# Brose motor problem



## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Been riding the Brose speed pedelec motor for about 6 months now, 100 miles/week commuting. Bike was fine on a ride home. Next day I took it out and when in a power mode, cruise/tour/sport the motor let's out a really loud, high pitched revving noise. Does not seem to provide any power. The battery will shut off and come back on after about 10 seconds. Riding with no assist seems fine. 

I took the covers off and nothing looks out of the ordinary. Display tells the MPH as usual. I tried another battery and same issue. Does this sound like something internal to the motor causing this?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Ok figured it out. Pulled the motor, the pulley belt disintegrated. Will post pic


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

dundundata said:


> Been riding the Brose speed pedelec motor for about 6 months now, 100 miles/week commuting. Bike was fine on a ride home. Next day I took it out and when in a power mode, cruise/tour/sport the motor let's out a really loud, high pitched revving noise. Does not seem to provide any power. The battery will shut off and come back on after about 10 seconds. Riding with no assist seems fine.
> 
> I took the covers off and nothing looks out of the ordinary. Display tells the MPH as usual. I tried another battery and same issue. Does this sound like something internal to the motor causing this?


When you say you took the covers off and everything looked fine, did you check the belt?

I'm not a Brose expert, nor do I play one on a sitcom, but if the belt was slipping or a pulley was loose, it might make noises like that. It wouldn't surprise me if the software has an RPM cutout, and if the motor is overrevving because the belt is loose or gear stripped, it might cut the power.

Another possibility is you stripped the planetary gear ring or one of the planets.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Yeah it was the belt. Initially I just took the plastic covers covering the motor off and then delved deeper and took the engine out.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I had another picture that shows a bunch of shreds of the belt but couldn't upload


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## mtbbiker (Apr 8, 2004)

Do they replacement belt? Or does a new belt come with a new motor?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

They have replacements so I am going to try to get a few. I have definitely pushed this motor alot and I guess this is what happens. Pretty easy fix anyway, I was thinking it would be worse.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

*So much for a simple fix*

Installed the new belt, but I am getting no power in any of the modes, just rides like a regular bike. Display works fine.

Any ideas?

Also am I supposed to be able to turn the smaller gear that the belt goes around by hand?








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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

I would take it to S dealer, if they are ebike educated.


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## ruthabagah (Jun 4, 2018)

dundundata said:


> Installed the new belt, but I am getting no power in any of the modes, just rides like a regular bike. Display works fine.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> ...


Hey Man, I am following your post with a lot of interest since I am hoping to keep my 2 levos running as long as possible. Could you share with type of bike/motor this is? Also, did you check if there was any type of switch/sensor that will detect that the cover was off?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

It's from an izip e3 Moda. There is a sticker that voids the warranty, you have to remove it to open the engine. 

The motor is a TF, 28mph motor


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

dundundata said:


> It's from an izip e3 Moda.


i have the same bike with about 1500 miles in the past 4 months. i've had no issues yet, but this has me a little concerned as i don't want my belt blowing out and this happening...


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

They might have to do some reset(an authorized dealer).
I guess they try to keep users from opening the engine.
Here in Quebec retailers of Giant and Shimano are being told
unscrew(the engine) and ship(to us).
I do not know about the others but it might be similar.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I guess I'll have to take it in. I tried with the cover off and the motor doesn't even try to engage.

The weird part is it was definitely providing power with the broken belt, it just couldn't be transferred. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong mechanically. Maybe there is some reset or something. There is another connector on the motor next to the display connection, looks like it might be for diagnostics.


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## TahoeBC (Apr 11, 2006)

Actually know several people this has happened to, some 2 or 3 times, your S dealer will take care of you. Hopefully there making improvements to the motor


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

dundundata said:


> I guess I'll have to take it in. I tried with the cover off and the motor doesn't even try to engage.


Good luck getting that fixed. Hopefully it's not a big deal.


