I created a purely mechanical Turbo Levo speed limit increase

[MattyG]

My new LSS parts arrived yesterday and we fitted to the Levo S-Works. Observations as follows:

1. The new parts fit very well to the S-works smaller hub, I was expecting the sun gear to slip around the hub a little but it was reasonably tight.

2. I think I made a mistake and used too much glue when I put the magnet in the planet gear. The magnet was slightly raised instead of flush which I think led to the next problem.

3. The cover did not sit very well against the other parts, I think because the magnet was not glued snugly into planetary gear. I tried to solve this by adding two o-rings on the hub outside of the LSS to keep it all together. Unfortunately, when we did a test ride the LSS was not working well and the limit was 25km / hour - I am unsure of the causality of this. Perhaps friction from the o-rings and cover forced the sun gear to turn on the hub.

4. I removed the o-rings which meant the cover wasn't doing its job very well (see the second photo), but then the LSS worked well and speed was close to 40 km/h.

5. I'll do some experimenting and use the planetary gear/magnet from my Levo expert and see if I can confirm the cause of the issue. If my friend will need to order a few more parts. Be good if we can buy the parts separately as well.

6. My Levo expert still running perfectly with the original LSS + o-rings. Wondering whether I should not change what's not broken.

In the image below you can see the clearance is ok on the s-works.

In the image below you can see the magnets slightly raised profile. Tip - you only need a tiny amount of glue and ensure magnet is flush. As a result, the cover did not stay close to other parts and do its job. Sadly when I secured with some o-rings then the LSS didn't work properly.

 

[MattyG]

Ok forgive my stupidity as I am not very tech savvy!! I need to purchase this item from shapeways? then I need to put a magnet on there then attach it to my bike is that correct?, go on my 2019 turbo levo. Can somebody please explain the whole process of installation like I am a child please thank you

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Page 4 of this thread the creator jd_3d has the steps listed. Have a read of the other posts as they cover some of the experiences people have had. In my view only do it if you are happy to tinker around, I am not techy either but I must say its been fun to play around with the bike and the LSS. The Levo 'expert' and 's-works' models need slightly different parts because of small hub diameter, but I think your bike just needs the original product listed on Shapeways.

 

[Al Boneta]

What has been the decrease in range if any?

 

[jd_3d]

My new LSS parts arrived yesterday and we fitted to the Levo S-Works. Observations as follows:

1. The new parts fit very well to the S-works smaller hub, I was expecting the sun gear to slip around the hub a little but it was reasonably tight.

2. I think I made a mistake and used too much glue when I put the magnet in the planet gear. The magnet was slightly raised instead of flush which I think led to the next problem.

Thanks for the feedback @MattyG! Yes, when gluing the magnet in place I recommend clamping the magnet and gear together (with either a clamp or simply some locking pliers). This will squeeze out any excess glue and ensure the magnet stays flush as the glue dries. Don't clamp too hard or you could damage the gear.

If you aren't able to remove the magnet and re-do, it looks like you may need to get a new planetary gear so I just uploaded that as a separate product here:

LSS Planetary Gear v2 by JD_3D on Shapeways

Cheers,

jd_3d

 

[jd_3d]

how fast can you go now??

Hi @Ross1137, speeds are as follows:

For 20 mph bikes this will go to -> ~30 mph (a little less since you can't quite get to 20 mph in the first place)
For 25 kph bikes this would go to -> ~37.5 kph (people seem to report closer to 40 kph).

As for instructions, I do plan on writing more detailed ones once the LSS is out of 'beta' which should be very soon (just waiting for feedback on the latest iteration of the flex sun gear and cover). Please note this is a kit and requires you to source your own magnet and rotor bolts, so its a bit of a DIY.

 

[jd_3d]

What has been the decrease in range if any?

I haven't noticed much of a change myself, however, even riding on the road I rarely use Turbo mode and when I do it's only for a few minutes. When I ride in sport mode I'm usually sitting at ~22mph on flat roads. My sport assist is setup with 80% max power. I weigh only 65kg and the 500wh battery lasts me a long time (50+ miles on the road).

 

[Dfriz]

You make one for a 18 Kenevo?

 

[Al Boneta]

I haven't noticed much of a change myself, however, even riding on the road I rarely use Turbo mode and when I do it's only for a few minutes. When I ride in sport mode I'm usually sitting at ~22mph on flat roads. My sport assist is setup with 80% max power. I weigh only 65kg and the 500wh battery lasts me a long time (50+ miles on the road).

I just ordered 3 of them. So I’ll see what’s what.

