E-S Stealth Electric Bike Owners

QMS said:
Hyena said:
Also riding the bike this morning I noticed if I pedalled hard it made quite a racket. Looking down it seemed the side cover bolts were just clipping the inside of the brake caliper but if I tapped the rear brake the noise stopped. I thought the caliper must have come loose but when I got to work I found the axle nuts had come totally loose and I was able to easily slide the wheel back and forth in the drop out with only the tension on the chain keeping it from sliding straight off the back of the bike :shock: Thank god for a strong chain and stealths integrated torque arms!


Hey Hyena. Same thing happened to me "re loose rear wheel" in a most inconveniant situation, no spanner or 10mm. I put spring washers on the axle and haven't had an issue since :mrgreen:

I had this same issue. John sent me some tighter tolerance torque plates, which I think come standard now from the looks of the photo's, but I still had a little movement even with the nuts as tight as I could possibly manage. I now carry a spanner large enough for the axle nut, wrapped in a rag sitting on top of the battery in the recess where the seat connects to the frame above the battery. So far I haven't needed it though.
I did the same as QMS and put some spring washers on with the smaller nuts, and I added a few extra nuts all around. :lol:
The pictures should speak for themselves. (Sorry about the shocking quality.)

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Cheers
 
I'm sure it's the regen, after tighening mine up I didnt feel the usual slight clunk I feel when engaging regen but a few minutes later it was back. I didnt check the nuts again when I got home but I'll bet they're loose again. Because I'm running a non-standard motor I have a nut on both the inside and the outside of the drop out - one tightening out, one tightening in. I'm not sure if that's better or worse...
It's good for adjusting alignment though!
 
Kepler said:
Now that your pictures are coming up, I can see you have the shock spring fully wound off. I run my spring at full tension. Ride is still quite plush.

I also have my spring wound out like that and the ride is still harsh compared to the old style shock that went bad and was replaced with the new style. Thats why I was looking for a lighter spring.

But I agree if your bottoming out tighten that spring down an inch and you wont bottom and or turn up the shock dampening and maybe speed up the rebound to get the wheel back down quicker as it could be packing.
 
Hyena said:
I'm sure it's the regen, after tighening mine up I didnt feel the usual slight clunk I feel when engaging regen but a few minutes later it was back. I didnt check the nuts again when I got home but I'll bet they're loose again. Because I'm running a non-standard motor I have a nut on both the inside and the outside of the drop out - one tightening out, one tightening in. I'm not sure if that's better or worse...
It's good for adjusting alignment though!

The opposing forces from drive to re-gen will naturally work the nuts loose after a while no matter how tight you do them up! The first time it happened i thought the bearings were shot, when i engaged the re-gen it went CLUNK!!! Renewing the Nylock nut regularly helps too as the nylon wears out with repeated removal and ends up like a normal nut after a while. If you tighten both nuts at the same time you will evenly centre the axle in the torque plates and reduce excessive play :wink:
 
Changing to philidas nuts may be an improvement? their gripping force doesnt diminish like a nylock does as the nylon compresses.
 
A lot of motocross style bikes have castle nuts and a hole for a split pin to stop them coming loose.

My bomber does not have regen and mine does not come loose but I do carry a collapsible ratchet and large socket.

If using two nuts then the inner one needs to be undone against the tightening one to create a lock between them.
 
Tench said:
Changing to philidas nuts may be an improvement? their gripping force doesnt diminish like a nylock does as the nylon compresses.

Hi Tench that is an excellent idea, i will mention that to John next time i speak to him :mrgreen: Oh and by the the way congrats on your last build AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME.Like many others am looking forward to a schematic diagram on your series/parallel set up, re: bulk charging and operation :shock: If the world had more people like you and John (from Stealth)it would be a much more enjoyable place :lol:
 
Mine were loose again when I checked this morning, tightened it and 2 regen applications later and the clunk was back.
I might try making up a new torque arm insert - a longer slotted version of the standard one with a clamping nut on the end.
That might give better results...
 
Something strange going on there.

I have used regen on the hard setting for a year on 5405 motor. I use a spring washer and nyloc nut. Never had it come loose.

Maybe you need to use spacers and lock the motor down to spacers rather then against a locknut.
 
Yeah that could be a point - bloody stealth and their obscure axle spacing!
What sort of gauge/thread size (not sure what the correct terminology is here) are you using ? I tried some nyloc nuts from bunnings and they wouldn't thread on the axle. I guess I need to go to a specialty fastener place
 
The only ones I found at Bunnings that would fit are Champion 1/2" 20 TPI...they come in a pack of 4 with bolts and aren't Nyloc. They have 1/2" Nylocs but they're course pitch and don't fit. I think the Philidas nuts or spring washers may be the best idea.
 
