Gear Clusters
Each Island Earth Kit comes with a 3 speed gear cluster attached to
the motor.
I find that you don't really need 5,6 or 7 speeds when you have the
assist of the motor. Also it makes installation easier to use the 3 speed
cluster already on the motor as it means the width of space required to instal
the motor is smaller with a 3 speed cluster compared to bigger gear clusters.
[postscript: I'll put a 3 speed cluster on the crystalyte kits also if you
need but they are fine with larger size clusters, in fact I should put a 6 speed
cluster on the crystalyte kits before sending out, think I will do that
(7aug.06) ]
If you intend to use a different cluster with the motor here's a
little information that might help.
This is the type of gear cluster that you can use on a hub motor, on the back
side it has a thread which is how it attaches to the motor. The front side you
can see some vertical splines that are for the cluster removal tool.
The cluster below you can't use with hub motors as it doesn't have a thread
(this one is called a splined type cluster):
If you intend to use a cluster off an old wheel then first you'll have to remove
it from the wheel. This requires a special tool as shown below (easily available
from bike repair shops). Note that the hole in the end of the removal tool needs
to be large enough to fit over the motor axle if you intend to be able to take
the cluster off the hub motor at a later date. This will require drilling out the hole in the gear cluster
tool so its big
enough to fit over the motor axle (some motors have a 12mm axle some have a 14mm
axle diameter). The cluster removal tool is very hard metal and can be hard to
drill, I had to get someone to drill the hole for me as my drills just wouldn't
do the job.
To remove the an old gear cluster off a wheel can be quite difficult. As the
cluster gets tighter and tighter onto the wheel the more the bike is used.
I use a very large spanner on the tool and usually a large piece of pipe on the
end of the spanner to get more leverage, you have to turn the tool anticlockwise
to remove the cluster, and it usually involves all the strength I have to get
one off (but they do come off ).
The thread on the hub motors is designed for smaller clusters where the thread
goes all the way through the centre of the cluster (like the 3 speed clusters I
supply with the motors). So if you try to put a 5, 6 or 7 speed cluster on the motor at this point it wont sit very close to the motor and it
will be necessary to remove some of the thread on the hub motor to get the
cluster as close to the motor as possible. (in order to make the width required
between the rear bike frame as narrow as possible, unless your prepared to pull
the rear frame out by a cm or two which really is quite easy to do).You'll notice that the thread on the rear of the cluster is about 10mm in depth.
The thread on the hub motor is about 15 or 16mm , so there will be about 5 to
7mm of thread left. Solution is to remove about 5 to 7mm of thread off the hub
motor.
Below are instructions on how to remove 5mm-7mm of thread:
(motor shown is a GL-1 but same process can be applied for all the motors)
If you intend to install a 5,6 or 7 speed cluster it will be necessary to cut
5mm off the thread on the motor to keep the width of motor to a minimum so that
it will not be necessary to spread the rear frame to accommodate the motor. The
picture below shows that the motor has 15mm of thread but a standard
cluster only has 11mm so its necessary to take off about 5mm of the motor
thread.
Picture above shows the 5mm gap that can be removed by following the steps
below.
Step 1: mark and cut off 5mm of thread
Note: the thead on the side of the motor with no wires!!! this is where the
cluster goes.
The thread is aluminium so it is quite easy to cut with a hacksaw. But it should
be done accurately or it may be difficult to get the cluster onto the thread
later if it is done poorly.
Once you go right around the thread the cut should line up with where you
started the cut.
Step 2: Clean up the cut and thread
Clean up the cut with a file. Note in the second picture below go around the
edge of the thread very gently to remove the rough edge. Lastly clean up the
thread with a wire brush (just to clean out any debris).
Step 3: Install the cluster
Sit the cluster right up against the thread, move the cluster backwards
(anti-clockwise) until you feel it sit on the thread correctly, then rotate
cluster clockwise onto the thread, if all goes well the cluster should go onto
the thread no problems. Don't force the cluster onto the thread, it should go on
easily, if it doesn't just clean up the thread again with wire brush.
Picture below shows a 6 speed cluster installed on the motor after cutting
off 5mm of thread.
beware of spray ebike company:
more info
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