Hello All!!

[tacomancini]

I'm attempting my first project. I'm putting a 66cc skyhawk on a 1967 Schwinn Collegiate. So far, little bumps here and there but I'm powering through. Great community here!

Cheers

Dave Mansueto

 

[tacomancini]

Oh and.....

If any of you guys have experience with collegiate's or lightweight schwinn's I'd love to hear from you. I'm having problems with the wheel. The rear fork seems to be too narrow to accomodate the sprocket, and have clearance for the chain. My collegiate has a 5 speed cassette. That also keeps the wheel from sliding fully into the dropouts.

any ideas?

 

[professor]

Hi Taco, welcome to Motoredbikes!
How about stretching out the rear frame to fit?
I don't want to suggest wrecking a frame being careless- like tieing it to a tree and hooking the other side to a car hitch and giving too big of a tug. But you could use a small car jack to push it apart some more.

 

[tacomancini]

Hey Professor

Nice to meet you Professor!

Yeah, I figure that spreading the rear fork is probably the way to go. I am just a bit sheepish about it.

There seem to be a few methods people use, like the car jack you mention. Another is Sheldon Brown's technique using a 2x4 I found here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Another site mentioned using a threaded rod with two washers and two bolts, and turning the bolts to spread the fork.

I just wasn't sure how you make sure each side of the fork bent equally ensuring proper alignment.

I also thought that maybe making it a single speed would create more room. This due to the fact that on the schwinn the derailler prevents the wheel from sitting fully back in the dropouts. Going this route I may still need to spread the fork, however it would require less distance. I'm going to try to attach a few pics.

best

DAve M

 

[Dilly Bar Rob]

Welcome tacomancini!

You can also try to cut out a bit from the rubber circle that is between the sprocket & the spokes - cut off maybe 1/3" from the inner side of the circle and re-mount the sprocket, this will let the sprocket come a bit closer to the spokes. If it still isn't enough then go ahead and bend the fork out a little and stick some washers on the axle. If you really want to make the "rag joint sprocket clamp" permanent/strong then goop everything up with urethane windshield adhesive before you tighten it down, I guarantee that it will never move on you if you do that ;-)

Don't worry about wheel alignment (rear relative to front) not being perfect, even if the bike tracks a bit "off" it will be barely noticeable. Sprocket alignment on the motor drive is the important part, make sure everything lines up there.

I'd recommend keeping the multi speed wheel, lets you choose a gear to start the bike with, also you dont have to worry about tightening the pedal side chain thanks to the derailler.

Dilly Bar Rob

 

[tacomancini]

Thanks for the ideas Dilly Bar Rob!