Grand Daddyish build

[TNThomas]

Whew, these were tricky to cut. Chop saw was very helpful.

 

[redflash]

Nice work, but adding a lot of weight ! Your arachnid probably weighs 60 pounds more than mine.

Da redflash

 

[TNThomas]

Nice work, but adding a lot of weight ! Your arachnid probably weighs 60 pounds more than mine.

Da redflash

You are spot on! Extra weight, its a 2 seater, so more weight there, and I weigh 340lbs, so extra weight there too. Hence my earlier concern about running a solo 1" dia axle. Either twin axles in back, or A-arms would also help out with that, especially on hard impacts. Hence me flipping and flopping on designs for the back recently.

 

[Denny]

I’m a big boy also! Just keep the bearings close to the wheels and the axle will be fine! Us full figured guys got to help each other out.

 

[TNThomas]

I’m a big boy also! Just keep the bearings close to the wheels and the axle will be fine! Us full figured guys got to help each other out.

Haha...but two full figured guys should equal 2 rear axles right? Especially with the mini-smoker/multi-port rocket stove bolted on up front. Gonna need a little extra strength after eating slugging back pork sliders!

 

[Denny]

You got to remember also while you may have 2 axles back there your still only going to have only 1 pivot point. So, theoretically you still have only 1 axle.

 

[TNThomas]

You got to remember also while you may have 2 axles back there your still only going to have only 1 pivot point. So, theoretically you still have only 1 axle.

Good point. Im going to end up buying an extra set of shocks to stiffen it up in the back too.

 

[TNThomas]

Got metal for a few misc pieces, including the diff cans. CVtech CVT, and alternator belt pulley as well from Vegas carts. Ill work on the Diff cans over the weekend. Mire 1-1/4" square tube coming Monday.

 

[TNThomas]

Part way there.

 

[TNThomas]

Feeling the pain of erring on the thick side. Working on diff can lids...

 

[Denny]

What about just using an old jar lid? Some pop rivets and silicone sealer. If you keep going with the aluminum you’re going to have to anneal it a couple of times to get it soft and keep it soft enough to shrink the sides. Remember it’s not about forcing the metal. It’s more about getting it to do what you want it to do.
You could also cut out 2 circles of mdf in the diameter you need. Sandwich your sheet metal between the 2 and bolt then together in the center. Then slowly work the sheet metal around the form. Removing the sheet metal along the way and annealing it a few times along the way.

 

[TNThomas]

What about just using an old jar lid? Some pop rivets and silicone sealer. If you keep going with the aluminum you’re going to have to anneal it a couple of times to get it soft and keep it soft enough to shrink the sides. Remember it’s not about forcing the metal. It’s more about getting it to do what you want it to do.
You could also cut out 2 circles of mdf in the diameter you need. Sandwich your sheet metal between the 2 and bolt then together in the center. Then slowly work the sheet metal around the form. Removing the sheet metal along the way and annealing it a few times along the way.

Those are both great ideas, ill check jar lids, and if that doesnt work, the sandwich idea is great. Im putting a hole in the center anyways.

 

[TNThomas]

Taking a small risk, but I bet it will work:
Without ever seeing or handeling a Comet secondary/drucen clutch, they don't look super strong. The beefy version is the 90D, and that looks to still have components/designs from the smaller versions, which bothers me. Ive seen a few guys with the 670 running non Comet secondaries, and one of them is the Polaris EZGO. I found one with a belt for $80 shipped. The Comet 90D is around $240ish shipped. Polaris is about 1" bigger dia, looks stronger, and has a 1" keyed shaft (im going with 1" on the jackshaft). The Polaris is designed for a 1-1/4 to 1-3/8 width belt. I think (having a hard time finding measurement data), that the angled portion on the Polaris is 40deg. I measured my CVTech Drive cvt, and its 40deg as well. The risk is the width. My drive measures right at 1-3/16" wide for the belt, but I should be able to shim it for the 1-1/4" polaris. But, if I cant do that, redneck math and physics dictate that I could run a 1-3/16" wide belt, it would just sit deeper in the Polaris driven, and negate a little of the extra dia of the Polaris driven dia. We shall see, but I think it will work. I think the Polaris is from either a 500 or 570cc atv called the sportsman.

 

[TNThomas]

Here is a photo from soneone running the same drive and driven as what im going for. Theirs looks to be bolted up through the center, not riding on a jackshaft, but It looks to be the same model.

 

[Denny]

Don’t be afraid of the stamped steel secondary clutches a lot of sleds used them for a lot of years. The problem with using a narrow belt in a cvt that was designed for a wider belt is the faster upshifts. Meaning it will go into a higher ratio faster than you may want.

 

[TNThomas]

Don’t be afraid of the stamped steel secondary clutches a lot of sleds used them for a lot of years. The problem with using a narrow belt in a cvt that was designed for a wider belt is the faster upshifts. Meaning it will go into a higher ratio faster than you may want.

Good advice, and makes sense. We shall see once I have it in hand. I saw a variance of answers for the belt dia on this one. Both from the seller, and other Polaris forums. One said that it does run 1-3/16". Figured its worth the shot at the price! If it doesnt make sense after measuring, ill pony up and by the Comet 90D. The larger dia made me a little more comfirtable to offset a deeper sitting belt (due to being 1-16" too narrow). But my CVTech does say it can run a 1-1/4" wide belt, but it will need a small shim to work right. Apparently Comet made the EZGO Polaris driven too.

Also, I think I have a good idea to quickly make my diff lids. Its going to involve the "sandwich" idea, a bottle jack, the scrap 4.5" tube, and my truck tow hitch, stay tuned....haha

 

[TNThomas]

Going a different route for the lid. Im not having alot of luck. Tried using wood to sandwitch it. Tried to use my truck hitch and a jack as a makeshift press (has worked in the past), pliers, vice, no dice. Plate held up the rear end of my F250 with me jumping on the bumper, no bending. This is thinner at 0.063" as well. Other stuff was 0.81"ish. I do alot of work at night, and I cant bang away with a hammer either. Im simply going to use the thicker plate, cut it to go over the outer dia if the tube, and then just use JB aluminum weld on both sides. I bet that will be more than enough, and way faster than what im currently trying to do. Skip the rivets and need for sealant on that edge.

I also realized, if I knew how, and had the tools, I would have TIG Aluminum welded it from the start. First time I have been limited by the combo of material selection and flux welding.

Lots of learning. Ive seen some crazy stuff with JB weld, so I doubt ill have any issues. Having fun anyways!!!

I picked up the sweet plate of dicounted diamond plate ill use for the dash at the metal supply store today. 30% off and a perfect scrap piece to work with. Also picked up 27' of 1-1/4" square tube 0.83 thick wall. That should get me to the finish line.

 

[madprofessor]

Also picked up 27' of 1-1/4" square tube 0.83 thick wall.

Think my eyebrows must have just popped loose from how high up they jumped when I saw that nearly an inch thick steel tube. Obviously the 1-1/4" must be the I.D., since there wouldn't be any I.D. if that was the O.D. like usual.

 

[Denny]

Have you looked into Muggy Weld? Your pressing idea was doomed to failure I hate to say because you were not working with enough force. Nor did you have a tight enough tooling. But if you worked it slowly enough with hammers it would have actually been faster. Sorry to be a Denny Downer.

 

[TNThomas]

Think my eyebrows must have just popped loose from how high up they jumped when I saw that nearly an inch thick steel tube. Obviously the 1-1/4" must be the I.D., since there wouldn't be any I.D. if that was the O.D. like usual.

Haha, shes gonns be a ship anchor! I forgot a zero.... 0.083" thick wall.