Yamaha PW Motor Bearing Overhaul 

Not really. I used to work for a major manufacturer of vehicles and while we encouraged the end-user to visit an authorized dealer for all repairs, we knew that most seeking repairs outside of warranty did not do so. There is no hatred involved. Remember that all dealers, authorized or not, are simply independent businessman, just like those who provide us parts and repairs for any vehicle, electric or otherwise. As for proprietary parts issues...those will always be with us. I am happy to see so much can be done with my Yamaha PW motor. It frankly very encouraging!

Looking 4 it job dun on my bike 🚲

how much was the service?

@@jerryx2000 it depends how many of the bearings need replacement. I paid around €100 plus postage as I got them all done. Fantastic bloke who has amazing customer service and knowledge.

@@Cheekeemunkey that is damn cheap. Where do you live? How is the motor holding up? I got the PWX2 and am very happy ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QFu-uA6pgLI.html

I dont think so. My brother has had a lot of problems with it.

Excellent question! It's tough because we get this number of questions for every video too, along with Facebook, WhatsApp, email, text and phone, so not a lot of work gets done 😂

Hello Greg, We are based in the UK and ship world wide (Including Scotland :)

Limited Grain. You're better off looking for a 'Yamaha PW Spider' then you can fit whichever chain ring you wish. I had to do this with my Giant 'Stance E+'.. The pressed steel direct mount chainring is very poor quality and alomost impossible to find a replacement. See my link here: www.tredz.co.uk/.FSA-Yamaha-e-Bike-Spider_204806.htm?source=aw&awc=6821_1591464323_bef90c4283868ce998fdb614a9e58d2b& Hope this helps ?

A really late reply, But on the PW it uses the 104 BCD type. It's fits on the spider the motor comes with.. Which can actually house 2 chainrings or 1 chainring and a bash guard. Your chain stay will determine how big of chainring you can have as the inner.

You're right about the bearings and you can buy them here: www.ebikemotorcentre.com/yamaha-pw-and-pw-se/

Hi Tom, Yes, you have a very similar motor fitted. You will have the Yamaha PW-X motor in your bike (branded Giant). It is serviceable. We stock the bearings for the PW-X or can service/repair it for you.

Hi, The PW-X can be very tight in the frame, it also needs to come out at the right angle. You could gently lever the motor with a bar or large screw driver and you should see it move. If there is no movement don't force it and get help.

Hi Rick, this can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but Yamaha give a generic torque for the 8mm frame bolts of 19Nm. Haibike give a torque of 22Nm for example. I would ask your bikes manufacturer or try to find a manual for your particular bike.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Thanks for the answer. Shortly after I commented I realised that they say 22Nm on them, mine is a Haibike too.

These bolts don't tend to come loose on the Yamaha whether thread lock is used or not. There is normally more than enough thread lock left on the bolts but if in doubt it would not hurt to apply some semi permanent thread lock.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Thank you very much

Excellent question Lee. 99% of all ebike motors run "dry" i.e. they have no oil inside them. If you regularly spray a lubricant at the bearings it eventually makes its way into the motor and from there it makes a right mess! It can alter or dilute the greases, affect circuit boards and coatings, it also takes me hours to clean out if someone has done this. So, in answer to your question, don't, it's definitely detrimental.

@@Ebikemotorcentre thank you. Keep up the great work and I'll let you know when my motor needs a rebuild so i can bring it to you

I know people have done this but it's not something we currently get involved with. We just try to specialise on the mechanics of the motors.

Sorry, no motor mount is compatible with any other competitor. You would also have to change the battery as well as the controller and all the looms.

Yes, we have looked at this quite seriously. If you could get a different motor to talk to the original battery (changing both battery and motor is not normally economically viable) then getting the crank in the exact same position both left, right, back and forth will require a different fitting kit for almost every bike out there. It was not a viable project for us.

Try here www.avdweb.nl/ This guy has done a solar bike.

Yes, I have them in stock.

Currently it's only mechanical repairs but we are looking into the electronics and should be able to offer this service one day.

@@Ebikemotorcentre cool, I hope it will be an open market to get parts for repair...bearings are easy to find, but specific axle or gears I guess is just for brand service.

@@tizzadh If only it were all that easy, I looked for months to find the bearings so if you know where to find the crankshaft bearings with the groove cut in them the specific depth for the O-rings, please let me know because we have ours made. I can supply a few new parts now, like the plastic drive gear etc.

