My Bafang Ultra Mountain Bike! Frey AM1000

[FlyingFinn]

After 3000 kms of riding the Bafang Ultra motor has started to show it’s age. I’ve experienced clutch slipping (100% sure it’s not the chain) on steep uphills. It seems like some fingers of the clutch aren’t engaging anymore.

I ordered new gears from Greenbikekit.com including the 3-pawl clutch. Hope I can fix the issue with this combination.

 

[jeron]

After 3000 kms of riding the Bafang Ultra motor has started to show it’s age. I’ve experienced clutch slipping (100% sure it’s not the chain) on steep uphills. It seems like some fingers of the clutch aren’t engaging anymore.

I ordered new gears from Greenbikekit.com including the 3-pawl clutch. Hope I can fix the issue with this combination.

Take some pictures of the process for us please.

 

[HerrDoktor]

^^ What he said

 

[tsellers]

After 3000 kms of riding the Bafang Ultra motor has started to show it’s age. I’ve experienced clutch slipping (100% sure it’s not the chain) on steep uphills. It seems like some fingers of the clutch aren’t engaging anymore.

I ordered new gears from Greenbikekit.com including the 3-pawl clutch. Hope I can fix the issue with this combination.

Take some pictures of the process for us please.

Better still, a Youtube video!

 

[FlyingFinn]

Better still, a Youtube video!

Simon has done one already.

[youtube]_7_UvP9S6ug[/youtube]

 

[vortexgs]

I own the AM1000 and the HT1000. Both had a motor ticking noise. I sent the AM1000 motor to Bafang for repair and the noise came back over a short period of time. I opened and packed grease just as the video shows. This did stop the issue for a short period of time, but it returned. I reopened both motors and removed all of the grease and discovered the bearing races that are in contact with the aluminum housing were turning instead of the interior of the bearings turning on the shaft as intended. This was causing wear and noise. I have since used Loctite Retaining Compound on each bearing surface that is in contact with the housing and this has solved all issues with motor noise. I have found that you can not have any grease on the bearing race that is in contact with the housing. After using Loctite Retaining Compound, I greased each gear lightly and closed the motor. Both bikes combined have nearly 10,000 miles in 2 years of riding.

 

[tsellers]

What an awesome first post, thanks very much!

 

[FlyingFinn]

I own the AM1000 and the HT1000. Both had a motor ticking noise. I sent the AM1000 motor to Bafang for repair and the noise came back over a short period of time. I opened and packed grease just as the video shows. This did stop the issue for a short period of time, but it returned. I reopened both motors and removed all of the grease and discovered the bearing races that are in contact with the aluminum housing were turning instead of the interior of the bearings turning on the shaft as intended. This was causing wear and noise. I have since used Loctite Retaining Compound on each bearing surface that is in contact with the housing and this has solved all issues with motor noise. I have found that you can not have any grease on the bearing race that is in contact with the housing. After using Loctite Retaining Compound, I greased each gear lightly and closed the motor. Both bikes combined have nearly 10,000 miles in 2 years of riding.

Thank you!

A very important notice. I think this might be the reason why my motor is getting that hot as well making grinding noise.

Was the compound you used just a normal bolt retaining compound? I used that on my crank bolts. It’s mandatory on those. No matter how tight you take them they’ll come loose eventually.

 

[vortexgs]

I used Loctite 641 it is available on Amazon and auto parts stores. If you look at the video picture that is above you will notice grease on the bearing race. When the motor is closed this grease will make the race have the ability to spin in the housing. I cleaned each bearing race and housing surface with alcohol then applied a very light coat of the Loctite to each bearing race and each housing surface and was very careful not to get grease on these surfaces when lubricating and closing the motor.

 

[shap08]

I own the AM1000 and the HT1000. Both had a motor ticking noise. I sent the AM1000 motor to Bafang for repair and the noise came back over a short period of time. I opened and packed grease just as the video shows. This did stop the issue for a short period of time, but it returned. I reopened both motors and removed all of the grease and discovered the bearing races that are in contact with the aluminum housing were turning instead of the interior of the bearings turning on the shaft as intended. This was causing wear and noise. I have since used Loctite Retaining Compound on each bearing surface that is in contact with the housing and this has solved all issues with motor noise. I have found that you can not have any grease on the bearing race that is in contact with the housing. After using Loctite Retaining Compound, I greased each gear lightly and closed the motor. Both bikes combined have nearly 10,000 miles in 2 years of riding.

Can you please confirm it is this part you loctite?

 

[vortexgs]

These photos were taken before cleaning the entire motor. Any bearing race surface that is in contact with any part of the housing I used Loctite on.

 

[Balmorhea]

Any bearing race surface that is in contact with any part of the housing I used Loctite on.

Did you pause to consider why no manufacturer does that, and why no engineer specifies it in a design featuring cartridge bearings?

