just a few questions before i start building

Mr. Manta Ray

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I figured i would get some good advice from people who know what they are doing before i start so here they are i am using a honda gcv 160 5.5 hp lawn mower engine with a vertical shaft on a schwinn manta ray bike it seems the only two ways to get a vertical shaft to work for this are to one use a belt that twists to a spool on the tire or two use a wheel of some sort to rub directly on the rim to drive so because of how the engine needs to be mounted it seems like #2 is my only choice unless somebody has some better ideas also my clutch system was to have a mechanism to shift the engine away from the tire so that the peice no longer rubs on the rim thus the tire stomps moving any comments would be much appreciated
 
Save up a little loot and buy a good kit. Dont mess with a vertical shaft unless you are a real fabricator. China kits are OK....some say great. I prefer a 4stroke....I'd use a $99.oo 2.5 hp Harbor Freight engine to get started....but hey....thats just me.
 
Save up a little loot and buy a good kit. Dont mess with a vertical shaft unless you are a real fabricator. China kits are OK....some say great. I prefer a 4stroke....I'd use a $99.oo 2.5 hp Harbor Freight engine to get started....but hey....thats just me.


YEP. Too much work/parts involved making a vertical shaft powered bike.
 
one possibility might be a roto-tiller gearbox. This would rotate the drive axis by 90 degrees, and reduce the RPM so that it's near what the rear wheel needs to be at. However, there are some disadvantages...
  1. power loss in the gearbox
  2. The need to add a clutch. A centrifugal, or even a belt clutch could be added before the gearbox, or, a belt-clutch after it.
  3. The weight of the gearbox
  4. Complexity of the solution

Here's two other possible approaches:
  • One member has modified a vertical shaft engine to the horizontal by swapping the oil dipper (splasher,) inside the crankcase.
  • A couple of members have advocated a vertical engine friction drive. Using a pair of rollers (an idler on one side of the tire, and the friction roller on the other. On the surface, this will work. However, a vertical drive roller will contact the tire in the sidewall, where it's the thinnest, AND, the roller is against the tire at a range of diameters from the axle. This means that the roller will have a scrubbing action against the tire, as at a given RPM, the portion of the roller farthest from the axle will try to drive the wheel faster than the portion nearest the axle. This will lead to additional friction and wear, and, unfortunately, it's where the tire is least able to handle it. Who wants a sidewall blowout??? It would probably happen when you're stressing the tire sidewall more than usual (i.e. - in a turn...) Can you say 'Wipeout?'
 
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well first off i don't want to buy a kit because i have plenty of stuff at my fingertips to make this work and if you don't build it your self whats the point its not yours its something you bought building it is half the fun and the the method i was wondering about was on the rim side wall were it can withstand the friction and such not the tire sidewall, but any comments are appreciated so thanks
 
I have seen a verticle shaft on the sidewall setup on youtube...I would post a link, but we are having 'net problems here right now.

It's always good to do what it takes to build things yourself....but until yours is done and working better than anyone's here who started with a kit, I would be a little more gentle about criticizing others for choosing a different path....and besides, with most of these kits it's pretty close to building it yourself.

;)
 
any other input please what about a roller on one side and a drive roller on the other then no bent rim and i don't have to put it on the tire where it will blow out and wear at my tire sidewall
 
any other input please what about a roller on one side and a drive roller on the other then no bent rim and i don't have to put it on the tire where it will blow out and wear at my tire sidewall

I saw the same youtube as Mr. Hough. I can't find it again, but that is exactly what the gentleman did. The idler roll was set to just touch, and the engine was on a slide mechanism to engage. Other than looking a bit top heavy it seemed to work quite well. One thing to look for is make sure the flywheel is steel. Many vertical shaft engines use the blade as part of the flywheel inertia.

Denny
 
Personaly I don't think sidewall is a good idea. Sidewalls are usually a bit thiner than the tread surface. Years ago when I was a kid, there was always a problem with generator lights that were powered by a roller that was driven by the sidewall. The sidewalls always seemed to wear out prematurely. These generators are available today. I can't imagine why anyone would want one though over newer technology unless they just want the old vintage look. Anyway, I'd think twice before buiilding a friction drive that attaches to the sidewall.
 
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