Major problem?

Ryno

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I got a nice bike for free and it seemed to fit the engine well.

I attached the rear wheel sprocket, and realized that I'm not sure if it's within 1/2 cm of the engine sprocket... in fact I'm almost positive that it's not.


Any tips on making this match up, or do I absolutely need a new bike? Because that would be a bummer.
 
Do you mean that the sprockets do not line up with each other? Can you flip the sprocket over to align them?
 
sometimes u can eliminate the metal pieces next to the big sprocket this gives u more room or on the other and 1 this gives u more room the other way
 
you can not eliminate those metal peices (with the rag joint set up). without them the nuts will have nothing to cleamp onto except for the rubber peices. this will tear the rubber peice apart.
you will need to try flipping the sprocket over.
on one of my biles i am only using the rubber peice on the inside. the sprocket is flipped and is right against the spokes. this has worked fine for me for 2 summers now, and everything looks fine.
 
Ummm no major problem...Another way of lining wheel sprocket with the engine sprocket is the use of washers. If using a dished out sprocket and reversing it won't work, take some washers and install just inside the frame. If you don't have enough threaded axle (I had no problem) they make a longer axle.
Local bike shop should have these if not then online.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/axles.html
 

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Ummm no major problem...Another way of lining wheel sprocket with the engine sprocket is the use of washers. If using a dished out sprocket and reversing it won't work, take some washers and install just inside the frame. If you don't have enough threaded axle (I had no problem) they make a longer axle.
Local bike shop should have these if not then online.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/axles.html

in my opinion, washers would not be the way to go.
the way i am seeing it in my head, washers would move the wheel further to the right, making the rear wheel off center to the front wheel.
you want both the front and rear wheel to track in the same spot.
if the rear wheel is off slightloy to the right, the bike would feel like it's pulling to the right.
i don;t see how a longer axle woudl help because no matter how long the axle is, the frame and drop outs will be in the same place. all a longer axle would do, is give you more threads, not more width.
the frame and drop outs will remian in the same area, and those are what puts your rear wheel in center with the front wheel.
even if you spread the rear frame to make it wider, you woild still want your rear wheel in the center.
 
I needed to move my tire/sprocket to the right. One washer did the trick and the bike tracks without any adverse effect. The longer axle would be if there is not enough axle for the washer, it doesn't take very much.
 
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you can not eliminate those metal peices (with the rag joint set up). without them the nuts will have nothing to cleamp onto except for the rubber peices. this will tear the rubber peice apart.
you will need to try flipping the sprocket over.
on one of my biles i am only using the rubber peice on the inside. the sprocket is flipped and is right against the spokes. this has worked fine for me for 2 summers now, and everything looks fine.

You actually CAN remove the metal pieces, and in the event that I ever have to use a ragjoint/pineapple setup - I don't use them at all.

What is a better replacement is using washers behind the nuts. This allows for a much tighter and individualized grip to the spokes and keeps it from slipping. You want as large as you can without danger of ripping the rag, but not so large the torque is dispersed across a large area (minimizing torque on the spokes themselves causes the rag to slip and then the bolt torques the spoke, not the rag as it is designed). As well, replacing the 9 aluminum bolts with grade 5 steel allows you to tighten them enough to where they are not in danger of stripping out or snapping.

I have done it without the washers, but it's VERY easy for the nut to pull through and tear the rag. Depending on what kind of nuts you have - if they are nylock with flanged bottoms (built in washer looking), they tear less often, but it is worth the 80 cents for washers that work. As well, I've done it with only one rag on the inside of the spokes, one rag on the outside of the sprocket and the plates outside of that rag, and it held up the second best.

So you can easily use the plates to push your sprocket for alignment.


And to the OP :

Dependant on how far off the alignment is, you can correct this with the chain tensioner. Try reversing the bolts and reversing the pulley - that will give you a 1/4" or so. You can also bend the tensioner with two crescent wrenches to guide the chain. The most important alignment is the bottom of the chain from the motor to the driven sprocket. The top of the chain mostly needs aligned so that when you are reversing, the chain doesn't skip off. You can get a second chain tensioner and attach it to the seatstay to correct alignment in the top of the chain, and as I said, it's purpose would be when you are reversing (walking the bike backwards).
 
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You actually CAN remove the metal pieces, and in the event that I ever have to use a ragjoint/pineapple setup - I don't use them at all.

What is a better replacement is using washers behind the nuts. This allows for a much tighter and individualized grip to the spokes and keeps it from slipping. You want as large as you can without danger of ripping the rag, but not so large the torque is dispersed across a large area (minimizing torque on the spokes themselves causes the rag to slip and then the bolt torques the spoke, not the rag as it is designed). As well, replacing the 9 aluminum bolts with grade 5 steel allows you to tighten them enough to where they are not in danger of stripping out or snapping.

I have done it without the washers, but it's VERY easy for the nut to pull through and tear the rag. Depending on what kind of nuts you have - if they are nylock with flanged bottoms (built in washer looking), they tear less often, but it is worth the 80 cents for washers that work. As well, I've done it with only one rag on the inside of the spokes, one rag on the outside of the sprocket and the plates outside of that rag, and it held up the second best.

So you can easily use the plates to push your sprocket for alignment.


QUOTE]

well, if you say it works this way, it must...i'm not doubting you at all.
I personally wouldn't do it this way, but that's just my opinion.
 
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