Hyena said:
Yeah that could be a point - bloody stealth and their obscure axle spacing!
What sort of gauge/thread size (not sure what the correct terminology is here) are you using ? I tried some nyloc nuts from bunnings and they wouldn't thread on the axle. I guess I need to go to a specialty fastener place

I think its just a standard M14 course pitch thread. Nothing too exotic :p
 
Hyena, Kepler, and Snow child,

Thank you all for the lipo advise.

The chain on the bomber, looks like a Shadow Conspiracy interlocking BMX chain which doesn't come with a master link. Taking a link out or just breaking that chain requires a bicycle chain breaker. Taking a link out would move your axel forward and give you some more useful adjustment. I have broke this type of chain before and removed a 2 links on my friend's single speed mountain bike. The key is not pushing the pin all the way out with a chain breaker on the outside link plate that will be used to reattached with. Just push out the pin far enough so you can wiggle the other link loose. After the link is removed, flip the breaker around and line up the breaker's push post with the chainlink pin and push the pin back through the reconnected link. You should feel it hit and set. Then flex the chain on the pin to make sure it's not bound. Or after that chain stretches past the adjustments, just buy another chain with a master link, KMC and Whippleman make some high quality BMX chains for about around 20-30 USD. Rubberside down,

Rix
 
Its probably worth noting also that if you decide to fit a gear cluster to your motor so you can try a few different ratios, you need to install a chain designed for that size cluster. The Chain on a Fighter or Bomber is too wide and will bind on the adjacent gears. Alternate is to strip down the cluster and just leave the lock gear on the cluster. I fitted a stripped down 5 speed cluster on my Bomber so I now have a 14 tooth free wheel. Perfect for being able to pedal comfortably at 60kph.

Of course you need to remove a link or two from the stock chain using the method described by Rix.
 
Kepler said:
The Chain on a Fighter or Bomber is too wide and will bind on the adjacent gears. Alternate is to strip down the cluster and just leave the lock gear on the cluster.
Yep, I tried this the other day and found out it was too wide. So I have the stripped down larger cluster as you suggested. I found with a single speed on right to the motor that the chain kept clipping the edge of the tyre and hitting the swing arm. Of course with the smaller gear on the stripped down cluster now the chain is too long as above. It's only 2 teeth different though so for now I'm getting around it by having the axle sit right at the back of the drop out. With it sitting futher forward the slack in the chain made it skip off every few minutes.
But yeah, schlumpfs 4TW! Being able to pedal at 60km/hr with a chain ring that size is great! People thing I'm ghost pedalling even when I'm not. You quickly realise when they get on and can't turn over the chain over without power because the gearing is so high.
 
Lowbank,

I didnt' catch it at first, but on your drive side axel block picture you posted, there is only one nut (10mm?) on the axel block post. Even though you are just about out of adjustment, the chain may be loosening because there isn't a jam nut behind the adjuster nut on the axel block post. Due the pushing power of the hub motor combined with pedal power, the nut maybe slowly rotating counter clockwise which is why the chain could be getting loose on you. It might help if you put another nut on the axel post. Adjust your chain tension, then using a wrench to hold the front nut in place, put another nut on it and tighten up.

Rix
 
Hyena said:
I'm sure it's the regen, after tighening mine up I didnt feel the usual slight clunk I feel when engaging regen but a few minutes later it was back. I didnt check the nuts again when I got home but I'll bet they're loose again. Because I'm running a non-standard motor I have a nut on both the inside and the outside of the drop out - one tightening out, one tightening in. I'm not sure if that's better or worse...
Hyena said:
Yep, I tried this the other day and found out it was too wide. So I have the stripped down larger cluster as you suggested. I found with a single speed on right to the motor that the chain kept clipping the edge of the tyre and hitting the swing arm. Of course with the smaller gear on the stripped down cluster now the chain is too long as above. It's only 2 teeth different though so for now I'm getting around it by having the axle sit right at the back of the drop out. With it sitting futher forward the slack in the chain made it skip off every few minutes.
None of these occur on stock Fighters BTW

It's like DIY car mods - if you don't have the skills (or tools) don't do it.
 
