How bad is my split hub rim? Can I still ride on it for a wh

If you laced a single wall rim with the spokes that were on a double wall, there is no chance that they are long enough for the ERD difference must be 10mm at least, probably more. And don't try changing the lacing pattern, that should be single cross and no other pattern could make your spoke fit. That job is out, you had to start somewhere and learn from your mistakes.

1- If you need to enlarge holes, use a drill

2- use nipple washers if you can, they are making a wheel so much better

3- use long nipples, they stand better the angle of a hub motor lacing job and make trueing easier.

4- use a standard lacing pattern, and double check spoke length calculations before starting

5- re-tension and true the wheel after a few days of use

Good luck with your 2nd try

Wire wrap method as 1st step before rim replacement.



I was hoping to just replace rusty nipples ...
but, even after WD40 soak, spokes kept breaking.

Can anyone ID - spec this Aotema 2 wire (brush) hub motor?
24V? 36V? 250w? etc. ???

That Aotema looks like the BD36s I purchased from Wilderness Energy over a decade ago. Two of mine are still running, one on a relatives delta recumbent trike and the other on a friends one wheel pusher trailer behind his handcycle. Both are currently using 48 volt Ping batteries and also the original controllers that came with the motors.

Edit: And those controllers were 35 amps with built in thermal protection that shut them off when they got too hot. Just had to let them cool for a few minutes and they were ready to continue.

Rassy said:

That Aotema looks like the BD36s I purchased from Wilderness Energy over a decade ago.

Click to expand...

Same here. Mine ended​ up in a one wheeled pusher trailer, and I used it as recently as last year. Now it has a problem that sounds like a bad brush or commutator.

Thanks guys, for the motor info.

Found "specs" from 2006


36V 600w 25mph+
Looks to be too fast for stand up trike, maybe at 25.9V 430w <20mph.
Ordered new SS spokes already, so "can't" go smaller wheel.
(13G 2.2mm 188mm Stainless Steel)

Motor runs nice and smooth.
Missed key lock on controller, turns out lock was bad anyhow ...

Sorry about thread hijack ...

Hey guys. Just a quick update.

As a quick fix, I ended up lacing my motor with a single wall rim using the same spokes from my motor. I think the double wall makes the inner diameter of the rim a little smaller and that's why I kept getting the spoke too short syndrome. So as a quick fix, I ended up lacing it using the radial pattern. Instead of having 2 sets of 2 spokes crossing each other, I settled for single crossings.

Took me some time trueing it too. I didn't bother for a couple of days but then I was getting worried about some sounds in the motor. I think it was putting stress on it. I finally took the time to true it laterally. Haven't done it radially yet. I think I can get about with that for a while.

The good news is I received my new hub wheel. So I don't have to worry about it too much. I will keep it as a spare and get a new rim for it.

Someone asked to see that lacing technique I found youtube. This approach made lacing a lot less fiddly than m first attempt.
https://youtu.be/V31UHgrV8Zc

Thanks again gus for our help.

Clinton