Please help with kit!

R

rdrunner2010

New Member
I know that I shouldn't be posting a new thread without commenting some more, but I really need help with my first kit.. Me and my dad have been putting together the Grubee Skyhawk GT2B kit from King's, and so far we've run into too many problems to count. Most of them have been fixed, and there's only three things left to do: Fix the clutch issue, fix the chain issue, and install the gas tank.

The clutch issue is that we can't see what the clutch arm that the cable attaches to does. We have no idea what the resistance should be and how pulling the clutch arm a tiny distance will do anything since the chain is going to move no matter what if the rear wheel is turning. Can anyone help me understand how the clutch arm works and how to install the cable to it properly?

The other issue is that the chain needs to be tightened one more hole, but we tried it and there isn't a recieving hole for the master link, there's just a pin, and I know why but my question is whether or not I should use the chain tensioner provided in the kit? It seems that it would be loud if the chain was constantly running across the plastic pully. Should I just wrap electrical tape around it and try to dull the sound or is there a better solution?

Thanks in advance for the help, I plan on being an active member of the site now that I have some experience with making a motorized bike.
 
rdrunner2010,
Welcome to you and your dad. You've come to the right place for help. Let's take them one at a time:

1. Clutch: The clutch arm on the engine by way of a cam pushes in on a steel pin and ball bearing that applies pressure against the spring which puts pressure against the clutch pads, or pucks, as some call them. When the spring is depressed the clutch is what we call, disengaged. It is like pushing the clutch pedal down on a standard transmission car. The sprocket will always rotate when the rear wheel turns but with the clutch disengaged it is disconnected from the engine crankshaft. To properly install the cable you'll want to have just a very little bit of free play in that arm with the cable connected and the handlebar lever un touched, or not squeezed. About 1/8th inch or less of play is good. When you squeeze the lever that arm should move inward, toward the motor about an inch. That should get you in the ball park as far as getting the clutch to work. A little adjustment afterwards might be necessary due to the cable stretching.

Chain: When you shorten a roller chain, that's the proper name for the type of chain we're dealing with, you'll have to remove two links, not just one. There is a male and female end, or as you said, a receiving hole and a pin. To get the master link to work you'll need two holes.

Chain tensioner: The Kit supplied plastic or nylon wheels can be noisy but the engine, clutch and chain will make more noise than the tensioner wheel. The trick to getting the tensioner to work correctly is to bend, or twist the bracket so the centerline of the wheel aligns with the path of the chain. Most kit brackets do not allow the wheel to run in line with the chain and tend to pull the chain to one side or the other without bending or twisting the bracket before final installation. Many of us who have been around the block a few times secure the bracket to the frame with a small bolt and nut through a hole drilled completely through the bracket and bike frame. That will assure the bracket will not loosen and rotate into your rear wheel/spokes, which can be a dangerous and expensive event. If we can be of further assistance please feel free to post your questions. We'll do our best to get you on the road quickly and safely.
Tom
 
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Theres another site where folks would come on asking for help and right away the 1st 3 responses were why dont you go search that subject has been covered, I could never figure that out. 80%? of the forum seems to be able to help folks fix a problem and if you dont want to help dont.......Im ranting and its 230 am and no coffe yet. RDrunner ask away bro!
 
Thanks a lot for the responses guys! Later on in the day, around 5:30 ET I might have this up and running, if Murphy's Law doesn't come into play. If it is running, i'll post results. Just on a side note will drilling a hole for the chain tensioner weaken the bar? But I think I will do that, because I read about people breaking their spokes in another thread.
 
IMO if your bike has dropouts that allow moving rear wheel back and forth and sprockets are not way out of line then you don't need a tensioner. The half dozen or so problems I ran into were CAUSED and not solved by having a tensioner. Two guys had to buy new rear wheels. :eek:
 
Theres alot of weight on those 2 frame stems that go to the back wheel from the crank housing and PERSONALLY I would not drill a hole in them, their not very big to begin with and to weaken one intentionally doesnt seem like a good idea to me. At least 50% of the weight of the bike and the rider goes through those stems plus with the vibration of a happy times your just asking for a disaster.
 
I put two small sheet metel screws into the tensioner & frame to keep it from moving. Never had a problem. Don't use large screws.
 
VENICE BOY said:
I put two small sheet metel screws into the tensioner & frame to keep it from moving. Never had a problem. Don't use large screws.
Click to expand...

Just my opinion on what I wouldnt do. Theres no doubt in my mind you have way more experience with bicycles then I do. My frame is aluminum and maybe that is what scares me.
 
Aight, the status right now is that it sounds like it will work, because I tried to start it, but my chain keeps getting caught up on the crappy chain tensioner that came with the kit. Since i'd hate for the chain to drop while going 20, i'm going to make a tensioner that has a sprocket, maybe just take one off the tensioner on the rear derailer of a bike. So anyway its pushed back till tomorrow at earliest.

On a side note, does anyone know how to attach a rim brake to a bike not set up for rim brakes? My front brake is a disc, but I needed a new wheel for the rear since the hub was too big, and I ripped the disc out anyway and stripped all the holes.
 
bandito said:
Theres alot of weight on those 2 frame stems that go to the back wheel from the crank housing and PERSONALLY I would not drill a hole in them, their not very big to begin with and to weaken one intentionally doesnt seem like a good idea to me. At least 50% of the weight of the bike and the rider goes through those stems plus with the vibration of a happy times your just asking for a disaster.
Click to expand...
Totally disagree with this. Too many folks have done it with no bad results, me included. Have you personally experienced a failure due to drilling? A 3/16" hole through the chainstay will not compromise the strength enough to be a concern. The chances of a loose tensioner bracket rotating into the spokes are way higher than failure of the frame from a small hole.
Tom
 

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I locked my tensioner by drilling through the clamp and just one side of the chainstay with a #29 bit. I then threaded the hole with an 8-32 tap and secured it with a very short bolt. This kept the material removal to a minimum.
 
I just wrap a small thick rubber sheet around the frame and tighten the bracket over it.. saves from drilling a hole and works a treat
 
I cut down an old inner tube and rapped the frame where the tensioner goes, on other bikes we have put in a small self tapper screw and this works just as well, Good Luck and keep posting!!!
 
IT WORKS!

Thank you everyone for the support, in the end I decided not to use a chain tensioner because the chain loosened up while we were testing the clutch, and we could take another two links off it, so now it's tight. It's night here on the East Coast so I haven't ridden it anywhere far or fast, but it does go. I think my post count is too low to post pics still, but I'll do a write up of my experience somewhere.

I'm soooo pumped! brnot
 
Every time I try to attach pics to a post it says something to the effect of "Upload Failed". Does anyone know if this is because of my low post count or if my internet just fails? The images are pretty huge too if thats the problem.
 
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