Current Cycles Prototype Buildlog...

[Whiplash]

WELL< MAJOR Fing setback. The sprocket that threads onto the input shaft of the gearbox is COMPLETELY welded onto the shaft and because of the slipping in the transmission, I can't get it off, and if I can't get it off, I cant get the box out of the bracket, and if that does not work, I have to make a completely new bracket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am trying not to loose my cool but this is really frustrating. I will let you know if I get it off and how much damage it takes to do it.........

 

[AussieJester]

WELL< MAJOR Fing setback. The sprocket that threads onto the input shaft of the gearbox is COMPLETELY welded onto the shaft and because of the slipping in the transmission, I can't get it off, and if I can't get it off, I cant get the box out of the bracket, and if that does not work, I have to make a completely new bracket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am trying not to loose my cool but this is really frustrating. I will let you know if I get it off and how much damage it takes to do it.........

Try heating the shaft with butane torch prior to attempting to undo it maybe? Best of luck rectifying the problem feel for ya after yesterday trying to get disk brake bolts out damn they get tight!

KiM

 

[Whiplash]

Thanks for the tip, I was going to try that but didn't want to ruin the seals on the bearings so I dismantled the entire drive from the other side, grabbed the shaft with vise grips carefully and was able to sort of strike impact it off. I mangled the driven sprocket a bit but I can clean that up... what a pain! Now I realize how much torque this little bugger really puts out! Next time I'll make sure everything is done before I ride it! Lol! Hopefully I can get it all together tomorrow, I killed the paint job on the drive so I'll have to re paint it too... I guess if this stuff was easy everyone would do it, right?

 

[damonjackson_spl]

I'm glad it is getting sorted!!
One step forward, two steps back!! Damn I know that feeling.
But mad progress and best to nut all these problems out now than recalling 20 drives that you could of sold on eBay!!
And yes if the holy Grail RC kit was available we needn't waste so much time in R&D, but that would ruin all the fun!!!

Goodluck getting v1.2 back on the rd.

 

[Whiplash]

Thanks! LOL!

 

[Hillhater]

I am not criticising here, these are good suggestions, ..i am just clearing up the correct terminology ...

...take a 1/8 drill to the side. Drill where both edges meet, then use a drill blank for the keyway......

. .. the separate piece (drill blank) you insert is called the "KEY"
..the slot or "hole" that it fits into is the "KEYWAY"

.. Square keyway will still be better.. .

.....so thats a square KEY, normally made from hardened "keysteel"

...For hardened shafts, half moon keyways exist. .

... thats a WOODRUFF key

 

[kfong]

Thanks Hillhater, always good to know the correct terminology. Less confusion for all.

Glad you have things back on track Whiplash. Looking forward to the results.

 

[Whiplash]

OK I got the drive back together with a new twist, I decided I did not like the fact that every time I wanted to change the motor drive sprocket, I had to figure out how to get the chain tight. SOO I put together this tensioner that is from a skate board wheel ground to the right diameter with a hand grinder while on the skate board axle since I hoave no lathe, and then shimmed to the right height. If this works well, in the production model I will obviously make these on a lathe and get them just right and nice and tucked it, but for the prototype, this will have to do! I also got a little A.J. on the driven sprocket, sealed the gearbox so I can do a partial fill of 75/90 weight synthetic gear oil, and painted the driven sprocket with a sound deadening under coat to see if it quiets the drive down, I think it will, because the thing used to ring like a bell and now its totally dead. I am getting ready to install back on the bike and see what we get! For those interested, when I took the original box apart it looked brand new inside and still was nice and tight with just a tiny bit of lash just like the unused one I have on the bench, so it is looking very promising!!

 

[Whiplash]

Need a little help here guys.... I got it all together and things were great for about a mile, then it started throwing the motor chain once i a while, NOW, I can't even hit the throttle ONCE without it slinging it off!! I don't understand?? I have never dealt with designing a chain drive before, but this is making me wish I used my twin gearboxes! It does it loaded, unloaded, fast, slow, even if I spin it backwards by hand! I don't get it? The sprockets are all lined up right, the chain is being held tight by the tensioner, everything looks good, but it throws it off INSTANTLY, WTF??

 

[Whiplash]

I have been thinking of this problem, and I wonder if I cut a groove in the roller to "guide" the chain onto the sprocket? What do you think? I HAVE to get this fixed, its the last piece of the puzzle I think!! Thanks!

