Centrifugal clutch issues

[athif]

so, im gonna get a clutch for my mini bike project at school cause im tired of being jerked with i go to start the bike.

a chain driven centrifugal clutch is just a round clutch, there is no attatchments for the cables to ingage and dis-engage it.

my question is:

will the bike move while the engine is on idle (clutch included)?
if i rev the engine will the clutch automatically engage and move the bike? or is there a cable i have to run to engage and dis-engage?

any help will be apreciated, thanks.

 

[crazycart]

Inside the clutch, there are "weights" or "shoes" held together in a circle by a spring that when the engine is revved the spring stretches pushing the shoes out onto the drum engaging the clutch,there is no need to run any sort of cable,it is an "automatic" clutch.So the bike will not move while the engines is idle only when it is revved past a certain rpm (usually 2200 rpm on most clutches)

 

[oscaryu1]

If the idle is way to high (like WAY too high, not a few RPMs) then yes it might engage.

Yes, when you rev the bike it will move. Look at the clutch section at www.diygokarts.com ...

 

[athif]

ooo ic, thanks, so i guess il get myself one.

 

[crazycart]

Yeah i dont see why you'd try without one! lol.

 

[oscaryu1]

If you're buying a new one, remember to oil it, or damage will occur from overheating (think of a engine with no oil)... It'll blue up the bearings. And if you read carefully, the manufacturer/seller usually does not give you warranty if you did not oil it.

 

[crazycart]

You do NOT oil a regular centrifugal clutch only wet clutches(which i doubt you will be getting).It will slip.I have never oiled any of my clutches and they work fine.Overheating is caused by slipping.

 

[kibble]

Now, this might be a retarded question, but how do you know when a clutch is overheating other than an obvious glowing/smoking clutch? I'm pretty new to this stuff myself. My clutch gets pretty hot, but I haven't driven it for extended periods of time yet and it hasn't smoked/smelled bad.

 

[crazycart]

The clutch will get hot,as long as it aint warping/turning red/ smoking your good.

 

[athif]

I dont plan on ripping the hell out of the bike, its just a small project. I tried using it without a clutch and the pull start broke, not to mention every time i want to start it up the back wheel spins and goes off, i also cant stop the bike without one lol.

 

[jr dragster T]

If you're buying a new one, remember to oil it, or damage will occur from overheating (think of a engine with no oil)... It'll blue up the bearings. And if you read carefully, the manufacturer/seller usually does not give you warranty if you did not oil it.

He means the bushing not the pads.

 

[crazycart]

Yeah i understand that but use minimal amounts because if it does get on the shoes you'll be havin some trouble

 

[Jerryburger]

Some sticky axle grease works great on the part where the clutch bell rotates on the clutch shaft. A little dab 'll do ya. Kibble- I found out my clutch was smoked when it caused the springs to either stretch of bust. The engine can be pull started, but the minute it fires, the clutch grabs. That's why I gave up on my 8hp Briggs. I'm thinking the only satisfactory drive for that thing is going to be a Torq-a-Verter.

 

[kibble]

I wonder what would be a "safe" operating temperature range. Knowing that, I could get one of those infrared temperature probes, mount it somewhere on the kart where it points at the clutch and drive around to see how hot it gets.

 

[athif]

I wonder what would be a "safe" operating temperature range. Knowing that, I could get one of those infrared temperature probes, mount it somewhere on the kart where it points at the clutch and drive around to see how hot it gets.

i went down a hill once with a freinds bike and the clutch was glowing red, lol