 

[oldfox]

@jd_3d Today the parcel with the new version arrived.

Nothing less than perfect! - Even if the axis of the Expert/S-Works is a very(!) little bigger than my DT Swiss it should fit also fine. Work of a true engineer!

I just took two tiny pieces of duct tape to be sure it doesn't slip on the axis.

Would you please be so kind to offer a complete set with the two new parts?!

---

Only a feeling: If you don't constantly slip through the deepest mud, the LSS shouldn't have a short lifespan. No noise, no visible wear after 150km.

 

[High Voltage]

Hi JD.....do you have any particular trick to take out the original magnet that is embeded to reuse in your LSS

 

[pgtips]

Can someone help on what I'm doing wrong guys?
So I fitted the gear kit but when I put the wheel back the outer cap is loose. There is nothing holding it right in place. Also it touches the chain stay on the inside. Dificumt to show in pictures.

 

[khorn]

Can someone help on what I'm doing wrong guys?
So I fitted the gear kit but when I put the wheel back the outer cap is loose. There is nothing holding it right in place. Also it touches the chain stay on the inside. Dificumt to show in pictures.

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could it be that your after market rear disc center part is a good bit thicker than stock thus sitting too far out towards the chain stay?

Karsten

 

[pgtips]

could it be that your after market rear disc center part is a good bit thicker than stock thus sitting too far out towards the chain stay?

Karsten

It's possible.
But I believe @oldfox has the same setup without issues. /But his is an expert? Mine is a comp

 

[pgtips]

It's possible.
But I believe @oldfox has the same setup without issues. /But his is an expert? Mine is a comp

Also the other issue is the sun gear in the middle need to be tight to turn with the hub so it can turn the magnet......it isn't so something needs to be done there too.

 

[khorn]

It's possible.
But I believe @oldfox has the same setup without issues. /But his is an expert? Mine is a comp

Position of the disc should be the same relative to the brake caliper, however shape of outer part of hub could be different. It just look like yours are sitting a good 1 mm further outside due to thicker disc.

Karsten

 

[jd_3d]

Can someone help on what I'm doing wrong guys?
So I fitted the gear kit but when I put the wheel back the outer cap is loose. There is nothing holding it right in place. Also it touches the chain stay on the inside. Dificumt to show in pictures.

Hi @pgtips, yeah your rotor looks significantly thicker than the stock steel rotors so that seems to be the issue. The clearances were already extremely tight with the stock rotor, so it looks like it gets even worse with aftermarket rotors with aluminum spiders. I wonder if @oldfox might be able to shed some light on how he got his to fit.

 

[jd_3d]

@jd_3d Today the parcel with the new version arrived.

Nothing less than perfect! - Even if the axis of the Expert/S-Works is a very(!) little bigger than my DT Swiss it should fit also fine. Work of a true engineer!

I just took two tiny pieces of duct tape to be sure it doesn't slip on the axis.

Would you please be so kind to offer a complete set with the two new parts?!

---

Only a feeling: If you don't constantly slip through the deepest mud, the LSS shouldn't have a short lifespan. No noise, no visible wear after 150km.

Thanks @oldfox, loving the feedback! I'm really glad the new flex design is working. Yes, I'm shortly going to create a new LSS set for the expert and s-works and take them out of 'beta' status, stay tuned...

 

[jd_3d]

Hi JD.....do you have any particular trick to take out the original magnet that is embeded to reuse in your LSS

Hi @High Voltage, the original magnet is thicker (4mm) than the size for the LSS so it won't fit. But I also think it would be very difficult to remove (seems bonded in tight). I think it's good to keep that magnet assembly so you can always revert to stock if you need to take your bike into the shop. Let me know if you have trouble locating neodymium magnets, they should be very inexpensive.

 

[High Voltage]

Hi JD... I succesfully remove the original magnet with and small press and .... is already back to stock.... i have found magnets in size of 9.75mm instead of 10mm...i will try it and let you know

 

[MattyG]

I played with the Expert & Sworks this AM. I can confirm the magnet gluing was the problem, as when I used the good planetary gear/magnet combo and it worked well on the S-works.

There appears to be a *very* slight clearance issue on the s-works but overall no problem.

I still think fitting a little o-ring on the hub to keep the cover close and snug is a good idea - as the cover can slide away a little which would let gunk in over time.

