Peerless 700 or other type of tranny

[patthehat033]

Okay so I have an 18HP Briggs that I am planning on putting on a go kart, and I am either going to use a right angle gear box set up or a lawn mower tranny.

Would a peerless 700 (or some other type of tranny similar) work for this type of set up? Wheres the best place to get one cheap?

 

[Bluethunder3320]

got this from a guy on the forum (THANKS!!) but search craigslist. over the winter its going in my kart with a vertical 8hp briggs.

 

[patthehat033]

Dude good snag man. I got a question you might be able to answer. If they are 5 speeds, I will not need to get a centrifugal clutch right? Since there is neutral.. I have literally never owned a motorized bike with gears.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

well if you dont use a cent. clutch you need a belt tensioner clutch.

the reason for this is because you need a smooth transfer of power from the engine to the tranny so that 1, it doesnt eat up the tranny, and 2, so that it puts less strain on the engine until you are fully in gear. if that makes any sense.

if you start a bike and just put it in first gear it will stall.

the one i have is 3 speed forward 1 reverse

 

[patthehat033]

Okay but does the tranny actually have like neutral where it is not in gear, or is it always in gear and you have to hold down the clutch to act as if it was in neutral.

Since there is no flywheel contact with the clutch, how exactly does a belt tensioner clutch work, and how expensive are they?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

It's got a neutral position. Search the forum for "belt tensioner". There's a ton of info.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

yup it has neutral.

 

[patthehat033]

So the belt tensioner is not really a clutch but more of a stationary pulley that puts tension on the belt so it doesn't slip?

Or is a belt tensioner something that you can adjust while driving?

 

[fowler]

a belt tensioner is what it says it is

it is two pullys on shafts with a loose belt between them

a tensioner sits under the belt
when u have no tension on the belt no drive is transffered

when u pull on the tensioner it tensiones the belt and it can not slip thereby u go forward

 

[patthehat033]

In the case that the transmission has a neutral feature is it necessary to have one of these. Or could I settle for a pulley positioned in a certain area that will tension the belt that goes around the input pulley of the transmission?

 

[fowler]

yes

a car has netral and a clutch

what u described is the common set up

u put a pully on the crank shaft and the tranny input shaft and tension a belt between the two

 

[patthehat033]

I see what your saying now. I can't seem to find the type that you manual push in and out at ease like a clutch. What is the specific name for it? Other than just belt tensioner?

 

[fowler]

u dont buy them u have to make them

 

[patthehat033]

Ah now I get the picture, this should be fun!

 

[wall gator]

clutch

u dont buy them u have to make them

Whould something like this work?????? Fit's on the PTO OF ENGINE.turn handle to engauge belt.

 

[patthehat033]

Do you stick that on the drive shaft and then it engages at a certain RPM?

 

[patthehat033]

Also what is your guys thoughts on hydrostatic transaxles, a guy offered me one off a John Deere off $75.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I don't think a hydro setup is going to do you any good on a kart.

 

[racerc2000]

these parts are purchasable if you know where to look.

being this is a gokart forum. most knowledge is in side shaft setups. and most gokart specific shops will have different types of products not geared towards an engine or trans of this type.

lawnmower racers have perfected these builds.

tranny race parts.
http://www.eccarburetors.com/estore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=227_229

tensioner
http://www.eccarburetors.com/estore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=227_44&products_id=919

pulleys and belts etc.
http://www.eccarburetors.com/estore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=227_44

hydro setups are garbage and break easily in over 20mph setups.

however a transaxle can be used.

they have upgrades for them to. but all thats really needed is. larger locked axle.

but as for all lawn mower trannys. be it the remote mount or transaxle. one requirement for longevity is taking it apart. cleaning all grease out filling it 2/3 with gear oil. drill and tap a hole in the top of case and install a breather.

if your daring. you could machine the case and replace all bushings with bearings to free up some drag and gain some lost power back.

if you dont want to use a belt. you can use a cent clutch and a chain. if youve done the oil mod you can gear the engine to trans @ basically a 1:1 ratio. ir 2:1 and change the rear gearing.

 

[patthehat033]

All that seems a bit out of my price range at the moment, maybe as later more sturdy upgrades I will go with those things.

But I am thinking I will get like a peerless 5 speed tranny off someone on Craigslist or ebay, and then use the belt tensioner idea. And to make the belt tensioner I will take one of the extra pulleys on the engine, and weld a bar to it and the use the bar to move the pulley at ease. The whole assembly will be held in by tie rods so I can move the pulley in either direction, to tension, or release pressure on the belt.