vertical engine conversion with BEVEL GEARS

[isaac8787]

for converting a vertical engine (lawn mower) into a horizontal engine no one has considered the simple idea of bevel gears? simple way of transferring the energy perpendicular to the shaft.

can anyone see any problems with this concept?

 

[theo]

You mean like this?
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PEERLESS-90-...aultDomain_0&hash=item2c63376f34#ht_212wt_124

 

[isaac8787]

exactly, or even with out the box/casing, just weld the gear on the bottom of the vertical shaft from the engine and have the corresponding gear mesh and its shaft run to the torque converter

 

[Jake.B]

i have thought about this method before but it seems to me it would just take up to much room and be hard to fabricate without a box to hold it all together. im sure it will work, its worth a shot i would like to see how someone does it.

 

[isaac8787]

ive heard people say the gears would get worn out fast without any lubrication but this seems like a an easily fixed problem by means of a constant oil bath system or just frequent lubricating of the gears. the box just seems like it would hinder customisation of shafts, gear placement, etc.

 

[r_chez_08]

Thought about this a while back. You can get bevel gears from a diff.
The thing is, you will have to then buy a jackshaft to mount the clutch on and some extra bearings. It also takes up way more room, is way more complex, more moving/wearing parts to replace, heavier, more torque loss, more time to fabricate etc.

It may be worth it with 10hp+ motors, but any less than that and you may as well sell the vertical and buy a horizontal because of the extra cost and time involved.
Any more than 10hp, and you may find rapid wear on the gears.

JMO.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

can anyone see any problems with this concept?

Sure, there's a problem. It would require you to fabricate a gearbox- literally a housing to hold the gears in perfect alignment, support the shafts, keep everything well bathed in lubricant, and seals to keep the lubricant in. This is not within the scope of your average shadetree mechanic. Also note- the image you show does NOT depict "bevel gears"- those are helical gears (but same basic idea).

exactly, or even with out the box/casing, just weld the gear on the bottom of the vertical shaft from the engine and have the corresponding gear mesh and its shaft run to the torque converter

What is supporting these gears, and keeping the shafts from deflecting? If they are allowed any play, they will self destruct in short order.

ive heard people say the gears would get worn out fast without any lubrication but this seems like a an easily fixed problem by means of a constant oil bath system or just frequent lubricating of the gears. the box just seems like it would hinder customisation of shafts, gear placement, etc.

Yes, the gears require constant lubrication. How exactly do you propose to do this without a box?

 

[robbie]

Those are all good points, plus I'm not a big fan of welding things onto crankshafts.

 

[isaac8787]

well the plan is to mount two 5 HP victor lawn mower engines to the chassis, right angle gear boxes joining the crankshafts to a single sprocket in the middle. the chain on this sprocketwill run to the single torque converter, from the there to the jack shaft to the rear live axle (or no jack shaft). the throttle pedal will be hooked up so it engages both throttles at exact same time and pressure. i was going to use bevel gears but i think now right angle gear box is better. still have no idea about what to use for chassis and frame? as in what metal.

 

[landuse]

Sure, there's a problem. It would require you to fabricate a gearbox- literally a housing to hold the gears in perfect alignment, support the shafts, keep everything well bathed in lubricant, and seals to keep the lubricant in. This is not within the scope of your average shadetree mechanic. Also note- the image you show does NOT depict "bevel gears"- those are helical gears (but same basic idea).

And all this basically describes a RAGB....That is why the loose gears option has never really been done

 

[isaac8787]

is the right angle gear box a common part in home made go karts?

 

[landuse]

is the right angle gear box a common part in home made go karts?

Not really all that commen for most karts, because 99% of people use horizontal shaft engines. You only really need a RAGB when you have a vertical shaft engine like a mower

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Although we like to take pride in homegrown engineering, sometimes you're better off not trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[isaac8787]

^^^ no idea what that means?

 

[landuse]

^^^ no idea what that means?

What toystory is saying, I think, is that there are RAGB out there for a reason, and THAT reason is that nothing else really works as well.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Bingo.

 

[robbie]

If you're going to use two engines, it would be better to put a double pulley on a single gear box, rather than using two gear boxes.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

victor engines? you mean victa? those can be mounted horisontally


or get a rear end from a riding mower with vertical input and change the ratio with the same size pulleys on engine and tranny then use a belt tensioner.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

If you're going to use two engines, it would be better to put a double pulley on a single gear box, rather than using two gear boxes.

I coulda swore I suggested that. Twice.

 

[robbie]

I coulda swore I suggested that. Twice.

Right. I read this thread first, then I saw you say the same thing on the other one.