@@Ebikemotorcentre hehe I was talking about normal bearings but u are right, these specific bearings sure are difficult to find :)

Just search U.S.PRO TOOLS AT091 👍

They have the same square drive crank as the PW and PW-SE so I would expect them to be very similar inside. Because these are all still in warranty we wont see them for another year or so.

@@Ebikemotorcentre thanks, it'll be interesting to find out

I pulled the motor out of the bike frame and the 3 motor mount holes have become elongated.

@@1prozak614 Good news, shows your motor has been moving and I am sure your click will be gone once refitted and tightened (Don't go mad but go a little tighter than the recommended 22Nm).

Yes, most ebike motors are brushless.

Your issue, does not sound like a bearing. If a bearing is bad enough to "grind" you would normally know something was badly wrong. Can you feel anything through your feet when this happens? Can you replicate it by turning the cranks by hand without the chain on? Does the crankshaft feel smooth while turning by hand? Is there any up and down play in the crankshaft? Is there enough gap between the chainring spider and the motor cover?

Hello first of all,thank you for answering my question.i will tomorow check all the things you told me to do and then i will let you know what i found.big thx 👍👍

We have not yet seen inside an ST as they are generally all under warranty, but rest assured that we will support the ST when people need us to.

@@Ebikemotorcentre fantastic, thanks for that, will take note. Just wanted to make sure the ST will have enough parts to fix/freshen with new bearings etc. I’m one of those guys that like to have spares and back up for my motors 👍 cheers.

Пожалуйста.

9 times out of 10 a creak is due to the motor bolts not being tight enough causing the aluminium frame to creak against the aluminium motor. The creak is usually heard on the power stroke, and bit worse going up hill. If this is the case, try tightening your motor bolts first. Also check the chainring to spider bolts. The chainring can creak against the spider. All other creaks on the bike will usually travel down the frame and emanate from the motor area, seat post, bar stem, rear suspension linkage, etc. One thing that does not usually creak are bearings :)

@@Ebikemotorcentre , do you think you could diagnose this sound? ru-vid.comLj4jbgTVUIA

Yamaha are a very reliable motor if kept dry. They can suffer some printed circuit board failures, and the occasional stripped plastic gear but in general they are good.

No, nothing changes so no software changes needed.

No problem James, just follow this link to our service page and it should tell you all you need to know: www.ebikemotorcentre.com/repair-overhaul-upgrades/

Why did it look so messy inside and why is water ingress an issue with them? Bosch looks cleaner from what I've seen.

I would remove the chain and turn the cranks by hand. If it is a bearing you should hear it, feel for play in the crank and contact me through www.performancelinebearings.com if you need anything or have further questions, I will be happy to help.

Yes, we have these in stock, both new and used depending on your budget. As prices change I can't post them here, but email me at enquiries@performancelinebearings.com and let us know what country you and we will be happy to help.

Only option is to fit a PW-SE motor and new controller. No cheap way that we have found yet.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Thanks. That's what I thought, but I was hoping you might have found a way. Just curious....what is the cost of doing a bearing job like your video describes?

@@wasuppa Take a look here: www.performancelinebearings.com/repair-overhaul-service/

@@wasuppa All the prices are on my website, or drop me an email. I can't put prices here because over the years they change. 👍

On the Yamaha it's usually loose chainring bolts, causing the chainring to creak on the spider. If not that, try motor bolts or saddle stem. lastly try rear suspension linkage if you have it? Good luck and if it does turn out to be the motor, you know where to find us.

1200Pete Thanks for the advice Pete, I have stripped it down and rebuilt it, with new chain ring, there was a minute bit of play in the axle but nothing that would worry me and the seals look good, I will buy a bearing set off you next month anyway ready for when it needs doing cheers

1200Pete You were spot on Pete, New chain ring and bolts and squeaking gone So a bit more life yet Thanks

@@Ebikemotorcentre excellent advise, cheers

The only needle bearing is the clutch bearing inside the plastic gear and this should be pre-greased (don't use high pressure, Teflon or ceramic based greases on the clutch bearing if you do need to grease it).

You will definitely need a set of blind bearing pullers and the smaller of the two bearings can be tough to remove. I actually had a tool made in the end. Yamaha are about the cheapest motor we repair, but as prices change regularly please contact me for latest pricing.

Thanks 1200Pete, appreciate the quick reply. Great video by the way, very concise and informative. :)

Ich weiß, dass Menschen dies getan haben, aber wir beschäftigen uns derzeit nicht damit. Wir versuchen einfach, uns auf die Mechanik der Motoren zu spezialisieren.

