Internal Power Cable Failure, Levo 2019

[lolp]

After 3 months of troulefree riding I had an intermittent problem last weekand over a few days before a ride checking all was ok (after it wasnt) either nothing happened at all or all normal or battery fault blue/red lights coming on.... eventually all lights came on the day of the ride and all was ok. I called my dealer that afternoon and they mentioned a newly designed motor to battery connector lead may eliminate any such problem. not being close to that shop they're sending it to me with fitti g instructions and say its a simple job. Has anyone else fitted it themselves and is it easy? .... and has anyone had this type of intermittent problem and foind that replacing the lead solved it....or not? Thanks.

 

[Mikerb]

The cable you will get and fitting instructions are in my post about 30 posts up this thread .

 

[lolp]

Cheers...spose i should have read the whole thread but thanks for letting me know.

 

[NULevo]

Looks nice and clean in there though, which is a good sign that the mudhugger is doing it's job.

It sure is, and the improvised pivot cover, paranoid about water getting in there now

 

[NULevo]

You might want to check the picture and extract from the service manual I posted above showing how the cable should be installed. Yours is not installed correctly according to that and pressure is being applied to the d section of the motor plug......that is where some have had that d section split open.

Thats what I thought, I'm not going to touch it though as it's working. I'll bring it up at the service in a couple of weeks.

 

[Mikerb]

I ordered a new cable despite having no problems. Just as well I did. This is what found when I took the cover off to inspect.

 

[NULevo]

I ordered a new cable despite having no problems. Just as well I did. This is what found when I took the cover off to inspect.

View attachment 25406

Thats shocking, it would be interesting to find out who assembles the bikes and whethere they are instructed in how to do it correct way, or just told what plug goes where.

 

[Mikerb]

My mate bought his bike a month later than me in may2019. He also has had no problems and the bikes have done almost the same rides and mileage. I suggested he check his cable. His had just started to crack. Neither of us has had problems probably because we do not use a hose to wash the bikes. We do ride in very wet and muddy condition though. So even with a cracked cable wet rides seem not to cause a problem....washing probably will. We clean our bikes by allowing them to mostly dry off and then use a brush...finally a damp cloth. We also both store our bikes indoors.

 

[NULevo]

I'll contact rider care and ask them arrange for a new cable when mine is in for its first service. I just hope they don't refuse in light of all the failures, they must be aware of the numbers that are faulty.

 

[gmurad]

Does rider care help people with new cables for free?

 

[HKP57]

I have a 2020 Levo Comp, I think manufacture date was Dec 2019 that I bough less than 1 week ago. This weekend I did a proper ride where it got completely covered

Cant see any of your photos.

 

[Mikerb]

I have a 2020 Levo Comp, I think manufacture date was Dec 2019 that I bough less than 1 week ago. This weekend I did a proper ride where it got completely covered in mud:

I washed it with the hose a few days ago but being somewhat careful with the motor area. Today I opened the motor cover to check and to my surprise it was very clean, just a few grains of sand in there.

I read this whole thread and figured that my cable was the version before the "last" on from a few posts behind. The only difference is that the last one goes over the connector and uses zip ties to secure it in place, but the rubber "tube" is the exact same (even the same code). So I made my cable into the new one:

In addition I added Sugru to both end of the rubber tube which provides both strength and makes the it sealed from water:

If you take your time you can make it look much better.

I also used Sugru to seal the TCU areas where water can get in through:

And finally put some electrical tape and made a gasket with sugru around the TCU where it meets the frame:

With the latest cable the the outer sheath is removed all the way from the motor plug to just short of the zip tie. The loose rubber sleeve is therefore twice as long. The idea was to make the majority of the cable much more flexible.

 

[gmurad]

Cant see any of your photos.

Just fixed this

 

[gmurad]

With the latest cable the the outer sheath is removed all the way from the motor plug to just short of the zip tie

The cable that came in mine was pretty much that way, just the position of the big zip tie was closer to the battery end of the plug, while your cable the zip tie is moved all the way to the end of the sheath where it meets the rubber tube. Mine also didn't have the rubber tube going over the base of the motor plug end. Finally they added some zip ties to seal things and for the tube not to move. I think it's pretty much the same cable with some adaptations.

 

[Webike]

GULP...

 

[gmurad]

Did that snake eat a bunch of zip ties?

 

[Webike]

Did that snake eat a bunch of zip ties?

