Tom from Rubicon
Well-Known Member
Brilliant! 
Way Back Machine
- Thread starter wrenching4fun
- Start date
wrenching4fun
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Tom. Sometimes things just work out. Replaced my 8 inch jackshaft for one that's 4.75" long since the freewheel that did go to the pedal now rides on the kickstart. Couldn't test it out cause wifey wants to ride pedal-assist ebikes for exercise and when mom's happy, everyone's happy. Ebikes it is!
wrenching4fun
Well-Known Member
Someone politely reminded me today, "If you can't pedal it, it's not a bicycle." The message sent me back to the shop to correct the technicality by reverting back to a pull start and reconnecting the crank to the jackshaft so technically you can pedal the bike, though I won't be doing that as long as I have gasoline. Thank goodness I kept all of the parts from the original configuration, so it was simple to go back.
During the process of changing everything back, two issues raised their ugly head. First, the engine wouldn't start because there was no spark. After 30 minutes of frustrating diagnosis I eliminated the ignition switch and the air gap, and the plug tested good on another engine. Long story, short: the connection on the plug boot was bad. I whacked the factory boot off (the connector was simply a piece of coiled wire that slipped over the plug with one end inserted in the plug wire) , removed a short section of wire and screwed in an NGK plug cap.
The engine fired right up, but the pedals spun like crazy as if there was no freewheel. Another long story short: I opened the freewheel up, found that one of the pawls was outside the spring and was floating around freely in the freewheel causing it to lock up. I repositioned the spring, packed the race with bearing grease, and re-inserted all of the tiny little bearings. Now the Chinese freewheel runs like a Japanese one.
Tomorrow I'm riding come **** or high water!
During the process of changing everything back, two issues raised their ugly head. First, the engine wouldn't start because there was no spark. After 30 minutes of frustrating diagnosis I eliminated the ignition switch and the air gap, and the plug tested good on another engine. Long story, short: the connection on the plug boot was bad. I whacked the factory boot off (the connector was simply a piece of coiled wire that slipped over the plug with one end inserted in the plug wire) , removed a short section of wire and screwed in an NGK plug cap.
The engine fired right up, but the pedals spun like crazy as if there was no freewheel. Another long story short: I opened the freewheel up, found that one of the pawls was outside the spring and was floating around freely in the freewheel causing it to lock up. I repositioned the spring, packed the race with bearing grease, and re-inserted all of the tiny little bearings. Now the Chinese freewheel runs like a Japanese one.
Tomorrow I'm riding come **** or high water!
Tom from Rubicon
Well-Known Member
This has been one the best builds in a while.
Tom
Tom