Lower Mount Strap on my GeBe broke!!!

[PiousPedals]

I have over 10,000 miles on my kit. My first major mishap occured yesterday. My Lower Mount Strap broke 25 miles from home in Fort Lauderdale It broke at the weakest point on the rig, where one of the predrilled bolt holes is for the engine mount. I did manage to motor home at almost full throttle the whole way with only half of the mount strap holding the engine. It was a wobbely ride home. I will say I was glad I had a fender on my rig. It helped keep the engine assembly off the wheel :-/ Cautiously, I was certain to miss larger bumps and other obstacles without disrupting traffic too much more than normal. I still say it's a great kit! This hobby is certainly for a person that likes to tinker... My GeBe is as close as I've seen to reliable in this industry... But alas, this is a world where rust destroys. Stuff Breaks!!! Time to order a new part, or maybe build a better one!

I had a feeling when I left I shouldn't have gone so far from home yesterday, my ride started out with a small run-in with a car that left her fender dented pretty badly and me letting her go before the cops came!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/fishnchamp1/DSC00040.jpg

 

[Alaskavan]

Seems like I read about someone else having a break in that same spot. I don't think they had a fender. Glad you got home okay.

 

[ibdennyak]

Well, if you got 10,000 relatively trouble free miles, I think it did pretty well for you. If I had one do that, I would have it bronzed and mounted in a place of distinction.

Denny

 

[PiousPedals]

Me Too Alaska! A cell phone and a cab ride is always an option, but that just feels like defeat :-/

Denny,
I am saying the same thing... Great product! Granted, I had problems with it early on, but most of that was because I was trying to do things with that kit that it wasn't designed for (tried to mount the ring on a different spoke pattern)... The only thing that I didn't like about the kit was the kill switch. It tended to kill the engine when I didn't want it to. Ripped that baby off and just use the switch on the side of the engine now... My next project is going to be a GeBe Tandem...

 

[gone_fishin]

ah-ha!

i also have a mount-strap that is stressed inward to meet my slightly-narrower axle. thanks to this topic, i'll be taking things apart and bending the strap to match without strain. it should last forever after that, altho i wouldn't complain about 10k, either.

ps-i drilled holes in my fender to clear the mounting hardware. it made a huge difference, both in noise and proper alignment.

 

[JemmaUK]

10,000 miles and its still in one piece, there have been cars that havent managed that distance ...

glad you got home ok and that you didnt end up hurt...

Just a thought but did you have a look at the point of breakage? I just wonder if the metal at that point had crystallised or anything due to stress...

congrats on the 10k - it sounds like you might be the holder of the distance record on here

Jemma xx

 

[larymor]

What about belt life.....how many miles do you get per belt?

 

[gone_fishin]

Just a thought but did you have a look at the point of breakage?

it's right at a hole...so i'm surmising it's because of the inward stress due to a narrow axle arrangement. imo, best bet would be to use a vise and do 2 offsets on either side, making sure it slips into place instead of being forched inward. after reading this and looking closer at mine, i see how it will also help to perfectly align the belt and drive-gear.

when i next change my rear tire, i'll be doing just that.

 

[PiousPedals]

I didn't have to force it, but there was a very mild spreading action to get the strap on the bike...

As far as belt life I got just over 7000 miles before replacing a belt... The belt had to be replaced because my fender was chewing it up. I'm sure it could have lasted longer!

 

[gone_fishin]

well, even a "mild" spread has to have an effect after 10k...i was just making the obvious observation that your post led me to finally see...

for longest life, the mount-strap should be bent to meet and easily "slide" into place over the axle