Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift

[MetroMPG]

Took the parts to the machinist today. May end up modifying the motor shaft rather than trying to incorporate the existing splined pump shaft into the coupler design.

The machinist hemmed and hawed about the pump shaft until I suggested we could change the motor shaft.

So maybe next week something will happen... One thing I know will happen is the total $ investment in the project will probably have increased by about 30-40% by the time we get out of there

[MetroMPG]

Had another visit with the machinist today.

Came up with a much more practical approach that involves press fitting & welding a "stub shaft" in place of the internal splines currently pressed in the end of the motor shaft. This will essentially make the motor into a "normal" one with a short external shaft. Much easier to mate to the coupler.

He figured it will cost a couple hundred bucks, and will be ready late next week or early the week after.

[MetroMPG]

Memory fades: I went by Ivan's today on the beater 10-speed with the cargo trailer to pick up the power steering motor from the forklift. It's bigger and heavier than I remembered. There's really no practical way I'm going to be able to use it to electrify a standard bike. Even mounting it on the cargo trailer would be iffy.

It's super beefy: rated at .65 or .88 hp @ 36/48V continuous duty.

It's roughly 10 inches long, and 5 inches diameter. Weighs maybe 35 lbs (that's with the power steering pump still attached though)

Might be big enough to push a Firefly at low speeds though.

[MetroMPG]

Picked up the blue ForkenSwift from Ivan's this afternoon. Going to make a short "before" video of the car with its ICE. Maybe tomorrow I'll shoot that.

Because maybe next weekend the ICE comes out (assuming machinist guy has the motor ready for us this week).

Good thing we're converting it though: it died on the road. I think I just ran it out of gas - it started again when I added some, but it's running like crap.

Been thinking about range extenders too... If we keep the engine and mount it on a trailer with the radiator, fuel tank & exhaust, we'll could set it up to do (low speed) highway trips (run about 4 alternators off it to feed the batteries...) Yeah, that would be a damn complicated generator.

[MetroMPG]

Update-o-rama!

Picked up the motor & tranny from the machinist today. Not only do we have a complete coupler in place that mates everything together, he also aligned it all for us - drilled and bolted the end bell of the motor to the adapter plate after aligning the plate to the transmission bell housing with some bushings.

He didn't do exactly what we discussed with the coupler approach. I'm a little concerned about it being the weak link. We'll just have to either test it agressively (and hopefully not to destruction), or set current limits on the controller to prevent the destruction from happening.

Anyway, the guy is a friend (used to mountain bike with him), and he charged us not nearly enough for his work. $250. So no complaints.

So ... technically, we're ready to go! We've got everything we need to make this puppy into an EV.

Maybe this weekend will be the ICE-out party...

I'll get pics and such of the coupler etc. before they get assembled, never to be seen again, under the ForkenSwift's hood.

[MetroMPG]

Pics of the mystery parts I've been talking about...

Click to zoom...



Above: tranny with adapter plate & motor end bell in place



Customized Lovejoy motor/input shaft coupler



Eploded view... Ughh, bad choice of words.



The reason this was somewhat difficult: internal splines on motor (armature shown)



Potential problem? Compare diameter of motor splines welded into lovejoy, to splined tranny input shaft diameter. About 2/3 the size. Weak link in the chain???

[MetroMPG]

Well, the blue ForkenSwift will never move again powered by gasoline

(Clarification: I should say by its own gas engine... we'll likely tow it back to Ivan's to do some of the remaining work, and I'm not pulling it with my bicycle...)



Motor's not out yet, but most of the supporting junk is. Ironically, the first 2 things I removed were its battery and the 120v plug (for the block heater)!

[MetroMPG]

The motor shaft is about 1 inch dia. I'd say it's not a potential weak point.

The forklift controller has an "acceleration ramp" built in, and I believe it's also adjustable via a pot. On the plus side (?) We're running relatively low voltage from a small pack, so we're not going to be putting out prodigous amps (relative to the Tesla roadster, for example).

I thought the soft coupler was pretty clever too, until I talked to a commercial EV builder last week. He suggested we were going to wear out/chew up that urethane spacer in short order, and actually said a fixed connection between the motor & input shaft would have been fine. Hmm! There are all kinds of ways to do this.

Hopefully this evening I'll get a few more bits 'n' pieces out of the car in preparation for the motor-ectomy.

[MetroMPG]

Someone suggested I do aeromods to the car to increase its top speed & efficiency...

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Don't forget this is only going to be a neighbourhood type vehicle. Average speed will probably be 30 km/h.

[MetroMPG]

SW makes good points, as usual:

Originally Posted by SW

1. (re. coupler) If there's any play at all, I would expect it to get bigger, especially if you're planning on supporting regen brakes (alternating torque in either direction - I didn't say it that time ).

2. anticipate great things from this project.

1. No regen - just "go!" So the wear is in one direction.

2. I anticipate breaking things! All in good fun though.