Today is Thanksgiving and for certain I am thankful about the completion of the taperlock connecting hub unit!

More than 20 hours of machine work has turned out a piece that looks plenty capable of connecting the motor to the transmission.




A quick run over to Fastenal in St.Peters MO provided the rest of the screws needed for the assembly. Grade 8 bolts (very hard) will be used for all power transmission parts.

This was a pretty big job for me, not having a lot of machining background, but I am proud of the final product. It is made from very hard steel which had to be cut with carbide tools on the lathe. I didn't realize when I started the project I would end up with a machine shop in my garage, but that is how it is turning out. The reality of the matter is there just isn't any support here in the St.Louis area for EV builders, and the guys in CA (where EVs are popular) weren't interested in providing me assistance other than selling me off the shelf products.

Friday I will remove the adapter plate from the transmission, do a final check on the mounting holes and figure out the motor spacer. Since I have the lathe and a milling machine I suppose I can make something a bit more sophisticated than my original plan to use the laminated spacers. I am getting into a "neatness" mode now rather than just function as an outcome.


Thanks to Rick Massey, my colleague and our welding teacher at Lewis & Clark for the "hand of the master" in the superb welding job on the ring assembly. I could have done that here, but it wouldn't have been such a technically perfect weld.


The motor goes in shortly....No doubt about it!