# Gem motor replacement options **URL:** \ **Category:** GEM Forum\ **Created:** [June 28, 2025, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350 "2025-06-28T20:33:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2025, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/1 "2025-06-28T20:33:02Z")
Hi All, I’m on my 3rd ride-4-fun motor, and I keep burning them out on the hilly roads where I live. Does anyone know of any good motors that I can buy instead? I just don’t know which manufacturers offer quality motors that I can adapt to my 2008 e4. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 2:44am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/2 "2025-06-29T02:44:11Z")
D&D offers torque motors. Grant knows all about them. @grantwest What year Gem? ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 2:50am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/3 "2025-06-29T02:50:53Z")
If you were near @AssyRequired , Cosa Mesa, I think, he may hook you up with an ac 5kw-7.5kw motor. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/4 "2025-06-29T03:10:41Z")
I got a D&D torque motor. It had zero top end ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 10:40am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/5 "2025-06-29T10:40:28Z")
And by zero you mean, 25mph? I know you are in the ac motor column, now. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/6 "2025-06-29T13:51:07Z")
Yes Dave you’re correct. I think 2 things. The Torque motor is great but it must be paired with the right gear raito. I have not tried it but the 9.1 transmission is where I would start or lower if possible if you wanna go faster then 30mph. Cause the one i had was paired with a 12:35 and it took off like crazy but was done going any faster after it got to 25-30 IMO with Brushed DC motors you get speed or Torque. You don’t get both. You gotta go AC if you want that. ---
**Author:** ![AssyRequired](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/assyrequired/32/7621_2.png) [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/7 "2025-06-29T16:12:11Z")
Grant was hinting at something that should not be ignored - You really need to build a car to your needs and environment. To offer sound advice, one needs to understand more details about your car. The known so far: - 2008 - e4 (4 passenger) - hilly terrain? - R4F blue motor → burning up? What exactly is getting cooked? Some other things helpful to know: - What batteries are in this car? (weak lead acid will need more amps to drive the motor- therefore more heat) - What gears are in the gearbox? (guessing 12.44? ← which is good for hills, but not for speed over 30) - What speeds are you looking to do? - What programming is in the controller? - Any speed modifiers? (MMagnet?) - What is your skill set? (farmer, welder, rocket scientist?) - What is in your toolbox? (hammer, basic tools, full machine shop?) - Where are you located? - What is your budget? ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/8 "2025-07-04T15:17:40Z")
Hi, it’s 2008 gem e4 ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/9 "2025-07-04T15:24:27Z")
very hilly terrain, north county san diego. Is that costa mesa, CA that you’re in? My engineer neighbor helped me swap out the batteries with some LiFePO batteries, have amazing range on it. We have just about a full machine shop at our disposal. ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/10 "2025-07-07T19:12:36Z")
@AssyRequired are you in SoCal? ---
**Author:** ![AssyRequired](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/assyrequired/32/7621_2.png) [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/11 "2025-07-07T19:21:07Z")
Yes I am. * * * ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/12 "2025-07-07T19:28:40Z")
Do you have a website for those ac motors? ---
**Author:** ![AssyRequired](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/assyrequired/32/7621_2.png) [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/13 "2025-07-07T20:12:13Z")
No- I am not a business. Most of us here are backyard tinkerers, hot rod rocket scientists, and/or farm engineers figuring things out and having fun. ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:19am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/14 "2025-07-08T03:19:37Z")
Well tell me more about this ac motor, how does it compare to the r4f? ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 7:16am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/15 "2025-07-08T07:16:34Z")
Ac motor will run 9,000 rpm making it much faster. No brushes to wear out. Ideal for high torque when coupled to low speed gears such as 2005+ Gem. 12:1 A few years ago, we develpoped a plug in kit, but only had 50 or so motors. Search 8kw ac motor. We now have 5kw oem Gem motors, as in the 2016+ 48v Gems. They can provived 24kw peaks at 72 volts. ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 7:23am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/16 "2025-07-08T07:23:05Z")
The problem I have is, to get geared up, I need a donor car for testing. One of us needs hands-on car to wire a new kit. I’m in Mn. Not much for Gem enthusiasts here. Byron has kits in Costa Mesa. ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/17 "2025-07-08T14:47:03Z")
How do they handle engine heat? I need mine to go up about 1000 ft of hill to get to the village and back ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/18 "2025-07-08T15:32:35Z")
Should be fine. Won’t burn out in any case. It has temperature protection. A part removed in the motors you have. A 15kw motor may fit as well. A 50hp monster. Needs to be installed and tuned by someone with programmer, If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EVBenny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@EVBenny](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EVBenny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/19 "2025-07-08T16:09:42Z")
Which 15kw? I want to be able to go 35 miles per hour up my hills ---
**Author:** ![Inwo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/inwo/32/1067_2.png) [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350/20 "2025-07-08T19:57:49Z")
There’s more than one? I think Im done here! [Next page](https://community.electricforum.com/t/gem-motor-replacement-options/29350.md?page=2)