How to Build a cheap friction drive bike

[geeksquid]

nice. so hay Reirol how did you mount the peg to the bell housing? i wanted to do the same but was not sure how to go about it.

Here's a no-bull down and dirty way to mount a bicycle foot peg to a weedeater type engine. Since engines vary a lot, this method might not work so easily on every single one, but it's definitely a start.

YouTube - How to Attach a Spindle on a Weedeater Engine

 

[el toro]

yup that's what i did on my second build but i was hoping for a way to get the peg to attach to the bell housing on the clutch so i can keep the clutch. i do not have access to a welder i wonder if jb would hold?

 

[geeksquid]

yup that's what i did on my second build but i was hoping for a way to get the peg to attach to the bell housing on the clutch so i can keep the clutch. i do not have access to a welder i wonder if jb would hold?

This is one thing I'd like to see a lot more of. I'd like to see various clever ways of mounting a spindle to various motors. Wal-Mart used to always sell the Bell BMX pegs but now that I'm looking for them, they don't have a single one. Putting a spindle on the motor seems like the biggest hurdle of all for a friction drive and most people just kinda skip over that part when showing how they make a friction drive.
Aren't the clutches on weedeater and chain saw motors a little too weak to handle the load of a rider? Looks like they'd wear out fast. I think the overall complexity would be less without a clutch and less to wear out since you can make an engager to engage the drive with a lever even while you're riding. If it's done right, it should be smooth.

 

[el toro]

thats true. mounting a peg minus the clutch is less complicated. however you have to come up with a engage system. i would personally like to change my bike to use a clutch so i would not need to take it off the tire. fixed would give better friction over all. i was lucky getting a ryobi for my first build. made the peg mount easy. try craigslist for pegs. i put a want add in bikes. bmx kids are known for stashing parts.

 

[deacon]

You guys might want to take a look at mounting a #25 sprocket to the outside of the clutch bell. I have not tried it but I did use a 25 plus chain to make a friction drive. It worked okay on Ebike but on a gas it should be very good. Much faster.

I actually have a 3/8" bore sprocket that might work on the ryobi with just a couple of backward bolts to hold it on. I'm not sure anymore if you can weld onto those bells or not.

 

[geeksquid]

You guys might want to take a look at mounting a #25 sprocket to the outside of the clutch bell. I have not tried it but I did use a 25 plus chain to make a friction drive. It worked okay on Ebike but on a gas it should be very good. Much faster.

I actually have a 3/8" bore sprocket that might work on the ryobi with just a couple of backward bolts to hold it on. I'm not sure anymore if you can weld onto those bells or not.

What would be the purpose of a sprocket with a friction drive? Did you mean to just use the sprocket as a medium to have something that fits the drive shaft that you can weld a spindle to? The reason people make a friction drive is the simplicity and to avoid all the mess of sprockets and chains, so I don't understand.

 

[geeksquid]

One thing I've had floating around in my little brain for a spindle is the fact that you can get a collar to fit just about any shaft. The metric shaft collars may be harder to find but not for you guys in the big cities. Simply get a collar that fits snugly inside a pipe (the spindle material) or nipple at the end flush with the end. For non-welders, perhaps JB Weld would hold it, hard to say. Probably not. Even welding might be tricky. Or since a collar has a set screw in it, tap a hole in the spindle material and screw the set screw down thru the collar into the spindle. Or you might have to get a slightly longer set screw. Or you could just use a bolt. If I could draw, I'd make a drawing. Maybe later.

After looking at plumbing parts at the hardware store, forget slipping the inside of the pipe nipple. It could still be done, but it would probably be easier to just get a coupler that's the same O.D. as the collar. Stand the coupler up, sit the collar on top of it (centered) and weld together. Then you can screw a nipple into the coupler for your spindle. Spindles/drive rollers range from 7/8" to 1 1/2", so you may need to use another coupler/reducer/enlarger or adapter to be able to screw on the diameter drive roller that you're wanting to use. I think the smaller the drive roller, the slower the speed and vice versa. If you'll be doing any welding, it would be best to use black pipe types of coupler instead of galvanized. Black pipe is somewhat cheaper anyway. In my local hardware store, the main shelves house the galvanized fittings and n the top shelf, the same fittings but in black, non-plated types.