Sprockets Help ! Threw a key on engine sprocket

[WIZARDOFOZONE]

Welding the engine sprocket

Well, it was a scary morning for awhile, I stress easily over things not experienced before and I was certain I'd hear something like "oh,this is chinese 687 test metal ,totally unweldable !" or some similar migrane producing news ... But, no problem and in fact it might have been helpful because I noticed that since we were welding it the care taken to be certain it was seated straight caused more care with centering and locking it all the way to the back of the shaft. To be honest, I do believe I have previousely been fooled by the resistence of the woodruff key and have probably not been torqing the nut as tightly as I should have, because it appears a lot closer to the rear of the shaft now and the chain floats smoothly. All in all I'm glad that scare is over.

 

[Dockspa1]

Dang, now I feel relieved too. Thats good news Wiz. Sounds like they aligned it good then tacked it, then welded it. Thats the way. Only way better would be to clamp it but no real place to do that.
Hopefully now that it's welded it will last you a few thousand miles.
Doc

 

[WIZARDOFOZONE]

Thanks Doc. Ya, I think the welder did a great job, I was expecting a peanut butter looking ring all around and had made plans even before going that I was coming back to the shop for some serious grinding cleanup work .... turns out he made 3 perfect 'spokes' radiating from the shaft to about a 1/4 inch onto the sprocket. perfect, it looked like the sprocket was molded that way. Tell ya something else too, that clutchshaft is REAL decieving ... since I knew fooling around with the scarred keyway couldn't hurt (since I was getting it welded anyway,) I used the Dremel tip that is kind of silver white like a diamond dust file, and is a sharp pointed cone . Yikes ! I thought at first the shaft was only aluminum because it cut so fast I actually had started a pinhole near the end of the keyslot. Knowing that welding aluminum was probably not going to happen I grabbed a shop magnet just to be sure it is made of steel. I was grateful to see the shavings clinging to the magnet. Very thin,and very soft for steel I do believe.

 

[Dockspa1]

Thats scary! Almost Pot Metal!
Doc