Rear belt drive?

GoldenMotor.com

Ruby478

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Apr 2, 2011
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now that manic mechanic and sportsman have made rear hub adapters, both which work great by the way, but for a chain only ......... im wondering has anyone tried mounting a belt pulley on to these adapters yet or has though about it

i think if it works you can diffidently see a new market open up

usflg
 
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Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
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Great idea Ruby!

I really like this.

Just bought a mill/lathe and am thinking one could be made pretty easily and just to over complicate it, (as is my habit, lol) Could be made to be adjustable.

Hmm, Wonder if a timing belt could be used?

Belt drives just look so dang cool. Real old world Motor-Bike.

You win the "out-a-da-box thunking" award this week!

LOL, great, now I'm gonna be stuck on this for a day or 3.
 

wayne z

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Dec 5, 2010
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Come to think of it, it wouldn't be hard at all to mount a large pulley against a rag joint sprocket! I don't like chains too much anyway LOL
 

Ruby478

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Apr 2, 2011
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Dallas,Tx
Thanks Dan XD...... yeah its something ive wanted to do but dont have the resources to do it ............im a idea man anyway .......... but yeah i rear belt drive would be great because an alternator can be easily installed as well........ no more dead batteries !!!
 

Fulltimer

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Aug 13, 2010
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Go with the idea! I asked about that about a year ago and got no where. It would be quiet and as long as it was some type of automotive belt used it would be easy to get a replacement. Tractor supply has some pulleys that I have looked at.

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Terry
 

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Thanks Dan XD...... yeah its something ive wanted to do but dont have the resources to do it ............im a idea man anyway .......... but yeah i rear belt drive would be great because an alternator can be easily installed as well........ no more dead batteries !!!
This is really cool. I love these group effort things. How cool is it we live in a time where even though we are so far flung and can share ideas like this and actually collaborate like this.

I have the tools and a few ragjoints so we can try this. LOL, now just have to learn how to use em. (Nope, not kidding)

LOL; "Ruby-Ragjoint"


Go with the idea! I asked about that about a year ago and got no where. It would be quiet and as long as it was some type of automotive belt used it would be easy to get a replacement. Tractor supply has some pulleys that I have looked at.

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Terry
Oh man Terry, I hate that. Must missed it Terry.


I gotta dig it out, but am thinking a Grubee 4g belt clutch would work awesome but do not know if a much larger belt would have the same size "teeth"? But a regular belt would be much easier. Off the shelf parts from any where.

As this is turning into a group project, (if that is OK with you guys) lets vote on how to proceed.


I always wanted to try this and feel free to talk me out of this but instead of an actual sheave, use bolts. So would be easily adjustable in a few minutes. Even could be swapped out on the road. So would be a sprocket but just with a bunch of bolt holes in ever larger circles after and around the rag-joint bolts. Would be less friction but think it would be a compromise worth exploring.

So pull up a chair next to the burn barrel and think out loud.


I have a 4g and the torque is purty amazing. I have never had a proper belt drive other then just the reduction but the difference with a belt vs. a timing belt is pretty dramatic.

Really dunno and just typing out loud.
 

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Wait, wait, I got it. We try em all. Start with the simplest one first.

(By the last few, I will have figured out how to drill the holes in the right place, lol)
 

Fulltimer

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I haven't looked at the price of the different types of belts out there. I know that in the past "V" belts were a dime a dozen and available anywhere. What ever type is cheap and plentiful I would think would be the way to go. The type with "teeth" would probably give the best grip though. So many options!

Terry
 

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Way, way down the road and I have been thinking about this for 4 years. I do not know if this is possible but make the drive sheave on the rear wheel a big arse centrifugal clutch. Would be inherently free-wheeling. Is way beyond me at present but that is the really cool part about our crazy. It all is until tried. Even the failures have merit in that some thing can be learned from it.
 

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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I haven't looked at the price of the different types of belts out there. I know that in the past "V" belts were a dime a dozen and available anywhere. What ever type is cheap and plentiful I would think would be the way to go. The type with "teeth" would probably give the best grip though. So many options!

Terry

Think your right Terry. Start with readily available and of course least expensive and work up.

This really is fun. I enjoy the "sit and figure" stuff. But the group think tank approach is just more fun and really saves time, money and scrap making.

I think I have about a grand ($) tied up in failed muffler attempts. The best I came up with was the $7 rubber muffler and have yet to see one other MBer try it.


Do you guys think that the leverage will be to much for a rag joint? I keep going back and forth on that. Most of the belt sheaves are connected at the weakest point of the spokes. Near the middle and they work fine. Dunno, guess it's gonna be one of those try it and see?
That is a good reason to start with a regular belt. That lil bit 'o slip would help alleviate the shock to the spokes.
 

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Oh man! I had been following that guy a few yrs back and kinda lost track of it. He (if it is the same person) was looking for investors. The prototype looked awesome.

11.2 MPH shifting is about perfect for off the line starting.

His wasn't auto though. Be great if it was the same guy. He was an interesting "build some thing cool" seeming sort.

Great link Terry.
 

Fulltimer

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This one was developed by SRAM. I'm thinking that sometime I'll put one on Big Red. I already have the centrifugal clutch on it.

The Manic Mechanic hub adapter could solve any issues with torque. Other than that, heavy duty spokes might be needed.

Terry
 

Ruby478

Member
Apr 2, 2011
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Dallas,Tx
ragjoint ruins spokes, belt sleeves have torque but theyre on the weakest point on the spokes ........ a hub clamp would be the best option but for a belt it might need to be more heavy duty
 

chainmaker

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
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I use a rear belt drive available at any auto store you want the AX series belts the size listed on the belt is actually 2 inches off the actual size.
 

Fulltimer

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Okay, so the plan is to put a belt pulley on the output shaft of the motor to a pulley on the back rim. Now we need to figure what size pulley on the back wheel to get the desired results.

Chainmaker has a belt drive to the back wheel. It isn't quite set up like we want but it is along the same lines. Sort of. I'm sure he could give some advise on the pulley ratio.

I have a couple of spare idler pulleys for my Jeep that could be used to adjust the belt tension. I also have a couple of spare Serpentine Belts that could be donated if they would be the size that we need.

Terry
 
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Fulltimer

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I just thought of something. The pulley on the output shaft would have to be no bigger than the chain gear that is now on the motor. If it was bigger it wouldn't fit in the little housing. So, the pulley on the back wheel would be the same diameter as a standard chain gear on that back wheel. Give or take a little depending on how fast you want to go. Tractor supply has a lot of different sized pulleys.

Terry
 

Ruby478

Member
Apr 2, 2011
218
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Dallas,Tx
its easy to get a pulley on a 4 stroke ........ but try doing it to a china now that would be something indeed...... but back to the rear pulley, it has to have teeth just like a motorcycle pulley for better grip. we dont want the belt slipping and we want the best performance possible ............maybe a pulley between the size of a 44 tooth or 52 sprocket diameter would do just fine given that theres a small enough drive pulley on the motor