problems any help would be great

[1fj]

sp i decided to build my first kart. I bought a set up that I thought needed very little to get off the ground. ran into a problem today.

I finally got a chain on and started it up, when giving gas, it would not move and the clutch started to smoke a little. I checked on the forums and found a similar problem and the answer was gearing..
I have 18" tires and 54t on the axel sprocket. the clutch has 10t. if I did my math right its a 5.4:1 ratio. Is that bad or do I need to re set it up.

Also I noticed the clutch was on backwards compared to almost all pictures I have researched on the net. PLEASE HELP!

Like to have a new hobbie, But im started to rethink my choices.

 

[1fj]

about the clutch being backwards, Wanted to see if clutches can run backwards? Not to sure on that.

Thanks

 

[souperman000]

not an expert on gearing but I think that that gearing is not working because of your 18" tall tires.

When you say your clutch is on "backwards" do you mean like this? -

Oh, and thank you for using the search button before asking your question

 

[mchlfranko]

How tight is your chain? A tight chain could cause this and cause your clutch to burn up. Your chain should have a 1/2" or slack, just a little sag, not enough to make it slip off.

Also, souperman is right, that gear ratio is very low for 18" tires.

There is no wrong way to mount the clutch, it will work both ways.

Try jacking up the rear end off the ground, pressing the throttle and see if your tires spin or your clutch burns.

 

[1fj]

yes its exactly like that.

Didnt want to be jerk of the forum being lay and asking before searching..

but yes its identical to that with out the spacer.. (or what looks like a spacer to me.. new to this all.)

 

[1fj]

I will check the chain.. after all this i had to drag it back to the garage and lost my last connecter for my chain... back to northern tools.. a third time.

 

[1fj]

pictures to help solve the problem

This is my Craigslist buy. long way to go though. 200$ for it all, minus the 30$ for a spare tire and new chain.. thought this would help.

 

[1fj]

pictures

think i figured it out

 

[mchlfranko]

What do you think is wrong?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Let me clarify a couple things-

1) Gear ratio is not too low, it's too high. Odd as it may sound, numerically higher 8:1, 9:1, 10:1 etc, is said to be a lower ratio. So to solve the problem, you would need to gear "lower" or gear "down", which is to say a higher number. This high/low confusion is because your are dealing with a reduction in gearing.

2) Not ALL clutches will work bi-directionally (backwards). So to say, "yes, they will work backwards" is a blanket statement and not at all accurate.

Check chain tension, lubricate the clutch bushing, etc- but I think the bigger issue is the gearing.

 

[1fj]

thanks all for the input.. After a quick tire swap onto a new rim and mounted, Replaced the chain with a new one and gave enough slack but not enough to fall off, It still smoked.. so i would have to agree with the gearing.. any suggestions on how low to go?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

With tires THAT big, you're probably best off around 8:1 with your clutch. You will find that you cannot feasibly do this without a jackshaft. You have two feasible choices-

*Spring for a CVT and be done with. If you're going to the trouble and expense of a jackshaft anyway...

*Swap to MUCH smaller rear wheels. You could call this a short-term solution while you are saving your nickels for a CVT.

 

[1fj]

thought so... the smaller tires were going to be my next change... was just doing my research on a jack shaft. I have plenty of room for it, any suggestions on which gears for it, or just try and get to a 8:1?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

With 12T on the clutch and 54T on the axle, you could achieve something close (8.1:1) But putting an 18T on the jackshaft input, and a 12T on the output.

 

[souperman000]

With tires THAT big, you're probably best off around 8:1 with your clutch. You will find that you cannot feasibly do this without a jackshaft. You have two feasible choices-

*Spring for a CVT and be done with. If you're going to the trouble and expense of a jackshaft anyway...

*Swap to MUCH smaller rear wheels. You could call this a short-term solution while you are saving your nickels for a CVT.

Why not get a larger axle sprocket?

 

[OzFab]

Why not get a larger axle sprocket?

I thought that too but, he would need a sprocket in the vicinity of 90t to achieve the correct ratio

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Bingo... A very tough find.

 

[1fj]

Do you think if I were to put the front tires on the rear and new tires (either same size or smaller) on the front? Would that fix the problem or just make it less crappy and not up to a decent standard..

 

[OzFab]

It'll help but it won't cure it; you're gear ratio is still too high. I don't think you have a choice but to install a jackshaft