STEPS E8000 Motor Service

[SmokeyBear]

How many miles on you bike?

Around 1400 to 1500.

 

[Bearing Man]

Would you work on an out of warranty motor, with the owner accepting any risk? Makes on the casing wouldn't bother me, its scratched to hell already

Maybe... I can be bribed with beer or sweets...

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

Around 1400 to 1500.

My e8000 has 3800 miles on it and is only 1 1/2 years old so potentially still on warranty. It just started to make a clacking metallic sound but only when pedaling and ONLY under no or light load (power on or off). It's perfectly quiet under load or no pedaling. I'm pretty sure this is coming from the motor and now the freewheel, clutch, chain, suspension or cassette. Sounds like gear backlash to me and not a bearing. What symptom did you have to make you want to change the bearings. Since my bike still runs and is useable I doubt that Shimano will do much if anything and it's a Focus Jam2 so they are not even doing business in the US. thanks

 

[SmokeyBear]

My e8000 has 3800 miles on it and is only 1 1/2 years old so potentially still on warranty. It just started to make a clacking metallic sound but only when pedaling and ONLY under no or light load (power on or off). It's perfectly quiet under load or no pedaling. I'm pretty sure this is coming from the motor and now the freewheel, clutch, chain, suspension or cassette. Sounds like gear backlash to me and not a bearing. What symptom did you have to make you want to change the bearings. Since my bike still runs and is useable I doubt that Shimano will do much if anything and it's a Focus Jam2 so they are not even doing business in the US. thanks

All I knew was that something had changed in the sound of the motor it was still driving fine, but the noise I could hear sounded like a bearing.
When I saw the shit that had got in past the seal, and the black greasy muck around the outside of the 6805Z bearing, it was obviously dead. There are also 3 one way clutches on the seperate gear spindles, one of those didnt sound/feel great either, I've since done about 30 miles on the bike, it definitely is alot smoother and quieter than it was before, but after seeing how the needle bearings had put a shine on the through axle ideally I should have replaced those too.

If/when I go back inside the motor I'll get some better pictures and dig deeper into the gears with one way clutches, I'm not sure if internal parts like that are even available.

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

All I knew was that something had changed in the sound of the motor it was still driving fine, but the noise I could hear sounded like a bearing.
When I saw the shit that had got in past the seal, and the black greasy muck around the outside of the 6805Z bearing, it was obviously dead. There are also 3 one way clutches on the seperate gear spindles, one of those didnt sound/feel great either, I've since done about 30 miles on the bike, it definitely is alot smoother and quieter than it was before, but after seeing how the needle bearings had put a shine on the through axle ideally I should have replaced those too.

If/when I go back inside the motor I'll get some better pictures and dig deeper into the gears with one way clutches, I'm not sure if internal parts like that are even available.

Those clutches sound like they might be the source of my issues. With just a noise under no load it might be hard to get Shimano to say that this is not in tolerance so I'll continue to ride it and see if it gets a lot worse.

 

[SmokeyBear]

Those clutches sound like they might be the source of my issues. With just a noise under no load it might be hard to get Shimano to say that this is not in tolerance so I'll continue to ride it and see if it gets a lot worse.

I noticed that they are mounted on the shafts with a circlip either side, so it might be possible to clean them out with solvent and repack with grease, but it means pulling off more small bearings to get to them, and these need to be set back on the shafts to a precise measurement from end to end, so that they fit perfectly back in the case. Not impossible but more time involved.

 

[Bagpu55]

This is brilliant news well done!!

 

[electricbogaloo]

What about the seal between the motor casing that gets damaged by opening it?

 

[SmokeyBear]

What about the seal between the motor casing that gets damaged by opening it?

I cleaned it off with solvent and resealed the case with a thin smear of Blue Hylomar.

 

[electricbogaloo]

Did someone try to get hold of off a new seal from shimano?

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

Those clutches sound like they might be the source of my issues. With just a noise under no load it might be hard to get Shimano to say that this is not in tolerance so I'll continue to ride it and see if it gets a lot worse.

Well a bit of good news here. I dug out and installed my original Raceface rear wheel and cassette along with the chain used on that combo. The noise is gone now!! So it wasn't the motor after all. The suspect wheel (Speedtuned Exile+ CF) looks good as far as the freewheel goes, no wear on the 4 pawls but lots of wear on the aluminum cassette driver of course. The cassette fits pretty loose and I will do some comparing today. I would like to use the Exile+ CF wheel since it's 300 g lighter but the since I'm using the 5 cartridge bearings and 5 pawls Novatec 462 (not the stock 162) with the steel cassette driver that NEVER shows any sign of wear, it is much better suited for ebikes. I have a new SLX cassette (been using XT) that I have as a backup and new 701 chains coming today. I'm debating if I should try them on the Exile wheel or maybe even buy a new cassette driver for the Exile (the cartridge bearings are all good). I'm not sure what could be generating this sound in the Exile at this point and 300g is not that big of price to pay for a really strong rear wheel.

