DB30 6.5 Clone Project

6

67tempest

Member
#1
#1
Decided to work on my DB30 while I was waiting for my Motovox frame to come back from the paint shop. Had a Baja 6.5 clone and jackshaft setup from my last 390 swap and decided to install it on the DB30. Bent the rear fender hoop back and mounted the engine using a PMR engine plate. The Baja jackshaft is setup to use #420 metric chain and the DB rear sprocket is #35 chain. I couldn't find any metric bore sprockets for #35 chain that would fit on the jackshaft and I didn't want to swap out the rear wheel sprocket on the DB. Machined a new shaft for the jackshaft sprockets out of 3/4 drill rod that allowed to mate the #420 metric driven sprocket with a 3/4 bore #35 chain drive sprocket. That worked out great.

The gas tank and air box fit but there was no way I can use the stock muffler. I've seen other swaps that run the exhaust pipe outside the frame rail but I didn't want to go that route. Afraid one of the kid's will lay their leg up against the pipe and burn themselves. Plan on making an exhaust manifold that uses a small pancake style muffler so I can tuck it inside the frame rail. I finally got the Motovox frame back from paint so now I'm working on two projects at once.
 
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6

67tempest

Member
#4
#4
texasfabguy said:
that ratio is going to be a stump puller.
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I have several different sprockets I can choose from to vary the ratio. I'm going to deliberately gear it low to limit the top speed so the kid's don't get in trouble. I will have 3 for them to ride depending on their age and skill level. One with the stock 2.5HP, this one with the 6.5HP and the Motovox with the 13HP.
 
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rmm727

Active Member
#5
#5
You can take the metric bearings out of the Baja backplate and replace them with 35mm OD, 5/8" ID bearings with a snap ring. Then you can use normal jackshaft components.
 
6

67tempest

Member
#6
#6
rmm727 said:
You can take the metric bearings out of the Baja backplate and replace them with 35mm OD, 5/8" ID bearings with a snap ring. Then you can use normal jackshaft components.
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I thought about knocking the bearings out of the Baja jackshaft to measure them to see if I could match something up. Decided it would be quicker and cheaper to just machine a new shaft and not have the expense of purchasing new bearings and sprockets. Good information to know for the future, thanks.
 
6

67tempest

Member
#8
#8
Assembly

Got the jackshaft completed and installed. Made up a new tensioner bracket for the jackshaft chain roller out of 3/16 plate. The original one was kinda cheesy and had a twist to it. Had to trim the rear fender and drill a new mounting hole to get it to line up since the rear fender hoop was bent back for engine clearance. Cut and installed the chain and installed the chain guards. Ran around this morning looking for a muffler, didn't find what I was looking for so I still have to figure that out.

I'll get the exhaust figured out and finished and then it's back to the Motovox.
 
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red423

New Member
#11
#11
hey how about posting a pic of that exhaust???? I just picked up the same model and am logging future project ideas, your project caught my attention, nice work, clean install, very impressive.
What caught my attention was your comment as to setting up 3 units geared to their skill level, this had crossed my mind also, yet I didn't want to jack too much HP into one for fear of, "hey they are, our kids, we were young once too, and yes I full throttled, and yes I took my share of spills not listening." but the way you said it makes sense.
I'd like to see that DB finished. thanks red423
 
6

67tempest

Member
#12
#12
I had a setback yesterday. The Baja engine I'm using was a left over from a previous swap project that I had no run time on. I went to take it for a ride yesterday and it was running crappy and starting making noise. Considering how cheap the Predator engines are at HF I decided I'm not going to even mess with it but will replace it instead. I have no experience with a Predator so I'm hoping that everything will bolt right up. I'll try and take a picture of the exhaust and post it today. Hoping it will fit the Predator!!
 
punkstar420

punkstar420

New Member
#13
#13
quick question guys, ive been asking alday, and haven't gotten a reponse, from anyone, so I figure ill try here. where can I get some decent forks? to put on my db30s?
 
6

67tempest

Member
#14
#14
Forks

punkstar420 said:
quick question guys, ive been asking alday, and haven't gotten a reponse, from anyone, so I figure ill try here. where can I get some decent forks? to put on my db30s?
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Contact Ian at Motovox if you are interested in the sprung frt forks that come on the Motovox MBX11. Ian has been trying to get a quantity of these so he can make them available for sale. On his last post it appears he is getting close to finally having them available. The distance between the trees is adjustable so they should fit on just about anything. I have a set on my MBX10 project and they worked out great.
 
6

67tempest

Member
#15
#15
Baja round 2

I pulled off the dud Baja clone engine and ran over to HF to pick up a 212 Predator. HF has 4 different part#s for the 212. The HF ads show the engine fuel cap being offset from the center of the tank, just where I wanted it. My HF had a #68120 on display with the offset cap but none in stock. All the 212's they had in stock had the fuel cap centered on the tank where the frame rails would make refilling it difficult. Called another HF and they said they had plenty of #68120's in stock. Took a ride and their #68120 had the fuel cap in the center of the tank, rats! There is apparently more than one supplier of the 212 for HF and the same part# engine may come with either one of the two fuel tank versions. Got the manager from the first HF to sell me his display model with the offset cap.

Mounted the engine, had to pull the fuel tank off first to get it to fit over the studs on the PMR engine plate. The directions with the plate said this might be necessary but I didn't have to pull the tank off the clone when I mounted it. The Predator is dimensionally different slightly than the Baja clone and I had to make a few adjustments. The jackshaft assembly bolted right up although the bolts were a different thread pitch than on the clone. I had to make a new spacer to align the clutch with the rear jackshaft sprocket, the profile of the crank is different. The rear sprocket chain also now turned out to be to short. I made up a new chain but I'm going to bend the rear fender hoop back further to gain more chain adjustment. The Predator exhaust would not fit either so I used the exhaust I made made for the clone. Welded a piece of 1 inch tubing to the original exhaust flange and welded on a threaded bung for the muffler. Used a Briggs pancake style spin on muffler. Made a deflector out of 3 inch exhaut tubing to direct the exhaust away from the plastic fender.

Took it out for a ride and it is definitely a handfull! Even with my 200lbs on it it will stand right up on the back tire if you aren't carefull with the throttle. Not a good thing considering I put this togenther for the kid's to ride. I'm going to change the gearing on the jackshaft to make it more rider friendly.
 
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6

67tempest

Member
#20
#20
Baja round 3

I pulled the engine back off today and bent the rear fender hoop back another inch to gain some more chain adjustment. Had to modify the rear fender again also to get it to line up. It's a pain in the butt having to pull the fuel tank off everytime I want to remove the engine. Swapped the 14 tooth jackshaft drive gear to an 18 tooth which changed the ratio from a 10 to 1 to a 7.7 to 1 ratio. A little tamer on take off, doesn't lift the front tire like it used to, still accelerates like a bat out of :censure:. Took it around the yard and it pulled me up a 45 degree angle hill with no problem. Top speed picked up quite a bit also. May still swap to a 20 or 22 tooth drive gear to tame it down a little more for the kid's.:scooter:
 
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