Bosch ebike motor reliability

[Trevormonty]

Bosch's third generation motor is direct drive but only available with 40nm torque (active line) and 50nm (active line plus)

If they have gone direct drive with these motors then expect next generation performance line motors to follow suit.

 

[Trevormonty]

Eddie do you have pictures or instructions on that plastic seal protector and how to remove and regrease it. My motor was replaced in June so good chance it will have one.

In regards to battery, Bosch is not alone, our 400wh Shimano battery is not what it was after 3000kms. At least they are 30% cheaper than bosch.

The bearing failure wouldn't be such issue if it was reasonable fixed cost to get it replaced. They should allow their service centers to do basic repairs on motors and return to customer.

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi Trevor, I do have the info and photos, but I am currently not at home to access them. I'll try and upload the photos etching, at some stage tomorrow for you.

 

[soundwave]

you grease that black plastic ring and i clean and re do mine every 3 months.
http://www.pro-cycling-golla.de/Motor_und_Zubehoer/Service-Kit_Lagerschutzring_Zur_Abdeckung_der_Lagerstelle_der_Antriebseinheit_artikel582b57b18a5a6.html

 

[Nealh]

I think a great post by Eddie and said in his no nonsense way. Although loyal to bosch drives EPJ does give an unbiased fact based thoughts on the issue, despite the gripes he has with the company. Its a shame they don't listen to their clientell.

 

[Tofu21]

View attachment 22104
you grease that black plastic ring and i clean and re do mine every 3 months.
http://www.pro-cycling-golla.de/Motor_und_Zubehoer/Service-Kit_Lagerschutzring_Zur_Abdeckung_der_Lagerstelle_der_Antriebseinheit_artikel582b57b18a5a6.html

I wish mine would last three months, lol

 

[EddiePJ]

Eddie do you have pictures or instructions on that plastic seal protector and how to remove and regrease it. My motor was replaced in June so good chance it will have one.
.

Hi Trever, firstly here is a link to the seal kit, including the grease that should be used when installing the seal, but in the case of my current bike, that Bosch chose not to add or use. https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/bosch-service-kit-bearing-protection-ring-drive-unit-5-bearing-rings-including-grease-570055 I suspect that any dielectric grease or similar would work just as well.

SW has already kindly added a photo of the seal, but here is another for you.

The seal is easy enough to remove, by simply working your way carefully around it easing it as you go, using a small flat headed jewellery/micro screw driver.


.

 

[Trevormonty]

Thanks, will have look at in weekend.

 

[Ballynoes]

I have to feel for Tofu21, as he is obviously having problems with his bike, but having said that, this will happen with everything in life. There will always be one or two built which are "Friday afternoon" builds, and the subsequent owner has nothing but problems.

I bought two cars exactly the same, one for me and one for the wife.

One was plagued with problems and the other I am still driving 12 years later.

I would just say that when I bought my eBike, it was never intended for the full off road abuse my other bikes get. I don't plough it through water and get it covered in mud like the others. It's used to get me further and higher than I could normally get because I am older and less fit than I would like to be.

I clean it in a completely different way, taking care around the electrical components, battery, motor etc.

I know it should stand up to the normal activities of a mountain bike, but should and does are always two different things.

 

[EddiePJ]

I have to feel for Tofu21, as he is obviously having problems with his bike, but having said that, this will happen with everything in life. There will always be one or two built which are "Friday afternoon" builds, and the subsequent owner has nothing but problems.

I bought two cars exactly the same, one for me and one for the wife.

One was plagued with problems and the other I am still driving 12 years later.

.

Which links to my point about percentage rates of failure. There are probably hundreds of thousands of Bosch powered bikes out there, that run and operate without fault. None of which you ever hear about, as there is no reason to. Sadly, you only ever hear about failure, and I don't mean that specifically in relation to this thread or it's contents. I do still feel that sooner or later, that there will be failure of all, but hopefully just through fair wear and tear, and not through design fault.

As for two exact things not behaving the same, I have exactly that issue at the moment. I have the same mobile phone as my wife, both were even bought at the same time, yet mine gives nothing but problem, whilt her phone operates without problem or fault. You have just given me an idea, time to swap phones!

 

[Ballynoes]

Interesting, mine came fitted with the seal as standard, as it is the 2018 model but I have it dismantled currently for cleaning so might just redo this as well.

Is it wise to fit new seal each time or just replace the old one ??

 

[EddiePJ]

If I was being a stickler for the book so to speak, I guess that you should replace with new seal each time.

Given that I re-grease the seal every few weeks or so, there is not a chance that I'm going to doing that, and intend to replace with a new one every few months or so.

 

[Ballynoes]

"time to swap phones" That makes me think you are going to switch your SIM cards around and leave your wife with the dodgy phone...... brave

 

[Ballynoes]

Does anyone know of a UK site where I can get the grease and ring from. I just keep hitting foreign sites. Since my bike is stripped down at present, thought it would be a good time to do it.

 

[Ballynoes]

Bingo...


https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/eBike-Spare-Parts/Bosch-eBike-Spares?limit=100

 

[bigclick]

I have been informed that the CX motor wont be direct drive because it needs the gearing to incorporate the traction control.

That is what I was told by someone who was told by Bosch

 

[Ducknald Don]

The CX has traction control?

 

[Ballynoes]

I think that's what they call EMTB mode, used to be the old sports mode.... I think.

If it DID have traction control.... I might not have eaten dirt on Sunday.

 

[Steve UKLSRA]

I was told on my thread about CX reliability "not to worry about it" (all that was missing was "your pretty little head") by KTM Ind, it's an easy fix...bo*ll*ks...why the f**k should you pay the best part of £5k for a bike that will be unusable after it's out of warranty and you have to fix it yourself! There's quite a few cheap, low-mileage Bosch motored bikes gone through ebay with what seems to be a good deal because they've got "new replacement motors", but they're just passing on the problem to the new owner who will not be warrantied when it all goes tits up! Simple fix my arse!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I was told on my thread about CX reliability "not to worry about it" (all that was missing was "your pretty little head") by KTM Ind, it's an easy fix...bo*ll*ks...why the f**k should you pay the best part of £5k for a bike that will be unusable after it's out of warranty and you have to fix it yourself! There's quite a few cheap, low-mileage Bosch motored bikes gone through ebay with what seems to be a good deal because they've got "new replacement motors", but they're just passing on the problem to the new owner who will not be warrantied when it all goes tits up! Simple fix my arse!

That's sort of how I feel about it. I think there will be a few dealers that will be making a nice little earner by doing Bosch motor replacements on out of warranty bikes. For owners that know how to and have the confidence to wield spanners, there might be an escape route, but the average owner will be in trouble.

Also, I've heard some nasty stories that go something like this:
"My motor's packed up. It's still under warranty as it's only 11 months old"
"You've done 3000 miles, though. Did you get it serviced during that time?"
"Yes. I keep it in tip top condition"
"But we only have your word for that, and you're not a professional. It wouldn't have failed if you had serviced it properly. We think that either the chain was too tight or the brakes were binding to cause that"

I don't need to go any further.