Problems with Freego rear wheel.

[Mike63]

Hi....When I unfastened the rear, motor, wheel on my Eagle to centralise it in the fork, I found that one of the "lugged" washers was fitted to the outside of the fork while on the other side the washer was fitted on the inside.

I have re-fit them both on the outside but when I look at them I cannot, for the life of me, see what purpose they serve and wonder if they should be fit on the inside of the fork.

...scared to ride it at the moment in case it's not right so appreciate advice.
.....many thanks....Mike

 

[flecc]

The spindle normally has flats on it and the washers the same internal shape. Therefore, if the lugs are in the dropout slots, the motor spindle cannot rotate and the washers are therefore doing the same job as an anti-torque arm.

Without that, the drive force of the motor might rotate the spindle if the wheel nuts weren't gripping enough, instead of turning the wheel to drive the bike, and that would rip out the wiring to the motor.

As long as the flats on both washer and spindle are there and locking together, and the lugs engaged with the drop-out slots, it doesn't necessarily matter whether the washers are inside or outside.

 

[Mike63]

...thanks Flecc ....that's is a bit like what I was frightened of.

Trouble is, the lugs are not actually in the fork (sorry, can't explain) but the lugs are not at a sharp angle to the washer and fall proud of the entrance to the fork...jeez, I'm making a right mess of this

What'd happen if I fit the washers so that the lugs went into the fork first ?

thanks....Mike

 

[flecc]

That's the answer in that case Mike, rotate the washers 180 degrees so the lug is to the rear of the spindle and engaging the slot.

The lug goes in front when the chain is long enough for the spindle to sit well back and vice versa when the chain is shorter as in your case.

 

[Mike63]

cheers Flecc, I'll let you know when it's worked

.....Mike

 

[Mike63]

...this's not working Flecc, the lug is 1mm wider than the narrowest part of the fork.
as the fork "dropout" is only 10/12 mm deep this's pushing the spindle almost out of the fork.
....I could file a mm or 2 off the lug if that's acceptable...I think it'd then fit.
....any good....thanks....Mike

 

[mountainsport]

...this's not working Flecc, the lug is 1mm wider than the narrowest part of the fork.
as the fork "dropout" is only 10/12 mm deep this's pushing the spindle almost out of the fork.
....I could file a mm or 2 off the lug if that's acceptable...I think it'd then fit.
....any good....thanks....Mike

Hi Mike before you start filing anything down, why don't you speak to freego themselves because that could be dangerous.

MS.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I think Flecc misunderstood what you meant. IIUC, they're like the photo below. These type of washers don't do very much. I did manage to bend some over to a right angle using a vice and hammer, which made them better, but others were too hard to bend. It makes little difference whether you put them inside or outside the drop-out (fork). Just make sure that your wheel-nuts are nice and tight and that the axle is right down in the drop-out:

 

[flecc]

Thanks Dave, I treated them as conventional ones, not realising Freego used that unusual method.

 

[Mike63]

Cheers d8veh....that looks better....I think I could bend the lugs as you've indicated.

Is there a better method re. Flecc's unusual method comment.

 

[Mike63]

[QUOTE Hi Mike before you start filing anything down, why don't you speak to freego themselves because that could be dangerous.]MS[/QUOTE]

...thanks MS....I doubt they'd be interested...I bought the bike used but some months ago I was considering buying a new Eagle and emailed Freego about a couple of points and got no reply...despite problems I'm glad I bought used.

cheers....Mike

 

[flecc]

Is there a better method re. Flecc's unusual method comment.

I was assuming a long slot (chain adjusting) dropout Mike, these lug washers most commonly used with those.

With what you've got just do as d8veh says, the alternative being to fit an anti-torque arm, but that would probably be overkill.

 

[Mike63]

Cheers all....I cannot bend the lugs....I was a tad optimistic thinking I could .
...just need to put them back as was.

....thanks....Mike

 

[mountainsport]

Cheers all....I cannot bend the lugs....I was a tad optimistic thinking I could .
...just need to put them back as was.

....thanks....Mike

Mike my first bike was also a freego... , but seriously try and setup the bike back as safe as possible because every moving part on the bike should be fitted snug, with precision and most of all centralized to the nearest millimetre. Sorry for being patronising Mike, people on here look out for me, so in turn I have to look out for you.

MS.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

To bend them, you need a very strong vice and a very large hammer. They're a lot stronger than they look. I've run very powerful motors in the back with nothing more than the tightness of the wheel-nuts holding them, so you should be OK with yours as it is.

 

[patpatbut]

Cheers d8veh....that looks better....I think I could bend the lugs as you've indicated.

Is there a better method re. Flecc's unusual method comment.

Maybe getting it from GBK?

e-bike brushless dc hub motor anti-torque washers for fixing engines-Greenbikekit.com online store for electric bicycle components-GreenBikeKit.com

costs you around £3

Pat