Cool Tool for belt alignment

GoldenMotor.com

msrfan

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
1,808
120
63
Southern California
Most of my motorbicycles are belt drive, and it has always been a hassle to line up my pulleys. My buddy at work showed me a tool he made to do just that. After talking him into making me one, I've been using it on my current projects. What a great way make sure every belt rides true and straight. Keeps the guesswork and measuring to a minimum. It's just two pointed pieces of round stock fastened to a piece of 3/16'' X 1/2'' flat stock. Lay it into one pulley and it points where the other one has to go.


 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Very cool. Now we need some details on making that frame crimping tool.
A quick question for you... if you were using a sidecar or pulling a fairly heavy trailer, would your belt drive give you trouble? I'm planning on a belt drive setup on a Worksman NB using a Villiars 98cc engine this summer and would like for it to be able to take along a passenger in the sidecar. I think the engine would have enough power, but am wondering about belt slip. Does rain affect belt slip? I sure do like the way it looks, just know little about it...
SB
 

msrfan

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
1,808
120
63
Southern California
Hi silverbear. The more weight you pull with a belt drive, the more attention you need to pay to the engineering and fabrication. First, belt selection is more critical. For instance, for just a simple belt drive bike (fractional horsepower) belts, like the 4L or 2000 series, are just fine. When you start to add horsepower and/or weight, then you need to get into the more heavy duty industrial types, like the A and AX series. For more extreme service you may consider automotive belts like 17000 and 9000 series. All these will fit our 1/2'' wide pulleys. I like the AX belts for smaller diameter pulleys because they're cogged and and don't take as much hp to turn. That brings up another factor to consider. I always try to use the largest pulleys while still achieving the desired ratio and asthetics. A larger pulley has more surface area, therefore can get the job done with a little less tension. Which means your bearings will last longer. When you have more weight, you have to gear down so you don't over tax the motor. So, with the proper pulley and belt choices, I don't see any reason for your motor not to pull the weight. And, yes, rain does make the belts slip a little.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Thank you for the detailed information. It is going to be very helpful, I think. Fasteddy and I are going to be working on a pair of tribute Indian tri-cars this summer in Minnesota. I should say these will be "inspired by" and will follow some of design elements of the original Indians, but without original engines no real attempt is being made to make reproductions. The tri-cars were made from 1903 or so until at least 1910. The first ones were of the diamond frame type and had the camel back gas tanks behind the seat, like the two wheeled version. Around 1909 they were of the frame type similar to a Worksman Newsboy. Fasteddy is working on the front ends now, gathering parts and working out the design. Curtis Fox is making leaf spring front forks for the two wheeled version. The idea is for the two wheels in front to be removable so the bike is convertible from three wheel to two. So, sometimes a three wheeler with the two wheels up front and sometimes running a sidecar as a two wheeler. It is an ambitious undertaking. By mid summer we'll have the 98cc 2 stroke Villiars engines and are in agreement that belt drive would be very cool. even though the early Indians were actually chain drive. So the information you are sharing here is much appreciated and timely. Many thanks...
SB
 

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
973
1
0
Howell, MI.
Great tool and great tips on belt and pulley selection. In general how much tension would I need for a friction drive in my 58' Wasp build? I was told around 10 lbs of pressure should do it.