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Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Bafang Triangle Plate Rework

The time has come to add a Bafang mid-drive motor to my Tour Easy recumbent, much like the one Mary has been using for the last two years. When I got to the point of installing the motor in the bottom bracket shell, this happened:

Bafang Triangle Plate - jammed screw
Bafang Triangle Plate – jammed screw

It turns out the triangle plate has slightly misplaced bolt holes:

Bafang Triangle Plate - misplaced bolt holes
Bafang Triangle Plate – misplaced bolt holes

If you look very carefully, you’ll see the holes sit just slightly above the midline of those ears. The additional fractional millimeter below the holes touches the motor end bell and prevents them from lining up with the tapped holes.

Normally, you’d just hit the plate with a file and be done with it, but it’s ferociously hardened steel: a file bounces right off.

I deployed a Dremel sanding drum above the ShopVac’s snout to catch the abrasive dust, eroded just enough steel to line up the holes, and everything now fits the way it should.

Done!

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One response to “Bafang Triangle Plate Rework”

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