RoverGT
New Member
I could use some advice. I own a Micargi Rover GT with wheels that have the 68 spoke fan setup (see attached). I love the bike and the wheels and would like to make them work with my "mega motor" kit from bikeberry.com. The stock rag method isn't working out very well for three reasons:
1. The hub flange diameter is too wide for the rubber gaskets to work properly. It causes the gasket to flex making it impossible to push more than 3 bolts through to secure the sprocket.
2. The spokes just outside of the hub where they attach to the flange are too close together to allow the bolts through.
3. The hole in the stock sprocket isn't wide enough to fit over the dust cover.
I over-came the sprocket hole problem (#3) with a 2" hole saw. It's not a big deal as long as you take your time, use low RPMs with your drill, and are careful to keep the hole centered. I clamped a guide and the sprocket to my work bench to keep the hole saw steady and centered. The other two problems I have not been able to overcome yet with the stock setup. I did get the bike cranked and running with the 3 bolts I mentioned. However, I don't recommend this for long term bike function. After getting the bike cranked, riding it about 1 mile to get the idle set etc., the 3 bolt setup already started to chew on the spokes to the point where it would have ruined the wheel had I continued to ride it. I've disassembled that and I'm working on trying another solution.
I'd appreciate some advice on my potential solution. I want to try mounting the sprocket directly to the hub. My plan is this: I'll tap four 1/4" machine screws into the sprocket and hub. I'll space the sprocket away from the hub using 1/4" hex nuts to keep the sprocket from rubbing the spokes and pushing them off the hub (bad news if that happens!). I'll use lock nuts and washers on the inside of the hub to secure the sprocket. Seems fairly simple and straight forward. However, I'm not sure how sturdy it will be. Will it stand up to the torque of the engine? Will four bolts be enough? What kind of bolts are best?
1. The hub flange diameter is too wide for the rubber gaskets to work properly. It causes the gasket to flex making it impossible to push more than 3 bolts through to secure the sprocket.
2. The spokes just outside of the hub where they attach to the flange are too close together to allow the bolts through.
3. The hole in the stock sprocket isn't wide enough to fit over the dust cover.
I over-came the sprocket hole problem (#3) with a 2" hole saw. It's not a big deal as long as you take your time, use low RPMs with your drill, and are careful to keep the hole centered. I clamped a guide and the sprocket to my work bench to keep the hole saw steady and centered. The other two problems I have not been able to overcome yet with the stock setup. I did get the bike cranked and running with the 3 bolts I mentioned. However, I don't recommend this for long term bike function. After getting the bike cranked, riding it about 1 mile to get the idle set etc., the 3 bolt setup already started to chew on the spokes to the point where it would have ruined the wheel had I continued to ride it. I've disassembled that and I'm working on trying another solution.
I'd appreciate some advice on my potential solution. I want to try mounting the sprocket directly to the hub. My plan is this: I'll tap four 1/4" machine screws into the sprocket and hub. I'll space the sprocket away from the hub using 1/4" hex nuts to keep the sprocket from rubbing the spokes and pushing them off the hub (bad news if that happens!). I'll use lock nuts and washers on the inside of the hub to secure the sprocket. Seems fairly simple and straight forward. However, I'm not sure how sturdy it will be. Will it stand up to the torque of the engine? Will four bolts be enough? What kind of bolts are best?