full-throttle said:
Hyena said:
I'm sure it's the regen, after tighening mine up I didnt feel the usual slight clunk I feel when engaging regen but a few minutes later it was back. I didnt check the nuts again when I got home but I'll bet they're loose again. Because I'm running a non-standard motor I have a nut on both the inside and the outside of the drop out - one tightening out, one tightening in. I'm not sure if that's better or worse...
Hyena said:
Yep, I tried this the other day and found out it was too wide. So I have the stripped down larger cluster as you suggested. I found with a single speed on right to the motor that the chain kept clipping the edge of the tyre and hitting the swing arm. Of course with the smaller gear on the stripped down cluster now the chain is too long as above. It's only 2 teeth different though so for now I'm getting around it by having the axle sit right at the back of the drop out. With it sitting futher forward the slack in the chain made it skip off every few minutes.
None of these occur on stock Fighters BTW

It's like DIY car mods - if you don't have the skills (or tools) don't do it.

Totally agree, I have modified a lot of cars over the years and even when using the pro's you soon realise the testing, development and design that the manufacturers put in saves a lot of problems that the aftermarket companies cannot deliver.

I wonder how John feels about the bikes being modded? I hope he enjoys seeing what people do.
 
Custom mods take a lot of time and understandably John is not happy about it. I'm in the same boat - any mods would have to wait till there's free time. And at the moment it doesn't look there will be any for another 6 month.
 
full-throttle said:
None of these occur on stock Fighters BTW
Yes I should put that caveat on every post for those not following my prior posts! That said some of the others above have noted loose axle nuts too so it's worth warning everyone to keep an eye on them, checking for tightness from time to time or if the signs appear (clunking on regen etc) Mind you this is common to all ebikes. I suspect some of the people who buy a turn key performance ebike like a stealth aren't going to be inclined to do their own maintenance or checks, though that's probably not the target audience here.

And yeah it's totally understandable that John doesn't have time to do custom mods. You don't rock up to Holden and tell them you want XYZ custom mods on your new car. I guess if anything your state/country dealer may be willing to do small stuff like add ons or upgrades but for the most part it's going to be aftermarket.
 
I really meant about John having positive or negative feelings about other people modding his creations after they leave the factory, not John doing them himself.

I wondered if he felt his product was losing purity and possibly reputation if people report faliures casued by mods or if he is happy for it?

i.e. Rolls Royce took John Lennon to court (and lost) as he painted his Rolls in flower power livery.
 
Rix said:
Lowbank,

I didnt' catch it at first, but on your drive side axel block picture you posted, there is only one nut (10mm?) on the axel block post. Even though you are just about out of adjustment, the chain may be loosening because there isn't a jam nut behind the adjuster nut on the axel block post. Due the pushing power of the hub motor combined with pedal power, the nut maybe slowly rotating counter clockwise which is why the chain could be getting loose on you. It might help if you put another nut on the axel post. Adjust your chain tension, then using a wrench to hold the front nut in place, put another nut on it and tighten up.

Rix

Rix pritty sure the axel in not moving. Just the chain stretching because new only 200km down so far. The axle could do with some improvements though to stop it coming loose. The threaded part could be shortened and the flat area that sits in the swing arm left the full width of the axle stock. This would reduce how much the axle can rotate in the swing arm. (But would reduce area to adjust chain.) If you look at modern MX bike you will have a fine thread on the axle with a nut that does up pretty tight. when undoing the nut there is a full rotation before it starts to come loose. I have never have one come loose when tightened up to the correct toque.
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On me way to whip the kids buts on there 80cc mini bikes. (limited to 30Amps)
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OK something a little different. :mrgreen:

I have been nagging John to build a light weight version of a Fighter using a geared hub for quite some time now. He wasn't that keen but my persistence finally payed off with him finally giving in to the concept.

The main frame was kept close to stock however, extensive modifications to the rear swing arm were required to suit the 135mm motor spacing. The rest was up to me. To be clear, the reasons why John agreed to this build was basically to gauge the feasibility of using a geared motor in Fighter. So its lucky me. I get to build the Fighter I always wanted. 8)

Specs:

Stock Fighter main Frame.
Modified swing arm
Bafang code 10 geared hub motor.
Custom 6 FET Mini monster controller setup for 2000W max output. Mounted internally.
18S 75V LiPo. 8Ahr
MT2 Magura brake set

Target weight: 28kG
Target range: 25km to 40km depending on riding style.
Target top speed: 60kph

Assembly is going well and should be ready to go in week or two. The second picture shows the controller in position. The frame becomes the heatsink for the controller.
 

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