Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: thefrenchowl on October 09, 2011, 06:18:02 PM
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Hi again everyone...
Since Speed Week 2011 is now just good memories, I start another thread... It'll be a tall order to finance another trip to the States, but I will use the KHK in GB, plenty of short and long sprints around all year long... And you never know, I want to give the Salt Flats another go but it's too early at this stage to make any predictions...
The KHK took nearly 3 weeks to come back in GB from Phoenix for reasons unknown but it's now in the garage and I've started sorting a few items. For various reasons, make it a bit more user friendly, safer and, main reason, cause I can't help tinkering with things...
On my one and only rookie run in August (which by the way, was its 1st ever run... and the only 2 miles and a bit I've done on a bike this year ...) it started slowing down once I passed the 2 mile marker. Don't know for sure why but had a guess it started leaning out... So 1st mod was to fit a bigger stainless line to the carb, from 3/8 to 1/2 inch...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsa.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsb.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsm.jpg)
Ridind position was a bit cramped to say the least so I dropped down the footpegs a touch, OK on the right hand side, but it meant a new brake pedal on the left hand side, made from tubing pinched on my wife's bicycle frame...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modse.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsf.jpg)
See you all around, Patrick
Previous post: http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,8744.0.html (http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,8744.0.html)
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I like the foot pegs ... I need to drop mine a couple of inches and this looks like it would do the trick /// good stuff
Joe
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Patrick,
Are you planning to return to Bonneville in 2012?
How's the hand?
Peter
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Hi Peter,
Well, I've spent my last buck to get there this year, so 1st, I'm thinking how to raise a lot of cash before making any plans of returning to the Salt Flats!!!
The hand's OK now, not even a scar, just slight different color where the burn was...
Back to modifying the bike, rebored the valve, done the new methanol line, drawn a new carb inlet fitting with more area. Examined the carb carefully, the needle was hardly uncovering the intake slots when fully seated. Raised it as much as 3mm to get a better opening!!!
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsc.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsd.jpg)
On my 1st rookie run attempt, the clutch cable broke on the start line!!! Luckily, Corey, a friend of Jim and the purveyor of our methanol, lent us a clutch cable from his 68CH rebuilt, but it was way too long... So now's the time to shorten it and improve the retaining nipple on the lever...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsh.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsi.jpg)
Also had to do another lanyard tube piece for the handlebar throttle, the 1st one lost on the salt somewhere during my burn episode...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modso.jpg)
All the best from Patrick
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We run a S&S carb. on our Busa/Turbo sidecar (on petrol) and a couple of years ago when we increased the boost we were sucking the carb. bowl dry at about 2 miles into the run.......we used a additional S&S bowl off another carb. put that bowl in series with the carb. bowl......
Voila...fixed the problem........................
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Hi Bak,
Yes, was thinking on the same lines... Classic Bike Show at the end of this month, will be on the look out for an old SU chamber or something similar.
Picked up the new inlet fitting this morning...
Drawing:
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsq.jpg)
New on top, OEM on bottom, nearly 100 % increase in area:
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsr.jpg)
Fitted...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modss.jpg)
Other work done, longer screws on exhaust clamps, sick of the OEM short bolts!!! These new ones are WL oil pump screws...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsj.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsk.jpg)
Fairing screen broke both its ends, so a bit of grinding to refresh...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsp.jpg)
Next bit will be harder, thinking of how to convert belt drive pulley so I can fit an electric starter straight on the crank end...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsn.jpg)
Also put the water float chamber on the frame, t'was fixed on the seat cowl, a bit of a pain when I had to pull the seat off...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsg.jpg)
That's all for now, folks,
Patrick
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Patrick, look in the English magazine "Classic Bike Guide" on page 61 in the lower center. There you are. It is the Sept 2011 issue. We are just getting it now. They put the magazines destined to America on a slow boat.
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Thanks, wobblywalrus, I'll be on the look out for that issue... I suppose that's at the Festival of 1000 Bikes, I remember talking to some journalist there...
In the mean time, I went into the primary to retreive the supercharger drive to investigate further the lecky starter mods...
Found this!!!
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modst.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsu.jpg)
Looks like an early failure, when I was trying to get the clutch to work with the cable arriving on the top, not OEM position!!! It still worked OK, apart from a few steel shavings inside the cover...