 

[spinningmagnets]

Yeah, the roller is convex now. Bolt the roller onto some allthread-rod, chuck it into a drill, and spin it while you hold a coarse file onto it (positioned so that if it flies loose, the file will fly away from you).

Thats how I put a groove onto my chain-guide roller...best of luck.

edit: I went back and looked at the bigger pic, and AJ is right. You need to put the roller on the other leg of the chain.

 

[AussieJester]

I'm unsure which direction the sprocket is rotating? ...looking at the pic with your chain tensioner
is it on the 'slack' side of the chain? If not, it should be.

KiM

 

[Whiplash]

Yeah its on the slack side.. I am thinking that a fairly deep groove in the right place should do it, hopefully it will guide the chain onto the sprocket... This is a bum because I was all set to try a longer ride today and I got hit by another little pain in the butt problem, but ill get it!

Hey AJ did I put enough holes in it? Lol!

 

[gtadmin]

Whip, if this is looking from the LHS of the bike and the cogs are turning in an anti-clockwise direction then the tensioner is on the wrong side. If the cogs are turning in the clockwise direction, then it's correct, but the chain should never be thrown as the tensioner roller is very close to the large sprocket making it almost impossible to throw (whether the roller is grooved or not)

Cheers,
GT

 

[spinningmagnets]

It might be possible to mount the motor to a sliding plate, in order to provide proper chain tension? Since there needs to be some type of motor mount anyways, that would eliminate the need for a tension-roller. Nothing wrong with using a tensioner-wheel, but a sliding mount is an option (*wink*...)

 

[Whiplash]

Yeah I was just trying to make it easier to change sprockets without having a huge adjustment groove. But I may have no choice but to groove the plate..

 

[AussieJester]

Hey AJ did I put enough holes in it? Lol!

Outstanding job son :lol: seriously looks like a neat package
hope the groove in the tensioner wheel cures the chain issue

KiM

 

[Whiplash]

I thought you might like that ! LOL! Thanks!
I hopefully can get it together for a few videos very soon, I guess the little bugs like this come with the territory.. BUT I did learn before it started throwing chains off, that using a sound deaden-er (rubberized under coating or truck bed liner) on the sprocket and drilling various sized holes in it to counter the harmonics works very well! The chain is Almost inaudible now, I really only hear the motor!! I also did a half fill of 70/90 weight synthetic gear oil in the gearbox and that really helped efficiency and quieted that down too!

 

[Whiplash]

Whip, if this is looking from the LHS of the bike and the cogs are turning in an anti-clockwise direction then the tensioner is on the wrong side. If the cogs are turning in the clockwise direction, then it's correct, but the chain should never be thrown as the tensioner roller is very close to the large sprocket making it almost impossible to throw (whether the roller is grooved or not)

Cheers,
GT

It is going clockwise and the roller WOULD hold it in place except for the fact that it is sprung, basically it pushes the roller out of the way!

 

[gtadmin]

Whip, if it's going clockwise in this pic (which it should be if you want to power going forwards and not running an "8" shaped chain)

then in this pic,

it's going anti-clockwise and your tensioner is on the wrong side and the slack chain (when driven) will be on the bottom, hence it throws
(Edit: unless of course the gearing in the gearbox is such that it reverses the direction of the output shaft in relation to the input shaft, in which case forget this and either slot the motor mount, shorten the chain or use a stronger spring )

Cheers,
GT

 

[gwhy!]

Yes comparing this pic

With the pic above It do look like you have the tensioner on the wrong side of the chain.

 

[dbaker]

What is confusing is that there is a gearbox between the starboard freewheel that drives the rear wheel and the big sprocket on the port side. If there are only 2 gears in the gearbox then rotation direction will change from one side to the other.

For problems with the chain you also want to look at what reaction torque is doing to your system. When you load it up does the big sprocket runout increase?

 

[gwhy!]

What is confusing is that there is a gearbox between the starboard freewheel that drives the rear wheel and the big sprocket on the port side. If there are only 2 gears in the gearbox then rotation direction will change from one side to the other.

For problems with the chain you also want to look at what reaction torque is doing to your system. When you load it up does the big sprocket runout increase?

woops.. Yep your right.

 

[Whiplash]

Yeah its a 2 gear box, and it does change direction, trust me the roller is on the slack side, I think maybe it is just not flat and causing the chain to shift. The groove should help..

 

[Whiplash]

Anybody know what a fairly safe max battery Amperage is safe for the 9 fet from Lyen? I was thinking at least 50 right?