Repair a broken bearing?

[Kyo Katarz]

My wheel has this loud grinding sound. The sound's only there if the wheel is tilted, and on low speed. I tried opening the wheel but not the motor hub (I think I'm too amateur for that). I don't think I can ride in such condition? Can you guys tell me if this is a bearing issue? And how to fix it? 

Thanks :)

 

[Funky]

5 hours ago, Kyo Katarz said:

My wheel has this loud grinding sound. The sound's only there if the wheel is tilted, and on low speed. I tried opening the wheel but not the motor hub (I think I'm too amateur for that). I don't think I can ride in such condition? Can you guys tell me if this is a bearing issue? And how to fix it? 

Thanks

 

It's alive! IT'S ALIVEE!!!

No way that can be a bearing.. The wheel didn't even move, jet makes so much noise. One tire loop = one bearing loop. Yet you moved it little bit one way and back.

Have you tried moving the tire when euc if off? Can you feel little bumps? While holding tire and moving it around? If bearing would been damaged you could feel it. Also would hear click/chuck sound while you are rotating the tire. Maybe even feel with hand while rotating.

Is it also shaking while riding/pushing when powered on? The sound is on one tilted way or both ways?

Also if that happens only while being tilted, i doubt it's bearing. 

If it's also shaking could be cracked shell around pedal hangers..(Cracked = nothing holding your wheel to the hangers = wobble, wobble time.) Or unscrewed motherboard. Maybe loose axle nut - but then pedals would move..

Edited April 1, 2022 by Funky

[alcatraz]

I risk giving bad advice because I've never really fixed this 100%, but I have had a similar thing going on for a long time and it's not getting worse. Sometimes it's not present and I'm guessing it's after I fixed a flat etc. Just tightened everything down basically.

It's not only the shell. It's also the wheel design itself that's "twitchy". Maybe that's how good the controller could be back then. Like it can't be perfectly smooth. There are points where the motor is "between magnets" and vibrations occur, then as the shell resonates it gets amplified and sustained. 

That's what I think.

I have so many broken screw threads on my tesla that I'm down to like 3 out of 10 screws holding the shell together. It's ridiculous. I've bought crazy long M3 bolts and nuts to cut and install, by drilling through the entire width of the shell. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

[techyiam]

1 hour ago, alcatraz said:

I have so many broken screw threads on my tesla that I'm down to like 3 out of 10 screws holding the shell together. It's ridiculous. I've bought crazy long M3 bolts and nuts to cut and install, by drilling through the entire width of the shell. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

Are you talking about a T3, and the plastic bosses that the screws go into in order to hold the side covers on?

[alcatraz]

3 hours ago, techyiam said:

Are you talking about a T3, and the plastic bosses that the screws go into in order to hold the side covers on?

Not T3 (what's that?), but yes about the bosses.

Just normal bolts/nuts in a small diameter (M3 = ~3mm). I got crazy long ones like 50+ mm. Some heads/washers in different sizes, appropriately chosen can enable you to grab the shell without the bosses.

[techyiam]

1 hour ago, alcatraz said:

Not T3 (what's that?), but yes about the bosses.

Just normal bolts/nuts in a small diameter (M3 = ~3mm). I got crazy long ones like 50+ mm. Some heads/washers in different sizes, appropriately chosen can enable you to grab the shell without the bosses.

By T3, I mean the Begode T3, aka Gotway Tesla 3. Which Gotway Tesla do you have?

When you say the bosses are damaged, how so? Are the screws machine screws, or are they what wrongway refer to them as wood screws, screws that are self tapping and are designed to go into plastic bosses, directly. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by techyiam

[alcatraz]

There are cracks going along the bosses. Or half of it has broken off. I tried to save a few of them by using a longer screw only to find out that it took the rest of the boss clean off. 

Gotta drill them and then put a nut on the other side, I think. Then it will last. If you find a good place for the nut you could hotglue it in place. Then you just need to remember which bolt goes in which hole because they'll all be different lengths. (You have to cut them down so they don't portrude. Dremel or cutters...)

[alcatraz]

The bosses for the male side seem to be more durable. But the ones that the screws thread into are the ones that always fail. So the M3 bolts start at the bottom of the male bosses (reused) and through the female side boss (drilled), and then a nut/washer on the outside of that shell surface. So essentially the bolt needs to reach through half the shell width.

Or that's the plan at least. 

I need to find a long ass 3mm drill too. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by alcatraz

[techyiam]

I see. Have you considered using epoxy or epoxy putty for repair?

[alcatraz]

I did that in one place on the msx. There are metal inserts on it. One had broken loose and I used something the chinese call "drill less nails". It's like a white putty that becomes very hard.

Don't know how it's holding up. I don't think it will last a very long time. Testing.

[techyiam]

On plastic, normally for best adhesion, the plastic surfaces need to be scratched first to roughen it up and to remove the shiny layer. Also, the epoxy putty strength increases over time. If you can, wait for at least a week before using it.

