Torq-a-verter @ jack Drive

addicted · Post by **addicted** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:02 pm

First of all Hello.

I'm a diesel nut originally from Oregon now in North Carolina. For the past year I've been wanting to build a diesel bike and have been looking around for a couple months and finally found you today.

Brent if you are out there I noticed you were near by....about 30 minutes which is pretty crazy considering there are only 84 people on this forum and most seem to be overseas.

I'm a current driver of a Powerstorke, TDI, and older MB 300TD. All except for the TDI running on WVO. Wife says I can't have a bike or she will divorce me but I'm still working on that

Ok now that I have that out of the way I have not seen much on here about Torq-a-verters and jack Drives. I have never owned a bike nor know much about them. Maybe they are being mentioned and I'm just not seeing it.

I saw one thread about Torq-a-verters but I need to read it a bit more deeply. Are these a viable option for the 10HP clone design. My Gramps had one on a small go cart and that thing kicked butt. Super simple and that thing really got up and went. It seems like it would be a great option as they technically have an overdrive depening on which model but from around 10-17%...Am I correct on this??? Please let me know as I've done very little research as I'm just starting. Also this would basically give me an infinite (to the outliers) automatic drive correct?

Then secondly could I use a jack drive in order to increase the ratio to the rear tire. I would mostly do driving on the highway to work and around and need a pretty consistent 55-65 MPH bike (their hwy speeds over here are faster than our interstate speeds in oregon

) and I figure this might be a way to easily do that while keeping the rpm's down from that 3600. I know that 60 speed can be reached with a simple set up but wondering if this would be a way to go. No hills around here and the 60 MPH is a must as I would get my ARSE run over even at that speed. I think these are used to switch the side of the source drive sprocket on the engine but they could be used for this as well correct??? Again I know very little.

Thank you again guys and if I can get this passed by congress (wife) then I will be seeing a lot more of you. Found a Motorcycle junkyard out by the Drop Zone and am going to check it out this week.

Jason

addicted · Post by **addicted** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:02 am

Well I read the last post and it answered a lot of the technicle questions I guess I had. Any input on gearing out there? Sounds like the comet 500 is a good way to go at a minimum. As far as sprocket size ect for the jack drive is there a good set up or is it all dependant on the bike becuase of weight needs etc. Again I'm hoping for a bike that can do a pretty consistent 60mph on flat gound.

balboa_71 · Post by **balboa_71** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:36 pm

Addicted,
I'm running a Comet 500 series convertor, but my bike is geared to run 50mph or so. Gearing to run 60 can be done, but it is harder on the Comet when starting out. This is fine if you are doing less stop and go than I am. Also, weight is a big factor, where my bike and I weight 600+ lbs together. If you can reduce the weight by 100 lbs, gearing for 60 is not an issue (IMHO).
Last, the 10hp clones are torque'y but run out of breath near their top end.

Cris

addicted · Post by **addicted** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:10 pm

Thank you for the info.

I don't know what I'm going to do for a bike yet but some thing light and with some character. Older that is for sure. Probably an enfield or similar.

I only have around 6 stop lights on the 15 mile trip to work so that isn't to bad and they are spread out except for the last couple. Hopefully enough time to let the cluthes cool unless the heat created during that initial start is more than enough with the friction to wear them out.

Is there a way to incorporate the comet drive along with a gearbox. This way essentially creating a granny gear for the first 15-25 mph and then a larger gear for crusing down the highway? In my mind it sounds simple enough, but I haven't had much hands on experience with a bike and transmissions and gearing. Something like a 2 speed rear end on a truck but for bikes.

It sounds to perfect to be true so just wondering where the catch is. It would be great to have a bike that could handle both that slow in town and higher end speeds for the highway of which it is most needed.

Thank you,
Jason

balboa_71 · Post by **balboa_71** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:20 pm

Jason,

I'd suggest taking a look at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/dieselmotorcycles/

Read the hundreds of messages posted there; many of us wrote those responces.

To answer your questions: Comet does not use clutches, rather the drive member squeezes the converter belt and makes it move (forward) when engine rpm overcomes the drive members internal springs and weight system, as it is engineered. This process generates heat and friction that will lead to belt, and worse, drive pulley face wear. Drive pulley face wear can be worse, as drive pully faces are expensive ($$$) to replace, while belts cost between $30 and $50 a piece. This engagement system is poor in design, but works well for some markets (cheap go-carts, mini-bikes), so they (Comet) don't offer up a better system. The Japenese know of this and design the clutching needs to another part of the drive train, un-related to the torque converter. This topic has come up many times in the past, but there is no solution for us.

Cris[/list]

addicted · Post by **addicted** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:56 pm

hmmm bum deal. I will have to check out that link you gave me. Ahh I see now....I was thinking it just not saying it I guess on how those puppies work.

Thank you