Electric Mid-Drive. Installation and Assembly Instructions for Catrike 26 and 700c

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Brendan Maurice Williamson
5 years ago
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2 2 Electric Mid-Drive Components (Burley shown Catrike is similar

3 Congratulations on your purchase of EcoSpeed s Electric Mid-Drive for the Catrike recumbent Tricycles. The Electric Mid-Drive is the world s best multi-speed, throttle operated, electric-assist conversion and the only electric-assist designed specifically to fit a variety of recumbent bikes and trikes. These instructions will guide you step by step through what we hope will be a simple and painless installation of your EMD. The mechanical skills involved are modest and, we give you hints and tips at every step that reflect what a professional mechanic knows. If at any time you have problems, call us at EcoSpeed ( ) for friendly technical assistance or us at support@ecospeed.net. A word on how these instructions are organized. Each step is under a major heading Step 1:, Step 2:, etc. If you ve installed an EMD before you can just read the major headings and ignore the explanatory text. Below each major heading is a list of sub-steps. The important information in each sub-step is in bold text. If you re a competent bike mechanic, you can just read the bold text and safely ignore the rest. The remaining text is there to clarify things for non-mechanics. We ve also included tips and hints in Italics. Before getting started check that all the pieces needed were included in your shipment: Check the packing list included with your shipment. You will also need the following tools: 1) Bicycle chain breaker. Available from any bike shop. 2) 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm hex (or Allen) wrenches. (The standard L shaped hex wrenches sold at bike shops and hardware stores will probably work but, their short handles make loosening and tightening difficult, especially in the larger sizes. A better alternative is a ¼ ratchet drive wrench and hex sockets. Your local hardware store may have them or try for top quality.) 3) 10mm box or open end wrench. 4) 8mm nut driver. 5) Wire clippers or scissors. 6) Rivet Nut (water bottle mount) installation tool. (You can purchase this tool from us, use it, then return it for a full refund. Or, keep it your choice.) 7) Drill with 3/32 (or 2.5mm), 3/16 (or 5mm) and 19/64 (or 7.5mm) bits. 8) Machinists transfer punch ( included in kit). 9) Torque Wrench (optional). 10) 11/16 and 7/8 wrenches or two adjustable wrenches (optional). Needed if using optional rivet nut installation tool. Once you have all the parts and tools you need, it s time to clear a nice space to work, find several of hours time, and get to it. Step 0: Make sure that your bike is in good condition. If you haven t had your bike tuned up by your local bike shop in a while, now would be a good time. Installing the EMD will place extra stress on your bike so it s important that it be in top condition. 3

Step 1: Find a way to secure your bike while working. The best way to work on the Catrike is to just flip the trike upside down. Rest the bike on the seatback and front wheels.

4 Step 1: Find a way to secure your bike while working. The best way to work on the Catrike is to just flip the trike upside down. Rest the bike on the seatback and front wheels. You can slip cardboard or other soft material under the points that contact the ground to avoid scuffing. You can also suspend the trike from ceiling hooks as shown in Photo 1. Step 2: Remove chain. Using your chain breaker tool, split the chain, remove, and set aside. Step 3: Position the EMD Unit and check quarter bracket fit. Position the unit as shown in photo 3. Look carefully at the quarter brackets. They should be completely flush with the frame, both side to side and front to back. If they are not, loosen the bolts holding them to the motor plate and move them until you can get a flush fit. Be sure that the quarter bracket edges are slightly above the edge of the motor plate as shown in photo 2. This allows room for the curvature of the frame tube between the brackets. (1) Trike Suspended from Ceiling Hooks Step 4: Locate and align the EMD Unit. The unit should be located as far rearward as possible, touching but not overlapping the welds on the rear stays. Photo 3 shows the correct position for the Catrike. You may want to have an assistant hold the unit while you perform this step. Holding the unit on the frame, sight towards the rear wheel (which (2) Quarter Bracket Alignment will be vertical) and align the unit so that the motor plate is vertical. Be very careful with this step, it is essential to correct chain alignment. If you re not comfortable doing this by eye, you can tie a string between the front boom and the rear wheel rim and use this as an alignment reference. 4

Keep holding the unit in position so that you can perform the next step. Step 5: Mark the attach bolt centers. (photo 4). The unit is held in place with four M5 x 20mm bolts.

