loose spoke?? High knocking noise

[Quiro]

Hi,
I have a MP ll internal controller with 36V 12A.  Since week ago I hear a knocking sound coming from the motor (hub) and sometimes stop the noise but another times get worst.
I read about a loose spoke in the link: http://goldenmotor.com/SMF/index.php?topic=4452.msg25748#msg25748
as well I watch all the videos in youtube about noise, wich I consider are soft in comparison with what I have.
The sound coming from my hub is more like a part of something that hit the hub. if you take a metal and hit against the hub protector will do the same sound.
 
What could be my problem??

Your help would be appreciated

[Bikemad]

Does the noise only occur while the motor is working hard, or does it happen while pedalling and free-wheeling too?

Is it a regular knocking noise relative to the wheel rpm, or just an intermittent knock?

Does it get louder when you brake?

Is the wheel smooth to turn by hand or can you feel any tight spots?

Can you video the noise and upload it to YouTube so we can see and hear it?

It might also be a good idea to check that your axle nuts are still nice and tight and have not worked loose.

Please give us as much information as you can, and a video would be very helpful if you can manage it.

Alan
 

[Quiro]

The problem was spokes. I have one spoke broken and when the tired was turning the spoke was knocking the hub. I am impress of how much noise can make spokes. but after I change them and check the rest the noise was gone.
Thanks for the answer Bikemad.
 

[Bikemad]

I'm guessing the spoke has broken on the elbow:



If so, you might want to take a look at this post regarding broken spokes.

Alan
 

[Quiro]

Yes, I got 8 spokes broken until now. So thanks for the information. I'm looking for some stronger spoke like for motorcycle and I will mount the battery in the frame to take some weight out of the rear tired.
 

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

You can use 12G spokes

[GM Canada]

Yes, I got 8 spokes broken until now. So thanks for the information. I'm looking for some stronger spoke like for motorcycle and I will mount the battery in the frame to take some weight out of the rear tired.
 

I still have a large pile of spokes from when we used heavier gauge spokes. If you can measure your spokes from the inside of the elbow to the end I could look to see if I have a set in your size.

I should mention though that there are two misconceptions about spokes that very few people believe.

1 - the spoke pattern should be more of an angle.
2 - heavier spokes will be better.

I can tell you in all honesty that since we went to the spoke pattern we use today on the Magic Pies and the lighter gauge spokes the amount of spokes broken has reduced about 90 percent. The reason spokes break is they are not adjusted properly.

Usually when someone has spoke problems they were not tightened properly from the start. When you receive your wheel you should be plucking them like guitar strings before you set out the first time. Then recheck them after every ride for the first 20 rides or so. Even then check them every once in a while. I rode about 4000-5000 kilometers this summer on my dual drive townie and never had to replace one spoke. I have three 48v10ah batteries on the back end plus the trailer weight plus my fat azz and still no issues. When someone has spoke issues I tell them to loosen all the spokes and tighten them again or take it to a bike shop. I find if you take it to a bike shop it still wont be done right unless you loosen all the spokes before you give it to them.

Gary

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Yes I would like to lace the spokes in more degrees.
But the Magic Pie 3 spokes holes are not suitable for spokes in bigger degrees?

[Bikemad]

The MPIII can easily be used with greater angled spokes, but the rims however cannot.

The only reason that the spoke angle was changed in the first place was because the nipples and spokes were so badly misaligned due to the excessive angle:



The current spoke layout still has a much greater angle than a standard wheel with a conventional hub:





If you really want your spokes to fail sooner, you could easily double the current angle, simply by using longer spokes and crossing them over as shown here:



If greater angled spokes are so much better, why is it that conventional wheels don't have much larger diameter flanges on their hubs to increase the spoke angle?



Alan
 

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Well I think that will be overkill, because the forces and torque are not strong enough to break rim and spokes.

Like MP3 there is al lot of torque and forces when starting up or braking.

[atcspaul]

i havn't had any spokes brake but I had a few come loose. I put loc-tite on all the nipples

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Yes I have also used blue Loc tite.
Also I didn't use cross pattern spokes lacing, because the nipple has too much angle......>>>>>breaking.

[Quiro]

Thanks for the replies...

Gary nice bike and I can see that the battery should not be a problem. The spoke I have are 11cm longer before the elbow so if you have some... However I just order to a motorcycle shop, it was impossible to find that size in bike shops.   

Alan, I need to some time to check the graphics you send. They look very interesting and I would like to know more about the spoke angle as you mention.

Magicpie3focuspower and atcspaul, I did not knew about the blue Loc tite but I will get one, just in case

I will send some pic once I get spokes and inform about the result next time.

Quiro.

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Or you can use self locking nipples

[Quiro]

Help... I am missing my spokes

Hi Gary,

I would like to know if you have some spokes 114mm that you don't need. I got my motorcycle spokes but they where to long for the bike and now I am missing 12 spokes

I saw the pic of your bike with the trailer (Nice) but I could imagine that I have the problem with the spokes because I have a cargo bike. The bike has maybe 50kg and I not thing so that the GM spoke are made to this torque.