Pedal strikes can result in broken gears or internal circlips. It should be investigated as soon as possible.

Merci quand même 👍🏽

No, rain will not cause too many issues. Road puddles are not an issue either, floods should be avoided if deeper than the crank.

Yes, we have suppliers all over the world, you can find our New Zealand supplier here www.performancelinebearings.com/suppliers/

@@Ebikemotorcentre thank you so much for that cheers

This really depends on the terrain you ride on, what weather you ride in and how you clean your bike. But with the Yamaha motor, I would clean and re-grease at approx. 2,000 to 3,000 miles. (3,000 to 5,000 km)

Remove the chain from the chainring and spin the crank. If it feels free its not your bearings. It is more likely to be a dying battery? Has it been stored at room temperature and kept at 60% ish. Or has the battery been left flat or fully charged for long periods or stored at low temperatures? Any of these will degrade the battery.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Thanks for the quick response! I have 2 bikes with the same yamaha 500Wh battery, mine has 6500 Km, my GF's 2500 Km.. I also tried to ride with her battery but I still see the same range. Is it possible to inspect the state of the bearings without removing them? As my bike warranty expired in January, I guess there's no problem if I open the motor at this point. I did spin the cranks with the chain off when I replaced the chain but I can't remember exactly what I felt at that time.. I guess it was ok'ish at least otherwise I would've noticed it easily, right?

@@sterpumihai If you're happy to, I would remove the side cover and see what the smaller motor and gear shaft support bearings feel like? It is not unusual to have the drive gear support bearing seize and this puts a lot of drag on the electric motor. Please email me if you have further questions enquiries@performancelinebearings.com

Sorry, I had to remove your link. The part you need is a crank puller for an ISIS drive crank www.performancelinebearings.com/product/crank-arm-puller/

Never known a clutch bearing to fail before the crank bearings yet?

​ @1200Pete ok, understood. Is it possible to regrease everything without removing bearings? Like clutch bearing for example, it looks like there are no options to grease it without transfer gear disassemby.

@@AiSavvy I would be looking more at your motors freewheel ratchet and pawl mechanism, it maybe this that is failing? The pawls get stuck if they have been over greased. I would be extremely surprised if it turned out to be anything to do with the actual clutch bearing. If the clutch bearing is failing, grease will not help. Personally, I would take a look first or send your motor to us for inspection.

​@@Ebikemotorcentre I'd like to send it to you, but I'm living in Ukraine, and it's my commuter bike) Thanks for the info, will try to disassemble it first and regrease.

@@AiSavvy We do motors from all over the world but if you get stuck feel free to email be through enquiries@performancelinebearings.com 👍

Yes, please follow this link and search for your country: www.ebikemotorcentre.com/where-to-buy/

Just email me, enquiries@performancelinebearings.com 👍

If you're sure this is not coming from the drive train then notchy feeling on a PW-X can be bearings if accompanied by grating noise. If relatively quiet it can also be gearing. Either way, do not be tempted to keep riding it. Get it looked at before any serious damage occurs.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Thanks for the reply. There is no noise as far as I can tell. Do you mean the motors internal gears?

@@gabriels1163 I have just read your original question and now understand you were meaning a notchy feeling from the chain and sprockets. I would suspect these before looking at the motor.

Hi Rab, these motors are not really service items and technically should be fit and forget items... However, as we know, they are affected by a number of things, but as to how often they should be serviced, I would recommend doing exactly what you have just done. If you notice the crank getting rough or noisy, time for a service/repair. Keep an eye on it though and never let it get too bad. (If you can hear the bearings while actually riding, it is too late!).

@@Ebikemotorcentre Many thanks for your quick reply, its very much appreciated. I will probably wait until winter and send the motor off to you for a full overhaul, I will keep an eye on it in the meantime though!

@@rabh6746 I will be gobsmacked if it lasts till winter time, but here when you need us.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Probably just wishful thinking on my part, what kind of turn around could I expect if I send it off soon?

@@rabh6746 Currently 10 to 12 working days 👍

You can find all the bearings here: www.ebikemotorcentre.com If you are outside of UK click on the 'worldwide partners' tab on our site.

Thank you, as soon as we get time the PW-X will be next (same as Giant Syncdrive pro)

1200Pete awesome thanks man 👌🤘. I’ve always been looking for someone who actually specialises in these motors because the syncdrive pro motor is quite unpopular.

If you buy your bearings from us or one of our suppliers they will all be measurable for the size. Some of the bearings for this motor have to be manufactured or altered.

