hub motor running but no wheel motion on FreeGo Hawk Electric Bikes

lulup

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2017
27
4
23
london
Hi,
All was well til this morning when the motor would run but 'empty', not creating any motion.
there was a bit of a pull (in the morning first thing) for 2 min and it felt as if it had disconnected from the wheel.
Another thing I noticed is that when rolling the bike backward, something seems to hold onto the wheel (from inside the hub) although it is not stuck.

I am no bike mechanic but i can get things running usually with advice, thinking and careful handling.
I have an understanding of how a motor works but I couldn't yet find what type I have in the freego.

Anyone has some clues to help me fix this please?

Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
hi kulup,

there are two possibilities: a) the clutch has failed or b) one of the Hall sensors stops working causing the motor to spin in reverse, thus not engaging the wheel.
You need to eliminate a) first. Lift up the motor wheel, spin it in reverse to engage the clutch. If you feel the resistance of the clutch and rotor then it's b).
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Wisper Bikes

lulup

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2017
27
4
23
london
despite using various search engines, i could not find out what motor is in a freego hawk ebike. and therefore no info on how to handle them. If anyone has a lead or link, please share.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
your motor spins in reverse.
Is it still under warranty?
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
All hub-motors work the same, so it doesn't matter which one you have. I can't understand anything you wrote because it's in some sort of code. If you're saying that the motor is spinning with power, but not driving the wheel, your clutch is stuck - most likely because the motor has/had water in it, which made it go rusty, in which case you have to open the motor and replace the clutch assembly.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Wisper Bikes

lulup

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2017
27
4
23
london
english not my first language but congrats you understood everything correctly. Thanks for infos and diagnosis which seems plausible as the bike is almost always outdoors an it has been raining loads.
 

skippy_ian

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 29, 2015
7
2
76
Hi,
All was well til this morning when the motor would run but 'empty', not creating any motion.
there was a bit of a pull (in the morning first thing) for 2 min and it felt as if it had disconnected from the wheel.
Another thing I noticed is that when rolling the bike backward, something seems to hold onto the wheel (from inside the hub) although it is not stuck.

I am no bike mechanic but i can get things running usually with advice, thinking and careful handling.
I have an understanding of how a motor works but I couldn't yet find what type I have in the freego.

Anyone has some clues to help me fix this please?

Thanks in advance.
If you can hear the motor running but the wheel is not turning ,then the clutch has stripped, motor is a Bafang and freego can supply all parts.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: lulup

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
If you're saying that the motor is spinning with power, but not driving the wheel, your clutch is stuck
I asked him to spin his wheel in reverse to rule out if the clutch is stuck. This is what he said:

yes there s a resistance or a rattle if i go beyond the resistance.
It seems that the clutch can be engaged, leaving the possibility that the motor spins in reverse.
 

lulup

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2017
27
4
23
london
Hi,
I finally got time to open up the motor. The gears look smashed.
Any ideas whereas I can swap them with new myself (how doable?)and pointers where to find gears if it's at all possible, I'm up for it.
Trying to figure out how to get them out...
See photos below.

Thanks,
 

Attachments

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,173
60
West Sx RH

lulup

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2017
27
4
23
london
Thanks. i just managed to get the first circlip out. can now see more circlips battles coming to remove the nylon gears. also seen some on eaby uk. [not sure how reliable they are though but can't find postage pricing on greenbikekit to get an idea of the cost]
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,173
60
West Sx RH
GBK p&p approx. $14 for clutch assembly.
Just put the items in the cart, then go to next page to get shipping quote before entering checkout.
You are not compelled to buy during shopping.
 
Last edited:

Charliefox

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2015
322
87
79
Culloden Moor Inverness
Hi,
All was well til this morning when the motor would run but 'empty', not creating any motion.
there was a bit of a pull (in the morning first thing) for 2 min and it felt as if it had disconnected from the wheel.
Another thing I noticed is that when rolling the bike backward, something seems to hold onto the wheel (from inside the hub) although it is not stuck.

I am no bike mechanic but i can get things running usually with advice, thinking and careful handling.
I have an understanding of how a motor works but I couldn't yet find what type I have in the freego.

Anyone has some clues to help me fix this please?

Thanks in advance.
It could well be 1 or more of the 3 nylon gears in the hub. My Bafang did the same. One gear came apart and jammed the others. In my case it was impossible to push the bike backwards at all but I was able to peddle home a lot slower than usual. Spared available for Bafang, not sure who made your motor though. You will see once you have taken the hub wheel out and, hopefully with screwbolts (6) as a rule, separated the mechanicals from the electric motor side.