Does the direction of my clutch matter?

#1
6791EB33-CBA3-40E1-A712-A19063359276.jpeg CEEF8009-23B7-4778-88B1-23ED25CE1230.png Working on my first trike and was wondering if these centrifugal clutches are directional and if I have it on backwards. With this setup my sprocket is facing away from the motor and it barely has much power. Would I get more power by flipping it? Thanks
 
#7
Take that Itty bitty 79cc motor and replace it with a 224 predator max instead. That will help you in your quest for more power.
More power won't fix an incorrect gear ratio. A jackshaft like shown or a torque converter is your best option. The static gear ratio on that combined with that tire diameter is a clutch smoker for sure.
 
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GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#10
There is a gearing calculator out there:
BMI karts or another supplier.
We run a jackshaft set-up on our 79cc minis now, around 8:1 or 10:1. They run fine with the new and young riders.
Take your wheel dimension and run the calculations for us.
I like the 212cc Predator but you need to be careful about letting people ride it.. I will no longer be letting novices ride since my wife's 34 year old nephew flipped my Resto-mod Rupp Roadster 2 with a built Predator 212cc last summer. I thought he could handle it since he said he used to ride 125cc Yamaha dirt bike. The last thing I told him was not to gun it because it hits hard off the bottom. Evidently he didn't listen.
 

Minimichael

Well-Known Member
#13
Definitely start with the bigger drive sprocket. Maybe a split-sprocket so you can experiment? I'd think you'd want a high-revving motor to get up to satisfying speeds. Noisy, but satisfying. Nice dirt road, btw...
 
#14
Since that sprocket looks to be pretty well mounted, I would add a jackshaft. I would put something like a 12 tooth sprocket on the wheel side of the shaft and install a hub for split sprockets on the engine side. Check that calculator that Minimichael posted. I think you should be somewhere close to 60 teeth on that end.
Remember, you MULTIPLY ratios, you do NOT ADD them.

Example: 12 tooth on clutch and 60 tooth on jackshaft would be 60:12 or 5:1
12 teeth on jackshaft and 60 teeth on the wheel is again, 5:1.
5x5=25
Your engine would need to spin 25 rotations to make the tire turn one revolution.
You can mess around with split sprockets on your jackshaft to get it the way you want it.
If that were my trike, I might use two belts from the engine to two different size pulleys so I could rig a tensioner to loosen one and tighten the other for two speeds. Have fun and be safe. Dave
 
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