More progress
- Thread starter Fourtogo
- Start date
All dragbike racing I did over 13-14yr period . Anything over 103 was miserable , the older I got the less I could deal with it . Had symptoms of heat stroke at Barona Ca. for first time years ago . Just kept getting worse as I get older , I could never understand why at places like Las Vegas <<< zero sound issues or curfews . HAD TO RUN IN THE DAY TIME ! . my ideal temp Is 70
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Seat I needed start making the base for the seat . Its six layers of 1/8” ply . I had the ply ripped to 14”X30” bought some stabond glue . It would end up being just over 5/8” thick stack of ply . Did a test run with the ply and no glue , I used some 6” C-Clamps and a few pieces of aluminum bar stock I had laying around. I went with 30” because I could compare that to pictures I have of a original BearKat . So it was wennie roller and a bottle satbond glue . Stacked that out with grain running back to front and bunch of 2” cowboys with dancing shoes >> ie vicegrips with swivel feet << there’s only one angle on the seat base . So I went in first with large flat section with a 1 1/4” angle iron as a stop near forks to help with keeping the ply’s lined up . As I said a lot of cowboys. I will set up a internal hidden seat mount after glue has set up a couple days .
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After few days of dry time , time too trim it out and sand it . Looks big but that’s what they where . There’s a sheet metal section from the back of seat cross tube . Forward to about half way down the bend in the seat base as shown in last photo . I also stripped down my other 8hp Briggs . For a trip to 25c carwash for a gunk and blast . Most of oil appears to be coming from the governor arm out of the engine block . That’s going get tapped and plugged off . next up is some seat tabs . I do like the laminate look on the side of seat base . Man this thing is solid and conforms tight to the frame .
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worked a bit more today , this sheet metal section. I believe was a factory chain guard / butt protector . I had some sheet metal that would work for this . Cut a rough shape , and started trimming . This section has two bends/contours , pretty much just clamped piece too frame . For fine adjustments I shoved the sheet in between my roll away drawers and tweaked it till I got the shape I was after. Ground scale off , that was hardest part of this piece . Going to stitch weld this on
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Been using 5/8” all thread for a temporary axle . Bought two short sections of 5/8” rolled steel . What I have found , is most mini bike wheels . That are wheel rim and hub , don’t have a spacer between the bearings of the hub . What that does, is no allow proper clamping of axle . Puts to much internal pressure on bearings . After 50 plus years those bearings where pretty much toast . Visited local bearing house for new ones . Ground down old bearings to use as test fit bearing for center tube spacer . Got that handled >>> I forgot to take pictures <<< sorry guys . The new 5/8” stock needed some threads . The one tool I wish I had is a lathe , kinda needed a lathe for clean threading . Being i don’t have that , I used my drill press . Lower table down and chucked up the 5/8” . Set up my 5/8” fine die , I am doing this in this manner . So get clean square threads . Rotated spindle head down , with die in a handle just below the 5/8” . I used a large bungee cord attached to one handle arm . Stretch down base of drill press . That put constant pressure on die and 5/8” rod . Dropped off the drive belt on pulley system. I used a 1 1/4” socket and ratchet to turn drill spindle . This crud goofy set up works very well . You get nice square cut threads , I also broke down the Homlite to take it a new powder coater . Went in to sticker shock forks /two piece frame / and two seat brackets in tangerine orange $350 WOW .
