Having custom motor/gearbox adapters made?

3042 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Bratitude, Nov 4, 2020

Tremelune

Discussion Starter · Oct 29, 2020

I'm ruminating about converting my MGB to electric, and I don't see any easy way to put a motor in the rear. As such, my plan is to adapt an electric motor to the transmission and dial down the torque. I'd rather not bother swapping the gearbox to something like a T5 if I can avoid it, but if there are adapters lying around, maybe it's worth it. I was hoping to use a Leaf motor, though.

How do I go about finding someone who could make me an adapter plate?

Ideally, someone would have the precise specs for the transmission, the precise specs for the motor face, and could just cut me something for a grand or two. Is this realistic? I could also pull the gearbox out and bring it somewhere near Los Angeles...I'm not even sure what to search for at this point.

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Bratitude

· #2 · Oct 29, 2020

3dhubs. Cad files for different tranies and motor are floating around...Leaf motor adapter plate is online.

local machine shop. Bring them both motor and trana abs tell them how far apart you want them and they will make u an adapter.

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Tremelune

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 29, 2020

Interesting! I guess the tricky bit is getting precise files for the MGB...I've followed peoples Leaf threads that talk about CAD, but I never saw a file turn up. I can sniff around...I struggle to trust the measurement of some random person online unless I know they got the car together and it didn't rattle apart at 10k RPM!

What about the shafts? How is that usually done?

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Bratitude

· #4 · Oct 29, 2020

I have a adapter plate for the em57 motor and a coupler for sale. Adapter plate cad is on hit hub. Link in my sale thread.

Again talk to your local machine shops, they can measure your transmission and give the dimensions! Some will even do it for free as this is something interesting for them

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matthew.stead

· #5 · Oct 29, 2020

Bratitude said:
I have a adapter plate for the em57 motor and a coupler for sale. Adapter plate cad is on hit hub. Link in my sale thread.

Again talk to your local machine shops, they can measure your transmission and give the dimensions! Some will even do it for free as this is something interesting for them

For Sale: em57 leaf motor couplers

Hello everyone! im over in the openinverter forums but thought i might post this here as might be helpful to others About a year ago I scored a great deal on a gen2 leaf motor, which changed my ev plans. Being there was no good way to adapted to the motor shaft, I spent a good long time...

www.diyelectriccar.com

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electro wrks

· #6 · Oct 29, 2020

Canadian EV may be able to help you: Motor Adapters – Canadian Electric Vehicles
They don't list your combination of motor and transmission. But, they may be interested in designing, making, and selling adapter plates and couplings for the Leaf motor as it becomes more available, and popular in DIY conversion.

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Tremelune

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 3, 2020 (Edited)

I could buy the adapter Bratitude had made, but...then what does that attach to?

I suppose I could drag the gearbox to a willing machine shop, but that is a bit of a pain for measurements...

~~I found the spline adapter file (in SolidWorks format) here:~~ ~~https://github.com/angusjo/leaf-splines/blob/master/adapterplate.SLDPRT~~

Can EV is coming out with a B-face (Warp 9) adapter for the MGB in 6-8 weeks, but nothing for the Leaf. I could try and sandwich adapters, but I'm still unsure about the shaft. I guess I just need to weigh how much I want the cheaper, stronger Leaf motor with having a bunch of custom stuff done vs just rolling with an AC50 and just bolting it up.

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electro wrks

· #8 · Nov 4, 2020

If you have an adapter plate with an accurately machined concentric motor mounting hole that fits your transmission with proper alignment (with dowel pins, etc.), you are most of the way there for mounting the Leaf motor. It looks like a spacer with 2-3 simple machining operations with mounting bolt holes is all that is needed, between the plate and motor. This assumes that the machined step on the motor face is concentric enough with the motor rotational axis. It probably is, and easy enough to check.

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Bratitude

· #9 · Nov 4, 2020

Those splines don’t work. They are not the final splines that I made couplers with.

adapter plate- leaf side is done. Now just measure your transmission. Over lay the two patterns and then machine it out of aluminum.

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