99cc rack mount 3 speed spoke drive MTB

[silverbear]

CB2,
I had been thinking about two tie bars on the swing arms and your suggestion confirms it. If in the end it proves to not be enough then I'll use something heavier.

Just now ordered the link belt from Harbor Freight and suspect that an idler for the final drive belt would still be a good idea.
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Going by the pictures you've posted everything looks very good Silverbear

 

[silverbear]

Thanks, Anne.
SB

 

[silverbear]

Progress this morning. Figured out a way to anchor the drop stand in the down position using left over brake cable. Temporary cable stops are flat washers with the cable sandwiched between. Will get something better next time in town, but even so it is secure.

Finished drilling and slotting the holes for the engine mount and it is now securely bolted.

Throttle hookup is done, but needs a stiffer return spring.

Waiting for one ball bearing for the shifter and link belt for the pulleys.

Still need to make up the cross bar support for the swing arms.

Getting there...
SB

 

[curtisfox]

Really looking good,getting there .More dry spells coming ..................Curt

 

[cannonball2]

Was thinking SB that if you added threaded rod adjusters from the motor support struts to the hubs swing arm not only could the tire loading be adjusted, but the rods would prevent twisting of the hubs arms.

 

[silverbear]

Thanks, Curt.
Yeah, the weather guys are forecasting sun tomorrow! On the other had they also forecast sun today and there isn't any where I am. No rain anyway. Pretty typical May in Minnesota.

CB2,
Was thinking about rods before I went the spring route. In looking through my metal pile I found something from when Fasteddy and I converted an old boat trailer into a bike trailer and cut off the forward end of the tongue with rollers and winch mount. I think this is from the winch mount. I've cut it down some, but I think it will work nicely. If not, then adjustable rods will make things right.

Tomorrow for that as I've already screwed up today with the throttle setup. This engine being reversed has sure messed with my brain. I added the little copper gas filter, put some gas in and started it up on the second pull and the engine was racing... huh? I had everything backwards so the throttle return spring was holding it wide open. So, a little fiddling and now things are right. Sure does run smoothly. I like these Predator engines, especially for what they cost. I set the idle low so the clutch doesn't engage. Muffler quiets it down quite a lot. The new one will look cleaner and will also keep it quiet. Maybe tomorrow I'll get the welder out and get the new exhaust manifold done. There won't be a lot left after that. Adjusted the brakes. Should be on the road next week. Link belt has shipped.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

It's coming together nicely. Surely pays to keep all the odd bits that you come across over the years.
Is the plate a tight fit or does it have to have washers to fit?

Hope the weather people guessed right about the weather tomorrow. I'm sitting here watching perfect weather go by day after day.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

It will need a couple of washers at each bolt. It would be nice if I can get away with using this mount. Went fishing with neighbor Jim this evening. Where are the walleye? Not a bite, but the sun broke through the clouds and gave a spectacular sunset. All in all, a good day. Sun would be nice tomorrow. Time to put the Panther back together. Wish you could be here to advise me on the welding tomorrow. It will be okay since it just needs to stick together. Pretty doesn't count, which is a good thing.

I know you're exercising that bum knee. Is it helping?
SB

 

[fasteddy]

I have a wobbly limp down to absolute perfection and I can identify a landing area long before the need though the need has come up a couple of times. Up and down the stairs upright on my own has been mastered.

I'm in pretty good shape when you consider the shape I'm in.

I believe the Walleyes have heard that you both were on the lake and they all hid but a poor day of fishing beats the best day at work, hollow.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

I have a wobbly limp down to absolute perfection and I can identify a landing area long before the need though the need has come up a couple of times. Up and down the stairs upright on my own has been mastered.

I'm in pretty good shape when you consider the shape I'm in.

I believe the Walleyes have heard that you both were on the lake and they all hid but a poor day of fishing beats the best day at work, hollow.

Steve.

Mastering the stairs is a big deal and a wobbly limp beats not walking by a mile. Excellent to hear! Keep up the hard work; it is paying off!
SB

 

[silverbear]

I looked through my dead headlight box and found one I salvaged from my big truck fire some years back. I had adapted it from an old lantern type flashlight and had it on a 1939 Elgin. I figured it would look okay on this MTB and gave it a coat of black enamel. It no longer has a lens or guts of any kind so I'll cut a lens from clear glass and make a housing to hold a sawed off LED flashlight. The housing currently has tuna fish inside, but a leather punch will open a flashlight sized hole in the center and with the tuna removed and inside Aaniimoosh The Wonder Dog, then the flashlight will get cut off with a tubing cutter and wire leads will be soldered so that eventually it can be powered with a vintage 6 volt sidewall generator. This and the tail light will be a good rainy day activity.

