I'm running a woodruff key from Home Depot right now, the size I posted the other day. They had one small enough for the stock keyway, and yours seems to be opened up so....
My Current Problem
- Thread starter AVroman
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What size are you running, i.e. length and height? I would need some measurements to make a custom one, otherwise I will have to eyeball it.I'm running a woodruff key from Home Depot right now, the size I posted the other day. They had one small enough for the stock keyway, and yours seems to be opened up so....
Like I said earlier in this thread:What size are you running, i.e. length and height? I would need some measurements to make a custom one, otherwise I will have to eyeball it.
3/32" X 3/8" from Home Depot
I altered one of the larger woodruff keys that I had bought from ace. It is working like the motor did before the first key broke.Like I said earlier in this thread:
3/32" X 3/8" from Home Depot
I am unable to test it out with the motor running because of the current weather here in Daytona but I am going to test it when the rain stops.
I do still have the strip of metal to make more keys out of, so if this one breaks then I can make a bigger one.
GREAT!
Just make sure you've got the nut on there REALLY tight. Like I said before, I bought a real socket to use instead of the spark plug tool, a socket wrench will get it tighter. I use blue loctite on the threads to help hold it together also...
Just make sure you've got the nut on there REALLY tight. Like I said before, I bought a real socket to use instead of the spark plug tool, a socket wrench will get it tighter. I use blue loctite on the threads to help hold it together also...
I have been using sockets on anything that I have the socket for. I find them easier to use and as you said, you can get the nut a little more tight.GREAT!
Just make sure you've got the nut on there REALLY tight. Like I said before, I bought a real socket to use instead of the spark plug tool, a socket wrench will get it tighter. I use blue loctite on the threads to help hold it together also...
I did use some locktite, but from now on I am going to make sure everything is tight once a week.
Just be careful not to OVER tighten things, specifically anything that is aluminum. The nut on the drive sprocket is one thing that can be tightened really good, cause none of the parts are aluminum. But be careful with the motor mounts, the intake/exhaust mounts, the screws that hold the motor together and covers on etc. These all screw into aluminum and can strip out really easy if you over tighten them or re-tighten them too often. And the kit studs are pretty crappy and can wear out from too much re-tightening.I have been using sockets on anything that I have the socket for. I find them easier to use and as you said, you can get the nut a little more tight.
I did use some locktite, but from now on I am going to make sure everything is tight once a week.
My first season went pretty much like your experience.. I popped the woodruff key (and broke the chain to bits) in the first couple days. Got myself a new woodruff key and a socket to tighten it all up (adding some blue loctite) and I was back on the road. I decided at that point to keep checking/tightening things regularly. That season I seemed to be always wrenching on something, and stripped out this stud and that nut etc etc.
Over that winter I stripped down my bike, ordered a upgrade hardware kit (studs, nuts etc) from SickBikeParts.com, installed all the studs with red loctite (be warned RED is the non removable type, DO NOT use RED loctite on the crappy kit studs or other hardware, some people say NEVER use it but so far so good for me) then I used blue loctite when I put the nuts on the studs. (figuring red loctite will keep the studs in place when I remove the nuts that have blue loctite on them) I bought a compact click style torque wrench (with a head the size of a 1/4" socket wrench) and used it to torque everything properly when I built up the motor and mounted it on the bike. The next season I didn't have to re-tighten ANYTHING! I am really pleased how this worked out for me. I do recomend that you build the bike, ride it, test it, tweak it, THEN do the loctite thing if you are going to do it. You don't want to secure things in place with loctite before you have all the bugs worked out of your build.
I also changed over to a #41 industrial chain and got rid of the chain tensioner altogether, I hated that thing. The kit chain I got was total crap and kept breaking, #41 chain is rock solid, I can't see me breaking it. Without the tensioner my the bike is much smoother, quieter, and there is MUCH less resistance when pedaling with the motor off, and there is no chance of the tensioner turning into your spokes and making you crash! If you have a clear line for your chain to ride without the tensioner you might want to give that a try...
Be safe and have fun!
For me the riding season is all year long due to my location. It never gets overly cold, and I don't have to worry about snow.Just be careful not to OVER tighten things, specifically anything that is aluminum. The nut on the drive sprocket is one thing that can be tightened really good, cause none of the parts are aluminum. But be careful with the motor mounts, the intake/exhaust mounts, the screws that hold the motor together and covers on etc. These all screw into aluminum and can strip out really easy if you over tighten them or re-tighten them too often. And the kit studs are pretty crappy and can wear out from too much re-tightening.
My first season went pretty much like your experience.. I popped the woodruff key (and broke the chain to bits) in the first couple days. Got myself a new woodruff key and a socket to tighten it all up (adding some blue loctite) and I was back on the road. I decided at that point to keep checking/tightening things regularly. That season I seemed to be always wrenching on something, and stripped out this stud and that nut etc etc.
Over that winter I stripped down my bike, ordered a upgrade hardware kit (studs, nuts etc) from SickBikeParts.com, installed all the studs with red loctite (be warned RED is the non removable type, DO NOT use RED loctite on the crappy kit studs or other hardware, some people say NEVER use it but so far so good for me) then I used blue loctite when I put the nuts on the studs. (figuring red loctite will keep the studs in place when I remove the nuts that have blue loctite on them) I bought a compact click style torque wrench (with a head the size of a 1/4" socket wrench) and used it to torque everything properly when I built up the motor and mounted it on the bike. The next season I didn't have to re-tighten ANYTHING! I am really pleased how this worked out for me. I do recomend that you build the bike, ride it, test it, tweak it, THEN do the loctite thing if you are going to do it. You don't want to secure things in place with loctite before you have all the bugs worked out of your build.
I also changed over to a #41 industrial chain and got rid of the chain tensioner altogether, I hated that thing. The kit chain I got was total crap and kept breaking, #41 chain is rock solid, I can't see me breaking it. Without the tensioner my the bike is much smoother, quieter, and there is MUCH less resistance when pedaling with the motor off, and there is no chance of the tensioner turning into your spokes and making you crash! If you have a clear line for your chain to ride without the tensioner you might want to give that a try...
Be safe and have fun!
I also don't have to worry about the tensioner kicking into the spokes anymore because I did what everyone says not to do. I drilled into the tensioner, through the frame and out the other side. Now it is locked in place both front to back, and side to side. I do still have the up and down adjustment that I can make but the chain is good with the tensioner all the way down.
I did change out my wheels because the tensioner had kicked into the spokes, but I bought another bike with 700c wheels and put the rims on the motorbike. Now I have spare tires, tubes, and rims if I straighten out the bent rear rim.
I am building quite the collection of tools to help me work on the motorbike, and I have meet a lot of people that have helped me build the bike.
I believe that my problem is fixed although I have not gotten to test ride it yet. I am going to do that soon.