 

[SmokeyBear]

Did someone try to get hold of off a new seal from shimano?

It's some sort of non setting compound. Its sticky but it's not really a gasket, can't be removed and replaced.

 

[SmokeyBear]

Well a bit of good news here. I dug out and installed my original Raceface rear wheel and cassette along with the chain used on that combo. The noise is gone now!! So it wasn't the motor after all. The suspect wheel (Speedtuned Exile+ CF) looks good as far as the freewheel goes, no wear on the 4 pawls but lots of wear on the aluminum cassette driver of course. The cassette fits pretty loose and I will do some comparing today. I would like to use the Exile+ CF wheel since it's 300 g lighter but the since I'm using the 5 cartridge bearings and 5 pawls Novatec 462 (not the stock 162) with the steel cassette driver that NEVER shows any sign of wear, it is much better suited for ebikes. I have a new SLX cassette (been using XT) that I have as a backup and new 701 chains coming today. I'm debating if I should try them on the Exile wheel or maybe even buy a new cassette driver for the Exile (the cartridge bearings are all good). I'm not sure what could be generating this sound in the Exile at this point and 300g is not that big of price to pay for a really strong rear wheel.

I'm glad you've found it to be something other than the motor. My original KMC chain has got a bit worn and a slight squeaking. Got a new one ready to go, but will replace cassette and freehub body at the same time.
Got my One up pedals a few days back, they are awesome. ??

 

[Sapientiea]

This is really helpful especially wen our motors are out of service. Would definitely have a go at it if needed.Thanks a lot!
What strength Hylomar did you use?

 

[SmokeyBear]

This is really helpful especially wen our motors are out of service. Would definitely have a go at it if needed.Thanks a lot!
What strength Hylomar did you use?

Just standard Blue Hylomar, not sure if there are different strengths. ?‍

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

Back in the 70's I rebuilt hundreds of Kawasaki motors as a mechanic and we used a grey liquid for all bare metal to metal sealing such as cases split up the middle that must be oil tight. Yamaha has one as does Honda and probably the same material. Here is the Yamaha material:

Yamalube Yamabond 4 | Parts & Accessories | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Shop for Oil & Chemicals, like Yamalube Yamabond 4 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We have the best prices on dirt bike, atv and motorcycle parts, apparel and accessories and offer excellent customer service.

www.rockymountainatvmc.com

 

[SmokeyBear]

Back in the 70's I rebuilt hundreds of Kawasaki motors as a mechanic and we used a grey liquid for all bare metal to metal sealing such as cases split up the middle that must be oil tight. Yamaha has one as does Honda and probably the same material. Here is the Yamaha material:

Yamalube Yamabond 4 | Parts & Accessories | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Shop for Oil & Chemicals, like Yamalube Yamabond 4 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We have the best prices on dirt bike, atv and motorcycle parts, apparel and accessories and offer excellent customer service.

www.rockymountainatvmc.com

Yeah I liked the idea that Hylomar would stay non-set, and it only really needs to keep water out, rather than holding oil or taking heat.
The original sealer was still sticky.

 

[RODRIGOCARO]

I've just serviced my E8000 motor and replaced some bearings, it's now working quietly and smoothly like new.
If anyone needs any advice, I've got the bearing numbers and some pictures to help see what goes where.
Gimme a shout if you are stuck.

can clunking be repaired?

 

[SmokeyBear]

can clunking be repaired?

I guess it depends on the clunky.... ?‍

 

[RODRIGOCARO]

thanks, the noise is going down, sorry for my english

 

[RODRIGOCARO]

I guess it depends on the clunky.... ?‍

thanks, the noise is going down, sorry for my english

 

[electricbogaloo]

I think it can't be 'repaired' because its a functional play allowing the motor to disengage.

 

[RODRIGOCARO]

It is normal

 

[Colin Black]

I've just serviced my E8000 motor and replaced some bearings, it's now working quietly and smoothly like new.
If anyone needs any advice, I've got the bearing numbers and some pictures to help see what goes where.
Gimme a shout if you are stuck.

Hello, I am so impressed with what you have done with your E8000 motor, well done. I am 74 and ride a Raleigh Strada E-Bike on the steps E-6000. I have done 16500 miles and need to put a new chainring on and I am having problems getting the right tools to undo the locking ring. I looked on Park tools and I bought Lockring tool LRT-2 as it stated Shimano Steps, arrived Monday but it is too big. I am at a loss as to what tool to get now. Sorry to bother you but you may have a better idea than I do. Thank you Colin.

