Not sure I will be getting it running soon. Work deadlines are cutting into my "Me" time and I'm heading out tomorrow for the Battlegrounds Comp. I will try to get something...
The battery wouldnt drain any faster- the motor pulls current, the battery doesnt push it. Beyond a certain point ( C rating ) you wouldnt notice any difference in terms of punch because the motor will only pull so much current ( as much as it needs to do what you want it too- acceleration & gearing load wise ), but the lipo may well run cooler as it can provide much more current than it is needed too. Good analogy for that is a fit person working out and a fat person working out; fat person will keel over and die from exhaustion long before the fit person
Working with my buddy Dan from Kershaw Designs, he hooked me up with a Slipper bearing set up that is designed for high voltage RC's.
The set up is two washers with bearing in between. The key to the design is the concave washers on the outside that keep constant resistance on the bearings and nut.
I took it for a quick run last night and she is alive.