Strange crackly noises on Brose 2.2

[Flluent]

Recently, my Turbo Levo Gen2 started making these weird crunching noises. The crunch was more noticeable under heavy load, whether the motor was on or off. I checked the rear hub, suspension bolts, chainring, cranks—basically everything I could get to on the frame.

The weirdest part? The sound comes and goes. I attached two vids—the first one with the creaking is from before the second one, where by the time I got home, the noise was gone. The next day, after checking everything, I went out for another ride, and the sounds disappeared at first… but then came back, then vanished again.

The motor still pulls fine, no slipping in the clutch. It’s practically new, only around 1,000 km on it.

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[Rod B.]

Recently, my Turbo Levo Gen2 started making these weird crunching noises. The crunch was more noticeable under heavy load, whether the motor was on or off. I checked the rear hub, suspension bolts, chainring, cranks—basically everything I could get to on the frame.

The weirdest part? The sound comes and goes. I attached two vids—the first one with the creaking is from before the second one, where by the time I got home, the noise was gone. The next day, after checking everything, I went out for another ride, and the sounds disappeared at first… but then came back, then vanished again.

The motor still pulls fine, no slipping in the clutch. It’s practically new, only around 1,000 km on it.

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Flluent,

It's tough to diagnose a motor issue without actually going hands on with the motor.

I'm attaching a video from a USA based eBike motor repair facility. In the video, the repairman talks about common Brose motor issues. I'm wondering if the noise you are hearing may be associated with a slipping drive belt (Video: 1.45 min)? There could also be an issue with the torque sensor/sprag clutch which can cause the noise you are hearing (Video: 6.00 Min).


Here is a link to the company in case you would like to email and ask them questions concerning your motor.

Home | eBike Motor Repair

Is your motor out of warranty? Are you facing a voided or expired factory warranty and hesitant to invest in a costly replacement? Tired of your eBike motor ...

ebikemotorrepair.com

 

[Flluent]

Flluent,

It's tough to diagnose a motor issue without actually going hands on with the motor.

I'm attaching a video from a USA based eBike motor repair facility. In the video, the repairman talks about common Brose motor issues. I'm wondering if the noise you are hearing may be associated with a slipping drive belt (Video: 1.45 min)? There could also be an issue with the torque sensor/sprag clutch which can cause the noise you are hearing (Video: 6.00 Min).


Here is a link to the company in case you would like to email and ask them questions concerning your motor.

Home | eBike Motor Repair

Is your motor out of warranty? Are you facing a voided or expired factory warranty and hesitant to invest in a costly replacement? Tired of your eBike motor ...

ebikemotorrepair.com

Hey, thanks for the help. But I don’t think it’s a belt issue—on the 2.2, it’s supposed to be Kevlar, and with such low mileage, there shouldn’t be any problems. Plus, like I said earlier, I haven’t noticed any power loss. It still cruises up stairs and steep climbs no problem.

That said, I won’t rule out clutch hub issues, but when I spin it by hand, the drive sprocket engages and disengages just fine.

What bugs me the most is how the sound comes and goes. I would’ve cracked open the motor myself by now, but the problem is, I’m stuck in another city for a while, and now I’m just obsessing over these noises, running through all the possible causes in my head lol.

 

[Straker]

Time to go back to Specialized if you’ve still got warranty… but check if it’s outside if you qualify for a discount on a replacement as this might be less than a repair!
If not go to an e bike motor repair specialist for a rebuild…

Btw It sounds like a sprag failure….

 

[Rod B.]

Hey, thanks for the help. But I don’t think it’s a belt issue—on the 2.2, it’s supposed to be Kevlar, and with such low mileage, there shouldn’t be any problems. Plus, like I said earlier, I haven’t noticed any power loss. It still cruises up stairs and steep climbs no problem.

That said, I won’t rule out clutch hub issues, but when I spin it by hand, the drive sprocket engages and disengages just fine.

What bugs me the most is how the sound comes and goes. I would’ve cracked open the motor myself by now, but the problem is, I’m stuck in another city for a while, and now I’m just obsessing over these noises, running through all the possible causes in my head lol.

Flluent,

With only 1,000 km on the bike, I agree that a belt failure is most likely not the cause of your noise. However, it could be something associated with the belt tensioner which is allowing the belt to slip a few teeth before grabbing. If I had to guess, I'd bet it's something to do with the sprag clutch assembly. I feel your frustration, I too had a Brose motor fail on my 2022 levo.

If your bike is still under warranty I would not open up the motor as this will likely void your warranty. As Straker mentions in his post, you should contact the bicycle dealer where you purchased your bike and request a warranty motor replacement. A warranty claim is a fairly simple process. You will need to take your bike to the dealer where you purchsed the bike and show them the video of your bike acting up. The dealer will then either fix the bike or contact Specialized and arrange for a motor replacement. As a side note, the motor on my 2022 Levo began acting up at 5,150 km. I submitted for a warranty claim at my local bike shop. The motor was replaced with no issues or diificulties. The whole process took four days and I was back on the trail.

