Series 30 TC Drive/Driven Pulley Alignment

[DukesFin]

So, I tore up a belt on my son's kart. I've got a new belt installed and began wondering about the alignment of the pulleys... If you look at the pics, the drive pulley "closes" and pushes the belt to the right while the driven pulley "opens" and pushes the belt to the left. Is it correct to have the pulleys centered to each other or do I need the drive pulley set a bit to the left and the driven a bit to the right so that when RPMs go up, the belt stays more "centered"?

Clear as mud?

Here are some pics of the TC/Belt as they are now...

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

From my understanding, 30 series TCs work just like that.

 

[DukesFin]

I just took it for a spin and all seemed well... I put the rear end up on jack stands and ran it to see what the belt was doing at higher RPMs... Confirmed, it is not "straight" the higher the RPMs are but again, the first test drive went well. I'll do a few more before I let my son rip on it.

18hp with a TC is a lot for a 7 year old but he's pretty careful. I just don't want to have to push the kart should be belt snap again, nor do I want to load it up the ramp unless I have to!

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

I just don't want to have to push the kart should be belt snap again, nor do I want to load it up the ramp unless I have to!

AGAIN!?
With 18 hp, you need a 40 series torque converter!
https://www.gopowersports.com/40-series-torque-converter-kit-bolt-on-8hp-18hp
That's why the belt snapped!

---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

30 series are rated for ~8HP FYI.

 

[DukesFin]

AGAIN!?
With 18 hp, you need a 40 series torque converter!
https://www.gopowersports.com/40-series-torque-converter-kit-bolt-on-8hp-18hp
That's why the belt snapped!

---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

30 series are rated for ~8HP FYI.

I'll put that on the list after my YZ250f clutch parts show up and the parts for my son's 70cc dirt bike get here and both are running again! (I do like being married!

I realized the 40 is what I should have gotten after I re-read my posts from when I first got the kart frame! Oops! Its served us well so far but some longevity would be better. I need to put some big fat tires on the back to make the ride a bit softer... This thing rides like steel wheels on railroad ties!

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

This thing rides like steel wheels on railroad ties!

Welcome to go karts...

 

[Snaker]

My eyes might be seeing things but is that drive pulley asymmetrical? Looks like symmetrical angles on the sheaves. You sure its a 30 series?

 

[itsid]

Okay first:
the driver (the pulley on your clutch) is a series 40!

The nut is a bit weird but it's still a series 40.. (maybe odd sized washer ...nevermind)
The driven (the other one) might be a series 40 as well (can't tell from the bad pic I'm afraid)

What I can tell, it has a red spring installed, in which case it MUST point INWARD if it's a series 40!
(the part with the red spring must point towards the engine, not out!)

BUT since it appears to be rather small compared to the driver, it seems to be a series 30 (which in fact MUST POINT OUTWARD as it sits now)
but being two very different systems will never work with the driver you have.

I'm sorry, but belt alignment is in fact the least of your problems

Measure your driven Outside diameter, if it's 6" or 7" it is a series 30
and needs to be replaced;
if it's 6.5 or 7.5" it must be flipped on the jackshaft.

And after that's done, you can easily align the belt by just installing it,
and using a straight edge to veify it's perpendicular to both shafts moving the driven unit in or out to fix the error.

'sid

 

[KartFab]

The driven (the other one) might be a series 40 as well (can't tell from the bad pic I'm afraid)

it is the signature of the chinese knock off's. They didnt weld the nut and just have a nut/bent washer instead.

Also, from the photo one can see that the wear buttons are just one at each "hill" (3 total) instead of one on each side of the hill (6 total). Meaning it is a 40 series driven unit.

So the options are

1) flip the driven unit around with the spring you have and make sure you get the right center to center distance for the belt (needs to be a 40 series belt).

2) keep the driven unit oriented how it is, but replace the red spring with a reverse wound yellow spring, and properly wind it... Also, make sure you get the right center to center distance for the belt (needs to be a 40 series belt).

 

[itsid]

Haven't noticed the single buttons! good eye Grant!

But it looks sooooo small!
And the series 20 also used just three buttons for a while..
so it could be a symmetric belt driven unit but the wrong one

Personally I'd still measure the OD and verify it's X.5 inches

'sid