it. A CIM motor that has been abused and shorted some windings will have less power output and lower free speed. There are several other failures that occur if you follow the links above.