Bafang BBS02 axle gearing lost its bite..

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
Happy new your to all,

I have recently had the misfortune of the axle gearing on my Bafang BBS02 36v 500w motor deciding to give up the ghost.

As the sun was out, I decided to take the bike for a New Year’s Day ride and the bike didn’t get off to a great start to the year.. After a great summer of riding without any problems and clocking up around 1k with the motor, it was a little unexpected.

After a couple of miles I was greeted by a single clunk and couldn’t turn the cranks. I generally ride pretty hard and don’t rely heavily on the motor, or throttle to get me moving. I was a little surprised at the sudden failure and instantly turned the power off. After pushing the bike home as it could no longer be pedalled or throttled I thought I’d better take a looksee inside and found metal flakes and a shredded axle gear type thing..

Obviously I’ll have to replace but I was wondering if anybody else has had this failure and where they sourced the part from? Does the axle and gearing come as a complete part with magnet and clutch etc? And if this part has failed is it likely any other parts have too?

Thanks for looking and any help would be appreciated.
 

Attachments

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
Hi Tommie,

The drive appears to be ok after cleaning the shards of the failed teeth out of the casing. The motor is turning and the teeth appear to be ok although I may well replace the part while I’m replacing the axle gear just to make sure.
 

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
1,537
The motor is turning and the teeth appear to be ok although I may well replace the part while I’m replacing the axle gear just to make sure.
Bear in mind that secondary gear replacement is a 30 minute job, whereas the pinion gear is a whole load of extra work (read pain in the arse).

If the teeth on the pinion are fine, then I would just replace the secondary gear. I doubt if the gear sets are matched at the machining stage, so I guess poor tolerances can chew some gears up. Mine's been noisy for a long time, but I've an earlier model, so can't get the replacement parts any more.
 

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
It turns out I gave the earlier BBS02A model and one supplier I have been in contact with doesn’t think it will fit? The gear plate is stamped ZE and I am now unsure as I thought that particular part was the same on newer models.
 

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
After much confusion and searching with plenty of contradictory advice from several retailers, I now have the bike running as it should.

Actually turns out I have a BBS01 motor which every retailer barring Greenbike said couldn’t be fixed as parts were unavailable. Anna at Greenbike assured me that the ZE and LD gear were in fact one and the same thing, and only stamped differently for differently retailers. Despite being a little dubious about this, Anna showed me evidence that the workshop had in fact tried this and the motor runs perfectly on BBSO1/BBS01B and BBS02/BBS02b with either ZE or LD and I’m each model.

Received via Royal Mail 5 days and to my relief it was a perfect fit, and for £70 delivered for the full axle and clutch with pas magnet etc along with a new 44t chainring and complimentary grease, I am delighted.

Seems to be a lot of retailers that are left out of the loop with Bafang on what will and won’t work with mid motors as I had originally spoke to some of the American retailers and was given differing advice from different advisors within the same company. One was wrong and one was right so it cost them the sale. Brighton bikes were very helpful and they only had the LD gear/clutch so they put me onto Greenbike. So even Brighton bikes learned something new which shows how difficult it can be, gathering the correct info when going down the diy route, just to obtain the correct parts or info.

Pinions can be changed from 10mm to 12mm and older motors aren’t necessarily as redundant as many would have you think.

Couldn’t recommend Greenbike highly enough and I’ll be using them when any future disasters occur.

Result!
 
  • Like
Reactions: wheeliepete

wheeliepete

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 28, 2016
2,047
755
60
Devon
the ZE and LD gear were in fact one and the same thing
Interesting info, thanks Steve. So if I understand this, the new BBSB crank gear/clutch fits the old BBS? Bafang are well known for changing things and not telling a sole, the BBSB being a great example. I'm a bit confused by you saying you have a BBS01, not 02, what's written on the casing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scuba Steve

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
Interesting info, thanks Steve. So if I understand this, the new BBSB crank gear/clutch fits the old BBS? Bafang are well known for changing things and not telling a sole, the BBSB being a great example. I'm a bit confused by you saying you have a BBS01, not 02, what's written on the casing?
I purchased the motor used from my brother in law which he used on weekends away at his family holiday home. He had rubbed off the details from the bottom of the motor and replaced with a generic 250w sticker after being pulled over by the police for motoring past them on full throttle. He was convinced it was the bbs02 and me being new to powered cycling didn’t know any different.

I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for Anna at Greenbike after she looked at the same pictures I’d sent to every other retailer.

Only Greenbike said it would work and luckily it did as everybody else said it wouldn’t. ZE and LD are the same thing and work perfectly on my BBS01 pre 2016.
 

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
1,537
Anna at Greenbike assured me that the ZE and LD gear were in fact one and the same thing, and only stamped differently for differently retailers. Despite being a little dubious about this, Anna showed me evidence that the workshop had in fact tried this and the motor runs perfectly on BBSO1/BBS01B and BBS02/BBS02b with either ZE or LD and I’m each model.
That's good news as mine is noisy and I was thinking of replacing just the secondary gear, but thought the newer ones wouldn't fit my older model.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scuba Steve

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union

wheeliepete

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 28, 2016
2,047
755
60
Devon
Yes AK, I knew the casing on 01B and 02B had changed along with the controller, but also thought the 02B was bigger for some reason, but I'm easily confusedo_O It would seem that there is not a lot of difference in 01, 02 or HD as a guy on ES has produced a BBS02HD for some reason. Should add he just broke his secondary gear, poss. the first of many..

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=97348
 

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
1,537
Received via Royal Mail 5 days and to my relief it was a perfect fit, and for £70 delivered for the full axle and clutch with pas magnet etc along with a new 44t chainring and complimentary grease, I am delighted.
Did you use the 'UK dedicated line' delivery service and did you end up paying any import fees?
 

Scuba Steve

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 5, 2018
19
10
45
Did you use the 'UK dedicated line' delivery service and did you end up paying any import fees?
Yes it was the dedicated service and delivered via Royal Mail 48hr tracked once it arrived in the U.K.

Ordered on a Sunday, delivered the following Saturday to Manchester although it arrived at the London sorting office on the Wednesday. Couldn’t fault the service or the communication as Greenbike were very responsive to email and queries.
 
Last edited:

Advertisers