Battery carrier failure on raleigh motusn

[waterboy]

My motus step through has done 3000 miles. The welds on the back cross piece of the battery/pannier carrier failed 15 miles from home. Having taken the carrier off and looked at its design and the failed welds, my only suprise is that it didn't fail earlier. Is this a general fault, or have I got a "Friday afternoon, clocking off" pair of welds?

 

[Danidl]

Interesting.. I had a similar but different experience. Same model 2016 model, and the screws holding the carrier in position loosened, and on a bump the entire assembly rotated backwards and ripped the harness. Obviously I had a 6 miles non powered return. Doing a repair was extremely difficult, and I had to sacrifice the on bike recharging to make the connections.

 

[waterboy]

I've been having trouble with the back stay screws working loose, in fact one of them was almost half way out just a month after being "workshop" tightened. Fortunately I carry a comprehensive first aid kit, and was able to lash things in place with a bandage. It's lucky I'm so neurotic that I stop and investigate every new rattle almost as it happens - the battery tray was resting on the back mudguard and the battery itself just held in place by the lock.

 

[vfr400]

All rack fixings need to be fixed with nyloc nuts or spring washers. Sadly, most aren't.

 

[jarob10]

My motus step through has done 3000 miles. The welds on the back cross piece of the battery/pannier carrier failed 15 miles from home. Having taken the carrier off and looked at its design and the failed welds, my only suprise is that it didn't fail earlier. Is this a general fault, or have I got a "Friday afternoon, clocking off" pair of welds?

Yes I’ve had welds fail on a rear pannier holding a battery

It’s fixable by drilling through the failed weld & bolting through, using a piece a flat aluminium to tie it all together

I think vfrs correct- the welds fail as one or more of the pannier rack nuts work loose in service. Nylocs should be specified throughout

 

[waterboy]

Unfortunately on the motus the bolts are captured by threaded inserts in the frame. Is it time to treat myself to loctite 243?
I have to say the design of the motus carrier, with the load bearing cross piece welded to the UNDERside of the longitudinal members, is lamentable. The ebco has a much sturdier carrier. If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought the ebco just for its battery carrier design.

 

[vfr400]

Unfortunately on the motus the bolts are captured by threaded inserts in the frame. Is it time to treat myself to loctite 243?
I have to say the design of the motus carrier, with the load bearing cross piece welded to the UNDERside of the longitudinal members, is lamentable. The ebco has a much sturdier carrier. If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought the ebco just for its battery carrier design.

Spring washers are all you need.

Most rack designs are terrible. They nearly all put the main impact loads on the welds that are the weakest point, which is completely unnecessary.

They make a strong well-designed rack, then hang the battery from it on a tacked-on structure. Why don't they put the battery on the rack, then tack on a structure above it to make a rack for your sandwiches that you'll probably never use?