Do you mean the puller?

@@Ebikemotorcentre yes please

@@wildriders752 Just look on Ebay under 2 legged thin jaw puller and you'll find them. They are made by US-Pro

What motor do you have, PW Series 1, 2, 3, or PW-SE Series 1 or 2, PW-X, PW-X2, etc. If you're unsure, just give me the number on the silver sticker on the bottom of your motor and I will fit the corresponding motor into our test bike and let you know what the voltage is.

@@Ebikemotorcentre it's the haibike sduro hardseven 1 2018 yamaha. The motor is the Yamaha PW Crank Drive 36V 250 Watt. 50 - 280% Assist, 70Nm. Does this help? I will strip the bike and get the number to you shortly aswell

The number on the silver sticker is X0X20 5048535 Thanks I appreciate you're help 👍

@@kevtins3949 This is a PW Series 2. The output on our test bike is variable, there is a low rolling voltage that cycles between 1 or 2V to 0.08V so nowhere near 26V. Hope this helps.

@@Ebikemotorcentre was this on the brown to earth, yes I had similar outputs on the other wires

Software is the only difference I can find. All the internal parts are identical. Oh, and one has a different badge on the later ones.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Hi, First of all "Big thumb up" for your Great work... Txs, for your quick answear, just a personal question : Yamaha or Bosch Motors ? I´m looking for a Ebike..:)

@@danilos767 My politically correct answer is, most motors are good these days. I think you should buy the bike you like, regardless of what motor it uses. Don't pay too much attention to the forums and enjoy what ever you decide to buy.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Yeahhh, true ! My problem is...i got a Yamaha MT01 , yamaha tmax...hahha so, from start i´m a japanese Friend..:)

Yamaha show a service being done in their manuals, but they don't say when this should happen!? There is two bronze bush bearings inside this motor that tend to bear into the crankshaft if they are not looked after and personally I would re-grease these every 2,000 to 3,000km

@@Ebikemotorcentre is it the same for the pw-x2? Internal build.

@@jerryx2000 Yes.

Hi Gemma, It sounds like water may have got into your motor? If this happens it can seize one or some of the bearings and from your symptoms it maybe the crankshaft needle roller bearing is seizing up. If enough water enters the motor it will reach the circuit board and this maybe why it is not switching on anymore. Did you jet wash your bike? Contact me through www.performancelinebearings.com I maybe able to help.

Hi Marc, All the bearings are for sale on my website www.performancelinebearings.com I have spent a lot of money on motors to film, access bearing types and sizes. Some of the bearings, like Yamaha crankshaft bearings, are not standard, they have special sealing and groves cut for external O-rings. This is why it is easiest to buy from us, so you get the best and correct parts.

We currently have torque sensors in stock. Feel free to contact us through www.performancelinebearings.com

@@Ebikemotorcentre thx man.i will do just that

and great video thanks

@@karenhughes9087 please contact me regards the circuit board. enquiries@performancelinebearings.com

There are no physical fuses that can be changed.

@@Ebikemotorcentre thanks for that info..my bike has stoped after i shorted the charger dc main power wires ..now it wont go.iv pulled the battery apart and can see no burnt bits on bms and seens cells are good as its 36v..it was about half charge so looks good. giant dealer dosent know ither and giant is in lock down for c19..if you have any ideas it would be apreciated..thanks. ps my bike is not under waranty as i baught it second hand.

@@russellwilson5246 Unfortunately, the BMS may look ok but the circuit protection system may have done its job and popped without sign. I don't think it would have got as far as the motors PCB but you need to speak with someone who is an electronics engineer. I would have thought it should be a relatively easy fix. Unfortunately, we can't help with fault finding to component level.

@@Ebikemotorcentre just this bit of information has helped..thank you...i dont supose you have any hints as to were i could buy a standard ome bms for it? it may be that the system will only recognise ome bms?

@@russellwilson5246 No sorry, we do not currently get involved with batteries at all, just motors.

Yes, exactly.

Hi Jasper, do you mean the type of bearing i.e. ball bearing or needle roller bearing? Or did you mean the manufacturer? Or the bearing designations?