About an hour to sort this mess and find 2 new nuts in the draws...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsv.jpg)
Now that I know the belt works OK, I narrowed down the guard, I did make it too wide to start with just in case I might have needed a wider belt...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsw.jpg)
See you around, Patrick
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Next bit will be harder, thinking of how to convert belt drive pulley so I can fit an electric starter straight on the crank end...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsn.jpg)
Patrick, I don't know how that pulley is locked onto the shaft and I'm assuming its the crank. On my sidecar the sprocket is retained by a large circlip. I used the sprocket for starting. In order to clear the circlip I machined an alloy spacer and drilled the sprocket for four 1/4" bolts. I used a piece of 20g. with a large hex head welded on to it. Could something like that be machined up to fit the blower pulley? The starter has a matching socket fitted. The starter itself is from a Dodge pickup. It is internally gear reduced. Which was necessary for bumping a 14:1 single over compression. Photos are better at expaining than me. So here's a couple.
(http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/3694/img1036h.jpg)
By weslake (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/weslake) at 2011-10-30
(http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/2020/img1126ft.jpg)
By weslake (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/weslake) at 2011-10-30
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Hi Nortonist and thanks for the pictures, (with apologies for not replying earlier to your helpful mail on that very subject...)
You're driving the crank without a ratchet, no problems when disengaging once engine has started?
My pulley attaches to a machined spacer that bolts onto/inside the drive sprocket, the 4 pegs and 2 allen bolts. The big diameter with the 2 flats hides the sprocket nut. Intermediate OD after that is 25mm for ball bearing and oil seal that sit on the primary cover via alloy holder...
But the pulley hole is only 17mm, a bit light in me eyes... Looking at welding a turned piece on it so I can increase the spacer OD at the end to 24mm. Ratchet would be machined on the face of this add on...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsx.jpg)
Patrick
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Hi Patrick,
Use something like a Toyota HiLux (Nippon Denso) starter motor which has a sprag clutch built into the drive gearbox.
Used to do this on my Funny Bike....
HTH
Neil
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Re: starter handles - looks like spaced to get a good 2-handed grip to resist torque while cranking, but leverage is limited by handle radius.
If the arms were made like jack stands (with telescoping section and push-pin), one could be extended until it was at a shallow angle (mechanical advantage to use the bike's weight) and touched the floor to free one hand.
The other handle arm is re-aligned (like to 90° apart?) and extended so you could hold it while standing.
Telly them back for storage.
Just a thought , haven't tried it - am I missing something?
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The disadvantage of having one handle / torque arm touching the floor is that the torque could possibly move the bike.
My setup has the handle / torque arm resting against a lug on the frame. This way, no movement of the bike when starting. Always be prepared for a kick-back or backfire.
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True - if you know your chassis, locking one side works best.
I figured if the "down" handle was long enough and low angle the leverage would be enough.
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:-D :-D Saw in the past some Indy 500 Museum guys starting big Offy Roadsters with inertia starters with about 5 feet torque arms on each side... They didn't prevent the cars jumping up and down like crazy while another guy was, hood open, squirting methanol in the trumpets and working the throttle linkage!!! Some sight, on its own, the rising high pitch scream of the inertia flywheel was enough to make your eyes water 8-)...
Thinking about it, it makes sense to have the torque arm resting somehow on the frame!!!
Patrick
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When I put my starter together I was expecting a torque reaction hence the wide handles. I went one further and added two long "pegs that fit into a plate welded to the frame. They hold the starter and prevent any torque reaction. Works amazingly well. So well that when I decided to take the Norton to World Finals I made a similar set up for the Norton. But I was unable to fab up a plate to hold the starter. It was hand held only. But to my amazement nothing happened. Joe (my crew chief) started the Norton without a hitch. The only advantage of the plate is you can set the starter and not have to rush when given the signal to fire it up.
Again photos explain far better than me.
Patrick. When I crank the engine, as soon as it fires I remove the starter. Never had a problem in three years. I have a tendency to overthink things. Sometimes overthinking is not necessary.
(http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9508/img1131.jpg)
By weslake (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/weslake) at 2009-04-08
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OK, Nortonist, I believe you and will just fab an hexagon welded on the pulley, then bored bigger and have Brian fab me a new spacer with 2 or 3 woodruff keys...
Still have to find a starter... Do they all run CCW viewed from the electric motor end ???
Patrick
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We have been using a remote crankshaft starter for years to start our Turbo/Busa LSR sidecar outfit.....the starter is one sold by Pringel Enterprise and uses 24 volts....it has two handles....no problem holding it......The possible problem with have a torque arm locked some place on the chassis/engine is that one may have a problem pulling it off the starter nut on the crank. when the engine fires up........................
