Design question

[robbie]

I have a couple of pairs of large ATV tires and wheels that I would like to turn into a pair of mini bikes. The rims are 8 inches. One pair of rims has a 4 inch circle of bolt holes. The other pair of wheels has holes in a 5 3/16 inch circle. I'm trying to determine the best way to attach the wheels to the frame. Standard mini bike hubs will not work of course because the bolt pattern doesn't match and the wheels are too wide. The way I see it, I have three major options.

I could use custom made hubs, but I don't have a lathe. If I could get somebody to build these, that would be great. With a custom hub I could bolt the rim to the middle flange and bolt the sprocket and brake to the outer flange, and mount the whole thing onto an economical 5/8" axle.

I could buy a Baja Warrior wheel, which has the hub and sprocket flange built in. This would cost about $40. This also mounts onto an inexpensive 5/8" axle if I'm not mistaken.

I could use pillow blocks and a 1" axle with a keyed wheel hub and a keyed sprocket/brake hub. The combined cost of pillow blocks and hubs probably adds up to more than the cost of the Baja Warrior wheel, and the axle is more expensive as well. The advantage is that it's easy to put together.

If you were building this project, how would you do it?

 

[mckutzy]

What is easier to build for you. If you have skill and tools to build some hubs and then the rest of the machine, hey go for it. If you have some money and a little less of the other stuff, then a bolt together is your ticket.

Seeing the bolt pattern is square, that makes a whole lot easier, as it is easier to fine the center and drill for making your own hub flange.

 

[robbie]

Well, I don't have a lathe or other good equipment for making a round, centered hole in a plate. Does anybody out there have the right tools to make a set of flanges? If I can't find help, or if I can't find a lathe for cheap at an auction, I suppose I could take a whack at making it with a torch and a drill. I wonder how straight I could make it?

I have a couple of pieces of the correct size tubing already. The trickiest part will be to size the inside of the tube to fit the bearings.

 

[mckutzy]

With the bolt pattern being square the flange doesn't have to be round. It is easier to find the center of a square.
What I would do, get a weld on hub, fit that to a piece of flat bar with a hole, tightly(may have to use files, or get a machine shop jut drill it to fit) tack and finish weld it. Make sure it is flat and square.
Find out the bolt spaceing, use a scribe calliper or hermi scribe, lay out the pattern circle. Using the ID as a reference.
Measure the widths of the spacing, and mark out. Drill the bolt holes.
I think that is it. I'm on my phone, so I can't really type that well. Any clarity needed just ask.