Port Hole into Motor Housing

[YoGe]

Anyone know what this port hole into the motor housing (i.e. bottom bracket) is for? See photos. Is there any opportunity for road salt to get into the motor via this hole? Is there any benefit to sealing this up with some electric tape? Or must this remain open for its intended purpose, whatever that might be? Any ideas? Thanks for your advice!

 

[McCorby]

I’m guessing it is a mounting boss for a rear fender. Have you confirmed if the hole even goes all the way through the frame? It may not. You can check using a toothpick or something similar.

 

[YoGe]

Good idea! It may be for a mount but I was able to insert a toothpick in to the depth of half of one "standard American toothpick" That's 1.5", much deeper than a mounting bolt would be. I did bump into some sort of housing, possibly the motor case itself, and I was able to wiggle the toothpick to an angle indicating that it was penetrating into an open space much wider than the threaded tube for a mounting bolt. I'm going to drop a line to Specialized customer care to ask them about that. I'll report back.

 

[McCorby]

If you don’t plan to install fenders, you can just plug it with the correct size screw. Your bike shop will have the correct screw. They also make plastic push in plugs to plug unused threaded bosses. The bike shop should have them as well.

 

[kahn]

If you don’t plan to install fenders, you can just plug it with the correct size screw. Your bike shop will have the correct screw. They also make plastic push in plugs to plug unused threaded bosses. The bike shop should have them as well.

Oh, like the rubber plugs where a kickstand would attach on my Creo?

 

[McCorby]

The ones I’m familiar with are made of hard plastic and usually get destroyed when you remove them.

 

[YoGe]

It's a much smaller hole, but yes, I guess there's a smaller rubber plug to fit. BTW, I've long since pulled those plugs - actually one fell out, lost, and I pulled the remaining one - and replaced them with two strips of electrical tape wrapped around the chain stay. Electrical tape - it's duct tape for bicycles!

 

[YoGe]

Specialized replied that it's for the rear fender and no problem, I can fill it with a bolt or tape it over. Done.

 

[YoGe]

Oh, like the rubber plugs where a kickstand would attach on my Creo?

View attachment 146444

I notice you still have that plastic "frisbee" behind your cassette. One thing I give kudos to my LBS, he snipped that off for me. I hate the way that thing scrapes and eventually I cut them off after a while of putting up with them. What's it for, in the first place?

 

[kahn]

I notice you still have that plastic "frisbee" behind your cassette. One thing I give kudos to my LBS, he snipped that off for me. I hate the way that thing scrapes and eventually I cut them off after a while of putting up with them. What's it for, in the first place?

I had not even noticed it until you commented. Perhaps to protect the spokes it the chain pops off in that direction??

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I had not even noticed it until you commented. Perhaps to protect the spokes it the chain pops off in that direction??

That's exactly the purpose!

I have never liked the looks of such disks. However, the chain can drop with a badly adjusted derailleur, so...