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travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
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California
I have a Phat cycles cruiser with Ape hangers and 80cc motor kit. I got it all installed yesterday. Took it for shake down cruise and chain tensioner slipped into spokes, snapping one, and off rear sprocket and chain rubs on the tire also. Got the tensioner removed and the chain is binded in the drive gear. Luckily I was only 100 yards from my house. So now I have to get the chain out, widen the rear so chain does not rub and fab a chain tensioner. Going to use the metal stock with conduit clamps mounted to upper and lower part of frame with roller bolted on. Got some ideas from the chain tensioner sticky thread. If this does not work I am going to move everything over to my Kona Scrap mountain bike. Up until the chain tensioner slipped the bike was fun to ride. Hopefully I get this figured out.
 

travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
I will post pics this evening. The chain that came with the kit can it be shortened to bypass the tensioner? It seems that once I get it unbinded I can remove one or two more links and will not need the tensioner. Another question can the motor be mounted in the kona scrap frame? Thanks
 

Toadmund

New Member
Jan 19, 2012
792
6
0
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
By now I am sure you got your chain out of the drive gear, sometimes you have to work it out, if it doesn't take off the cover.

As far as the chain tensioner goes, a piece of innertube will solve all your tensioner problems.
But my tensioner wheel is wearing out badly (groovy man!), so I may modify the thing myself. Got my eye on a busted skateboard for its wheels. And I found this nice little bar of aluminum I may use for it.
 

travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
I'm still at work, once I get home I will work on the bike. I assume the inner tube wraps around the bar and the clamp mounts over that. I am going to take a piece of metal stock (the kind used to hang garage doors) that has holes already in it. Take a conduit clamp and mount it to the top and bottom and install the roller on it. I still have to widen the rear though to fix the tire rub issue.
I may just start over and just mount all everything on my Kona Scrap. Seems like it would be less work to just use another bike.
 

travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
So an update. I tried to mount the motor on my Kona fire mountain, it is not going to work not enough clearance. I am taking my rear wheel into the bike shop to get the wheel re-laced and the stock hub fixed. Apparently when the chain threw it over-tightened the nut on the hub causing my hub to not spin freely, thus causing the lock bracket that locks the hub and attaches to the frame does not do what it is supposed to do now. I still have chain rub on the tire. I am going to try a narrower rear tire before I try to widen the rear. This may end up being cheaper to just get a new bike and start all over. Off to a great start on my first build.
 

travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
Need some more advice. The space between my rear wheel mounts is 111mm, closer to the crank the narrowest is 75mm, my rear tire is 26x2.125. If I were to switch to a 26x2 or a 26x1.95 would the chain still rub the tire? It seems to me that it would not, but I may be wrong. I am really apprehensive about trying to bend out the rear 9-10mm, never done it before and dont want to piss it away. Thanks again
 
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maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
Tire swap would be much easier and safer. Bending the stays is best done by experienced builders to avoid alignment issues and possible failure. Have you tried adding washers to the rubbing side to space the rim over a bit? Might help.
 

travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
I will try that maniac, thanks. I am at a stopping point with this bike until my hub gets fixed and rear wheel get re-laced. I am going to re look at my mountain bike the clearance issue is with the carb, it hits the top bar. I am going to the hardware store today and see if I can find a piece of aluminum tubing that I can connect and have it come out the side of the frame. I have the carb and intake tube off so I can match it up. I will run a search and see if I can find anything. I'm sure this has been done before. If the motor has been stuffed inside a bmx bike then this had to have been done.
 

Toadmund

New Member
Jan 19, 2012
792
6
0
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
You could always do something like this (pics)
Go buy a male/female 45Deg 3/4" elbow piece, a 3/4" to 1/2" reducer, a piece of 3/4" to join those, an aluminum shim from a pop can or something to fit the intake pipe to the elbow to stop the solder and for a good fit.

Solder everything like you would copper pipes.

And this is a strong piece of pipe!
 

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Wickedest1

Member
Oct 31, 2012
688
7
18
41
connecticut
Welcome to the forum travis...sucks that you are having issues...you WILL figure it out...and once you do you can look at any bike and just know if it will work...this is not a hobby, its an obsession...there's tons of useful info on this forum...look at the take a tip leave a tip sticky...thats one of this forums best weapons...and the chatbox...good luck and happy 2stroking

Here's the sticky link:
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=121
 
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travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
Toadmund that is exactly what I was looking for. Thank You. You da man. I will need to use flux and a propane torch, a soldering iron will not do this job, if I am assuming correctly. As far as solder goes it shouldnt matter if it is flux core or silver. Hopefully I can get this up and running this weekend.
 

Toadmund

New Member
Jan 19, 2012
792
6
0
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Make sure to sand everything you are joining, yes, propane torch.
Use lots of flux.
I used silver solder solid core.
I don't think you can get lead solder anymore?

I used a piece of cereal box cardboard as a spacer carb to pipe.
(may have to seal it better.)
 
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travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
After doing some basic math on parts and labor to un-lace rim, install new hub, and re-lace with new spokes I have decided to purchase a new rim and a narrower tire, 26x1.95, and use this setup on my beach cruiser. Going to use the mountain bike and build a motor bicycle for my wife, after I work the kinks out on mine. Thank you all for the help and I will keep you updated. Here are some pics of my project, we will call it "Foxtrot Bravo" aka "finicky *****". Let me know what you think
 

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travis dasher

New Member
Apr 22, 2013
18
0
0
California
Take your time and review a few of these threads in here, intake/exhaust, chain tensioner, the sticky 'take a tip leave a tip'. I found these to be very helpful.