We spin the engine up and when spinning turn on the ign. to prevent backfire thru the turbo.....works great..........................................
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Honest Patrick it works! I sometimes crank it before turning on the ignition. Heres a short video showing the starter in action. The first sidecar out is one of my heroes. Willie Buchta. Which is why I kept this video. I'm at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoRBeNkrTk
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My setup has the handle / torque arm resting against a lug on the frame. This way, no movement of the bike when starting. Always be prepared for a kick-back or backfire.
mine is like that also. I believe it is the best way.
it is a pita without a torque stop.
it wasn't me, but-- a friend went to start the engine before the
stop bar was installed--
I told him to be careful it's gonna bite; " yeah , I got it " , he says .
he was the 1 that got spun .
since then, no 1 starts the engine but me.
I have compression releases on the engine.
24 volts through a big frame chrysler starter that has the nose cut off
and a 1 and 1/8 " impact socket welded on.
I never hang the starter on the engine.
franey
if its got a good tune, it should not kick back.
diane flips the ignition toggle switch when it has a good spin going.
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My torque stop is to two rods through the plate on the frame. I don't hnag the starter on the engine but the two rods allow me to be set up and ready when its time to fire.
(http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/9245/img1133xni.jpg)
By weslake (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/weslake) at 2009-04-11
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Hi,
1st bit done, found a 1"1/2 nut, bit of boring, bit of turning, bit of tig welding...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsx.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/modsz.jpg)
Patrick
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Hi All,
Been too busy at work, plenty of overtime and not much play in the garage!!!
The boss also owns a small toolhire shop... The other day, they were scrapping some old tools... One of these was a hand held paint/plaster/cement mixer with a burnt out motor... Me looks at the handle and think I can do something with that!!! There's even a switch on it!!!
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/startera.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/starterb.jpg)
So, sawn off the useless bit and a quick mock up with an Evo Sporty starter I have on the shelves, you get the idea...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/starterc.jpg)
Will have to scrounge some alloy plate at Brian's later... Will probably hook up the handles from the rear end of the lecky motor...
Found some SU bits on eBay GB, will fit this ahead of the carb when I get a minute to meself.
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/floatbowlsua.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/floatbowlsub.jpg)
Anyway, hope your projects are progressing nicely in this garage season...
All the best from Patrick
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Hi Everybody,
Just enough time left to wish you all a Happy New Year and that it'll bring you all that you wish and work hard for...
Still quite busy at work, same old problems... Had a few holidays left from last year, used them to work a bit at Brian's and put my hours count down, rewired a miller for him...
So not much progress to report!!
Had the time to sort out the SU float chamber, found that a Ceriani rubber boot clamp had the same diameter, just need to braze a fixing plate to it and then fix it on the side of the S&S chamber... All piped up.
Had to relocate the brake fluid container lower on the frame to clear the space, not too much aggro really...
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/sud.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/sue.jpg)
(http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/suf.jpg)
I see the board is real busy with updates these days, keep at it!!!
All the best from Patrick
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Very nice work Patrick. You may be using the clear plastic fuel lines for mock up but, they will not pass tech for SCTA. I'd hate for you to have to run home to find some correct fuel line... :cheers:
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Hi to all,
Certainly won't be with you on the sal flats this year... :-(
My friend Nick from Scotland stopped here on Friday (he donated the air cleaner for the KHK...) on his way to the HDRCGB Vintage and Sportster rally. We loaded the KHK in his van, plus the rollers and some methanol, then went down there, bitter rain following us all the way there... Got my tent and sleeping bag flooded, spent a lonely damp and cold night in the front seat of the van... Seen better days!!! Never mind, the atmosphere was superb, good company, old friends and lovely bikes a plenty...
And Kev, the organiser of the V & S, never fails to remind me I should never be allowed near a bike without a red cylinder... :-D
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/gnastygnome/Vintage%202012/HPIM2614.jpg)
After a few caughts to blow out the cobwebs and deal with the wet grass/lowly traction, the KHK finally roared into life Saturday afternoon, the few mods seem to work OK (video by Andy Hornsby editor of the GB magazine American V):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAXJc2WqjII&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAXJc2WqjII&feature=youtu.be)
Still have to finish out the lecky starter, there's always tomorrow!!!
Again, thank you all here for past help and memories, I'm off again to earn a living, and hopefully save enough for a future Salt Flats trip in your unbelievable country...
All the very best from Patrick and have a good time whatever you're doing this year...
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A true biker. Sleeps in the front seat of the van rather than setting the bike out in the rain.