The Python actually looks like he got into your Sugra stash.
Actually I was unaware of that form & set putty product & see that it could be useful at times although the use it or lose it hardening process does limit it's appeal for small projects.

 

[Deleted member 4988]

Well after 5 months trouble free riding my bike turned off 25k from home !! and once home I found this ... not happy at all !

 

[gmurad]

home I found this

Did you do a continuity test to make sure that the problem is the cable?

 

[Deleted member 4988]

Did you do a continuity test to make sure that the problem is the cable?

Yes, wiggled the cable and it was intermittent

 

[gmurad]

Yes, wiggled the cable and it was intermittent

Cool, good to know. Do we have a conclusive idea of what's happening to the cable? This picture makes it seem like the cable melted?

 

[Mikerb]

When I found my motor cable cap had split ( it had not got to the stage of snapping off) I took a look at what could have caused it. The way in which that version of the cable was installed was for the cable coming from the motor end plug to be pushed immediately into the void to the right of the connection and then brought over the top of that loop of cable to go towards the battery connection. That meant the rubberised "d" part of the motor plug was under some pressure from the cable. The loop of cable in that void, created by redirecting the cable back towards the battery, was unsupported and therefore free to vibrate with the movement of the bike over rough ground. I believe it is that pressure on the cap that caused it to crack. The water seal of the cable is at the point the outer cable sheath enters the "d" section. Any break/crack beyond that would allow water ingress, and/or eventually fracture one of the wires within it. I think even with that version of the cable if the loop was supported perhaps by surrounding it with motofoam, it would not end up breaking the motor connector. The new cable significantly reduces the weight and inflexibility of the loop since the outer sheath is completely removed in that section. In addition the installation of the loop is now reversed such that the cable exiting the motor plug is kept straight and on top of the loop rather than behind it. Furthermore the water seal is now hard up against the main section of the motor plug. Hopefully that resolves the problem.

I have the latest cable version fitted now but since on my original cable the motor plug was at the stage of being cracked but not yet snapped, I have repaired the crack with Aquasure ( a flexible product used for neoprene repairs but with many other uses) and will further modify it by removing a large section of the outer sheath and re wrapping it. It will then serve as a spare for me or others who experience problems.

 

[Deleted member 4988]

Cool, good to know. Do we have a conclusive idea of what's happening to the cable? This picture makes it seem like the cable melted?

No its not melted its just the rubber has deteriorated and crumbled mate

 

[NULevo]

I just contacted my local Specialized Concept Store to ask them about fitting a new cable when my Levo is in for it's first service on the 17th. They told me that the cables are only replaced if requested by the customer and they are waiting for a delivery. They will try get one for the service day, if they don't I'd be happy for them to post it as they did for Mike.

I thought there might be some resistance to, but it was if you want it you'll get it, so I'm happy with that.

Does anyone know if they update the firmware on the the first free service? If so, do they do it regardless or can I ask them not to do it?

 

[Paceman]

"Does anyone know if they update the firmware on the the first free service? If so, do they do it regardless or can I ask them not to do it?"

I expect they'll do automatically unless you specifically ask them not to.

 

[NULevo]

"Does anyone know if they update the firmware on the the first free service? If so, do they do it regardless or can I ask them not to do it?"

I expect they'll do automatically unless you specifically ask them not to.

Thanks Paceman, thats what I thought, I don't want it updated as I like the idea of changing the wheel size at some stage.

 

[Deleted member 4988]

Thanks Paceman, thats what I thought, I don't want it updated as I like the idea of changing the wheel size at some stage.

Been in touch with mine and they said they will charge £20 for the update ! jog on!

 

[NULevo]

Been in touch with mine and they said they will charge £20 for the update ! jog on!

They told me it was £20 after the first free service, i.e. at the service every year; included in the service if you take out a service plan - £200 for three services (£140 a year normally), not including fork and shock.

 

[Deleted member 4988]

They told me it was £20 after the first free service, i.e. at the service every year; included in the service if you take out a service plan - £200 for three services (£140 a year normally), not including fork and shock.

Ordered the bike from Tredz and they are mongs ..... and very slow ! Thank god for Chris at Berkshire Cycles

 

[NULevo]

Ordered the bike from Tredz and they are mongs ..... and very slow ! Thank god for Chris at Berkshire Cycles

I ordered mine online too and it wasn't the best experience, they seam to know what they're doing at the Concept Store, but I'll find out for sure on the 17th. I really wanted to go to Berkshire Cycles, but couldn't get transport as the Levo won't fit in either of the cars in the house.