Another way is to go to a hardware store & get one of the small grinding wheels that have a 1/4" shank to fit your drill. Wrap it in a towel & beat with a hammer. Take the fine grit & mix it in with " J.B. Weld ' & smear a coat , as evenly as possible, on the steel drive roller. Grips the tire better, but can be rougher on the tire.
How do you Improve the Grip of a Drive Roller?
- Thread starter Fender100
- Start date
cpuaid
Member
has anyone tried smashing one of those larger grinding wheels, i think they're like a 5" or 6"? they're pretty cheap at harbor freight, about $4. i would think it's more cost effective that way if it can be broken down without using too much effort.
jjstanza
New Member
With the sanding belt you still get an abrasive just like with the grinding wheels or sand but you also get a consistently even surface which helps cut down on vibrations. One would be very hard pressed to get their grit/glue to be even close to the sanding belt's even surface.
cpuaid
Member
jjstanza, like you said, applying the JB Weld and grinding dust might give me excessive vibrations. I really like the sanding belt idea. what's the backing material and type of abrasive of that sanding belt that you used? how many miles until you have to reattach a new sanding belt roller? i put in 100 miles a week so if the 35 grit sanding belt frays prematurely or the tire gets chewed up where i have to replace it monthly then it wouldn't be that cost effective for me. maybe if a less abrasive sanding belt is used, tire longevity will be extended. i just bought an old island Hopper Viper rack mount kit with a completely smooth roller and really need something to give me some traction for that thing.
jjstanza
New Member
The backing material of the sand belt appears to be some sort of fabric material. I don't know exactly what the grit is made of. I have my engine pretty loose on the wheel because i am running a weed whacker with just one bearing. (trying to extend engine life) If you put more pressure on the wheel I don't think it would wear the tire near as much. I have only "tossed" the belt once when I used JB Quick instead of the longer curing JB weld. About 500 miles total on the sanding belt drive wheel and no apparent wear on the sanding belt.
I had a friend use 120 grit on his drive wheel but it really sanded the tire down in less than a week, about 80 miles.
I think 36 grit looks to be close to what I remember as the grit on the old Solex drive wheels.
cpuaid
Member
sounds like a winner to me. I can live with 500 miles on a belt. just read the specs on the viper kit and it uses a solid aluminum 1.50" drive roller. All of the rollers used on my other kits are hardened steel. now am kind of nervous about applying epoxy to that thing. i think it will vibrate regardless of what is applied to it. no telling what grade aluminum was used so am really afraid of snapping the threaded part which screws into the clutch drum. if that happens it doesn't look like they offer a replacement roller. it comes with a 2 HP / 49 cc 2-stroke tecumseh rated at "speeds in excess to 30 MPH" with the stock setup. if anyone has thoughts or comments on applying JB Weld on this setup, please let me know.
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Happy Valley
Active Member
Here's a thought:
I've used epoxy and new aquarium sand. Mix the epoxy well then add the sand and mix that together. This insures the aggregate is represented throughout the mix and wears evenly. Place the epoxy/sand mix into a tray not much wider than the roller and make just one smooth rolling pass through the mix for an evenly distributed coat.
It's then important to slowly rotate the freshly applied roller for a curing period, usually about one hour, to prevent the epoxy mix from sag or slump. (I make fishing rods and have a rod turner that is made for this job but it can be done by hand-1/4 turn every 60 seconds)
Results are nice and smooth.
I've used epoxy and new aquarium sand. Mix the epoxy well then add the sand and mix that together. This insures the aggregate is represented throughout the mix and wears evenly. Place the epoxy/sand mix into a tray not much wider than the roller and make just one smooth rolling pass through the mix for an evenly distributed coat.
It's then important to slowly rotate the freshly applied roller for a curing period, usually about one hour, to prevent the epoxy mix from sag or slump. (I make fishing rods and have a rod turner that is made for this job but it can be done by hand-1/4 turn every 60 seconds)
Results are nice and smooth.
cpuaid
Member
happy valley, have you ever applied on an aluminum roller? as i've stated earlier, really worried about excessive vibrations on an aluminum roller. i have a picture of one of my steel rollers breaking off where it's threaded into the clutch drum and don't want the same problem on this aluminum one.
F
fetor56
Guest
Handy to know.
loquin
Well-Known Member
per Happy Valley...
- The new aquarium sand is screened so that it is uniform in size.
- Mixing the sand and epoxy well ensures that the sane is uniformly distributed and wears evenly
- The single coat ensures that it is evenly distributed
- The rotation during curing ensures that the single coat STAYS distributed until the epoxy cures.
As far as your excessive vibrations question - the main cause of excessive vibration isn't the roller - it's the TIRE. Knobby tires will vibrate like crazy - a slick tire is best. Plus, a slick tire gets you the best traction on asphalt, under all conditions except (possibly) snow.
*****
Is the Island Hopper Viper drive roller supported on both ends, or on just one? If it's only supported on one side, I'm not that surprised if the roller broke where it threads into the clutch bell.
And, a smooth distribution of epoxy/sand should HELP the life of your roller, as aluminum is pretty soft, and it would wear rapidly...
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