How difficult it is to detach, open and grease panasonic crank motor?

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
lots of dealers contribute on German forum and it is very active.. I am sure someone may come up with a unit or how to get one...If it come to that.
 

vaasa

Pedelecer
Nov 14, 2010
35
0
lots of dealers contribute on German forum and it is very active.. I am sure someone may come up with a unit or how to get one...If it come to that.
Thanks Eddie, I saw from the other thread that you were looking for a new Panasonic unit for a member at German ebay. I guess it's me for whom you were looking. If it's the case, I really appreciate it
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,136
30,556
As Tillson says, it's the old unit and no use to Vaasa.

Also beware. During that production a number of these were produced which had an inherent circuit fault which meant they usually failed to low power Eco mode only. When Panasonic and Giant realised this they sent out free replacement units to dealers holding the Lafree bikes in stock with instructions to swap them over and scrap the potentially faulty unit since the fault was unrepairable. (yes it really is.)

There is a very high probability that this is one of the duds, people don't buy new £500 units and then not use them. I bought one of these to use as a photo model for my Panasonic support website and after for spares to help repair any mechanical faults and have since used up all the useful bits. It's motor sprocket and shaft formed the pattern for the CNC machined sprockets that A to B sell now.

That unit, identical to this one, cost me £16 on ebay, so £100 or more is potentially steep.
.
 
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Rauw

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 19, 2015
5
0
82
Hello and greetings from sunny Paris to everyone

It has been a long time I haven't written on the forum (although I've been reading with interest:)).

I'm in a need of little of your help with my Pro connect (Panasonic crank drive 2010 version)

From this spring the motor of my bike has developed a sound like something is rubbing against one another or against the walls inside of the unit. The rubbing sound ceases instantly when the power is cut off, but is especially heard under load and when reducing the cycling cadence. It has nothing to do with transmission, as I've changed all of it a couple of times since then.

Why I also think it is the motor problem, is because I read in some thread where Flecc explained that if grease is lacking on the nailon wheel then one of the indications is that if the bike is not used for some time, the problem might get worse before the grease is more evenly distributed when riding again. Moreover, with warmer whether, the problem should lessen (as it has a direct effect on grease distribution). Well, this is exactly what I'm experiencing as the rubbing almost disappeared during warm July and August days. But now, with chilling mornings, it has become back wit a vengeance and is appearently getting worse (and is especially strong if I haven't used the bike for a week or so). I've done around 10000-12000 km with my bike in all wheather (even in winter). I've used it in normal and high mode most of the time and more intensively than the average user as I have 41 teeth chain wheel, 11 teeth motor sprocket and 11-28 cassette installed on my bike which gives a max speed of 35-36 km/h.


I really don't want to break down the motor as I'm now out of the 2 year warranty. Therefore, I would like to know how complicated it is to open the motor and repair the problem? Although having owned my bike for more than 2 years I'm now doing all the repair work myself, I'm not really a hands-on person by profession :) So I don't know if I'm capable of greasing the nylon wheel (if this is really the issue) without breaking or messing something up:(
Therore I would like to ask your advice on the subject how to proceed.

Thanks and have a nice and sunny Sunday :)

Vaasa
Hello and greetings from sunny Paris to everyone

It has been a long time I haven't written on the forum (although I've been reading with interest:)).

I'm in a need of little of your help with my Pro connect (Panasonic crank drive 2010 version)

From this spring the motor of my bike has developed a sound like something is rubbing against one another or against the walls inside of the unit. The rubbing sound ceases instantly when the power is cut off, but is especially heard under load and when reducing the cycling cadence. It has nothing to do with transmission, as I've changed all of it a couple of times since then.

Why I also think it is the motor problem, is because I read in some thread where Flecc explained that if grease is lacking on the nailon wheel then one of the indications is that if the bike is not used for some time, the problem might get worse before the grease is more evenly distributed when riding again. Moreover, with warmer whether, the problem should lessen (as it has a direct effect on grease distribution). Well, this is exactly what I'm experiencing as the rubbing almost disappeared during warm July and August days. But now, with chilling mornings, it has become back wit a vengeance and is appearently getting worse (and is especially strong if I haven't used the bike for a week or so). I've done around 10000-12000 km with my bike in all wheather (even in winter). I've used it in normal and high mode most of the time and more intensively than the average user as I have 41 teeth chain wheel, 11 teeth motor sprocket and 11-28 cassette installed on my bike which gives a max speed of 35-36 km/h.


I really don't want to break down the motor as I'm now out of the 2 year warranty. Therefore, I would like to know how complicated it is to open the motor and repair the problem? Although having owned my bike for more than 2 years I'm now doing all the repair work myself, I'm not really a hands-on person by profession :) So I don't know if I'm capable of greasing the nylon wheel (if this is really the issue) without breaking or messing something up:(
Therore I would like to ask your advice on the subject how to proceed.

Thanks and have a nice and sunny Sunday :)

Vaasa
 

Rauw

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 19, 2015
5
0
82
Hello Vaasa.

You have the nylon wheel already lubricated and what is the result. The noise is gone? What kind of grease dit you have used.
 
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JohnCade

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 16, 2014
1,486
736
Hello Vaasa.

You have the nylon wheel already lubricated and what is the result. The noise is gone? What kind of grease dit you have used.
Vaasa was last here in 2012 when this thread was current so is unlikely to see your post.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,136
30,556
Hello Vaasa.

You have the nylon wheel already lubricated and what is the result. The noise is gone? What kind of grease dit you have used.

Are you thinking of opening your unit to grease the gear? If so, let me know and I'll save you a lot of time and effort.
.
 

Rauw

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 19, 2015
5
0
82
Hello flecc,
Yes, I want to open the unit to lubricate the nylon wheel.
Can you give me further advice?
 

Rauw

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 19, 2015
5
0
82
Unfortunately after the lubrication of the nylon wheel is the noise grrr grrr still present. Too bad this is not the cause. Do you have more advice?
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,136
30,556
Unfortunately after the lubrication of the nylon wheel is the noise grrr grrr still present. Too bad this is not the cause. Do you have more advice?

Two possibilities Rauw. First is the idler wheel that follows the motor drive sprocket, these can become distorted or misaligned in various ways so that the chain runs badly under the motor thrust following each pedal stroke. It's surprising how often that can produce a growling noise that seems as if it's the motor unit itself at fault. A worn chain and motor sprocket can also produce similar noise. There's lots of advice in my Panasonic support site on tracing that.

If not that, it can only be a bearing inside the unit failing. The only one's I've known to fail and become noisy are the two bearings in the drive motor, with the outboard one most likely. The details on how to deal with that are in my Panasonic site article of course. Otherwise the two bearings on the output shaft may be suspect, but they are substantial so less likely to fail. Fortunately these bearings are standard items obtainable from any good bearings supplier.

But do eliminate the idler, motor sprocket and chain possibilities first, since they are usually the most common cause of rough running and noise.
.
 
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