Noise from rear hub when going 21mph+

[SDGuitarMan]

Got the new wheel delivered a couple of hours ago. Will try to get it installed this evening.

So how did it go? I just got a pair of XP 2.0 Long Range and one of them came with a bent rear wheel. I sent Lectric a video and they sent me a replacement wheel. Unfortunately the replacement wheel makes a grinding or scraping noise when it's under load such as going up a hill using the throttle or on pedal assist. Some of the time it's very brief, like a second or less, but under consistent load like climbing a steep hill it can last several seconds.

I only have a video of the brief noise and sent it to Lectric. Initially they tried to claim it was normal but eventually offered to send another wheel. Should be here by next week.

Here's the video of mine. Ignore the sounds at the very beginning, those are normal. Listen to the different sound at pretty much exactly 4 seconds. It lasts less than a second and sounds kind of like a shovel being dragged on asphalt. When it makes the sound for several seconds that's almost exactly what it sounds like.

 

[RJB58]

It’s better than before but I still hear that sound from time to time, for short periods. I also have had some issues with PAS 3 kicking in several seconds after I engage it. They are sending me a new controller. Hopefully that solves the problem. There may also be some resonances kicking in that have nothing to do with the motor per se - there are so many metal parts back there that it’s impossible to isolate any particular sound I hear. I would just like to have everything sorted out before I start sinking some real money into upgrades/enhancements or, alternatively, considering making a change to another bike.

 

[Handlebars]

It’s better than before but I still hear that sound from time to time, for short periods. I also have had some issues with PAS 3 kicking in several seconds after I engage it. They are sending me a new controller. Hopefully that solves the problem. There may also be some resonances kicking in that have nothing to do with the motor per se - there are so many metal parts back there that it’s impossible to isolate any particular sound I hear. I would just like to have everything sorted out before I start sinking some real money into upgrades/enhancements or, alternatively, considering making a change to another bike.

Have you tried checking the magnets on the old wheel and re-gluing if any show wear or are loose? If it is that, it would be a bonus to have an extra wheel and be able to fix.

 

[SDGuitarMan]

Have you tried checking the magnets on the old wheel and re-gluing if any show wear or are loose? If it is that, it would be a bonus to have an extra wheel and be able to fix.

They didn't want the old wheel back? They want mine back. I'm waiting till I get the third one though in case they are all bad and I have to mix and match parts from them.

 

[Handlebars]

They didn't want the old wheel back? They want mine back. I'm waiting till I get the third one though in case they are all bad and I have to mix and match parts from them.

Oh, I didn't know they want the old wheels back. Makes sense from their viewpoint.

 

[SDGuitarMan]

Oh, I didn't know they want the old wheels back. Makes sense from their viewpoint.

Can't speak for anyone else but at least for me, they sent me return shipping labels before I even got the replacement wheels (still waiting for the second replacement which should be here by Friday). Definitely understandable that they would want them back, especially the back wheel since it has the motor.

 

[SDGuitarMan]

So....I "think" I may have found the problem. I bought two Lectrics, a step-through and a regular one. The step-through was the one with the problem and was a gift to my GF. I tried two replacement wheels that Lectric sent but the problem was not fixed. The GF was not happy riding around on what sounds like a $100 Walmart bike with the rattling/grinding sounds whenever the motor is under load.

Last night I spent about 3 hours in the garage putting my troubleshooting skills to work. I swapped the rear wheels between my bike and hers. No difference. That ruled out the wheel.

I then started going over every screw, bolt, connection point, etc... and confirmed that they were all tight. I went over the frame with a fine toothed comb to make sure there were no visible cracks. I rechecked the latch tightness.

Something caught my attention though while I was looking at everything that closely. The screws that attach the rear fender to the frame were as tight as possible but I noticed that the fender is resting directly against the metal of the frame. Metal fender directly touching metal frame = possible source of metallic rattling/grinding sound.

Rather than spending even more time dismantling and removing the fenders I decided to put a thin black plastic washer between the fender and its mount on the frame. After doing this I took the bike out for a spin and the noise was pretty much gone. I still haven't tested it under load going up a hill but after I had swapped the wheels I rode it around the neighborhood and it did make the noise. After adding the washer it did NOT make the noise.

Here's a picture showing the fender attached after I added the washer.

Based just on this thread alone, I'm obviously not the only person who has experienced this noise. I'm very surprised that Lectric isn't aware of this possible cause and they just keep telling people it's normal. Sorry but this isn't "normal". If this really is the source of the noise, it's a design flaw that can easily be fixed but a $1200 bike that sounds like you're dragging a shovel behind it is neither normal nor acceptable. I wonder how much money they've wasted sending people new wheels when it's possible that a .10 cent washer is the solution.

I guess the next question is - If this is really the cause, what is causing the vibration? I don't think it's the motor since I've tried three wheels on the bike including the one from my other bike which I know is fine since my bike doesn't make this noise. Is it just the nature of the step-through frame?

