Almost the right way this time

livesteamfan · Aug 27, 2013

I'm at it again. I was gong to continue my 1976 Western Flyer, but the bike is starting to break at some welds and that's something I can't fix and can't afford to get fixed. So I'm using a different bike that I found in the trash. I've never heard of the brand that it is, but it's a very nice bike that even has new tires; just had to replace the tube in the front tire. I've gone ahead and ordered the 4-stroke mount from boygofast on ebay and modified it as needed to fit the 79cc engine I bought on sale for $25 at Harbor Freight; they were having a 75% off sale and I just couldn't resist for that price. A friend has helped out with the jackshaft and the throttle setup. The throttle is a copy of the one sold by AGK. I had to make the conduit retainer because I couldn't find it at Lowes or Home Depot and confused several employees in the process. So I just bought I allen head bolt and had a friend put a hole down the center with his lathe; he also turned the shaft for the jackshaft for me and milled the holes in the mount differently so the engine would fit. I made a different double-rim using the 26X1.75 rim and I widened the rear forks so it would fit. Now all I need to do is make a good looking exhaust and get some pulleys to finish up the jackshaft and make a tensioner. It would be nice if I could get a belt clutch though, even better if I could get a CVT. The same friend has a 12-tooth centrifugal clutch, but it's 3/4 and my engine is 5/8. Until then, I'm just listening to the engine run.

atombikes · Aug 27, 2013

You got a 79cc at harbor freight for $25?

What type of 75% off sale was it?

livesteamfan · Aug 27, 2013

I don't remember what they called it, but they were getting rid of everything to make room for new stock. Sunday was the last day.

livesteamfan · Aug 28, 2013

Jack-shaft is installed and halfway working. Now I just need the larger belt to go around the rear wheel and I need to make a tensioner. After that, I'm on the road.

curtisfox · Aug 28, 2013

What a by on the engine. Looks good so far

maurtis · Aug 29, 2013

Great deal on the motor! I would have had to buy out their entire stock for $25 each, LOL!

Nice work on the budget build. I am not digging the way you bolted on the sheave (extra rim), but to each his own. I think using coupling nuts to extend the axle was a neat idea!

livesteamfan · Aug 29, 2013

Thank you. I would've done the same thing if I could afford it, but then again this was the last one they had. Out of curiosity, why don't you like how the rims are bolted together? I did this on my last one and I have over 1,000 miles on the design. If you're concerned about the bolt heads poking through the tube, I put several layers of electrical tape around the inside of the rim as well as two rim liners. I don't have a lot of money, I actually blew my last $200 on this thing, so if there's any way to do the job, I will do it no matter how crude or ugly it is. Now that I think, that's probably why there's so many zip ties and so much tape under the hood of my truck holding things out of the way of moving parts. It's also why the power locks currently don't work but it's why the A/C does. Right now with the bike the only issue I have is keeping the pulleys in place. The small one on the engine keeps walking out and I had the one it was driving fly apart because it's been beaten a few times and it is old. Otherwise I'm doing pretty good so far. All that's really left to do is make the tensioner cable operated so it's pull the handle to apply pressure and it's spring loaded to be off the belt.

maurtis · Aug 30, 2013

I really like the idea of using an extra rim as a sheave, I think that is a very good idea. My main concern with the mounting method was the bolt head puncturing the tube, but you took care of with the tape.

The clutch mechanism looks nice and simple too, I cannot wait to see the finished product!

Happy motoring

livesteamfan · Aug 30, 2013

Thank you. I try to be on top of things, but it doesn't always happen. Right now the clutch mechanism is the one thing slowing me down, but I'm hoping to get it figured out soon.

curtisfox · Aug 30, 2013

You might need some guide plates around the front pully to help hold the belt to forum when clutch is disengaged. All garden tractor or the like have somekind of guide pins.

Also check out Harrys build with a rear wheel pully and belt guide and some realy KOOL ideas............Curt
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=28803&page=64

livesteamfan · Aug 30, 2013

Very nice. I'll see what I can do about that guide.

livesteamfan · Aug 30, 2013

Went out for another run to see what would fall off, and for some reason I can't keep the driven pulley on the jack shaft in one spot. It keeps sliding out and spinning around the shaft after a few minutes. I finally got the engine pulley locked down tight enough that it's staying in one place. And as I was coming back, probably not even doing 10Mph, got pulled over. The officer said that no matter what, it is an illegal motorized vehicle. He said he'd be nice this time, but next time it gets impounded and I go to jail whether the engine is running or I'm pedaling it. He told me that what he was following came from the Attorney General, the paper he showed me was outdated by a couple of years and didn't really specify motorized bicycles; all it mentioned was motorized scooters. Following the new TL-10 form, I should be fine being that the engine says it's a 49cc (even though it's not it will say it is), my top speed is under 30 Mph, and it needs to be pedaled to get moving. Do you know if there's anyway I can contact the Attorney General or get something in to see what I should follow? I know I'd run into the same guy a lot being he lives just up the road from me.

