Need some help

#1
Alright this is going to sound weird but hear me out.

I bought an old Toro riding mower yesterday. My goal is to turn it into a Go-kart/utility vehicle. Its a rear engine setup which makes it extremely easy to do. My dad and I did this when I was in junior high with an old rear engine International. Basically take anything off of it that has to do with mowing. Put a v-belt clutch on the motor and a smaller pulley on the transmission, add a gas pedal and tada!!! Go-kart, with reverse!!!

Anyways I still have the clutch from the old international, it was a 1inch shaft. Well the Toro motor is 7/8inch shaft and so is every other motor I have available. Is it possible to sleeve the 7/8inch shaft motor to make it 1inch? I guess I would need a 1/16inch thick sleeve to do that?? Or would it be easier to find a 1inch shaft motor??? 7/8inch shaft v-belt clutches are quite expensive so if I can avoid having to buy one the better.

thanks guys.
 
#2
Sleeving that should not cause a problem, but you'll have to have a key made that is 1/16 thicker,since the keyway will be 1/16 deeper.
 
#4
7/8" is the common shaft size for engines supplied to turf equipment manufacturers...

Companies like Toro are concerned that buyers may try to use substandard replacement sheaves and other drive components, so they specifically request engine manufacturers supply a shaft size for which very few aftermarket, non-proprietary driveline components are available...

The tapered shaft is another way to limit liability by limiting sources of replacement parts not made/tested/approved by the manufacturer...

Toro, who bought and ruined Lawn Boy, doesn't really want to make it easy for customers to make go karts out of their mowers...

Fortunately, some of us do it anyway...
 
#6
turn down the 78 to 34
I really dont want to have to buy a new clutch though. I think I could find a 1inch shaft motor cheaper than buying a new clutch.

The motor that was on that toro was junk, at least for now. I had electric start which was cool but the guy ran it out of oil and burned it up. The thing is all seized up. Its too bad too it was a 7hp Tec even if it was vertical shaft.
 
#7
Sleeving isn't difficult either...one-inch OD is a standard tubing size, and it's available in a variety of ID's...search around a little for one that's closest to your needs, and you may be able to skip machining it...just cut a slot for a key and slide it on...
 
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