Anyway, it looks like the noise can either be eliminated or significantly reduced by adding a washer as my picture shows.

I won't have a chance to go for a longer ride and do a more thorough test until this weekend but based on last night's findings I'm guardedly optimistic that I've found the source of the noise.

 

[RJB58]

Interesting. That's the screw I can't easily get to because of the small clearance with the tire in the way. I've reached out to Lectric and they are sending me a new controller (already received a new wheel). The CS person has assured me that this will take care of the problem. We'll see. If not, then I guess the wheel is coming off and I will make that adjustment.

 

[SDGuitarMan]

Interesting. That's the screw I can't easily get to because of the small clearance with the tire in the way. I've reached out to Lectric and they are sending me a new controller (already received a new wheel). The CS person has assured me that this will take care of the problem. We'll see. If not, then I guess the wheel is coming off and I will make that adjustment.

Yeah, you have to take the wheel off to get to that screw. Not an issue for me since I've taken off the wheel about 10 times over the past couple of weeks trying to figure this out.

BTW, Monday, before what I did yesterday, I sent Lectric an email with yet another video showing the sound. Their latest reply to me about an hour ago was that now they think it's the brakes rubbing. They suggested I take it to a bike shop for a brake adjustment. lol..... my brakes are pretty much perfectly adjusted and if they were so badly adjusted that they were making this loud of a noise, the bike wouldn't move because the wheels would be locked up.

Very disappointed with Lectric's tech support so far.

BTW, I think in a previous post you mentioned not having the tools to remove the rear wheel. I spent about $50 and that covered enough tools to disassemble most of the bike. Considering that Lectric doesn't really have any local shops that will do warranty work for them, having a decent set of tools to work on your bike isn't a bad idea. I can't describe what a monumental pain in the a$& this has been for me but having the right tools to do the work myself has been a lifesaver. Lectric should include a full toolkit with each bike!

 

[woworcas]

Had same problem,

Heard the same fender suggestion. Sent them a recording. My free warranty replacement wheel is arriving today. Thanks Lectric!

I had this exact issue and made the same argument with Lectric and got the same lame fender etc. answer. Mine was just out of warranty but I purchased a new wheel and motor. Problem solved. I am on my 4th controller and have resigned myself to the fact the 2.0 as is cannot handle much in the way of hills. I changed the free wheel to an 11-34 to help the situation but stilled burned another one. I started monitoring the amperage draw on my display and it easily draws up to 19A. I looked at the controller and noticed it is rated at 18A. WTF. Then today I was studying the specs on the 3.0 and noticed this "The motor controller was increased from 18 amps to 20 amps which eliminates burnout or failure potential." Double WTF? I wonder if this 20A controller is compatable with the 2.0??

 

[SDGuitarMan]

So my saga continues.... The washer I added to the fender's mounting point did help but it didn't completely eliminate the noise. I have now spent more hours troubleshooting this problem than I have actually riding the bike. I don't think the cause of my issue is the wheel or motor. I have a step-through (the noisy one) and a regular frame. The regular frame one is fine so I took the wheel from it and put it on the step-through. The bike still made the noise.

It's either something on the frame or attached to the frame that is rattling, or, it's the controller. I asked Lectric to simply exchange the bike since neither I nor they can seem to determine the cause of the problem. They said no and scheduled a call with one of their techs next week. So, on top of all the time I've already wasted on this problem, now I have to take time off from work to talk to one of their techs when I'm in front of the bike.

Very unhappy with Lectric at the moment. This should not be happening with a brand new bike out of the box.

 

[Dorkyman]

After my recent experiment with the big sponge-jammed-under-the-rack, I really suspect it's a sympathetic vibration in the rear fender. One way to check would be to remove the forward fender-mount screw completely and see if the resonance disappears. It appears that to get to that screw one needs to remove the rear wheel, but no big deal, you have to remove the wheel anyway if you get a flat, so not a bad thing to practice. And you may be able to remove the axle nuts and move the wheel out of the way to get to that screw without even having to disconnect the motor connection--I have no idea if this would be the case.

If the vibration is being transmitted through that screw mounting, I doubt a plastic washer would make much difference. Perhaps two small o-rings, one on each side of the fender, would provide enough isolation if the screw was not tightened down.

As for controller issues, I don't know how a controller could be causing the noise. My 2.0 XPst controller maxes out at 18a but I can pull that much current at most speeds, while the buzzing on my bike comes at around 11mph only--so it's rpm-based, not power-draw-based.

And I have no issue at all with max-throttle 18a hill-climbing for minutes at a time. The 2.0 controller seems to work fine on both our bikes. The difference between the 2.0's 18 amps and 20 amps on the 3.0 is a very small distinction which still helps a bit when the 3.0 is touted as being able to carry a 150lb passenger!

Selling a toolkit with the bike is not a bad idea, but what a bargain you are already getting with this thing when compared to the competition. All I really need is a (1) bike multitool with various allen wrenches, (2) a cheap small vicegrips, and (3) a tool to remove the axle nuts.

