New Builds - Learners

hi eddie/tim i ended up stripping the clutch at the weekend and found that the nut holding the clutch onto gearbox shaft had came loose,it was quite chewed up so found a replacement added a locking washer refitted and thats as far as i've got with that when i get 5 mins i'll attempt to bumpstart again , but have started more subframe mods only subtle ones thou ! glad to hear you're still pushin on eddie, tim don't get disheartened do what you can when you can best regards adam.

Hi Adam,

Hopefully you have found your problem and its sorted, yeah me and dad are trying to push on with his project and looked at a few little things before we went to watch the racing at mallory which was really good and dad got to talk to a few people and has got some more enthusiasm and wants to push on. I just stayed in the shadows as it were and watched as i could see people busy and didnt want to upset anyone.

Hopefully have a few bits for the weekend to do a little bit more.


Eddie

Hi All,

Notice its gone quiet on this side, how's everyone getting on with their projects?



Eddie

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted here in a while, i've been a busy bee, well, busy isn't a large enough word for how much work I've been doing on the bike! Since I last posted I've managed to do the crank, mate the two halves together, do the gearbox, put the new case screws on, and then I'm now doing the clutch. I can see I'm not going to step off the accelerator! Too tired to continue this post seeing I've worked since I got in at 4:30 until now on the bike, no supper either! I'll post photos tomorrow as well.

T

hi eddie/tim firstly well done you two great stuff with your projects, i know ive been a bit quiet but im still doing bits and pieces will post pictures soon . also when studying other air cooled racers ive noticed that they all seem to have big long cylinder head nuts could either of you two or anyone else viewing this explain the reason for this ?. best regards adam.

Hi Adam,

Dad thought it was for ease of access when changing things. hopefully either robbie or james or others maybe able to shed some light on this.


Eddie

Hi New builders!
If you look at my machine sometime (see also the bantam racer articles on the main site) you will see I have used mega big "ALLAN" Bolts that have been modified to act as head bolts, much to everyone elses amusement!
However these are emminently practical as I use an extended rachet from above the head with a piece of Allen key brazed into an old socket to remove/repace the bolts when working on it (do not even need to bend down to remove the head), and it is so fast to do this in the paddock it is amazing!! Also no chance of ever rounding off a silly little head nut and being snookered before the next race to get a barrel problem sorted.

All done to save time in the paddock and have the engine apart in seconds....
Hope this explanation helps
Alan

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the reply and the explanation, we have similar head bolts and asked Terry the same question and his reply was the same in regards for ease of getting off and no rounded small head bolts.


Eddie

hi all, thanks for the explaination alan , i will get some of them made when i get a moment . best regards adam.

hi all,hows things going eddie? i've cured my clutch slip (but it still slips intermitently,weak springs i think),still no ignition but determined to get to the bottom of the problem,i need to post some more pics soon, moding the rear brake from rod to cable at the moment i've made some larger head nuts, uprated clutch basket(needs riviting onto primary clutch spocket) and working on rear set gear change linkage it's slow but moving in the right direction i think best regards adam.

Hi Adam,

Things arent going too bad but i must admit that while waiting for bits for dads bike that we have been set back on ive been playing with mine. Yea h ive got a clutch to do yet again but i think thats dxown to standing but road bikes are different to race ones. what igintion problems are you still having? Well done on being busy on the other bits though and progressing.



Eddie

Hi all,

Cheers Alan for the info. Sounds good that you three are moving on in the right direction. My bantam has stopped for a while seeing yesterday I broke my foot being a typical sensored as I am, so shalt not be working on thou bike for meaning a month (Scuse the Irishness, the GP that took me in kept talking like this. Sorta catchy!) I'm currently in Salisbury Hospital now having it done so yeah, don't think I'll be working for some time. Out and over.

T

hi all,eddie because i'm still on points/condenser set up what i think is happening is that the spark is too weak and not good enough to even fire,the timing is ok ,so perhaps a battery and wire for total loss ignition with a later coil or find a better stator plate with coils on it etc, i know this sort of ignition is no good for racing but it's nice to have something that actually runs lol.best regards adam.

Hi Adam,

i know what you mean, the yellow one has points on it and bar a rewire and some re tinning i put a battery on and it started up!

Eddie

Adam,
You just have to get away from points and condensers, they will give you so much trouble it is not worth it!
Get a good PVL or something a bit more modern and you will not regret it.
Cheers,
Alan

thanks alan will do best regards adam.

Hi Adam,

My dad's 175 project has a pvl ignition, if you look under the tech specs on the site i believe there a sheet with the specs to to the shaft which im sure you wont have a problem doing as you are an engineer.


Eddie

hi eddie ,yep got the info cheers, the only problem i might have with it is the material spec(only a small time engieering company i work for) and having it ground and hardened,i was only thinking today about having a go at turning one up but it will have to wait untill the cnc i work on has a window to fit it on but it would still have to be case hardened . after reading the great post about crankshafts i really did'nt realize there was so much technical thought and developement went into them it's very interesting,thought prevoking i really enjoy reading stuff like that. i won't pretend that i fully understand it but it's still a great post. while i'm on the subject if alan's looking in the crank drawings on your bantam racer pages are they purely for 125's if so are there any clear drawings like it for a 175 ? anyway if i can't produce a decent shaft i could always get one made up for me best regards adam. ps get well soon tim

Nice post, I agree with Adam. I am also having a crank made up for me by a local engineering firm for a couple of bottles of the local beer, so all goes well hopefully.

Thank you, hopefully be off the crutches, but staying at home means revising, damn! Would prefer to be working on the bike but can't really. Just need a few things then I might re-start progress.

I need to look up the ways of adding extra spars and strengthening joints to the frame so that'll keep me busy. Got a nice blotchy red/yellow bruise running all the way up my foot haha!

Keep up the good work lads!

T

the shafts do not need to be hard, ? depends what material you use, i have cranks with soft and hard shafts, and shafts integral that have been
tufftrided, but think again you diod not really need to make these JUST USE TWO STD DRIVE SIDE SHAFTS AND MACHINE THE TAPER ON THE ROTOR TO SUIT, ?? MUCH QUICKER EASIER, AND IS HARD MUCH MORE RELIABLE, THAN SOFT SHAFTS.

Derek

Hi Adam,

Dereks dad Terry made my dads shaft for the ignition and then we had it hardened locally.



Eddie

hi all, thanks derek that would make life so much easier and save a lot of time best regards adam

cheers eddie adam

Hi Tim/Adam,


How are you guys progressing?

Derek, how is your son's bike build going as if it is from scratch would be nice to for us newbies to hear how an experienced person goes about things.


Eddie

Not bad. Got exams coming up. Consulting selling the project altogether; need new beginnings.

T