@nomadic_myke PM’d you let me know what your email is.
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I pulled the ESC from a two-month-old Wowgo 3. I was not sure if the ESC would work properly with TB drives, but I had heard of others having success with the Hobbywing ESCs and direct drive. The control seems spot on and the brakes also seem to work properly. They spin up smoothly and then suddenly seize. I am not confident that switching to a VESC will solve my problem. Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with direct drive motors? Could it be caused by different positions for the hall sensors?
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Went sensorless on mine. Might have been good to mention that sooner. 
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The exposed phase wires are dangerously close. That made me uncomfortable.
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I had them tight in my hand lol, it was just to show what was happening for the video. I think I remember uncovering them to shuffle the connections around, youre likely looking at some point after that 
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Thanks for the additional info. I tried running them sensor-less and had the same results - except I had to get them started moving in the correct direction. I think I may need to purchase a VESC, remote and receiver to determine if it is the ESC or the Motors are to blame. What are some budget friendly options? Should I care about version 6.0 vs 6.4 vs 6.6 vs 4.12? Is it safe to run a dual VESC or do I need to connect two single VESCs - I want to keep things as simple as possible while focusing on reliability. I may decide to upgrade to 12S eventually - but for the next six months or so I am planning on running 10S4P. I really appreciate the suggestions from this community!
It’s often weird what combos work and what don’t. And of course, “works” is an eye of the beholder thing.
This, to me, is a perfect example of when single Flipsky 4.12 singles are a great option. Cheap enough to get you in the VESC door at a budget, but good enough for daily use within reasonable limits. I always try have a pair of these or 4.20 singles on standby.
I also would pair them with the Mini remote, which remains a absolute steal in the price/performance realm. Also, if you want arguably the most reliable setup, follow the example of @b264 and run multiple receivers.
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This looks similar to what I was experiencing but it is hard to tell for sure because the sound of the table is making a distinctive thump in your video. Did it sound like metal on metal locking up when your hubs seized? Seeing your videos has me thinking it may be an ESC incompatibility after all. Thanks for sharing.
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I would first check your ESCs and make sure you’ve isolated the issue.
We’ve had a few come back to find out there was absolutely nothing wrong with them and most likely was an ESC issue.
I’d also re-oil bearings every few weeks IMO they make an insane difference. I’d just dab a bit of oil.
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Very true. With default settings, VESC tool can do some really funny stuff, be it motor detection failing miserably, making stuff act up, seize, make scary noises and throw errors all over the place. Most of the settings for motor detection require some adjusting or tuning to get it just right. Same with detecting sensors. Do your invert motor direction if necessary, then detect settings and add or subtract erpm and amps to get a good detection, then do sensor detection and adjust duty cycle and amps until you get a good detection, apply and write.
Motors that are hard to turn or seize randomly? Make sure you have enough speed rings between the wheel bearing and hangar side of the axle (opposite the nut) so that the motors have just a TAD bit or just minimal amount of side to side play. I find that using standard bearings (or even zealous) require one to three speed rings depending on kegel or flywheel core wheels. You need to be able to tighten down the nut completely and your wheels and motors should spin freely. If you can’t tighten down the nut and have free spinning motors, check if your main spacer is the correct size and not slightly less and check that you don’t need to add more speed rings on the motor side of the axle.
my TBDDs have acted VERY strange, seizing, scary noises and vibrations, etc. But they are always fine when I space everything out just right for a free spinning motor and detect settings and sensors successfully, applying after each step in vesc tool.
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Yeah it sounded like what you’re describing
Also isn’t the wowgo3 a hub board?
I think it just comes down to the compatibility of the ESC. Do you have any local builders that would be willing to lend you VESCs to test?
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I believe:
Wowgo 3: hub
Wowgo 3X: belt
I also believe in the power of love.
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Is there any video/tutorial how to do that?
@natch Not at this time. But you would just put a small dot of bearing oil on the inner seal and outer seal then I rotate the motor to let the oil seap into the bearing. You should notice the difference almost immediately.
You can always remove the seal and clean it out and everything but personally I don’t bother and for the direct drive it would be more of an issue to remove everything. But I’ve easily gone 6-8k miles on a set of motors and by just re-adding in oil. I think they just get dried out overtime.
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Any tips for cleaning that area? I seem to have some road grim/dirt in that area that I wouldn’t want to air blast into the bearing. I’m probably overthinking it but I don’t have much experience maintaining bearings.
Typically, I just wipe it down every so often to clear up the grime and re-oil. Nothing to it really. What really screws up bearings beyond repair always seems to be rain. I would just use a pair and just ride it during the season and replace it afterwards. TB DD Rear Bearing is harder to replace though so I’d keep it clean as much as you can. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as replacing standard longboard bearings. 
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Thanks a lot! I’ll do my best to keep them in good working order. If it comes to a bearing replacement after many miles then so be it - I’m just glad they can be replaced.
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Yesterday I took delivery of two Flipsky 4.12 VESCS. A remote/receiver and ten JST PH 2.0MM 6 Pin connectors with 200mm leads will arrive today.
- Do you think I will be able to cut down a 6 pin connector to make the Can Bus Connector?
- NOOB-alert: This will be my first time setting up a VESC. What values should I start with?
(I will be running 10S4P - but they are not 30Qs - It is whatever Wowgo uses for their 14ah AT battery). - Is there an up-to-date and preferred guide I can follow for setting up a VESC?
- Do the TB Direct Drives require anything specific to be done during setup?
Thank you in advance to anyone willing to point me in the right direction!
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I don’t recommend that, you can buy a can bun connector for cheap or make one yourself using an appropriate connector.
As for set up with those FSESC 4.12, I recommend staying below 30A max to be safe