Since the sun was out and no rain clouds were in sight I decided it was a good opportunity to weld up that exhaust manifold and put the new exhaust on. That went well in some ways... like the welding wasn't awful and it was solid enough... even looked pretty good after cleaning up with the side grinder. But once I was bolting it on to the engine I noticed a wee problem...
(cont.)
SB

 

[silverbear]

Oops... more than a little problem, actually. Sometimes I have to laugh at the goofy stuff I do. So, back to the drawing board. I ground off the new welds and re-aligned the parts and welded it up again, managing this time to blow a hole through the cast iron where it was thin from grinding a taper. After dialing back the amps I cobbled a repair by building up the weld on the steel flange and bridging the hole. Not so pretty welds, but it is solid and together. Later on I may make up another one with a new cast iron street elbow and might not, too. It sounds good, a little more free flow than the China girl muffler, but not too loud. Looks pretty good, so on to other things.
(cont.)
SB

 

[fasteddy]

I was going to mention that you should tack it in place and then weld it up after you took it off but got on to something else on another bog.

Learn as you go I guess. Glad it worked.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

The assortment of ball bearings came in the mail, so I tried the smallest one (1/8") and it was too small. The next one had "goldylocks" engraved on it in tiny manuscript and was just right. So, the twist grip shifter is in working order. I ran the new cable and discovered the cable is long enough to reach the area of the hub, but not the cable housing, so Ill just add some additional housing so that the end can butt up against the adjuster which will be affixed to the right swing arm. To get the angle of engagement right for attaching to the little chain deal coming out of the hub I'll use a little wheel from a patio door to make a right angle turn in the cable run.

With just so much room available on the swing arm for attaching things and also anticipating the need to bolt an idler pulley for belt tension I realized that the plate I was going to bolt to the swing arms to keep them from twisting was not going to work. I didn't much like it anyway as it was big, heavy and clunky looking. A cup of coffee and some creative staring later I did a search for some rods I ran across in the department of strange stuff a while back, found them and discovered they will work nicely to hold the swing arms so they can't twist. Excellent. That will be tomorrow's activity, weather permitting, drilling for adjustment slots and bolting for the swing arm rods and setting up the cable hardware for the shifter. And after that about all that's left is aligning the pulleys for the link belts once they arrive next week.
SB

 

[silverbear]

I was going to mention that you should tack it in place and then weld it up after you took it off but got on to something else on another bog.

Learn as you go I guess. Glad it worked.

Steve.

Had you been here we could have shared a good laugh over that one. As I get older it is getting worse. Either cry about it or laugh and I choose to laugh. I also think that in a thread like this it is as important to show the wrong turns as it is the right ones. So we screw up. Start over and get it right this time, eh?
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

What a fascinating build this has been, - so many wonderful ideas.

I must agree about showing the bloopers too. Afterall our bike builds don't drop fully formed from the sky, a lot of thinking, handwork and bruised knuckles go into the building of any motor bicycle.

 

[msrfan]

Nice work sb, figuring out all the ways around whatever problems come up.
Bloopers are good but they may make my threads twice as long. I can't tell you how many times I've worked for hours on a part just to throw it in the trash. Especially when it comes to removing unneeded material or making something lighter. You cut and grind until the part is totally too weak and useless.
Anyway, nice build and good progress. We need to know what brand of brain coffee you are drinking because it sure seems to work for you.

 

[cannonball2]

I dont know SB, looks like that first pipe would have been a real welcome thing tucked into your jacket for a Mn. winter ride.

Looking great! Getting Close! It all comes together.

 

[silverbear]

Thanks for the kind words, you guys (& girl). CB2, would you believe snow is forecast here for tonight? It won't stick, but still... come on, now. Sleet tomorrow. I wore shorts & a T shirt yesterday. I remember one year we had snow flurries in July. Ah well. Minnesnowta. It is what it is.

Yes, just about done with this strange looking project. In a few days we should have liftoff!
SB