So I bought a lathe...and made Hub Motors

[LEVer]

...and decided to make me some hub moterzzz!

Hub Motor 3.jpg (209.28 KiB) Viewed 8711 times

Hub Motor 2.jpg (54.83 KiB) Viewed 8711 times

Hub Motor.jpg (49.36 KiB) Viewed 8711 times

It's not the prettiest, but its my first try. Learned so much.

First, the screws that holds the fan to the rotor are a PITA to remove, even when using the right screwdriver. I stripped almost all of them, had to extract them out and rethread the holes.
The bearing tube is another doozy. Even after heating it up for 45 mins, it won't come off. I finally just drilled it out but its scary because the bit is so close to the windings.
I also should have used a smaller-diameter hole saw to remove the hub first, and then the right size forstner bit to bore the wheel. Using just the forstner bit to cut the hub made it dull easily.

I'm just waiting for the 3M epoxy and the 14mm bit to drill a bearing seat on the top of the can. BTW, if you guys want me to make some for you, check out my for sale thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=68581&p=1034199#p1034199

I'll first try them out with my Skyrc ESC, then use VESC on them.

[torqueboards]

Thats boss! Amazing.. How do they ride?

Did you machine the Paris trucks too?

[LEVer]

Eh...I haven't ridden them yet. I reckon it'll be fast.

I did turn down the Paris. If you look closer, you'll actually see a gap where I messed it up.

[torqueboards]

How are the motors held in the wheel? Epoxy?

How easy are the hub motors to remove from the wheel?

[LEVer]

Wheel is epoxied on the motors. If you want to change the wheels, give em back to me and i'll put them on the lathe to remove them. Old wheel will be destroyed though.

[chuttney1]

Is it possible for you to post a picture of the truck without the motor attached? Im kind of having a hard time visualizing whether you shaved the truck to attach the motor or there was nearly no modification needed.

[LEVer]

Here's a better angle of my clumsiness. See the gap.

[torqueboards]

Looks great man, lol. Simplicity looks great! What lathe did you get?

[chuttney1]

I see it now.

[psychotiller]

Sweet! Not bad for a first run. Did you glue the urethane to the motor?

[Hummina Shadeeba]

fantastic. although every time someone makes a successful hub motor I die a little death wishing it was me

and this is like stylz right and you used everything from the motor but the bearing tube and axle?

If the bearing tube isn't glued in other people have gotten them out using BP blaster lube and sticking the motor in the freezer and then twisting the stator off it. I think most bigger motors are glued though. I still haven't seen any motor use
the keyway cut in the stator.

[Silenthunter]

Why didn't u use wider trucks and wider patch wheel so more of the motor is covered?

[scoot-e]

Cool experiment but isn't using the cheap RC style motors with their vented (open gaps) ends risky in gravel/dirt/outside environment on the street?

Just landing a custom made RC airplane a few times on the asphalt I caught gravel bits in the motors over time and it burned out/slowed down or made them very loud and grind-y sounding from the grit...

Just curious how to prevent that while still allowing for cooling? Perhaps you need a custom made "can" for the motors as well?

[LEVer]

Looks great man, lol. Simplicity looks great! What lathe did you get?

7 x 14. I first bought Harbor Freight's cheapest, the 7 x 10 but the Paris truck won't fit. grrr.

Sweet! Not bad for a first run. Did you glue the urethane to the motor?

I will. I'm waiting for the 3M epoxy that Stielz used: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=68181&start=25

..and this is like stylz right and you used everything from the motor but the bearing tube and axle?..

yup, except its not sensored.

Why didn't u use wider trucks and wider patch wheel so more of the motor is covered?

this is the widest I know of, before the MBS mountainboard trucks. I also do not know of any 90mm wheels that are wider.

Cool experiment but isn't using the cheap RC style motors with their vented (open gaps) ends risky in gravel/dirt/outside environment on the street?

Just landing a custom made RC airplane a few times on the asphalt I caught gravel bits in the motors over time and it burned out/slowed down or made them very loud and grind-y sounding from the grit...

Just curious how to prevent that while still allowing for cooling? Perhaps you need a custom made "can" for the motors as well?

It's definitely a possibility. The worse that can happen is the rocks will damage the windings and cause a short. That's why the next business idea is for someone to do custom windings for us.

