In frame Predator fricton drive build

[rustycase]

Tnx Wayne!

I really don't know anything abt the yard equipment, cept for trimmers, chain saws, and a shovel.

Would the drives from these two critters be the ones?
rc

 

[wayne z]

Hey HC, haven't had any trouble with pantsleg at all, but I do plan on a plexi guard after I finish tweaking the 2 speed drive. Had a real nice plexi guard on it with the single speed set-up.

RC, I don't know much about the different hardware or drives on different mowers.

There's prolly some stuff on those that could be used though .

I was in NAPA yesterday, they let me go in back and pilfer around in the mower parts.

I found a lightweight mower deck spindle with bearings and a large mounting flange. This would make a strong, light, single flange mount jackshaft with a splined pulley mount. Wouldn't be hard to adapt a sprocket or pully, or drive roller to the other end.

Thinking about a 4" x12" or so aluminum plate bolted to the pto side of an engine with the spindle bolted to the other end, sorta like the AGK jackshaft

The one I looked at was old stock MTD about 35 bux old price. New stock ones are bout 65 bux. A salvaged one is cheap though.

 

[rustycase]

Good deal on your spindle find, Wayne!

Ha! See how my luck runs? I got my old garden tractors really cheap because they are just wore out and thrashed... One of 'em, well, among other probs, is that the spindle bearings are froze up on the deck. Go figger! lol Murphy

BTW, what did you think of the Velo/Solex clone when you had it on the bike?

Best
rc

 

[wayne z]

Once I did a few mods like shaving the head, it runs pretty good. I put it on a new 24" black Micargi girls bike with pink rims ,for my wife. Looks a lot like the old original Velosolex I ride it more than she does.

I drove it all over the French Qtr for a while. A guy on a pink and black bike and a loud flowerey shirt is not an unusual sight there LOL. It is very quiet, smooth and easy to operate. Doesn't go fast enough to make you nervous.

It starts very easily. You can push with your feet a few steps while sitting on it, and it starts right up and goes.

 

[cannonball2]

Tnx Wayne!

I really don't know anything abt the yard equipment, cept for trimmers, chain saws, and a shovel.

Would the drives from these two critters be the ones?
rc

Those are likely suspects for the vari drive RC, especially the White. The easy way to tell is look at the shifter, if it has a F-N-R small shifter and another lever with up to 7speeds with park at the bottom thats one.

 

[wayne z]

Ok, My 2 speed tranny mod has been tweaked pretty good,and performs real well. I got about 20 miles on it now, no excessive belt wear showing, and no other probs.

I took some great demo footage for you guys, with my Sony handycam mounted on my helmet. But, I have been working for the last 2 days trying to get one of my computers to recognise the dang camera, so i can post on You-tube.
Must have the idle belt drag issue licked, I can peg that cheapo speedo at 50 mph,(on the video just wait), which equates to 42 mph on the wind meter. Gets there real quick with 2 speeds too.

2 speeds are awesome

This dang camera/ pc issue is harder to figure out for me than the 2 speed belt tranny

 

[rustycase]

Well I sure hope you get it figgered, Wayne... I'd like to see a pic of it in action, and listen, too!

...Two Speed Wayne! lol

Tnx CB2... The kid is up in WA state for a bit. I'll have him toss the mowers when he gets back so I can see what the running gear looks like.
I had considered tilling my garden with one of em, so the other is just spare parts anyway.
...missed out on a farmall cub last year... would have been btr...


Good luck w the vid Wayne! Will look forward to it!
rc

 

[wayne z]

Hi all, Looks like my vid cam has i-link jack issues, so back to stills.
View attachment 39047

This thing is very fast and very smooth. The 2 speed jockey shift tranny works perfect. To bump start you move the shift to high and the engine easily starts turning and it starts right away then snap it back to low.


The clutch lever does nothing in high. You have to downshift when you want clutch control.
It has very good engine braking when downshifted.


I climbed a steep 30deg gravel road today in low, with no problen other than it was grunting pretty hard, and seemed to like it.

I know that this Speedo sez 37 at 30 mph. Anybody got ant idea how fast this is?


I put another 10 miles on it today. These are tuff lil engines. I ran the last 4 miles today at WOT, 45-50 on the speedo, all the way home.

My empty HT peanut tank took 40 oz to fill up to 1" from the neck.

2 1/2 pints every 60 miles average since built. What's that in mpg?

 

[daRog]

That's something like 192 mpg.

 

[wayne z]

OK,I added some good improvements today

I added an adjustable stabilizer bar from engine to roller mount. There was significant frame flex in the seat stays before' When I squeezed the clutch, I could see the tubes flex, and the whole drive assy would move about 1/8". I'm sure engine load was causing movement too.

Adding the bar made a great improvement! No visable flex at all now, and it smoothed out even more vibration.

I am amazed at how I can always dig around in my junk and find what I need.

I needed a handle for the jockey shift that was easy to use with the left hand, and farther away from them pullies.

I found this nice old curvey handle that works perfect, and even matched my seatpost! Feels good egronomicly too. Feels awesome when you wind it up tight and powershift at 25 mph and zoom to over 40 or cruise 30 effortless!


This is the first rough fit.
I'll re-fit and paint the parts next rainy day.

40 oz gas = 60 miles =192 mpg!

Whut? That kind a performance wit no chain? Oh yeah! No mo chains fo me LOL

 

[Dan]

Awesome Wayne!

 

[WayneC]

Whut? That kind a performance wit no chain? Oh yeah! No mo chains fo me LOL

So Wayne, get off the fence already and let us know; Do you like chains or not! LOL

WC

 

[wayne z]

Hey all, Thought I would post an update on this build.

 

[wayne z]

Dang, lost the whole page and 2 pics, BBL :~)

 

[wayne z]

Warning! These engines may induce loss of interest in the Chinagirls..:~)

450 miles on the odometer. No noticable wear on any of the drive train parts.

 

[rustycase]

Great to hear, Wayne!
Gosh the pic looks complicated... I actually have to think when I look at it.
It's hard.

So what is your normal cruise speed at this point?
Do you have an extended road trip planned yet?

I still gotta figger how your toggle works when you come out of low and it goes into hi gear...

Do you reach over and throw the lever with your left hand? or do you release the throttle when shifting?

Best
rc

 

[wayne z]

Hey RC, thanks.

It can cruise 35 all day, but I like to cruise around a more comfortable 25-30

Yeah, I shift from low to high with my left hand, without letting off throtle.

It has to be downshifted before stopping to re-gain clutch control.
The clutch idler is inoperative while in high gear.

Downshifting also causes significant engine braking.

 

[Dan]

Wow! Lookin' great!

 

[happycheapskate]

Please build another one so that one can be installed in a museum!

That is art!

I think the 2 belt setup will not cause much extra wear on either belt because they are both going in the same direction, though different speeds. Surely, slippage is decreased by that, and if the belt rotates, wear will be spread.

 

[wayne z]

Thanks HC. So far I have 500 miles on it and the belts show no significant wear .
I have refined the belt supports well enough that when the high belt is tight, the other one hardly touches the sheaves and doesn't travel at all. When in low, the hi belt travels a little, not an issue though.

My next project is to build a 2 speed with my 49ccHS with cent. clutch, and chain drive secondary. Going to try using a sprag bearing in the low speed driven pulley, with the belt tight continuosly, with an idler to tighten the high belt to overrun the low speed beltset in high gear.