[techyiam]

Also, look up on the Internet on "superglue and baking soda". Then experiment with it yourself. I reinforced many of the plastic bosses using this particular bonding mixture with good results.. Basically, this bonding composite is a very hard compound. It will wear much much better than the original plastic.

[Kyo Katarz]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

15 hours ago, Funky said:

It's alive! IT'S ALIVEE!!!

No way that can be a bearing.. The wheel didn't even move, jet makes so much noise. One tire loop = one bearing loop. Yet you moved it little bit one way and back.

Have you tried moving the tire when euc if off? Can you feel little bumps? While holding tire and moving it around? If bearing would been damaged you could feel it. Also would hear click/chuck sound while you are rotating the tire. Maybe even feel with hand while rotating.

Is it also shaking while riding/pushing when powered on? The sound is on one tilted way or both ways?

Also if that happens only while being tilted, i doubt it's bearing. 

If it's also shaking could be cracked shell around pedal hangers..(Cracked = nothing holding your wheel to the hangers = wobble, wobble time.) Or unscrewed motherboard. Maybe loose axle nut - but then pedals would move..

No it seems when the wheel is turned off, it doesn't have any problem, no bump or click sound. The sound's only there if the wheel is turned on and leaned on left side. The sound is also there when it's leaned to the right, but much less. It doesn't shake or wobble, when riding at high speed, everything is pretty much okay.

Last time I opened it the motherboard holder was broken and the motherboard was loose, it duct taped it and didn't think much. Do you think it could be the motherboard vibrating inside of the shell because it wasn't screwed in properly? If so then how do I fix it? The plastic anchor that hold the motherboard is cracked and won't hold anymore. Maybe superglue?

[Unipilot69]

A loose motherboard is not good. They need to be secured. The gyro is sensitive and if it rattles around it will cause motor jitters ( like in the video) and strange pedal behavior.

[Funky]

2 hours ago, Kyo Katarz said:

Thanks for your replies everyone!

No it seems when the wheel is turned off, it doesn't have any problem, no bump or click sound. The sound's only there if the wheel is turned on and leaned on left side. The sound is also there when it's leaned to the right, but much less. It doesn't shake or wobble, when riding at high speed, everything is pretty much okay.

Last time I opened it the motherboard holder was broken and the motherboard was loose, it duct taped it and didn't think much. Do you think it could be the motherboard vibrating inside of the shell because it wasn't screwed in properly? If so then how do I fix it? The plastic anchor that hold the motherboard is cracked and won't hold anymore. Maybe superglue?

I really don't have idea about why lose motherboard would make wheel act "funky". But i have heard many say that if it's loose it may cause problems.

Epoxy +fabric(2 compound glue like thing), Polymorph(the white little beads that melt in hot water, in room temp it becomes hard like rock - in my eyes best option)

Also with Polymorph you can make any form you need - simply make new "anchor" and drill new hole. (Bigger base for anchor - better, more surface area for sticking) Or you could also buy the brass wall insert for screws and make a mound around it = no need to drill a hole.

Glue could work but weakest..

(YOU need to sandpaper/scrape the material where you are "glueing" together - more scrapes = better holding, on smooth surface it will unstick fast.)

Edited April 2, 2022 by Funky

[Unipilot69]

All self balancing devices have solid state gyros in the controll boards. The control boards need to be securely fix to the device. Then calibrating often results in the optimum performance. Any vibration will cause a decrease in balance performance. Run a Gotway wheel fast over bumps and the pedals will float. Firmware filters out the normal expected vibration but a loose control board will definitely have reduced balance performance and unwanted behavior.

[Funky]

9 minutes ago, Unipilot69 said:

All self balancing devices have solid state gyros in the controll boards. The control boards need to be securely fix to the device. Then calibrating often results in the optimum performance. Any vibration will cause a decrease in balance performance. Run a Gotway wheel fast over bumps and the pedals will float. Firmware filters out the normal expected vibration but a loose control board will definitely have reduced balance performance and unwanted behavior.

And now i know why - gyro, makes sense. If it's moving around wheel doesn't know up from down. xD It would be same as man in spaceship, flying around whit zero gravity.  

@Kyo Katarz You could try "recalibrating" and then try moving it - does it make the sound also? (Try to move euc as little as you can, shaking it will move board again.)

Edited April 2, 2022 by Funky

[Kyo Katarz]

Thanks guys, I spent a few hours opening and epoxying the mother to it's holder. Tried to replicate the noise but it isn't there anymore, so that's some good news for now  Will have a test ride tomorrow to see if it's fixed. Prob the motherboard was loose and vibrating in the shell  

[Funky]

40 minutes ago, Kyo Katarz said:

Prob the motherboard was loose and vibrating in the shell  

Other way around. Because motherboard was loose, it made whole euc vibrate & sound like Frankenstein's monster. xD

Remember epoxy will break bond, if you glued it to smooth surface. I also mention about fabric - Same thing as concrete, if there is no construction inside (steel beams) it will crack/break over time. Doh it should be fine without fabric on small projects..

Edited April 3, 2022 by Funky