Comet 30 Clutch ..a few simple questions

[Gidds]

Hi,
I've got what i believe to be a Comet 30 clutch / torque convert set up on a well used kart I bought recently. Yesterday i noticed it was revving up and jerking away on my son, so i decided to take a look at the clutch... it wasn't too pretty.

I cleaned everything with break cleaner and was surprised to find some nice gashes on the inside of the cover (where the shoes press into i assume). I put a wire brush on my drill and smoothed things over pretty good, but i dont know if i did enough, i didn't want to make the surface uneven. (pictures 1 &2)
The shoe was kind of glazed and melted a bit, so i lightly wire brushed it too, looks like it might have a small crack on it too. (picture 3&4).

It seems to be less jumpy than it was, but it still will rev then go.

does this thing look like toast to you guys, ie, am i wasting my time ??

Thanks

 

[KartFab]

You did a good job cleaning that, but that part doesn't matter that much (it does matter though) what matters the most is that hub/spline (the thing with the four knubs on it)

You need to take a wire brush to the surfaces on the sheave where the hub slides in and out as well as the hub itself. The hub should drop through with no resistance if it's clean.

Also inspect the weights, the parts that slide on those two metal posts. They shouldn't be oblong/wallowed out. Make sure the posts are straight.

Spray dry graphite or dry moly(better) on the hub, and surfaces that the weights/shoes touch.

If the hub is in rough shape, you may need to take a light file to it

 

[Gidds]

Hey, thanks for the reply gran.pann!
Glad to hear the whole thing might not be toast!!

I did take a wire brush to both the sheave and the hub, then took the drill brush lightly to the hub, it looks pretty good .. to me at least. As for the dropping through business, that doesn't seem like it wants to happen at all. It stops right were its supose to be. So i took a round file to the belt side of those four keys, there was crud/rust down there, but it doesn't want to drop through. Should i keep at it? Or maybe some aren't meant to drop through?

I'll have to get me some of that spray, how often do you reapply that stuff?
Can i put some on that hub we are talking about too, so its .. more slippery?

Thanks

 

[Gidds]

Also inspect the weights, the parts that slide on those two metal posts. They shouldn't be oblong/wallowed out. Make sure the posts are straight.

I keep thinking about this, the posts are straight, but wallowed out??
If I take the springs off and slide the two weights together, there is all kinds of play, but I don't think this is what you are talking about?

 

[KartFab]

If there is too much play in them, you could have the weights catch engaged, or get stuck and not engage. It is much more common that the hub wont slide due to rust.

The hub has got to drop through or you will likely have engagement/sticking issues. Especially check the very ends of the hub and the inside portion of the sheave that the hub fits in (where the belt goes on the drive unit) maybe a burr or something is catching there. Brand new they feel like they have some play in them and they slide right through. If anything, when worn but clean they should have more play and slide through easier (even without that fancy spray)

The spray should go on after it drops through easily, and you are sure everything is clean.

 

[Gidds]

Oh :|
Mine doesn't drop through and kind of sticks down in there when i try to drop it through. This might explain why its lurching forward on me.
I'll work on it tonight and get it clear! Thanks!!

I checked my garage and found i've got a can of this stuff, think it will okay to use?

http://www.amazon.com/AGS-LE5-Lock-Ease/dp/B000CIJUGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401718943&sr=8-1&keywords=key+graphite+spray

 

[2SlickNick]

Oh :|
Mine doesn't drop through and kind of sticks down in there when i try to drop it through. This might explain why its lurching forward on me.
I'll work on it tonight and get it clear! Thanks!!

I checked my garage and found i've got a can of this stuff, think it will okay to use?

http://www.amazon.com/AGS-LE5-Lock-Ease/dp/B000CIJUGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401718943&sr=8-1&keywords=key+graphite+spray

It might work but you want something that adheres. That appears to be a wet liquid graphite. You want dry.... like this....http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...CRC-Dry-Graphite-Lube/_/R-CRC03094_0006414704

This stuff looks wet when you spray it but quickly adheres and dries. look here too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9yPHtfJO9w

 

[Gidds]

The hub has got to drop through or you will likely have engagement/sticking issues. Especially check the very ends of the hub and the inside portion of the sheave that the hub fits in (where the belt goes on the drive unit) maybe a burr or something is catching there. Brand new they feel like they have some play in them and they slide right through. If anything, when worn but clean they should have more play and slide through easier (even without that fancy spray).

Well I took a round file to the sheath again and was able to dig out some more crud. The hub now easily drops about 3/4 of the way through so most of it is hanging out of the belt side! If I flip it over the wrong way, it hardly goes in at all. The hub is very clean, so I'm thinking it's manufacturing was off a bit, but who cares, in it's correct position, its moving very nice!
Took the cart out for a short ride and it seems Much better!!
Thanks!

Now I need some of that graphite spray, how often do you reapply??

 

[KartFab]

Not sure. Maybe when it starts sticking again? Or after 20 hrs of ride time? Depends if you drive it through mud/dirt vs pavement vs stored indoors/outdoors.

 

[Gidds]

Great, thanks!

One more question, is there anything i need to do (maintenance or lubrication) for the other end of this drive, the other pulley, i want to call it the torque converter?

EDIT:
never mind, i found this...

*Driven Clutch - The larger clutch on the jack-shaft assembly of the kart is considered your driven clutch while your drive clutch is the one on the motor. Primarily cleaning this is just spraying the assembly with brake cleaner and making sure the surfaces where your belt will ride are clean, you might not want to be so hasty to disassemble this clutch given it is spring loaded and must be wound back into place correctly or it will not operate at peak efficiency. This is not for beginners. An easier route to clean this would be to use the fact that it can expand as it does when in operation, pull it apart and drop a nut or something inside the clutch so that you can have it apart while sanding for ease. Simply remove the nut when done.