Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **dhazard** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:16 am

Funomenal, A lathe is the was to go… but if you cant find a shop that will do it cheep I might be able to do it with my mill. I am just down the highway from you, drop me a P.M.

Dan

PS do you have a name that we can call you

by **Podunkfla** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:24 am

funomenal wrote:Hello Knowledgable Fellows:

As I stated in my previous post, I purchased 20 inch heavy duty bicycle tires for my cyclekart due to the rare market for 17 inch Honda wheels. I plan to simply weld the 3/4 inch hub of the wheel onto a 1 inch "live" axle. The azuza axle is one inch but tapers down to 3/4 inches . However this 3/4 inch area is only 2 inches but the wheel hub is 3 1/2 inches in length.

I need to find a crude method to shave off 1/4 inch of the axle to get it to fit the 3/4 inch hub. Any suggestions since I don't own a lathe?

I thought I could use a bench grinder and a lot of time and elbow grease. Any ideas?

Sheesh... By all means take the axle to a machine shop to modify or just have them make you a new axle. There is no "crude" way to modify an axle that is anywhere near safe or practical. Welding the wheel hubs to the axle is also a bad idea. The weld is likely to fail and replacing a damaged wheel would be a bitch. I also have my doubts that anything short of a very high quality BMX racing 20" wheel would hold up under the serious side loads they will get on a cycle-kart? Even motorcycle wheels are pushed a bit beyond the designed limits on a cycle-kart... I just don't think bicycle wheels would be safe for anything over just putting around at low speeds and no hard corners. Personally, I'd keep looking for good used motorcycle wheels... even some of the older cast alloy bike wheels would be better than bicycle wheels; and I've seen them go for as little as $10. on ebay.

I know I am being kind of a party pooper here... but you did ask. And, that is my honest opinion.

One more, slightly more positive, idea is making your own axle by cutting the heads off a couple grade #8 - 3/4" bolts and using them as axle stubs to weld into some 3/4" ID tubing. I have made go-kart axles that way many times in years past that worked just fine :thumbsup:

.

friend ~ Brick

by **ALAN GEDDES** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:41 am

Buggy seat springs : www.caaonline.com Motorcycle salvage yard listing : www.moto-directory.com

by **ALAN GEDDES** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:48 am

I just can't imagine any bicycle wheels that would be able to handle the side loads safely. I will try and get up to see and take photos of a CK next week and see what hints I can get us.

by **s4son** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:54 am

I have a couple friends that originally had the plastic BMX wheels on their home built airplanes. One of them turned of the runway and the wheel just folded. This was at Oskosh the week of the big fly-in and they had to shut the runway down while they drug his plane off. A pretty funny story now but he was embarassed sa heck when it happened. They now have heavy duty wheels made for those three wheeled bicycles used for delivery.

Scott F.

by **funomenal** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:19 pm

Thanks for the feedback and I'll consider the tips. Last month I bought plans from smallcarplans.com and followed a few of the steps from the horseless carriage plans. He uses 26 inch bicycle wheels on a 5.5 horsepower engine for parades and "low speed activities". The fastest the carriage will run is 15 mph and no problems thus far. His carriage is also much heavier than a cyclekart as it can hold 2 adults.

He uses a jackshaft for power transmission but I'll probably go with the live axle.

I plan on using my cyclecart as a "rolling piece of art"/ pimp riding around the neighborhood so my speed will be less than 15 mph with little cornering.

Brick: I like your idea of of using grade 8 bolts welded onto a piece of tube steel.

by **Bigwoods** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:05 pm

Thanks for that url. I inherited a Jimmy Woods single seater that is about half done. Well, the frame is done and I have that wheels. I will have to finish it up. My grand plan was to finish a tear and make it appear the horseless carrige was pulling it.

by **Podunkfla** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:27 am

Actually... Henry Ford did use bicycle wheels on his first car... the 1896 Quadricycle and it seemed to work just fine. I don't think it was much of a speedster though, so side loads were prolly not an issue. The story is that he kept it on his estate for most of his life and used it to putter around the grounds long after he had sold millions of T's, A's and newer cars. Pretty cool car too... I'd love to build a replica of it. :thumbsup:

by **ALAN GEDDES** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:56 pm

Thanks for the info on the oldies Brick. Just what I needed to see. Now I have to be looking for more stuff. :twisted:

PS: Have doner go kart frame comeing this week.

by **funomenal** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:45 pm

I must be overthinking because I can't figure this out (drivetrain).
I want to use a "live axle"(axle and wheel move/welded together) and also incorporate the Comet tav-30 clutch. So I have the following:

6.5 horsepower engine with 3/4 inch shaft. I assume I connect the Comet Tav 30 clutch to the engine. So how do I connect it to my main sprocket (72 tooth) that is connected to my main axle? Help! :cry:

by **Podunkfla** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:28 am

funomenal wrote:I must be overthinking because I can't figure this out (drivetrain).
I want to use a "live axle"(axle and wheel move/welded together) and also incorporate the Comet tav-30 clutch. So I have the following:

6.5 horsepower engine with 3/4 inch shaft. I assume I connect the Comet Tav 30 clutch to the engine. So how do I connect it to my main sprocket (72 tooth) that is connected to my main axle? Help!

All of the torque convertors have two main parts, a clutch/driver that mounts on the motor shaft and a driven pully that is made to take up the slack as the driver changes speed ratios. this second part is mounted on a jack-shaft that you also mount your sprocket for the chain to the axle sprocket. For some common engines they make a unit that has both parts of the torque convertor mounted on a plate that bolts to the engine... so you don't have to have a separate jack-shaft. Just mount your drive sprocket and run a chain to axle sprocket... Like this one has it:

by **funomenal** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:22 am

Brick, You Dah Man!!!

And I like your bike!

by **Podunkfla** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:50 pm

I have a question. What do you do with something like this after you've built it?

--rick

Well... If you're as immature as I am you ride it! :shock:

by **funomenal** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:54 pm

Hey Alan Geddes,

Any progress on your cyclekart? Last month you mentioned a meeting with a cyclekart builder. Any pics? :thinking:

by **ALAN GEDDES** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:36 pm

Haven't had a chance to get up and meet this guy yet. Having a heck of a time trying to find the wheels. 16's are easy but 17's are hard to come by.

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