Rad Power Bikes Owners Forum

Rad Power Bikes Chat => Service & Repair => Topic started by: efhughes3 on September 21, 2020, 01:54:38 PM

Title: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: efhughes3 on September 21, 2020, 01:54:38 PM
I got my new Rover on Friday, got it together and rode around near home. Saturday, a periodic and prominent noise started to appear from time to time for a second or 2. Tied to acceleration whether on PAS and pedal or throttle. Today, I took it 5 miles to the store with no weird noise, happy as a clam. On the way home, it started in BAD, and now it was coupled with a power down and error 21. After 5-15 secs, it would power up, and when I'd tried to go it would kick in with the horrible noise (with some vibration) and power off. So, I pedaled home a couple of miles on my power. I'd think it's the planetary gears that aren't right, and the drag or misalignment-whatever-is causing the motor to get hot and that throws the error? One last thing, in PAS 3, it felt like it had a turbo kick in-it really felt like PAS 5, and I saw it fluctuate between about 330 and 650 watts, which I think is too high to see in level 3.

Just checking to see if this is something anyone else has experienced? I'm not getting any close to a quick response from Rad, I did send in a note thru support on Saturday, and left a phone message for a callback.

The noise is not the normal motor noise. I'm pretty mechanical, and understand there is noise from a planetary geared hub motor. Take a listen on this YT clip:

https://youtu.be/R47c38PlduE
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: how on September 23, 2020, 12:55:47 PM
I had much of the same thing happen to me last Friday on my 2 month old Rad rover step thru but it is complicated by being also the 1st time I've ridden through some rain. Power drops/grinding noise and vibration/ a couple of fault 21's/....and its intermittent. Three messages to Rad so far have also gone unanswered.
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: Ryan on September 23, 2020, 06:22:54 PM
I'd email Rad and be sure to share the video, something is definitely wrong.
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: efhughes3 on October 06, 2020, 07:50:05 PM
Just to close the loop on this one, it looks like the motor on my new Rover was bad. I filed a service request with Rad on a Saturday, it went to a lower level tech person, who then escalated it. That Weds afternoon I had contact from a Sr. tech support person who agreed that it sounded like motor, but said it could be the controller as well. I asked that they send both, in case it wasn't the motor, and he agreed to do that. I thought this was awesome support.

Anyway, I got shipment notice on Friday 9/24 with FedEx tracking numbers. FedEx has to be the most screwed up company around these days. After a week of no movement, last Friday a case investigator called (after I filed a complaint) to say they didn't have the parts. Well, after having two FedEx shipments run way long this summer, with no scanned activity or ETA until the morning they were out on the truck for delivery, I didn't buy it. Last Saturday they finally showed in their system, and delivered today. 11 days on what should have been 2 days. Oh well...

The last note I'll add is that Rad sent an entire wheel/motor/tire that just had to replace the existing one, so it was simple. They offered to pay labor at a shop, if I were to send them an estimate, but I opted to do it myself.

So, Rad gets 2 thumbs up, FedEx gets 2 thumbs down!
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: Ryan on October 09, 2020, 01:29:00 PM
Just to close the loop on this one, it looks like the motor on my new Rover was bad. I filed a service request with Rad on a Saturday, it went to a lower level tech person, who then escalated it. That Weds afternoon I had contact from a Sr. tech support person who agreed that it sounded like motor, but said it could be the controller as well. I asked that they send both, in case it wasn't the motor, and he agreed to do that. I thought this was awesome support.

Anyway, I got shipment notice on Friday 9/24 with FedEx tracking numbers. FedEx has to be the most screwed up company around these days. After a week of no movement, last Friday a case investigator called (after I filed a complaint) to say they didn't have the parts. Well, after having two FedEx shipments run way long this summer, with no scanned activity or ETA until the morning they were out on the truck for delivery, I didn't buy it. Last Saturday they finally showed in their system, and delivered today. 11 days on what should have been 2 days. Oh well...

The last note I'll add is that Rad sent an entire wheel/motor/tire that just had to replace the existing one, so it was simple. They offered to pay labor at a shop, if I were to send them an estimate, but I opted to do it myself.

So, Rad gets 2 thumbs up, FedEx gets 2 thumbs down!

Thanks for reporting back.
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: Tornado on December 01, 2020, 04:00:38 PM
Just to close the loop on this one, it looks like the motor on my new Rover was bad. I filed a service request with Rad on a Saturday, it went to a lower level tech person, who then escalated it. That Weds afternoon I had contact from a Sr. tech support person who agreed that it sounded like motor, but said it could be the controller as well. I asked that they send both, in case it wasn't the motor, and he agreed to do that. I thought this was awesome support.

Anyway, I got shipment notice on Friday 9/24 with FedEx tracking numbers. FedEx has to be the most screwed up company around these days. After a week of no movement, last Friday a case investigator called (after I filed a complaint) to say they didn't have the parts. Well, after having two FedEx shipments run way long this summer, with no scanned activity or ETA until the morning they were out on the truck for delivery, I didn't buy it. Last Saturday they finally showed in their system, and delivered today. 11 days on what should have been 2 days. Oh well...

The last note I'll add is that Rad sent an entire wheel/motor/tire that just had to replace the existing one, so it was simple. They offered to pay labor at a shop, if I were to send them an estimate, but I opted to do it myself.

So, Rad gets 2 thumbs up, FedEx gets 2 thumbs down!

Did you have to replace both the motor and controller to resolve the issue?

I have been experiencing a very similar problem and Rad has agreed to send a new motor and I just want to make sure I do not require a controller as well.

Thanks.
Title: Re: New RadRover motor failing(?)
Post by: surfer8210 on December 03, 2020, 02:46:00 PM
I had a similar issue with my Rover 5, on my first ride and less than 1/4 mile into it.
Bad vibration, and noise sounding like it was coming from the motor.
I had a new 35amp controller arrive prior to the bike so I threw that on and no issues since.
I had posted my experience in a Facebook group and someone replied that it’s most likely the controller and apparently it was.



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