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## tilemachos (Jan 24, 2019)

any news on this? have you shorted it out?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I went to the local shop which deals with Specialized and they didn't seem to know much about ebikes. I am going to take it to an ebike shop this weekend. It seems the toughest part is just finding support.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

i'd bet that you need to have something reset since you opened it up. it's probably a security feature to keep you from modding it to really go fast...


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## dstepper (Feb 28, 2004)

I have had a Levo for a couple years. I have burnt thru two belts both replaced by Specialized under warranty. Right now I have a loaner motor from the Specialized dealer while my motor is being replaced. Apparently motors are on back order and have been since I took my bike in 3 weeks ago. No word from Specialized when motors will be available again. 

Thinking about buying a backup motor when they come available. I was lucky my bike shop has a loaner motor.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

dstepper said:


> Thinking about buying a backup motor when they come available. I was lucky my bike shop has a loaner motor.


How much is a backup motor? How long is the warranty on it?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I need the TF motor. I'm not sure how you buy them did the shop say you could just buy a motor? I am going to ebike shop so hopefully they can help.


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## basshack (Feb 25, 2018)

fff


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## basshack (Feb 25, 2018)

Gutch said:


> I would take it to S dealer, if they are ebike educated.


Why take a Brose Motor to a specialized dealer?


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

I too have an izip, but its the dash3 with the curry plant. Have you talked to the izip dealer or izip about the problem? Have they handled it...just curious b/c when i asked about warranty the izip"dealer" i bought it from said that izip deos the warranty work not them...


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

dundundata said:


> It's from an izip e3 Moda. There is a sticker that voids the warranty, you have to remove it to open the engine.
> 
> The motor is a TF, 28mph motor


Ugggh. My wife and I each have a Moda, which have been nothing but trouble free so far. Sorry to hear this and hope this gets resolved without the need for a new motor. Following.


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

jrm said:


> I too have an izip, but its the dash3 with the curry plant. Have you talked to the izip dealer or izip about the problem? Have they handled it...just curious b/c when i asked about warranty the izip"dealer" i bought it from said that izip deos the warranty work not them...


Izip recently sold to a private equity firm and I question how good the support will be going forward. From what I have seen they seem to have cut the Moda from their current line of bikes. 
https://www.bicycleretailer.com/ind...-izip-regent-lp-mavics-new-owner#.XZUbROhKhaQ


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

they don't have their full suspension bikes anymore either


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

Looks like Accel is retaining raleigh. If i have a problem ill just go directly to curry since its there plant. The rest i think i can deal with..


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## dstepper (Feb 28, 2004)

Update. My bike shop finally got the replacement motor from specialized. Took about 5 weeks but they gave a a loaner motor while I waited. Not a prefect solution but no cost to me...a shout out to https://www.rocknroadcyclery.net/about/mission-viejo-pg329.htm they steped it upto take care of me. Thanks CeeDub


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## dstepper (Feb 28, 2004)

I was ready to buy a backup motor but bike shop https://www.rocknroadcyclery.net/about/mission-viejo-pg329.htm stopped me saying they always have spare loaner motors.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

CA seems like a better place to get ebike service that anything I've found around Boston. My LBS also a Spesh dealer wasn't able to help much unless I had an S bike but they gave me some contact info for Raleigh/iZip and I'll be trying to get in touch this week.

Been busy putting together my Bafang kit. I did try and contact Brose through their support and got a ticket# but no response.

Here is the info I got:
EBCC
www.ebcc-na.com
888-699-1617
[email protected]

So you can just order motors from that place? Do you know how much a new motor would cost?


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Many moons later...

This motor has been sitting for the last year and a half in the basement. Frame of the bike is mostly stripped for parts. I had about given up on ever fixing this and decided it probably wasn't worth trying to get service, and had moved on riding BBS02/BBSHD. Out of the blue I get a message from another forum member asking about the motor. They figured out it was these 2 little pins connecting the torque sensor. If you take off the electronics cover (which you shouldn't) you can put it back on without the pins connected and it's very difficult to see. They are alot deeper in the housing than the picture may show.

In my case one of the female connectors had actually been pushed down inside the motor. I ended up removing the driveshaft, which can be done with a mallet on the crank spindle, or preferable a press. Then I was able to remove part of the torque sensor to get to the little connectors.