I see from your tag that you are from Russia. I'm uncertain if world sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict will cause you problems with a motor replacement. I sincerely hope not. I'm aware that several bicycle manufacturers stopped their Russia operations. The Specialized website does list a Russia contact located at 1st Ribinskaya 13, Entrance 12, 107113 Moscow, Russia. If you have difficulties with your warranty, you can contact Specialized USA "Rider Support" via email at [email protected] and ask where/how you can obtain warranty for your Levo. Be sure to include your video in the email.

Good luck,
Rod

 

[Ebikemotorstudio.cz]

Ahoj, jak píše Rode, je-li motor v záruce, nepodnikal bych jiné kroky než reklamaci. A bývá téměř ve všech případech uznána. Názor k problému je ten, že pokud nikdo nic neprováděl s nastavením napínáku (0,2Nm - momentový klíč), nebude to jinak, než poškozením volnoběžného ložiska, tak jak je to na videu výše. Poškození ložisek jsme realizovali i za menšího proběhu kilometrů než je zde udávaných 1000 km. Je třeba se podívat na ložisko, co vše je k poškození. Pružina, segmenty a klec. Všechny pak mohou být poškozeny a ještě nějaký čas pracovat, jenže přijde doba, kdy motor přípomoc nebude dávat. Takže pokud motor není v záruce, nezbývá než jej dát servisovat.

 

[Bearing Man]

Recently, my Turbo Levo Gen2 started making these weird crunching noises. The crunch was more noticeable under heavy load, whether the motor was on or off. I checked the rear hub, suspension bolts, chainring, cranks—basically everything I could get to on the frame.

The weirdest part? The sound comes and goes. I attached two vids—the first one with the creaking is from before the second one, where by the time I got home, the noise was gone. The next day, after checking everything, I went out for another ride, and the sounds disappeared at first… but then came back, then vanished again.

The motor still pulls fine, no slipping in the clutch. It’s practically new, only around 1,000 km on it.

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Have you fitted a new chain recently without changing the front chainring?

 

[Flluent]

Have you fitted a new chain recently without changing the front chainring?

No

 

[Flluent]

Time to go back to Specialized if you’ve still got warranty… but check if it’s outside if you qualify for a discount on a replacement as this might be less than a repair!
If not go to an e bike motor repair specialist for a rebuild…

Btw It sounds like a sprag failure….

I’m from Russia, so warranty support is pretty much out of the question from the get-go.

 

[Bearing Man]

This sounds exactly like a worn front chainring! When was the last time the chain and or chainring were replaced?

 

[Flluent]

Ahoj, jak píše Rode, je-li motor v záruce, nepodnikal bych jiné kroky než reklamaci. A bývá téměř ve všech případech uznána. Názor k problému je ten, že pokud nikdo nic neprováděl s nastavením napínáku (0,2Nm - momentový klíč), nebude to jinak, než poškozením volnoběžného ložiska, tak jak je to na videu výše. Poškození ložisek jsme realizovali i za menšího proběhu kilometrů než je zde udávaných 1000 km. Je třeba se podívat na ložisko, co vše je k poškození. Pružina, segmenty a klec. Všechny pak mohou být poškozeny a ještě nějaký čas pracovat, jenže přijde doba, kdy motor přípomoc nebude dávat. Takže pokud motor není v záruce, nezbývá než jej dát servisovat.

If it’s the tensioner or the clutch, why does the sound come and go? And why hasn’t the motor lost any power?

 

[Flluent]

This sounds exactly like a worn front chainring! When was the last time the chain and or chainring were replaced?

I'm not having any shifting issues or chain skipping - I clean and lube my chain religiously, like every other ride. About 200-300km ago I checked the chain wear with a gauge and it showed 26-27% stretch when 25% is the max limit. The cassette is brand new too.

 

[Pyr0]

I had a motor swapped due to similar noises.
They only started after the motor warmed up and I noticed no drastic loss in power or function.

 

[Flluent]

Flluent,

With only 1,000 km on the bike, I agree that a belt failure is most likely not the cause of your noise. However, it could be something associated with the belt tensioner which is allowing the belt to slip a few teeth before grabbing. If I had to guess, I'd bet it's something to do with the sprag clutch assembly. I feel your frustration, I too had a Brose motor fail on my 2022 levo.

If your bike is still under warranty I would not open up the motor as this will likely void your warranty. As Straker mentions in his post, you should contact the bicycle dealer where you purchased your bike and request a warranty motor replacement. A warranty claim is a fairly simple process. You will need to take your bike to the dealer where you purchsed the bike and show them the video of your bike acting up. The dealer will then either fix the bike or contact Specialized and arrange for a motor replacement. As a side note, the motor on my 2022 Levo began acting up at 5,150 km. I submitted for a warranty claim at my local bike shop. The motor was replaced with no issues or diificulties. The whole process took four days and I was back on the trail.