@@Ebikemotorcentre My pw-x motor i making more noise than before. espassely in the woods. So i thing te bearings are worn out. You mentioned a webpage were you can order the bearings you need. i looked at that webpage, but could not find anything regarding to E-Bikes. So witch bearings do i need to make my motor run smooth again : Thanks :)

We only have bearings for the PW motor at the moment. I have not been able to get hold of a PW-X motor to source the bearings as of yet. If you would like us to repair it I can source the bearings once the motor is stripped down. The page on my site is www.performancelinebearings.com/shop/

@@Ebikemotorcentre For now i wait for my dealer to tjek if its under warrenty. my engien is only 1 year old. if not, i may contact you again, for a repair :)

This would be very difficult with this motor because ceramic bearings will not be available with the O-ring grove cut in them. Also, they would be good against water but not contamination like dirt and grit. It is not really the bearings that affect the motors performance, it is the bearings seals, and you would still need good seals on the ceramic bearing, so once again defeating the object.

@@Ebikemotorcentre do you have to bring the board? thank you

bearings can be damaged in 6 months

@@jordidelval3725 Yes, especially if a power washer is used or the bike is ridden through deep water.

Please follow this link for details on how to send us your motor: www.ebikemotorcentre.com/repair-overhaul-upgrades/

Sometimes. The problem with Yamaha is that they fitted the circuit board at the bottom of the motor. This means any water entering the motor hits the circuit board and does not do it much good. Sometimes this damage can be cleaned and repaired and sometimes it is too bad to repair.

@@Ebikemotorcentre any chance average electric repair specialist can do it ? My yamaha screen showed e12 and e15 errors and now it wont turn on.

@@wiktorwisniewski5748 They have a triple layer sandwich board and the water tends to soak up between the layers but if just one of the outboard components have failed, it's worth someone having a look.

Nee sorry. We hebben wel twee partners in Nederland. Je vindt hun contactgegevens hier: www.ebikemotorcentre.com/where-to-buy/

Sorry, we can't tell you what grease to use as we can find no reference to your motor? Yamaha have X94, X87, X0S, X0S, X0R, X1P etc. etc. I can find no reference to X29? What year is your motor?

@@Ebikemotorcentre I think it is an old motor. Bike have Japan languages labels. E-bike PAS system . Motor have plastic gear and a little sprocket wheel outside motor to drive a chain . Simple transmition. Can send photos (do not know how). Have grease Molykote EM-50L . Hope good,

@@alexs4963 Molykote EM-50L should be fine.

This is because there is no bearing inside the torque sensor, it runs on a self lubricating plastic sleeve.

@@Ebikemotorcentre A little grease can't hurt; even there. How about a video comparing all the motors and which one you think is the best made and best to repair?

@@bigwheelsturning The torque sensor is finely calibrated and technically should not be stripped. We do grease the splines but to grease the moving parts internally it would require stripping. With regards a comparison video. We know exactly which motors are the best and worse and why, but I am a firm believer that you should buy a bike with your heart, not your head. If we said which is the best motor out there, some would buy a bike just for that reason! You should buy a bike for the way it rides and the way it makes you feel, not what motor it has. At the end of the day, if you keep the water out of them, all e-bike motors are all relatively reliable, regardless of what you read on the forums.

Yes, I had a motor here doing the exact same noise and found what causes this. Please contact me by email and I will send photos of the part that is causing the problem. enquiries@performancelinebearings.com

It is. But, although it is a more simple design, with more basic engineering, it's still not a bad motor.

@@Ebikemotorcentre I have the SE version, I wouldn't say it's a bad motor, I would say it's an excellent motor! I guess simple engineering doesn't necessarily mean simple performance. I have one question (Sorry if it sounds a bit noob): But when you say "Noise" What sort of noise would I be hearing out for? My motor naturally has quite a prominent sound when it's doing it's thing...

@@mozzjones6943 Bearing noise is generally a grumbling or grinding sort of noise. High pitch whining can be gear noise or motor support bearings. These motors are normally a little whiny, but when they go bad, you will know about it.

@@Ebikemotorcentre Cheers fella!

@ Barry Corney Yamaha started making e-bike motors 11 years before Bosch did. In Japan Yamaha motors are a must where off course in Europe there will be better distribution of Bosch motors due to stock availability and delivery time.

Hi Guy, Yes we repair most common e-bike motors. If you would like us to take a look, Please contact me through our site here: www.performancelinebearings.com/contact/ I can let you know the next steps. Peter.

Hi Guy, Thank you for contacting me through the website. I hope you are still enjoying your newly repaired motor.

@@Ebikemotorcentre highly recommend guys, saved me £700 :D motor as good as new

@@Ebikemotorcentre enquiries@performancelinebearings.com Not Working Buddy

Hi Gary, Please contact me here: www.performancelinebearings.com/contact/ and I will help if I can.