5 Keep holding the unit in position so that you can perform the next step. Step 5: Mark the attach bolt centers. (photo 4). The unit is held in place with four M5 x 20mm bolts. The bolts thread into rivet nuts (commonly used to mount water bottles) that are placed in the frame for that purpose. In this step you precisely mark the places where the mounts will be installed. (note that if you ever decide to remove the EMD, you can add a second pair of these mounts 2.5 (64mm) from the front or rear pair and place a pair of water bottle holders under your seat. Also, if you want to install a (3) Positioning the EMD Unit water bottle holder or two elsewhere on your frame while you have the tool, we can supply you with extra rivet nuts.) 1) Slip the included machinists transfer punch into the hole in one of the rear quarter brackets with the pointed end against the frame. The punch is almost the exact same size as the hole in the quarter bracket, so you may have to play with it to get it to go in. 2) Making sure the unit is still correctly aligned, tap the end of the punch with a hammer to make a small mark on the frame. You may have to tap it a few times to get an easily visible indentation. 3) Do step 6 to install one water bottle mounting nut. 4) After that is complete, position the unit again. One of the quarter brackets should cover the water bottle nut you just installed. Thread an M5 x 20mm bolt into the nut with a flat washer. If this is the only (4) Marking Attach Bolt Location bolt holding the unit you may still have to partially support it by hand and may have to fine tune the alignment with the bolt in place. 5) Mark and install the other rear rivet nut. Add a second M5 x 20 bolt and flat washer. Fine tune the alignment as needed then tighten both M5 s on the rear quarter brackets. At this point, the unit is secure and you can proceed to the next step. 6) Mark and install the two front rivet nuts. 5

Step 6: Install Rivet Nuts You can do this step yourself or, take the bike to any bike shop and have them install the included rivet nuts. Doing it yourself is easy with the following instructions.

6 Step 6: Install Rivet Nuts You can do this step yourself or, take the bike to any bike shop and have them install the included rivet nuts. Doing it yourself is easy with the following instructions. Note that you are drilling holes in your frame so take your time and be extremely careful. If you re concerned about weakening your frame by drilling the holes, don t be. Small holes such as these don t reduce strength at all. Once the rivet nuts and brackets are installed, the whole assembly is actually stronger than the frame was before. (5) Hole Drilled into Frame Tube 1) Drill a small pilot hole at the location of a mark you made in step 5. Use a small bit (a small bit is easier to precisely align with the indentation) such as a 3/32 (2.5mm). 2) Expand the hole size using a bit of approximately 3/16 (5mm). 3) Expand the hole to its final size using a 19/64 (7.5mm) bit (photo 5). Getting to the final hole size in two steps allows the drills to penetrate more smoothly reducing the chance of paint chipping. 4) Install the rivet nuts using the instructions that came with your tool. Photo 6 shows installation using a wrench type rivet nut tool. When using wrench type tool, be sure to not over tighten the tool. Doing so will strip the threads from inside the rivet nut. (6) Installing Rivet Nut Using Wrench Type Tool The way to avoid over tightening is to grip the wrenches close to the rivet nut tool and carefully note the effort you re exerting. When the effort starts to increase, stop turning the tool. The nut is fully installed at that point. Photo 7 shows a lever type tool similar to what we can supply. It must be adjusted so that it can properly crimp the rivet nut inside the frame. The rivet nut is threaded onto the tool as shown in Photo 7, with the flange of the rivet nut against the adjustable knurled nut on the tool. When the handle of the tool is squeezed, the nut is compressed and grips the sides of the holes in the frame. The tool should be adjusted so that it has about 1/4 of travel to insure that the rivet nut is firmly in place. Install as shown in Photo 8. You may need help squeezing the handles of the tool. It takes quite a bit of force to crimp the rivet nut in place. 5) Thread one of the M5 x 20mm into each rivet nut after installation. Photo 9. Tighten the bolt slightly to make sure the rivet nut doesn t turn. 6

(7) Lever Type Tool with Rivet Nut (8) Installing Rivet Nut If it does turn, reattach the rivet nut tool and tighten the tool another eighth turn if it s a wrench type, or squeeze the handle harder

1) Loosen the four bolts and corresponding nuts that hold the front and rear quarter brackets to the EMD unit. 2) Place the EMD unit on the frame and slip the quarter brackets over the rivet nuts.

4) Make sure that the top edge of the motor plate is flush, or nearly so, against the frame, then tighten the bolts holding the quarter clamps to the motor plate.

If you don t have a feel for how tight bolts should be, you should use a torque wrench.

7 (7) Lever Type Tool with Rivet Nut (8) Installing Rivet Nut If it does turn, reattach the rivet nut tool and tighten the tool another eighth turn if it s a wrench type, or squeeze the handle harder if it s a lever type. Repeat until the rivet nut doesn t turn when the bolt is moderately tightened. Step 7: Finish Attaching the EMD unit. 1) Loosen the four bolts and corresponding nuts that hold the front and rear quarter brackets to the EMD unit. 2) Place the EMD unit on the frame and slip the quarter brackets over the rivet nuts. (9) Rivet Nut Installed 3) Attach the quarter brackets to the rivet nuts using the m5 x 20 mm bolts. Slip a lock washer and then a flat washer over the head of each bolt before installing. 4) Make sure that the top edge of the motor plate is flush, or nearly so, against the frame, then tighten the bolts holding the quarter clamps to the motor plate. 5) Tighten the bolts holding the quarter clamps to the rivet nuts. We recommend that you use a torque wrench and torque the bolts to 55 inch-lbs (6.2 N-m). If you don t have a feel for how tight bolts should be, you should use a torque wrench. You don t want to strip out the threads of the rivet nuts and you don t want the bolts to work loose while you re riding. Step 8: Install the front chain. 1) Use the chain you removed in step 2 as the front chain. (read warning below) 2) Set the front derailleur to the smallest gear. Thread the chain through the derailleur cage, around the largest front sprocket, and through the EMD sprockets as shown in photo 10. You can use a bent coat hanger to hold the ends of the chain while you adjust the length as shown in the photo. 7

Shorten the chain using your chain breaker and join the ends so that it ends up looking roughly like photo 10 with the chain on the largest front ring.

