Jackshafts? Please Help!

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Kitsu

New Member
Jun 17, 2015
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California
What exactly is a Jackshaft? I saw it on Spookytooth (it's sold out for now).

But according to Spookytooth, it increases speed AND maxes performance. All which I believe are good things O.O

What exactly is a Jackshaft and will it work on a 2 stroke?
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
Here is a photos back in 2009 when Roland (original owner of Spooky Tooth) was trying out the jack shaft for the first time. He ended up blowing up his 3 speed hub.

Photo was taken at Death Race, where run what you brung was the name of the game and a few beers made the racing better lol.
 

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2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
"Jack Shaft" is also known as a "Shift Kit".
Essentially it is a series of shafts, bearings and sprockets that diverts the engine drive power to the pedal chain whereby you can utilize the bike's gears (if it has gears) and enable to to 'up-shift' and 'down shift' to select the gear ratio best suited for your particular speed and terrain.
If you have only a single speed cruiser style bike (without gearing) you will need to change to a different rear wheel/hub to realize any advantage of a jack shaft or shift kit.

Tom
 
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crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
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USA
most folks think you lose about 2mph off your top speed with these, but get much better speed up hills - typically, though, they cost more than the whole rest of the kit and a used bike put together
 

hoomdorm

New Member
Aug 26, 2015
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florida
I need to find out what brand of bike frame the shift kit pedal shaft bearings will fit?? I have an OLD, OLD 10 spd. mountain bike out in the shed that I was gonna put an engine kit on, but then I saw those shift kits on YOUTUBE and that's the way I wanna go. I built about the same thing with an old 33cc weedeater motor a bunch of years ago and it worked good except that it didn't have the freewheel in the crank sprocket, so I had to make footpegs to get my feet off of the pedals when it got going. It worked great and shifted great and went pretty good for only 33cc's but that deal with hanging my feet out behind me kinda sucked. I had to do that because the motor drove my pedals and there wasn't any way my feets could keep up!