 

[SDGuitarMan]

After my recent experiment with the big sponge-jammed-under-the-rack, I really suspect it's a sympathetic vibration in the rear fender. One way to check would be to remove the forward fender-mount screw completely and see if the resonance disappears. It appears that to get to that screw one needs to remove the rear wheel, but no big deal, you have to remove the wheel anyway if you get a flat, so not a bad thing to practice. And you may be able to remove the axle nuts and move the wheel out of the way to get to that screw without even having to disconnect the motor connection--I have no idea if this would be the case.

If the vibration is being transmitted through that screw mounting, I doubt a plastic washer would make much difference. Perhaps two small o-rings, one on each side of the fender, would provide enough isolation if the screw was not tightened down.

As for controller issues, I don't know how a controller could be causing the noise. My 2.0 XPst controller maxes out at 18a but I can pull that much current at most speeds, while the buzzing on my bike comes at around 11mph only--so it's rpm-based, not power-draw-based.

And I have no issue at all with max-throttle 18a hill-climbing for minutes at a time. The 2.0 controller seems to work fine on both our bikes. The difference between the 2.0's 18 amps and 20 amps on the 3.0 is a very small distinction which still helps a bit when the 3.0 is touted as being able to carry a 150lb passenger!

Selling a toolkit with the bike is not a bad idea, but what a bargain you are already getting with this thing when compared to the competition. All I really need is a (1) bike multitool with various allen wrenches, (2) a cheap small vicegrips, and (3) a tool to remove the axle nuts.

I also suspect it's a vibration based on the fact that the plastic washer between the fender and frame made it a little better even if it didn't completely eliminate it. I've been looking for a rubber washer or o-ring of a size that would fit instead of the plastic washer but so far I haven't found anything that's the perfect size.

And to add to the annoyance, the last time I worked on the bike there was a new buzzing noise. Not sure where that one is now coming from.

 

[kevinmccune]

I also suspect it's a vibration based on the fact that the plastic washer between the fender and frame made it a little better even if it didn't completely eliminate it. I've been looking for a rubber washer or o-ring of a size that would fit instead of the plastic washer but so far I haven't found anything that's the perfect size.

And to add to the annoyance, the last time I worked on the bike there was a new buzzing noise. Not sure where that one is now coming from.

It doesnt have to be exactly the right size, buzzing is a clue, completely remove the rear fender and see what a difference that makes, when something hits its natural frequency you are going to get harmonics.( maybe that is why so many ebikes come without fenders )another thing to keep in mind is the tires and road surface.Perhaps a little bit is expectation as well, most lower end bikes are not going to be as silent as an acoustic bike or a "specialized" e.g.

 

[woworcas]

I have a step-thru 2.0 and an XP 2.0. On my XP when going approximately 21-22mph and over (although only goes to 24mph) I get a grinding sound coming from the rear hub. This is on a flat surface, with no headwind. I weight about 165 lbs. I made a video and posted it on YouTube. I sent the link to tech support but they suggested it might be a loose fender. The sound immediately stops when letting off the throttle, so I really don't think it's the fender. I could swap controllers, but I'm saving that as a last resort. Here's a link to the video. The sound start at about the :17 sec mark:

I went thru this same scenario with support. My wife has a step-thru as well with only a few hundred easy miles and hers is fine. I have about 1800 miles and mine has made this noise many miles ago but my warranty was out. They told me it was probably the fender. I temp taped and strapped the fender and no it was not the fender. Clearly the noise is from the motor under load. I've burned out 3 controllers and that did not change anything. I have enough invested in accessories and am otherwise generally happy with my 2.0 in respect to price vs quality so for this reason I purchased a new wheel and hub and will replace it whenever it goes kaput. I just ride with headphones on to ignore the noise.

On another note, early on I probably did too much hill climbing (albiet PAS 1 and lots of pedal assist). This was probably the cause of burned out controllers. The controller for 2.0 is rated at 18 amps but in PAS 2 on a good hill, you can easily draw 19 amps. I noticed there was a change for the 3.0... "The motor controller was increased from 18 amps to 20 amps which eliminates burnout or failure potential." I'm wondering if this controller would work on a 2.0. They also claim... "We redesigned our hub motor and increased the peak wattage to 1000W" so maybe this "redesign" has improved this issue.

 

[RJB58]

I had that issue also, as well as an issue where, at seemingly random points in time during my ride, after coasting, it would take several seconds before PAS 3 would re-engage. Once it started happening, it would continue until I shut off and restarted the bike. Never solved, after several rounds with technical support (who was uniformly awesome BTW). I finally worked out a deal with Lectric to replace it with a 3.0. Wow, what a difference. The motor/controller combo is so much better. Mechanically, it’s virtually identical to the 2.0. I’d like to see Lectric offer an upgrade kit that just has those parts.