Direto X Broken Step Motor/ERG Mode

[chaosjockey]

Hi Guys

I'm looking for some help with my Direto X please! for the past year the resistance being delivered has been incorrect for the first 5/10/15/20 minutes of my workout - being way too hard. If i need 150 watts, it could be 300+. There is no rhyme nor reason to this, and after a little while it seems to calm down somewhat.

switching to resistance mode SOMETIMES helps. As does switching the trainer off at the plug. but not all the time.

This morning unfortunately the trainer was delivering such hard resistance, i couldn't do any beneficial training. when i switched to to resistance mode eventually the trainer started to deliver the correct resistance. but for my 30second on 30 second off workout this morning resistance mode is not possible for me due to gearing.

I stripped the case of the trainer, to work out what is going off, and found the step motor appears to be getting stuck and not moving the magnet forward and backward properly. In the forward motion, it mostly appears to be ok (making the resistance harder) but on the way back down it gets stuck. This makes sense based on my experience.

note that most of the time when the trainer has been running for a little while, it seems to get better.

here is a video i took of the problem; I used the Elite software and resistance mode to step move the magnet. I take the time moving up the resistance levels, then on the way back down you can hear the motor make a noise, but not actually twist the screw which moves the magnet.

https://youtu.be/m0ItqoW_NBw

Unlisted video you can only access with the link.

Can i replace or fix this problem myself please? many thanks in advance!

Please note, i have been through all possibilities from a software point of view, the guys at TrainerRoad could not have been more helpful!
Chaosjockey

[steve.hammatt]

Have you tried speaking with Elite support about the problem?

[Elite Admin S]

Please contact the support:
https://support.elite-it.com/en/ticket

[bugifa]

Hi, I have the same problem.
How did you fix it (if you did)?

[paul.canham124]

I have same problem, elite says in a post on here, Does not require specialist knowledge! I've stripped mine today my 4 year old, directo x, 2/2/2025 took the stepper motor out, by removing the fly wheel, to get to the (Carrier magnets) to take carrier off to get to the two tiny screws holding the cheap motor on. Mine was making a right noise on start-up, no resistance, on zwit, other week it was stuck on too much resistance previously, No specialist tools needed, double lock nut the pully side to undo the fly wheel nut! Bit off heat, and it pulled off by hand.That was only hard part. I've emailed elite for a new stepper motor. Only other thing I noticed was on the magnet carrier there's a a small micro switch on the bottom left it activates the motor and moves the carrier magnets away from flywheel, I presume this his for on start up so the resistance his free, there's two black wires that go to the circuit board, a very small connecter a white block, the block his loose on the board, weather that's also the cause I don't know, I have a new circuit board. I bought from elite £80.ps I marked the magnet carrier with Tipex before disassembly and took photos to show position of that and the screw wich goes back and