livesteamfan · Sep 2, 2013

Due to limited materials, I may ditch the manual belt tensioner idea and just get the Noram belt clutch that I'm eyeing on eBay. It's $60 with free shipping, but either way it's the single most expensive part of the build.

livesteamfan · Oct 31, 2013

livesteamfan said:
Due to limited materials, I may ditch the manual belt tensioner idea and just get the Noram belt clutch that I'm eyeing on eBay. It's $60 with free shipping, but either way it's the single most expensive part of the build.

Well, that isn't exactly what happened. I bought a 5/8 to 3/4 shaft adapter and my friend gave me the 12 tooth clutch he had in exchange for some brake work on his car. I haven't been doing much because I'm currently working two jobs and my truck has been giving me ignition problems. I had to buy a new coil and distributor for it, so this is gonna stay on the back burner for awhile. Plus, between the two jobs I work 8-5 and I have class 6-10:45 three nights a week. Either way, I hoping to have this done early next year and try to get it registered as a moped. From what I hear, Florida doesn't really care as long as all the paperwork looks right, so it should be easy. I was hoping to have it ready to ride it around when I go to the Florida Flywheelers swap meet next Wednesday, but since that won't happen, I'm aiming for February.

jazz2561 · Nov 3, 2013

I like your clutch, I recently devised a semi automatic clutch based the same idea

livesteamfan · Nov 6, 2013

Not too much new. I found some things I can use when I went to the Florida Flywheelers swap meet today. This is where I'm at right now and I hope to have it going down the road next week sometime. I need to actually mount the bearings and get a belt. I'm hoping that a 12 tooth clutch to a 16 tooth sprocket and then 2.5" pulley to a 24"

pulley is enough reduction to make this work.

jazz2561 · Nov 11, 2013

run with it, finish the clutch

livesteamfan · Nov 11, 2013

I got some metal in the mail today so I can make bearing supports for the ones I bought and I can also make a better looking engine plate. Tomorrow I should have the chain that I ordered because what I bought is not long enough. Being they're both #35 I should be able to put them together, but I don't know. I really want to be able to get it put together this week and try it out, but I still need to figure out a temporary tank. And for some reason this engine is very hard to start. I turn the switch on, choke, and throttle position seems irrelevant because it takes like 20 pulls to start it, but one with starting fluid/carb cleaner. It's been like that since I got it, so I guess I'll pull the carb apart and see what it looks like.

livesteamfan · Nov 24, 2013

This is where I currently am. I need to set up a gas tank on it so I can really try it out. Right now I need play with the jackshaft some because the pulley doesn't line up perfectly with the rear wheel like it should and I need a belt about 1/2" to 1" longer. After that I can lengthen the chain because it's a very tight fit and I might be able to try and ride it. Exhaust can come later because it doesn't bother me any. With this setup, when I spin it over by hand the clutch bell turns about 12.75-13 times for every one turn of the wheel which is 21mph at 3600 rpm and 33mph at 5500; I don't think I'll ever run the engine that fast, just whatever this little carburetor will let it do. And I need to do something to the carburetor because this engine is impossible to start. I use carb cleaner as starting fluid and then if I take the choke off any amount of throttle will kill it unless the choke is on. Throttle it up and take the choke off and it stays where it's put. I guess it had some gas left in it from the factory assuming they run them at the factory.

livesteamfan · Dec 6, 2013

Well, a lot's happened since the last post. Being I do not own a welder, drill press, band saw, or any that I could use to properly bend metal, I've gone ahead and bought a few things. I've purchased a 44 tooth rear sprocket, some bearings, a 5/8th shaft, some sprockets, chain, and a jackshaft plate from eBay. So now all that's left is to line the chain up better than it is, mount some kind of gas tank, and mount the exhaust. In the picture it's just tied to the frame because I need to find someone with a bandsaw so I can cut a flange that will bolt to the engine that the front elbow will screw into. It actually gives the engine a really nice, deep tone. But with all of this stuff that I got and the little that's left, I should be able to ride it tomorrow. The only thing that's really left is to move the engine about 2" to the left so the drive chain lines up. And being I messed up the hub on the 26" wheel when I was trying to remove the brake lever, I had to buy a new wheel which was labeled as a 26, but once I got it home I found it to be a 24 x 1 3/8. I'm also planning on running a headlight and taillight off of the kill wire on the ignition coil. I was given two sets of four leds that fit into some old housings I had and they both light up from the coil and it still has more than enough power for a nice blue spark. But that's all until tomorrow.

Almost the right way this time

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