mango with torque converter
- Thread starter frankiefasthands
- Start date
here is a discussion from about a year ago on the t-bird with torque converter
https://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/...nco-thunderbird-torque-converter-install.html
and here's a picture of the mango! :laugh:
https://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/...nco-thunderbird-torque-converter-install.html
and here's a picture of the mango! :laugh:
Frankiefasthands,
There were some other threads on a Thunderbird with torque converter.
The short answer is you need a much smaller rear sprocket. The huge stock rear sprocket as you found out makes even a straight chained 6hp a wheelie machine. The torque convert has about a 2.8:1 ratio on take off. Multiply that times your present 8:1 ish ratio and you have insane tq. The "problem" with the Thunderbird is your butt is right over the rear axle. It doesn't take much to pivot the bike and raise the front tire. Having insane tq with your weight over the rear pivot is not a fun ride..
You could mod or stretch the rear axle location to move it back 6"-8" to help but that is a lot of work.
If you reduce your rear sprocket ratio to 4:1, that still gives you a lot of tq out of the hole but it will also give you a lot of top end speed. A Thunderbird isn't super stable going fast... What type of riding do you do? Is it all flat land on paved roads or off road with hills and dirt etc? Do you want a lot of top speed? Keeping the governor hooked up will tame down the top speed but still give you power out of the hole.
Let us know more about what you want and how you ride so we can help better.
Danford1
There were some other threads on a Thunderbird with torque converter.
The short answer is you need a much smaller rear sprocket. The huge stock rear sprocket as you found out makes even a straight chained 6hp a wheelie machine. The torque convert has about a 2.8:1 ratio on take off. Multiply that times your present 8:1 ish ratio and you have insane tq. The "problem" with the Thunderbird is your butt is right over the rear axle. It doesn't take much to pivot the bike and raise the front tire. Having insane tq with your weight over the rear pivot is not a fun ride..
You could mod or stretch the rear axle location to move it back 6"-8" to help but that is a lot of work.
If you reduce your rear sprocket ratio to 4:1, that still gives you a lot of tq out of the hole but it will also give you a lot of top end speed. A Thunderbird isn't super stable going fast... What type of riding do you do? Is it all flat land on paved roads or off road with hills and dirt etc? Do you want a lot of top speed? Keeping the governor hooked up will tame down the top speed but still give you power out of the hole.
Let us know more about what you want and how you ride so we can help better.
Danford1
I looked at it on my Bird T-bird. Too much of a hassle. I have a Hemi Predator on mine, and dropped down to a smaller sprocket as with the Max Torque clutch you couldn't keep the front wheel down with the stock sprocket. Still has the guts to haul my son and his buddy at the same time, both adults, up and down the hills of Road Atlanta, and has enough speed to scare the doo doo out of you.
Also on the plus side, I have the scuff brake and a clutch brake, something you can't do with a TAV.
Also on the plus side, I have the scuff brake and a clutch brake, something you can't do with a TAV.
Hi Danford I appreciate your advice. I have a a few different bikes but my favorite type of riding is off road and the manco thunderbird is my favorite to do it with. Im not looking for really much top end maybe 30mph but when I ride trails I do a lot of hills and was wondering if I would be better off with my max torque clutch or upgrading to torque converter. It already has a lot of torque but was wondering if I were to get torque converter would I even be able;e to keep the front wheel on the ground?
I would go with the torque convertor for off road and hill climbing, finding a way to stretch out the wheel base a bit will help keep the front end down, Like Danford1 stated, you are parked almost over the rear axle, combined with the short wheelbase it will be a challenge to keep the front end on the ground under power, especially climbing hills.................Tom.
Bought it at OldMiniBikes. https://www.OldMiniBikes.com/universal-clutch-band-brake-kit.html
I already had a handle and cable, but if need be you can buy a complete set up.
Wanna see what a Max Torque clutch will do? This is my son driving and his buddy screwing around at Road Atlanta on Tweety Bird, and here's a shot of the entrance to give you an idea of the hills they were racing up and down on.
The clutch brake was a god send, but keep the scrub brake for a back up.
I already had a handle and cable, but if need be you can buy a complete set up.
Wanna see what a Max Torque clutch will do? This is my son driving and his buddy screwing around at Road Atlanta on Tweety Bird, and here's a shot of the entrance to give you an idea of the hills they were racing up and down on.
The clutch brake was a god send, but keep the scrub brake for a back up.
