NEW Manic Mechanic Motor Mounts just dont fit

R

RoadPocalypse

New Member
I got a set of these in the mail yesterday. I bought these because the pair me and my buddy were making were only half way done before actual work came in putting the mounts on the backburner. Figured I wouldnt wait any longer and ordered a set for my 58 Schwinn Vette.

Now im mounting these to a PK80, a stock run of the mill PK80. Both mounts fit the frame size perfectly.

The "T" part of the mount fits the rear of the PK80 block nicely, but the front "T" is not even close. I got ahold of Bikeberry and also called Jim from his website. Had to leave a message on his voicemail so im hoping he gets it soon before others run into the same problem.

I think the "T" (aka mounting plate), needs to be a little bigger for the front. I imagine Jim set the CNC machine to pump out so many mounting "T"s without accounting for possibly different engine sizes, or front mounting pad sizes? Its only about at 1/8th off, just enough so that it WONT work.

IS anyone else having this same issue as far as the front mount is concerned?
 
RoadPocalypse said:
I got a set of these in the mail yesterday. I bought these because the pair me and my buddy were making were only half way done before actual work came in putting the mounts on the backburner. Figured I wouldnt wait any longer and ordered a set for my 58 Schwinn Vette.

Now im mounting these to a PK80, a stock run of the mill PK80. Both mounts fit the frame size perfectly.

The "T" part of the mount fits the rear of the PK80 block nicely, but the front "T" is not even close. I got ahold of Bikeberry and also called Jim from his website. Had to leave a message on his voicemail so im hoping he gets it soon before others run into the same problem.

I think the "T" (aka mounting plate), needs to be a little bigger for the front. I imagine Jim set the CNC machine to pump out so many mounting "T"s without accounting for possibly different engine sizes, or front mounting pad sizes? Its only about at 1/8th off, just enough so that it WONT work.

IS anyone else having this same issue as far as the front mount is concerned?
Click to expand...

I had problems with the front mount not fitting like I want them to fit. Solution was that I custom make a mount for each build.
http://s982.photobucket.com/albums/ae309/Ron-Becker/Engine Mounting/
 
Thanks for the reply Fisherman. Heres a pic to better explain the situation I am having. The frame section mounts fine, its the actual "T" for the front that doesnt line up.

Youll notice in the pic, one of the holes matches up perfectly, while the other is way off. THIS is the front mount only, the rear mates up perfectly.

Hopefully Manic Mechanic fixes this issue before too many people start having the same problem.

It could be I have a PK80 engine? I was under the impression that the cases are pretty much the same?

Heres the pic

IMG_7784.jpg
 
So once over the tube, the mount holes in the mount are either not wide enough or too wide, and won't bolt up to the engine block????
 
Al.Fisherman said:
So once over the tube, the mount holes in the mount are either not wide enough or too wide, and won't bolt up to the engine block????
Click to expand...

The motor mount is a 2 part unit. The "T" is what mounts to the block, and that is the part that seems to be too short for the front. The front mounting holes on the block itself that is.

Below is the entire mount itself, hopefully gives a better explanation.

IMG_7780.jpg
 
Wow! Nice machining work on the parts!

Didja mean the spread on the holes are not right? like it's for the 44mm spacing and not the 48mm?

or the tongue is not long enough to fit into the clevis?

or when the T is bolted to the motor, it won't reach the clevis while it's clamped to the frame?

Wow. too bad it won't fit. it sure looks nice!

I'm probly gonna fab one like Alf said... think I'll use a U-bolt to a flat bracket.
..sure won't be as pretty as yours!

Good luck
rc
 
RoadPocalypse said:
The motor mount is a 2 part unit. The "T" is what mounts to the block, and that is the part that seems to be too short for the front. The front mounting holes on the block itself that is.
Click to expand...

Very nice mount, too bad it doesn't work as it would a nice clean mount to the frame. Yes this picture better explains your problem over the first picture that you posted. You can make a extension that bolts between the engine and your new mount, or a custom rear mount. The extension could be made from square/flat bar stock. By the way I feel it's the differences in the frame, not the engine itself. Another idea, but wouldn't look as clean is a longer "T". Lowe's or Home Depot sells bar stock in aluminum/steel, of various width and thickness. Buy a length of the size you need and cut as many shims as you want. That is where I purchase my stock to build the mounts and the clutch rollers that I make.
 
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Al.Fisherman said:
Very nice mount, too bad it doesn't work as it would a nice clean mount to the frame. Yes this picture better explains your problem over the first picture that you posted. You can make a extension that bolts between the engine and your new mount, or a custom rear mount. The extension could be made from square/flat bar stock. By the way I feel it's the differences in the frame, not the engine itself. Another idea, but wouldn't look as clean is a longer "T". Lowe's or Home Depot sells bar stock in aluminum/steel, of various width and thickness. Buy a length of the size you need and cut as many shims as you want. That is where I purchase my stock to build the mounts and the clutch rollers that I make.
Click to expand...

I figured out whats going on here, after reading RustyCase's reply, it hit me. The front mounting pad on the PK80 engines was made wider for the newer frame styles, Roughly 48mm. The rear mount is 44mm, which is why the mount fits the rear.

So Manic Mechanics mounts as you see here will not fit any engine that has a 48mm front mounting pad. These new mounts are ALL machined for any mount 44mm and under. My best guess is 40 to 44mm. They are being advertised as Designed and CNC machined to match your engine, with a variety of sizes for different tube diameters.