I see from your tag that you are from Russia. I'm uncertain if world sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict will cause you problems with a motor replacement. I sincerely hope not. I'm aware that several bicycle manufacturers stopped their Russia operations. The Specialized website does list a Russia contact located at 1st Ribinskaya 13, Entrance 12, 107113 Moscow, Russia. If you have difficulties with your warranty, you can contact Specialized USA "Rider Support" via email at [email protected] and ask where/how you can obtain warranty for your Levo. Be sure to include your video in the email.

Good luck,
Rod

Thanks for the detailed response! I've got a couple ideas - might be the cassette. I threw on a Chinese one just to test it (buddy of mine had similar issues with theirs). Could be the culprit right there.

 

[Flluent]

I had a motor swapped due to similar noises.
They only started after the motor warmed up and I noticed no drastic loss in power or function.

Here's the weird part though - these sounds would come and go randomly. Even when I was absolutely sending it up steep, long staircases - dead silent. But then cruising on flat roads? Suddenly the noise is back.

 

[Bearing Man]

I'm not having any shifting issues or chain skipping - I clean and lube my chain religiously, like every other ride. About 200-300km ago I checked the chain wear with a gauge and it showed 26-27% stretch when 25% is the max limit. The cassette is brand new too.

Unfortunately, I have to go through this scenario 2 or three times a week and it's such a simple thing that people don't think it could possibly be this. When I listened very carefully to your video, the noise sounded external of the motor and seemed to be at chain link speed. If you look very carefully at the front chainring and the teeth are hooked or wider than they should be, the chain tends to ride on top of the teeth until load is applied, then the chain drops into each tooth as the chainring rotates and this makes the exact same noise as you have. Try some light oil on your chain, you should hear the noise change or go away if I'm right.

 

[Bearing Man]

I had a motor swapped due to similar noises.
They only started after the motor warmed up and I noticed no drastic loss in power or function.

This was an issue on 2021 / 22 motors and is fixed now.

 

[Flluent]

Unfortunately, I have to go through this scenario 2 or three times a week and it's such a simple thing that people don't think it could possibly be this. When I listened very carefully to your video, the noise sounded external of the motor and seemed to be at chain link speed. If you look very carefully at the front chainring and the teeth are hooked or wider than they should be, the chain tends to ride on top of the teeth until load is applied, then the chain drops into each tooth as the chainring rotates and this makes the exact same noise as you have. Try some light oil on your chain, you should hear the noise change or go away if I'm right.

I initially thought it was the chain too. Here's what happened - I washed my bike, then went for a ride the next day. Started hearing creaks and realized the chain was bone dry. Rode about half a kilometer like that before turning back to lube it. I used Muc-Off C3, which supposedly needs 3 hours to set before riding - but I didn't wait at all. That's when I first noticed those crunching noises. By the time I got home, they'd disappeared.

I went through everything - tightened all the bolts, checked the freehub, and this time properly cleaned and lubed the chain by the book. My chainring is new, cassette too. Even my mechanic thought the noise doesn't sound like it's coming from the motor itself - more like somewhere around it rather than inside.

 

[Bearing Man]

OK, so it's a new chainring with an old chain?

Sometimes you will get cracking and popping sounds when a sprag clutch bearing starts to fail, but usually quite soon after that, you are having to walk home. You may still have this issue, but it's not whats causing this noise.

Just try a new chain or some light oil on your old chain (not snake oil or chainlube), and see if the noise disappears.

 

[Flluent]

OK, so it's a new chainring with an old chain?

Sometimes you will get cracking and popping sounds when a sprag clutch bearing starts to fail, but usually quite soon after that, you are having to walk home. You may still have this issue, but it's not whats causing this noise.

Just try a new chain or some light oil on your old chain (not snake oil or chainlube), and see if the noise disappears.

No, i get new chain, new cassete and chainring

 

[Bearing Man]

Sorry, it must be a language issue. Sorry if you have done all this before, but check chain guide is not rubbing, and if you have a 36 tooth chainring, check it's not just touching the chain stay as it flexes under load.
If it's none of this then the only thing in the motor turning at that speed is the belt. But I can't think of what it could be rubbing on to make that noise.
It's definitely not slipping , if they slip, they just tear all the teeth of straight away.

 

[Flluent]

Sorry, it must be a language issue. Sorry if you have done all this before, but check chain guide is not rubbing, and if you have a 36 tooth chainring, check it's not just touching the chain stay as it flexes under load.
If it's none of this then the only thing in the motor turning at that speed is the belt. But I can't think of what it could be rubbing on to make that noise.
It's definitely not slipping , if they slip, they just tear all the teeth of straight away.

Had a buddy tear down the cassette and lube the cavity near the freehub body. He rode a decent distance after that, and the noises never came back. The cassette’s some Chinese knockoff—kinda looks like a T-Type clone or something.