 

[johnf0246]

So I have a E8000 motor that has 7,800 miles on it. In anticipation of a future need to replace the bearings I checked with a local NSK bearing distributor in Arizona, USA and gave him the list of bearings previously listed. He was only able to find one listed in his database. When I checked the Specialty Bearing website in the UK they had all the listed bearings in stock except the NSK Z0069. I was wondering if the listing of that bearing number is correct? Also there was mention of the two needle bearings that are located on either drive side that may need replacement and what those bearing numbers are? Lastly the above mentioned bearings that end with a Z are shown as ending with a ZZ on the Specialty Bearing website. Is a just Z ending the same as ZZ? The Arizona distributor said a Z ending means metal shielded rather than rubber. Can I assume Specialty Bearing in the UK can deliver to the US at this point in time?

 

[johnf0246]

To give an update on my 15 month old E8000 motor with 7,800 miles on it, shortly after doing the above 1/22/2021 post I started to have an issue with the motor not supplying the normal torque that i was having in hundreds of previous rides. Long story shortened, I took the bike to a local Shimano dealer who said that there was some kind of torque sensor problem and Shimano would replace the motor under warranty when a USA E8000 became available sometime around August 2021. Apparently there aren't any warranty motors available until then.

So I took it upon myself to order a new motor on Ebay from a Sweden bike shop. The only problem will be the lower max power speed of 15 MPH rather than the normal US 20 MPH for a Class I Ebike, I hope to get the new motor by 2/25/2021. I plan on getting the new E8000 warranty motor in August 2021, so i can get back to the US 20 MPH speed which works well on the highway. Does anyone know how to update the Euro motor firmware to increase the max speed to 20 MPH?

 

[iXi]

To give an update on my 15 month old E8000 motor with 7,800 miles on it, shortly after doing the above 1/22/2021 post I started to have an issue with the motor not supplying the normal torque that i was having in hundreds of previous rides. Long story shortened, I took the bike to a local Shimano dealer who said that there was some kind of torque sensor problem and Shimano would replace the motor under warranty when a USA E8000 became available sometime around August 2021. Apparently there aren't any warranty motors available until then.

So I took it upon myself to order a new motor on Ebay from a Sweden bike shop. The only problem will be the lower max power speed of 15 MPH rather than the normal US 20 MPH for a Class I Ebike, I hope to get the new motor by 2/25/2021. I plan on getting the new E8000 warranty motor in August 2021, so i can get back to the US 20 MPH speed which works well on the highway. Does anyone know how to update the Euro motor firmware to increase the max speed to 20 MPH?

ST Unlocker

ST Unlocker - unleash the power of your E-Bike motor!

www.stunlocker.com

Works perfectly

 

[johnf0246]

View attachment 42656 View attachment 42657 View attachment 42658 View attachment 42659

 

[johnf0246]

Just be aware that when you take the cover off the motor there are a couple of sprung shims that keep pressure on the gears. TAKE NOTE WHERE THEY GO!

In the first picture you can see the through axle on the right hand side, that bearing is the noisy one.
That's an NSK 6805Z, shown in the last picture too.

On the other end of the axle is the larger (brown rubber seal) bearing it's an NSK 6808D.

The other smaller bearings are 3x NSK Z0069, and 1x NSK 6000Z, but I found these to be ok.

You will see inside the speed sensor and final drive gear there are some cartridge style roller bearings in there, they just need to be cleaned and greased, one side needs a small hook tool to remove a rubber seal so you can get at the bearing.

You will need a small bearing puller, I bought a 4" one on amazon for £9.
A punch and a small hammer to seat new bearings carefully, (or a press and a sleeve), some degreaser or solvent, and some patience to clean everything before re-installation.

Hope this helps, as I couldn't find any info on repairing E8000 motors at all!

What does the bearing puller look like to pull the motor bearings?

 

[Derek]

All I knew was that something had changed in the sound of the motor it was still driving fine, but the noise I could hear sounded like a bearing.
When I saw the shit that had got in past the seal, and the black greasy muck around the outside of the 6805Z bearing, it was obviously dead. There are also 3 one way clutches on the seperate gear spindles, one of those didnt sound/feel great either, I've since done about 30 miles on the bike, it definitely is alot smoother and quieter than it was before, but after seeing how the needle bearings had put a shine on the through axle ideally I should have replaced those too.

If/when I go back inside the motor I'll get some better pictures and dig deeper into the gears with one way clutches, I'm not sure if internal parts like that are even available.

Thanks so much for the research and work done and letting others know of your experiences. It would be interesting now in hindsight and seeing what had become worn, to see if anything would be useful to reduce the what really is premature degradation / failure of the internals. Based on Bearing Mans additional comments on corrosion, are there any things we can do now to reduce these issues and prolong the life of the E8000?? Thanks again for sharing