 

[vortexgs]

This is my observation and fix for the issue that I was having. Seeing the housing blackened by a spinning race and play between the race and the housing on the bearing on the crank arm led me to this fix. With many 1000's of miles after applying the Locktite and not have a recurrence of an ongoing issue I thought I would post what I found to solve my issue.

 

[tsellers]

play between the race and the housing

That doesn't sound good, and your fix is probably necessary. Makes you wonder if the milling machine was out of spec for a portion of a production run, or if possibly it comes down to an issue with wrong spec's that affects every housing they made for that model.

 

[2Slow]

I opened and inspected latest motor, 2020 build. Left hand side of capacitor, notice poor casing machining. Too much warping on aluminium die casting part. Looks like machining was made to specs, but due to excessive warp, some areas got missed. This part should be rejected during quality assurance.



Here is whole casing cover, issue on both sides.



From engineering perspective, there are several problems like this, evident to and eye without even taking measurments.
By the way bearings fit in to aluminium casing, I can tell they they are on the loose side of tolerance. There are also appear to be some ether machining or design issues with large sprocket / gear that is connected to the cranks. This cause excessive noise under the heavy load.
Whole motor is build very rough, see this bafang ultra review, lots of room for improvement here. On the positive side, easy to service due to loose tolerances and good resistant to contamination for the same reason.

 

[leedavis]

My 15 month old, standard configuration, AM1000 just registered 3000 miles (5000km). I haven't done anything for it other than routine maintenance - no problems. My use has been 60% single track mountain bike trial, 30% greenway and 10% street. On street and greenway PAS is usually ECO 1 and on trail ECO 3. Throttle comes in handy to get the bike going if it gets unexpectedly stopped in an awkward situation. My style of riding is good for about 45 miles per charge though I don't take the battery down that far.

 

[2Slow]

My 15 month old, standard configuration, AM1000 just registered 3000 miles (5000km). I haven't done anything for it other than routine maintenance - no problems. My use has been 60% single track mountain bike trial, 30% greenway and 10% street. On street and greenway PAS is usually ECO 1 and on trail ECO 3. Throttle comes in handy to get the bike going if it gets unexpectedly stopped in an awkward situation. My style of riding is good for about 45 miles per charge though I don't take the battery down that far.

Similar to Frey EX, 55 miles range on dual battery is possible in cross country, unless you go uphill lots or doing speeds over 15 m/h. ECO1 is nice on downhill, easy to control. Uphill ECO 2-4, incline dependant. If you keen to pedal and keep pedalling RPM up, I found battery usage very seasonable. But if you go lasy in SPORT5 and speeds up to 35m/h, then battery will not last long at all.

 

[leedavis]

Similar to Frey EX, 55 miles range on dual battery is possible in cross country, unless you go uphill lots or doing speeds over 15 m/h.

XC trail is what I enjoy and IMO, what these bikes - AM, EX - are designed for. Here's video of my typical ride.
[youtube]NSs39O8_r-o[/youtube]

 

[bugnut]

Similar to Frey EX, 55 miles range on dual battery is possible in cross country, unless you go uphill lots or doing speeds over 15 m/h.

XC trail is what I enjoy and IMO, what these bikes - AM, EX - are designed for. Here's video of my typical ride.
[youtube]NSs39O8_r-o[/youtube]

Where is the video?

 

[leedavis]

XC trail is what I enjoy and IMO, what these bikes - AM, EX - are designed for. Here's video of my typical ride.

Where is the video?

The video was shot on Zack's Fork Trail, Lenoir, NC, USA

 

[jeffdkeyes]

Excellent video...can't wait for my order to arrive!

What is the consensus on the motor for a new build - should i plan to take it apart and Loctite the bearings or wait to see if I hear noises first?

/Jeff

 

[2Slow]

Excellent video...can't wait for my order to arrive!

What is the consensus on the motor for a new build - should i plan to take it apart and Loctite the bearings or wait to see if I hear noises first?

/Jeff

I have two brand new Bafang Ultra motors, one in the bike, second spare. Ride just fine, opened one and it's just fine. Looks like it depends on individual motor, some are build better than others.
I would not worry about it, it's cheap t replace, not like Bosch CX replacement cost

 

[Hardcore]

If it's a new bike, you can assume it will be working properly and there's no need to open it up.

 

[Tom]

Anyone have issues with throttle randomly not working? I don't use throttle much but today in traffic when I wanted to gun it I had very jerky throttle (brief on then cut out, then on, then cut out). I stopped bike and turned off power but did not seem to solve the issue. I went up a steep hill and after stopping and turning off the motor and turning it back on throttle started working again. Later it stopped working again. I wondered if maybe the battery was flaking out or motor was overheating but bike had been resting for a half hour. I went up a very steep hill on my way home at higher PAS and 3/4 of the way up throttle started working again. Almost as if draining battery and taxing the motor made it work again. Very strange. Connections look fine.

 

[Hardcore]

Sounds like a broken cable, i've had that happen to me. Does PAS/pedalling still work under those conditions?