I did use a piece of flat stock for the front and offset it just so I could use it. I didnt buy it with that in mind however and that is not how it is advertised so hopefully Jim does something about it before too many people get frustrated.
 
rustycase said:
Wow! Nice machining work on the parts!

Didja mean the spread on the holes are not right? like it's for the 44mm spacing and not the 48mm?

or the tongue is not long enough to fit into the clevis?

or when the T is bolted to the motor, it won't reach the clevis while it's clamped to the frame?

Wow. too bad it won't fit. it sure looks nice!

I'm probly gonna fab one like Alf said... think I'll use a U-bolt to a flat bracket.
..sure won't be as pretty as yours!

Good luck
rc
Click to expand...

Thanks Rusty,

Just want to clear things up a little bit.

These mounts are not mine, I didnt make them. These are Manic Mechanics New mounts they just released this month.

I am making some mounts yes, but they are on the back burner for now.
 
RoadPocalypse said:
I figured out whats going on here, after reading RustyCase's reply, it hit me. The front mounting pad on the PK80 engines was made wider for the newer frame styles, Roughly 48mm. The rear mount is 44mm, which is why the mount fits the rear.
Click to expand...

When I make custom mounts for customers, I need to take the mounting holes into consideration. Yes the front mounts can be either a 40mm or a 48mm bolt pattern.

8mm difference is big difference. Glad you finally figured it out, and got it to work.
 
I'm giving more thought to this problem...
it seems like the chinagirl kits do a wonderful job of coming close to 'universal' mounting, but there are just SO many different frames!

I think the prob here is the single connecting point between the frame clamp and the T bracket that bolts to the engine, which should, of course, be drilled for both common front stud configurations... or at least indexed for both where the buyer could drill out whichever one was required. ..probably a machined slot would be best..

There should be a toggle link, with a connecting point on each end, for connection between the T and the frame clamp. That would make it universal.

Still, IMO, the rear mount is most important, as it is the point where the power developed by the engine is actually impacted upon the framework... the front mount merely 'locates' the front of the engine.
..there's kind of a lot of leeway here, because we are working with such low hp and torque.


...I've gotta work on spacer shims for the rear mount today... again! lol
really want to eliminate the chain tensioner.
this new motorized bicycle I gathered had a wrench clamped into the tensioner bracket because it was too loose. I think it's a schwinn bike... and the chainstay is too narrow. the tensioner went into the spokes at least once and busted a couple, rag joint is out of concentric, and sprocket is all scarred up on one side from when it threw the chain.

Projects! :-)

Best
rc
 
Of the last 3 motors I bought, all from from the Rico Group, 2 of them had 50 mm width between the front mounting studs, and the other had 43 mm.

The 50 mm motors were a X80, and T80. The 43 mm was a Z80

The sellers are usually unclear in their adds about what size mounts the motor has.
 
biknut said:
Of the last 3 motors I bought, all from from the Rico Group, 2 of them had 50 mm width between the front mounting studs, and the other had 43 mm.

The 50 mm motors were a X80, and T80. The 43 mm was a Z80

The sellers are usually unclear in their adds about what size mounts the motor has.
Click to expand...

So now we have to deal (front mount) with a 40mm, 43mm, 48mm and a 50mm? Or is the 43mm you mentioned a typ-o, and actually a 48mm? I have no 50mm spacing, all are either a 40mm or 48mm.
 
lol

"So now we have to deal (front mount) with a 40mm, 43mm, 48mm and a 50mm? "

crazy!

mebbe we should just get out the bailing wire and hose clamps!

lol
rc
 
Al.Fisherman said:
So now we have to deal (front mount) with a 40mm, 43mm, 48mm and a 50mm? Or is the 43mm you mentioned a typ-o, and actually a 48mm? I have no 50mm spacing, all are either a 40mm or 48mm.
Click to expand...

A closer measurement comes out to 40 mm, and 50 mm. Forget about the 43.

My Flying Hosre motor is also 40 mm front mount.

I consider the 40 mm standard spacing, and the 50 mm to be wide mount. In my experience the 50 mm is more desirable because it's more versatile.

A lot of frames nowdays have 1 1/2" down tubes. 50 mm is wide enough to directly bolt to a 1 1/2" downtube, but 40 mm is too narrow without an adapter.

That's probably not a problem for a beach cruiser, but for a mountain bike style frame it can be a problem. A 40 mm front mount would never fit this frame.

picture.php


picture.php
 
No problem with the carburetor being in a Detroit lean?

Here's the problem with cruisers, at least with the one's I've worked on.

The 40mm spacing works well on the seat tube.
Since the front tube is larger and curved, the the 40mm won't work. And although the 48mm fits the tube, it won't mount flush, causing a concern for breaking/striping the front mounting studs, and a possibility of breaking the case itself. As far as breaking the case, I've received broken cases (from members) that I have repaired, so that you don't have to trash a broken case.

Best thing on a cruiser, as far as I see it is to get a kit (40mm) rear mount, mount the engine on the seat tube and make a front mount. Depending on how low or high you want to mount the engine a mount can be fabricated.... I like a 1" spacing from the engine to the tube.

I built a cruiser for a friend that he wanted the engine mounted higher, so I made the mount ... 1-1/2 " long. I have even mounted a engine without the factory rear mount.
 
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