In any case the motor works, so a belt swap shouldn't be too big a deal, just don't remove the wrong cover!


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

dundundata said:


> Many moons later...
> 
> This motor has been sitting for the last year and a half in the basement. Frame of the bike is mostly stripped for parts. I had about given up on ever fixing this and decided it probably wasn't worth trying to get service, and had moved on riding BBS02/BBSHD. Out of the blue I get a message from another forum member asking about the motor. They figured out it was these 2 little pins connecting the torque sensor. If you take off the electronics cover (which you shouldn't) you can put it back on without the pins connected and it's very difficult to see. They are alot deeper in the housing than the picture may show.
> 
> ...


Out of curiosity, did you get the expensive replacement belt, or the cheapie I've seen for sale. Rumor has it, the cheap one doesn't last long.

.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I wasn't aware of 2 belts, pretty sure they are the good ones- Gates carbon. I had ordered a few from Performance Line Bearings who also has some good videos on youtube with this motor. I got 6 months out of the original so if it lasts that long won't be too bad to swap out.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

dundundata said:


> I wasn't aware of 2 belts, pretty sure they are the good ones- Gates carbon. I had ordered a few from Performance Line Bearings who also has some good videos on youtube with this motor. I got 6 months out of the original so if it lasts that long won't be too bad to swap out.


I forget where I read it, but apparently somebody cross referenced the belt to a different application, and that one is like $25 instead of $100. Same dimensions, but not built the same, or something like that, so it doesn't last long.

.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

dundundata said:


> I wasn't aware of 2 belts, pretty sure they are the good ones- Gates carbon. I had ordered a few from Performance Line Bearings who also has some good videos on youtube with this motor. I got 6 months out of the original so if it lasts that long won't be too bad to swap out.


so far i've warrantied mine about every 6 months as well. i get about 3K miles out of it before it does whatever it does inside...


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

The belt tears, and little belt bits get ground up in the gears. I definitely didn't spend $100 per belt but I have a few of them.


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## natrat (Mar 20, 2008)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> so far i've warrantied mine about every 6 months as well. i get about 3K miles out of it before it does whatever it does inside...


my 1st and 2nd motor lasted 1k miles each, maybe the current gen replacements are better, maybe


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

natrat said:


> my 1st and 2nd motor lasted 1k miles each, maybe the current gen replacements are better, maybe


Current gen have larger/upgraded sprag bearings and shells.

.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

_CJ said:


> Current gen have larger/upgraded sprag bearings and shells.


Performance Line Bearings has a whole upgrade kit for this motor including better sprag bearings, and some ways to keep water out. (some nice detailed videos as well) At this point I don't want to pour money into the motor, but the belt swap isn't bad, and the internals on mine look fine. You can definitely swap bearings out, etc., but I've seen some nasty pictures of a motor that water got inside, basically destroying it. So I'll be keeping this particular bike out of the rain methinks


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

dundundata said:


> Performance Line Bearings has a whole upgrade kit for this motor including better sprag bearings, and some ways to keep water out. (some nice detailed videos as well) At this point I don't want to pour money into the motor, but the belt swap isn't bad, and the internals on mine look fine. You can definitely swap bearings out, etc., but I've seen some nasty pictures of a motor that water got inside, basically destroying it. So I'll be keeping this particular bike out of the rain methinks


I have Performance Line bookmarked. Hopefully they're still around when my warranty expires so I can send my motor for a rebuild/upgrade. Even the full rebuild is cheap compared to replacing the motor, so I'd almost be tempted to just send it to them every year as preventative maintenance.

.


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

$100 for a belt

Must have a lot of hills around or steep stuff to be riding a mid drive. They're so great on the hills compared to hub motors. But thats the dilemma of mid drives, wear and tear, but it gets you up the hills real easy


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## topstyler (5 d ago)

I have a brose smag and my quedtion is: did anyone now how can i remuve planetary gears on brose. ?! I have to change the bearing after 6000 km.


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