arceeguy
Active Member
What about using the verticle shaft as a friction drive, running against the side of the rim rather than the top of the tire?
This guy is my hero! Check out the videos, he shows exactly how he got a vertical shaft engine to work on a motorized bike!
I'm guessing that the engine he used had a "heavy" flywheel, as most lawn mower engines have lightweight flywheels and they depend on the inertia of the blade to keep them running smoothly. If you pull the blade off of most lawn mowers, they will be difficult to start and will not idle even if you do get them running. Another hurdle is that they often use 7/8" shafts, where common pulleys and centrifugal clutches are designed for 5/8" or 3/4" shafts.
Shame that they are so difficult to adapt for bikes and go-karts because they are so darned plentiful. Passed by two mowers in the trash on the way to work. I bet that all they needed was a good carb cleaning to get them running again.