First motor and motor controller building Parts are now available (2010/11/13). If anyone is making - or wishes to make - parts for Electric Hubcap motors to sell (eg, coils, epoxy/polypropylene magnet rotors) and would like a link from this page, please contact me.

While Electric Hubcap motors and motor systems can be made in a variety of ways from various commonly available parts, for various multi-horsepower low-voltage motor applications, I hope to be able to provide or link to a growing selection of parts to make building them into simple "bolt it together and wire it up" projects.

The motor coils still need to be wound and the 'laminate' coil core pieces rather tediously inserted by hand, then the coils varnished and baked, or epoxied. But you can now at least buy a pre-drilled stator and nylon bars so that once they are done, they can quickly be bolted into place, and ready-made, pre-wired magnet sensor sets may soon be available.

1. Axle with common trailer wheel bearings. This is usually a common trailer stub axle, 1" or 1-1/16" diameter. Some of them have a welded flange to mount the rotor, stator, or torque converter drum.
   (If no flange, a shaft compression coupling may sometimes be employed, preferably keyed.)
   • A four lug-bolt trailer wheel hub may be employed if convenient, in place of the welded hubs below.


2. Stator disk (usually '6129' 10" car disk brake disk) with:
   • Machined, welded-on, Bearing Race Hub (usually)
   • 9 electromagnets (coils) wired to heavy 3-pin plug
   • three magnet position sensors wired to 5-pin trailer lights plug


3. Rotor disk (usually '6129', like stator - these disks are found at any automotive supply) with:
   • 12 supermagnets, 2" x 1" x .5" (normal configuration -- epoxied on, with polypropylene cloth)
   • May have machined, welded-on bearing race hub
     (depending on application)


4. Outer case, mounting pieces and miscellaneous

• CNC Pre-drilled Stator Disk - $55 - in stock
  "6129" 10 inch disk brake rotor with 1/4" holes for the 9 electromagnet coils, holes pre-drilled and 1/4"-#20 threaded for the three magnet sensor mounting angle brackets, and holes pre-drilled and 1/4"-#20 threaded for mounting straps or other mounting. Spray painted with higher temperature engine enamel.
  (A stator disk with no center hub is bolted to the axle flange for a motor on which only the rotor disk itself turns.)
  Disks are painted glossy red (engine enamel) in the absence of special preference.
• CNC Pre-drilled Stator Disk with Welded-On Bearing Hub - $100 - availability TBA
  (One in stock made from used rotor; holes & alignment slightly imperfect - $75.)
  As above but with center hub welded to it to accept trailer bearing races. Use with 1" or 1-1/16" axles.
• Undrilled Disk (magnet rotor disk) with Welded-On Bearing Hub - $70 - availability TBA
  (If you want an undrilled disk without a bearing hub, you have only to visit your local auto supply store and get one, without paying shipping costs.)
• Machined Center Bearing Race Hub - $35 - availability TBA
  These are the bearing hubs that get welded onto the disks. If you weld and drill and tap your own holes... well, it's cheaper. Shipping is cheaper than the whole unit, too.
• Nine - 1/4"-#20 Threaded Nylon Coil Clamp Bars - $18 - in stock
  These are for bolting the coils onto the stator. The threaded holes line up with the coil clamp holes in the stator (1.5" apart). Use common 1/4" diameter, #20 thread, 1-3/4" long bolts. (Stainless steel bolts are preferable for motors used outdoors.) These bars clamp down across the whole coil, and being nylon, they have friction like 'nyloc' lock nuts, to prevent the bolts from gradually loosening. Also being nylon, they don't interfere with the electromagnetic forces they're in the middle of.
• Magnet Sensor Assembly - $50 - availability TBA
  Three magnet sensors on angle brackets, ready to bolt on the motor, and plug into the motor controller.

The controller consists of the following major parts/assemblies:

1. Motor Controller Plate. This aluminum plate forms one side of the chassis. It can be unscrewed for servicing or replacement without disturbing the remainder of the chassis. It holds
   • The 2 inner and 2 outer aluminum heatsink bars
   • the heatsink fins
     (clamped under the outer heatsink bars - aluminum roofing flashing)
   • the 12 power mosfet transistors that drive the motor coils, on the inner heatsink bars.
   • The 'logic' circuit board
     (connects to operator controls, magnet sensors, mosfets).
     (It bolts onto three of the mosfets.)
   • the heavy wiring terminal block
2. The Wiring Box/Chassis (the other five sides of the box). In the box:
   • Circuit Breaker - 40+ VDC, 150 Amps.
   • 'Solenoid' (12 volt contactor relay) to turn system on with car key (car systems)
   • Cable clamps, glands
   • Main Chassis Ground Bolt.

• Motor Controller Aluminum Mounting Plate with Heatsink Bars - $30
  This is the mounting unit and heatsink base for the motor controller itself, exclusive of the wiring box.
• Motor Controller 'Logic' Circuit Board (populated) - $65
  The circuit board is the low-power circuitry that connects to everything and tells the high power stuff what to do. Uses Allegro A3938 brushless 3-phase motor controller chip.
• Aluminum Chassis Box 8" x 9.5" - $45
  Larger size wiring box for where space isn't an issue. Does NOT include motor controller mounting plate side.
• Aluminum Chassis Box 6" x 9.5" - $45
  Smaller size wiring box for tighter spaces (eg, in cars). Does NOT include motor controller mounting plate side.
  For Custom sizes - please enquire.

Please don't hesitate to write with comments or questions. Feedback is important!