QULBIX DIY Frame Q140MD

[Andje]

Here's to a rough decade and a bit being over.

I have been ordering parts from around the world, and am now actually building and planning the details of this new vehicle.

40s 3p (maybe 4p but I doubt there's room) of Molicel P42A 21700 cells 4200mAh, 10c.
Kelly KHB14301HS 144v 300 amp.
DALY 40s 200 amp BMS
QULBIX Q140MD DIY Frame
Surron SM Pro Platinum 19x1.4 with Mitas Pit Cross Terra Force MX 70/100-19 tire in the rear.
Crystalyte 5403/5404(from a decade ago group buy) depending on final gearing packaging restrictions. Custom stainless axles since the originals are made of pate at these power levels.
Boxxer World Cup triple crown front fork with Cane Creek ZS44m low profile headset.
Rear shock to be determined

The goal here is just to build the best thing that I can at this time. For me historically "best" has meant purely top speed, but I want this to also be jumpable and NOT BREAK ALL THE TIME.

Wish me luck.

 

[litespeed]

Looking forward to how this turns out.

Tom

 

[Andje]

44mm top and bottom zero stack pressed in. Crown race installed and forks secured.

 

[Andje]

I mounted the rear tire today, and i picked up the peices of 303 stainless that will become the new axles.

 

[Andje]

Heres the old axle and the new stock. Ill be changing some of the dimensions to fit the frame properly. For instance, the qulbix frame runs the rear swingarm off of bearings that rotate on the motor axle. The inner race is larger then the original axles are and would have required a sleave. Ill be able to turn that section of the axle to the appropriate diameter for those bearings, and the appropriate spacing for the chainline. Everything so far is working out for 420 chain to fit, sprockets should be here tomorrow/friday. The motor side one will need modification.

 

[Andje]

Mocking it up and i realized i need a 220mm shock rather than this older one i had from a decade ago. So imagine it with a couple more inches and less hunched in the middle...
Good news is that although the controller is massive, it's naturally limited on the right hand side by the overdrive sprocket, so there's no puzzling about where it goes; as far back as it can without crashing into the pedal chain. In that position we see the top of the controller in a similar position to the stock controllers, although its obviously a bit thicker. It leaves what I'm going to optimistically describe as ample room to not be bottoming out the fork and front wheel into the controller. I might need to look at limiting the stroke or something, but I'm honestly hoping not to have to.

 

[Andje]

Got some more parts attached. Looks like with my current axle the motor needs to sit flush with the brackets pedal side so the chainline is straight with the overdrive system. You could space the freewheel out probably 8mm or so and still have more then enough thread engagement with the freewheel. It looks like the sprocket side is pretty well aligned as is with this spacing, but i need to get the chain in the mail to know for sure. If it needs to move it has 5-8mm of potential adjustment in the outward direction.
Controller fits. Ill mill off the side brackets of the case and attach it through the bottom so it wont overhang the frame width by more then a few mm.

 

[Andje]

Chain line looks pretty good with current dimensions. Might not have to make as many changes as i thought to the new axles.

 

[Andje]

Here is it mocked up with the correct shock size. Ill probably go coil in the long run but i had this on hand...

 

[Andje]

Welp... Had to buy the cells that were in stock, so I now have 210

Molicel P45B 21700 4500mAh 45A Battery​

on the way from IMR Battery. I was going to go for their younger brother at almost 50% the cost, but c'est la vie.
So hopefully I'll have 40s5p... 168 volt 22.5ah.

I'm excited to use the best cells available.

 

[mah]

I just bought myself a frame and really enjoy looking at your build while i wait for mine!

 

[Andje]

Thanks!

I tidied up the workshop and got the lathe set up to turn the 303. Center drilled it and then took a couple light cuts to get the feel for the 303 on this Atlas lathe. Full speed with the tailstock properly locked with a center I was able to easily take off some material with my carbide tooling. Happy to see the finish feels smooth even without dialing in the feed rate (to change feed speeds on this lathe you change physical gears, and I haven't put in the effort yet as I haven't needed to thread anything).

Turn your sound down for this video, the lathe is super loud.
Atlas Lathe cutting 303 for replacement Crystalyte 5403 axle

 

[DogDipstick]

Molicel P45B 21700 4500mAh 45A Battery​

I'm excited to use the best cells available.

Just a warning.
They are not the best cells available, (opinion) and they are not 10C contin... (fact) . Maybe some of the most hyped or most expensive ... I see alot of sag in them. I have built a few bikes with 10-20kW for sure. For instance, you would have to carry 2x the weight in the cell you just bought for the same power 1/2 the cell ( aH for aH) of the cells I like to use. I use a 15C+ contin cell.. of 25aH on my bike currently. 40,000 cycles plus, to 50% DOD, and ten years plus. It would take 12p of molicell to meet the same power out ( 50aH of the moli vs 25 aH of this cell for same power.. and if my cell has 50aH you would need 100aH ofd molicell ( 24p+) to get close to the power out.) I see people buy those Moli. IDK why they are so expensive but people like them.

Use them around 5C and they will last. Here is some ES user data ( PADJA!) of the cell you will use. You will not have many amps available without great sag. I have a friend with a Molicell 30s pack doing Grom shit ... and yeah its powerful but it sags 10-12v on a 80A hit... 4p 30s Moli. I could show those logs. He puts down about 20kW. I wouldnt be happy without 12-20p of the Moli... given I like instant tor key power that will throw you on your ass. Someone once asked me "Where did the P42 hurt you, Jean?" and I said " right in the wallet" .. lol.



Good luck with the build. Looks great. Will be d4eadly speeds.

 

[Andje]

They aren't rated 10c continuous, they are rated that up to 80 C. I agree this is marketing fudging the numbers slightly, but my BMS tops out at 200amps so 22.5 ah of these will be fine providing that almost continuous if I really wanted at least up to 80C pack temp. I don't know what kind of riding you do, but I will be mostly riding at 60kmph with burst up to 80, anything past that will be mostly for top speed testing. I won't be using 20kw continuously.
When I said best I just meant newest really. That chart from PADJA seems to be for the P42A which is not at all the same cell I have ordered.

Anyway, I will get some data myself. I have 2 old Hyperion 12 s chargers so I should be able to do charge/discharge on all these cells in 10 runs. I can get IR and capacity that way and match them well.

 

[Andje]

Welp lathe project is slightly on hold while a new crossfeed nut makes its way to me from the states.
At least I figured out where the chatter/inconsistency was coming from. It would maintain depth well as long as you were preloading it via the handwheel, as soon as there was room to move it would by a lot.
This is my first project on this lathe, so I'm not surprised to need to fix this. This nut has even been shimmed probably in an effort to slightly reduce the backlash.

Loose Crossfeed nut Atlas lathe

 

[nicobie]

I've used one of those old Atlas lathes. Excellent lathes once you've got them figured out and tuned. Running an old lathe like that is more like an art than a science. I like your sheet metal frame.

 

[Andje]

Thanks! I like it too, so much room for activities inside. It was a good fit for someone like me with old powerful hubmotors that could be used for mid-drive.
I'm hopeful this one repair to the Atlas will put me into good shape. The screw thread on the crosslide shaft looks pristine, and I bet this lathe has very few total hours on it. Someone probably crashed the crosslide into the chuck under power or something else that substantially damaged the nut at some point.