SPB Shifr Kit trouble

[Drunkskunk]

I'm trying to install a SPB Shifter kit on an old Columbia bike.

Unfortunatly, even with the crank they supplied, the motor won't fit between the crank arms. its just too wide

to the left, the brace that is welded to the bracket to support the jack shaft hits the crank arm, overlapping by > 1/2 inch.
to the right, the clutch cover is just missing the inside of the 44 tooth chain ring, but would not clear the chain if installed.
the motor can't go any higher in the frame, as it would hit the tank frame bar, and it can't go any further forward as the jack shaft would hit the seat tube.

This is an adult sized bike, 26" tires.

Everything in the kit reasonably fit the motor. I satisfied that its propperly designed, but it seems that the angle iron bracket welded to the outside of the left bearing support makes the overall kit too wide to work with the crank they supplied. I had seen pictures of the kit with out that brace. I'm wondering if its a new and not fully tested revision.

has anyone else experienced this? Have I got a bad kit, or could I have done something wildly wrong?

My game plan for now is to take a hack saw to the angle iron, but I'm not going to try that untill the weather is warm. that gives me time to hope for alternatives.

 

[a/c man]

Are you using a 3 piece bottom bracket, or the cartridge 1 piece bottom bracket set-up? Don't cut the piece of angle off of the side plate, it reinforces the plate from bending it is a stiffener. The side plate without the stiffener
will compromise the integrity of plate. I believe the 3 piece set-up has a wider spindle than the cartridge type. Pablo or Ghosto will fix you up I'm sure with a solution.

 

[professor]

In doing my latest bike, I needed some more width on the crank, a one piece deal. Took it out, clamped it in the vise and re-shaped it some. I did use some heat on the thick part. Came out well. Wide cranks are available too if you want.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Its the 135mm wide cartridge piece that came with the kit. I could bend the crank arm on the left, but the right side would still hit the sprocket with the chain on.

I don't think I could use a 3 piece without major modifications, since this is a conversion from a 1 piece and the bearing cups are Wide.

So where would I get a wider crank?

 

[a/c man]

I am using the 3 piece conversion kit from Sick Bikes on my bike which used to have a one piece crank, On the left side I have 3/8" clearance from inside the crank arm to the outermost edge of the jackshaft plate angle bracket.The right side has 5/8" clearance to the clutch cover from the inside of the crank arm. Something just doesn't jive for your set up. Can you post some pics? Are you using their crank arms too ?

 

[Hawaii_Ed]

Sounds strange. Any way you can take a picture?

 

[Ghost0]

Yes please post photos so we can see what you are seeing. I am unaware of anyone that has not had the engine not fit between the cranks.

 

[Pablo]

Have you contacted our Technical support department?

I too am wondering things like what engine you have and such. We've had the left stiffener for nearly two years and never had a fit problem. The supplied spindle should be plenty wide even with the engine as low as possible.

Please post or send pictures. We'll get it figured out.

 

[AussieSteve]

If you're using a HT engine, they're all the same width.
The combination of the supplied BB cartridge and the supplied cranks should be wide enough for all HT engines.
Something's not quite right, here.
I wanna see those pics too.

I could bend the crank arm on the left

You mean the big fat alloy crank arms supplied with the kit?
They won't bend in a hurry and might crack or break first.

... Steve

 

[Drunkskunk]

no pics right now, its half dismantled sitting in the garage while I decide what to do with the left side brace, and it turned cold again here so it will have to sit.

what I found is the bottom crank is incompatable with my bike. It "FITS", but can't be centered to the bike. My crank journal is the oldstyle, and wider, and the kit to convert it from 1 piece to 3 piece adds 1/4" to the total width. Combine that with a seat tube thats more layed back, and a crank t5hats higher off the ground than a modern bike, and you get a motor that needs to lean back more, which means it needs to be lower to clear the top, and fights for room with the sprockets.

End result, it don't fit.
I'm not giving up yet, though. I'll need to find a diffrent, wider crank.