[Hummina Shadeeba]

once youre doing custom windings your making the motor. You should go the whole way now that you have the tool and make a purpose-built motor maybe. get magnets from supermagnetman and wind them yourself. Otherwise it's fraught with dangers and the problem of replacing the rubber it seems. but who knows and stylz is still going strong after many kilometers. the rocks could also scrape off the nickel coating on the magnets and make them soft when exposed or crack them. a cracked magnet locking up the axle could suck. But then the monolith is exposed to

you could use thermally conductive epoxy and seal the rotor...looks cool as is though!

I was looking at those lathes myself. 500 bucks can get you a lathe that'll make a 80mm outrunner. or a nice skateboard hub motor.

[BadWolf]

Nice job man!

Do you have any video of them in action?

[matty_x]

They look great. Can't wait to hear how they perform.

In terms of gravel/rocks/detritus getting inside the motor, would it be possible to add a small screen to the vented side?

[izeman]

maybe i get it totally wrong but i don't see how those tiny 10mm bearings will survive the stress of a persone standing on a board.
or did you swap the bearings for bigger ones?

[bandaro]

Nice and simple, I didn't realise the extra can on the sk3 motor length (since I last bought one) was in fact a fan, that opens so much possibility for modding. Very clean conversion. Pity the aussie dollar is so crap atm, the 63mm motors are $92 currently, but I have an old pair of paris and a lathe! grrrrr!

So by my calculations running 5s on 90mm wheels will put you at 47km/h or 29mph nominal. Using a max amps of 70, this makes about 1.3kw/motor. This could be a primary issue as to why you are not getting a smooth start - simply not enough power for the gearing you have. I assume a smaller wheel diameter will not leave enough thane to ride on for long?

[LEVer]

Nice job man!

Do you have any video of them in action?

Thanks. No videos of mine yet, but it's basically a clone of Stielz hub motors except its not sensored.

They look great. Can't wait to hear how they perform.

In terms of gravel/rocks/detritus getting inside the motor, would it be possible to add a small screen to the vented side?

I do plan to put enclosures on them, that's why I left the screw holes in the back of the motor, in case I need to use it. Also designing this enclosure to hold and house E0designs hall sensors.

maybe i get it totally wrong but i don't see how those tiny 10mm bearings will survive the stress of a persone standing on a board.
or did you swap the bearings for bigger ones?

The bearings are 14mm OD and I used two of them for the outer side. The inside uses the big skirt bearing.

Nice and simple, I didn't realise the extra can on the sk3 motor length (since I last bought one) was in fact a fan, that opens so much possibility for modding. Very clean conversion. Pity the aussie dollar is so crap atm, the 63mm motors are $92 currently, but I have an old pair of paris and a lathe! grrrrr!

So by my calculations running 5s on 90mm wheels will put you at 47km/h or 29mph nominal. Using a max amps of 70, this makes about 1.3kw/motor. This could be a primary issue as to why you are not getting a smooth start - simply not enough power for the gearing you have. I assume a smaller wheel diameter will not leave enough thane to ride on for long?

Yeah, it's very easy to do if you have a lathe and know how to do internal surgery on the motor. I do not advise any wheels smaller than 90mm on these 6374 (5974 actual). I may even use a 97mm since I'm so used to bigger wheels. I would install in on a drop through AND drop down deck though.
With the Skyrc ESC I'm using, its very smooth after the push off. It has an option to really widen the coasting/neutral range, so the big wheels just roll for a long time. Still would prefer it sensored though, will also try out the VESC.

[torqueboards]

Nice idea on the e0designs hall sensors on the inside part of the motor.

[matty_x]

And you already have them on eBay! I need more disposable income.

[LEVer]

Nice idea on the e0designs hall sensors on the inside part of the motor.

Thanks. It will also make the motor less obvious as you do not have to bore the hub all the way, you can leave the outside half of it looking as it is right now instead of showing metal spokes.
It makes it look more stealthy.

And you already have them on eBay! I need more disposable income.

I have them in the ES For Sale Item too. So many requests, like torqueboard here who wants a 4WD!

[Snowstorm]

Those look great!

Would you mind weighing them and telling me how much a full set of 2 trucks, 2 hub motors + wheels and 2 wheels weighs?

Also what angle of base plate are those Paris trucks using?

[LEVer]

Those look great!

Would you mind weighing them and telling me how much a full set of 2 trucks, 2 hub motors + wheels and 2 wheels weighs?

Also what angle of base plate are those Paris trucks using?

Thanks. they weigh 5.2 lb. I believe the Paris 195mm angles are 50 degrees, good for carving and clearance of these massive wheels.