 

[jd_3d]

Part VIII

I'm officially considering the LSS out of beta and now have 2 versions of the LSS:

LSS – For the 2019 Turbo Levo, Comp, and Comp Carbon

LSS DT – For the 2019 Turbo Levo Expert and S-Works models. They use DT Swiss wheels which have a smaller hub diameter

I did raise the price a little ($15) but less than I was originally planning, so I hope you guys feel the price is fair. So for everyone who ordered a beta and provided feedback, I wanted to give a big thank you.

The LSS and all info about it is currently only on EMTB Forums, so I thought it might be a good idea to create a simple site where I could have permanent info on the LSS and installation instructions, so I just created the following website:

Guide to the LSS

It's very bare-bones right now, but I do plan on creating a detailed installation guide. I will also create a new post here on EMTB summing up all the info so it is more accessible for future reference.

 

[oldfox]

Hi @pgtips, yeah your rotor looks significantly thicker than the stock steel rotors so that seems to be the issue. The clearances were already extremely tight with the stock rotor, so it looks like it gets even worse with aftermarket rotors with aluminum spiders. I wonder if @oldfox might be able to shed some light on how he got his to fit.

Nothing special. After I recognized that the clip does't fit on the Hope brake disc I fixed the mount plate with two metal screws. In combination with my Alu Comp there is enough space for the LSS.

I'll take a picture this evening.

I think the flex design for all versions would make the o-rings for the cover unnecessary.

 

[Scoobaru]

"LSS DT – For the 2019 Turbo Levo Expert and S-Works models. They use DT Swiss wheels which have a smaller hub diameter"

Has anyone used this version on an Expert without needing an O-ring bodge to help ?

 

[High Voltage]

"LSS DT – For the 2019 Turbo Levo Expert and S-Works models. They use DT Swiss wheels which have a smaller hub diameter"

Has anyone used this version on an Expert without needing an O-ring bodge to help ?

Hi Scoobaru...I did...i hace an Expert and it fitted straight away...the only thing i can complain is that the cover has a small gap....i think i will need to put a very small amount of silicone all around

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

Part VIII

I'm officially considering the LSS out of beta and now have 2 versions of the LSS:

LSS – For the 2019 Turbo Levo, Comp, and Comp Carbon

LSS DT – For the 2019 Turbo Levo Expert and S-Works models. They use DT Swiss wheels which have a smaller hub diameter

I did raise the price a little ($15) but less than I was originally planning, so I hope you guys feel the price is fair. So for everyone who ordered a beta and provided feedback, I wanted to give a big thank you.

The LSS and all info about it is currently only on EMTB Forums, so I thought it might be a good idea to create a simple site where I could have permanent info on the LSS and installation instructions, so I just created the following website:

Guide to the LSS

It's very bare-bones right now, but I do plan on creating a detailed installation guide. I will also create a new post here on EMTB summing up all the info so it is more accessible for future reference.

A video of the actual install of the LSS would be a huge help ?

 

[Lewis]

Does any of these still work with Brose motors
E Bike Tuning for Brose motors

 

[oldfox]

Does any of these still work with Brose motors
E Bike Tuning for Brose motors

1. Levo <=2018 not necessary
2. Levo 2019 not tested yet (status: end of january)
3. Completely wrong thread

 

[jd_3d]

Hi Scoobaru...I did...i hace an Expert and it fitted straight away...the only thing i can complain is that the cover has a small gap....i think i will need to put a very small amount of silicone all around

Hi @Scoobaru, the latest design of the LSS DT does not need any O-rings. It has the correct diameter for the DT Swiss hub and also has a built in spring mechanism to expand around the axle (in case of slight variation).

@High Voltage, about the small gap, that is mostly due to clearance issues to prevent frame rubbing. Note also that by design there is movement between the cover and the ring gear (i.e., one rotates and the other does not) so it's not as simple as putting silicone on the gap as that would glue them together and the LSS wouldn't work anymore. Perhaps with some clever silicone work you could lessen the gap without bonding them. At some point I'll try to re-visit the cover and see if I can improve it to lessen the gap (without affecting frame clearance). Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Lewis]

1. Levo <=2018 not necessary
2. Levo 2019 not tested yet (status: end of january)
3. Completely wrong thread

This thread was the correct one as i was reading it all and thought would it not make warrenty void and is link i sent a better option

 

[pgtips]

So I sorted one of my issues out which it was the cap not sealing the internals and moving all over the place. So I designed and made this prototype cap which fits snuggly on the outside. The print quality is rough as I only printed it in low quality to see how it works. The gap is left there so I can use an o ring for better seal.

No I need to see why there is no much clearance to my chain stay with the original and I'm sure with the new cap I made ?

P.S Sorry about the dirty fingers and nails.......the joy of been a mechanic