Belt Drive replacing drive wheel chain
- Thread starter stephm42
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The guy who designed Kenny Dreer's starter system (VR880's)used to do one. There are pics here and a video.....
http://www.quietpowerdrive.com/QPDhtm/F ... Drives.htm
http://www.quietpowerdrive.com/QPDhtm/F ... Drives.htm
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- Apr 21, 2015
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- 322
I think you will find that Bob Oswald of Quiet Power Drives in the USA has been manufaqcturing secondary belt drives for Atlas Mk3s / Commandos for several decades. I know both his own Commando and T140 have had them fitted for possibly something like 20 years. When I, many years ago to amuse myself, laid out drawings for my Mk2 ex plod Commando I found that the swinging arm required a modification to clear the outer edge of the rear wheel pulley. Apart from that it appeared to be perfectly possible.
On the QPD web site at one time were pictures of Mr Deere examining the electric start system Mr Oswald had developed for Commandos..one that did away with that crappy spragg.....the starter drove a bull ring on the back of the clutch which drove the engine via the belt. Mr Oswald developed a similar system for Triumph using a T140 that was crept out of the factory during the strike.....One road test of a friends so equipped Triumph used the words 'it was a revelation' to describe the starter system and two finger easily operated dry running diaphragm spring clutch. I heard (I repeat HEARD) that Mr Deere borrowed Mr Oswalds Commando to study but that it was never returned.....Mind you I had previously told Mr Oswald not to touch Mr Deere, not even with a long barge pole but he clearly did not listen......I believe Mr Oswald still has the registration documents for the Commando!
When Harley and Gates developed the Harley rear belt system they had to have a special pitch belt manufactured and the mould required to do so these days would probably cost around £10,000?.... The std 14mm pitch HTD tooth form Kevlar tensile member belt was had more than enough 'strength' to do the job BUT with the space available for the gearbox pulley there were not enough teeth in mesh to carry it.....one is only as good as the weakest link.....the std 8mm pitch Gates Polychain kevlar tensile member belt belt would give the number of teeth in mesh at the gearbox pulley to do the job but the tensile member of the belt was not up to it.....so.....Use the construction tensile member of the 14mm pitch belt but reduce the pitch of the teeth to 11mm giving the required number of teeth in mesh at the gearbox pulley. Mr Oswald employs a 14mm pitch belt and apparently it works very well but Norton and Triumph twins do not put the same 'grun' through the secondary system as a Harley!!
Personally I am still waiting for one British system maker to make such systems employing a 20mm pitch Synchroflex AT10 or AT20 belt ...
On the QPD web site at one time were pictures of Mr Deere examining the electric start system Mr Oswald had developed for Commandos..one that did away with that crappy spragg.....the starter drove a bull ring on the back of the clutch which drove the engine via the belt. Mr Oswald developed a similar system for Triumph using a T140 that was crept out of the factory during the strike.....One road test of a friends so equipped Triumph used the words 'it was a revelation' to describe the starter system and two finger easily operated dry running diaphragm spring clutch. I heard (I repeat HEARD) that Mr Deere borrowed Mr Oswalds Commando to study but that it was never returned.....Mind you I had previously told Mr Oswald not to touch Mr Deere, not even with a long barge pole but he clearly did not listen......I believe Mr Oswald still has the registration documents for the Commando!
When Harley and Gates developed the Harley rear belt system they had to have a special pitch belt manufactured and the mould required to do so these days would probably cost around £10,000?.... The std 14mm pitch HTD tooth form Kevlar tensile member belt was had more than enough 'strength' to do the job BUT with the space available for the gearbox pulley there were not enough teeth in mesh to carry it.....one is only as good as the weakest link.....the std 8mm pitch Gates Polychain kevlar tensile member belt belt would give the number of teeth in mesh at the gearbox pulley to do the job but the tensile member of the belt was not up to it.....so.....Use the construction tensile member of the 14mm pitch belt but reduce the pitch of the teeth to 11mm giving the required number of teeth in mesh at the gearbox pulley. Mr Oswald employs a 14mm pitch belt and apparently it works very well but Norton and Triumph twins do not put the same 'grun' through the secondary system as a Harley!!
Personally I am still waiting for one British system maker to make such systems employing a 20mm pitch Synchroflex AT10 or AT20 belt ...
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