(Hint: if you need any instruction in the use of common bicycle tools go to http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/ FAQindex.shtml) WARNING: Use only dry lubricants on all chains.

8 Shorten the chain using your chain breaker and join the ends so that it ends up looking roughly like photo 10 with the chain on the largest front ring. The reason for adjusting the chain tensioner in this position is to maximize ground clearance while in the frequently used big front ring. (Hint: if you need any instruction in the use of common bicycle tools go to FAQindex.shtml) WARNING: Use only dry lubricants on all chains. If you have been using oil to lubricate your chain, you must either replace it with a new chain, or clean it thoroughly and switch lubricants. See Maintenance section. (10) Front Chain Path Step 9: Attach drive sprocket and chainguard assembly. Attach the drive sprocket and chainguard assembly to the drive spindle using 5 M6 x 20mm button head bolts as shown in photo 11. Tighten all 5 bolts securely. Step 9: Install the chain guide tube. 1) Attach using M5 x 16mm bolt to the slot at the rear of the motor plate as shown in photo 12. Use an M5 nylock nut and washer on the motor side of the motor plate. 2) Don t tighten the bolt yet, let the guide tube hang free. (11) Drive Sprocket and Chain Guard You may be tempted to leave the chain guide tube off. We don t recommend doing this. Its purpose is to damp chain shake which can cause the chain to come off the mid-sprocket under some conditions. Step 10: Install the rear chain. Set the rear derailleur to the largest cog. Use the chain included with your kit. Thread the chain around the mid-sprocket, through the chain guide tube, around the rear cassette, and through the rear derailleur cage. 8

(13) Properly Adjusted Chain (12) Chain Guide Tube Shorten the chain, if needed, using your chain breaker tool. With the chain around the largest rear cog, it should look approximately like photo 13.

1) Align the chain guide tube so that the flexible attachment is horizontal and the bracket is vertical as on photo 12. 2) Tighten the nut and bolt holding the bracket extension to the motor plate.

9 (13) Properly Adjusted Chain (12) Chain Guide Tube Shorten the chain, if needed, using your chain breaker tool. With the chain around the largest rear cog, it should look approximately like photo 13. Join the ends of the chain with the included Powerlink connector if using the included chain, otherwise join the ends using your chain breaker tool. Step 11: Adjust the chain guide tube. 1) Align the chain guide tube so that the flexible attachment is horizontal and the bracket is vertical as on photo 12. 2) Tighten the nut and bolt holding the bracket extension to the motor plate. Step 12: Install the throttle The included hall-effect throttle slides onto the end of your handlebar as shown in photo 14. Left side mounting shown The hall-effect throttle is designed to be mounted on the right side of a horizontal bar, but fits best on the left vertical bar of your trike. Right side mounting is the usual but, left hand mounting allows you to shift and operate the throttle simultaneously, which some prefer. (14) Mounting Hall-Effect You will need to remove the bar end shifter to slide the throttle on. Also, you will need to cut the foam handgrip shorter to make room for the throttle. 2) Route the throttle wire so that is doesn t impair turning the bars, won t snag on anything, and reaches the throttle connector on the motor. 9

10 3) Connect the throttle to the motor. 4) Don t secure the throttle wire with wire ties yet. Wait until you test the system and know that everything is working then secure all the wires to the frame with the included wire ties. Step 13: Install the battery system. 1) See the included separate instructions for your type of battery system. 2) After installing the battery, secure loose wires with the included wire ties. Make sure that the wires are located so as not to interfere with the movement of the suspension. Step 14: Finish up and Test. 1) With the rear wheel suspended off of the ground, turn on the battery pack switch and press the throttle to test the system. Run the bike through all of the gears to make sure the derailleur is properly adjusted. Look at the motor chain and verify that it is running smoothly. Make sure that all wires are out of the way of all moving parts. Make sure axle bolts or skewers are tight. Proper adjustment of the gears and making sure that the rear cassette and bearings are in good shape is especially critical given the extra load the drive train will be subjected to. Also, check that the rear axle skewer or bolts are fully tightened. Axle bolts should be torqued to about 20 ft-lbs (28 Nm). Skewers should be as tight as you can comfortably make them. It is possible for the motor to pull the axle right out of the dropouts if they are loose. 3) Road test. Run through all the gears making sure they are shifting smoothly. Use full throttle in each gear to check for skipping of the drive chain. Keep speeds low at first until you re sure that everything is functioning properly and you become familiar with riding with the motor assist. 10

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