| Author | Message | ||
     Usmc2089 |
Good afternoon everyone. I am new to the Buell forum, but have been involved with bikes for a while mostly sport bikes. I have ventured now over to Buell specifically choppers as I started building them. I have a pretty specific question and that is, I have a CNC guy that is going to be making me a one off 2.5" -3" primary drive working off the dimensions of the current pulleys and sprockets. My only problem however before I do all of this is to find a company hopefully Timken or another good bearing company that makes sealed bearings for the Buell cases. I have a 2005 Thunderbolt 1203 motor. I obviously need to know how to seal up the primary side without having the cover on the motor. Has anyone made their own belt drive yet for one of the newer model XB12's yet and know of any company or where I can get sealed bearings for what I want to do, and also any advice on anything else besides the bearings that I have to seal up to run an open primary. | ||
| Chauly |
This begs the question: "Why?" On the big twins,the gearbox being separate and the clutch being dry made a belt primary possible. The Sporty motor's unit construction, silent chain, wet clutch, and shared gear/clutch oil are a system. Take something out, and you have a lot of "Machinery Masturbation": You may enjoy it, but otherwise pointless... IMNSHO, of course. | ||
| Froggy |
Trojan Horse Racing has done it, I believe it is available as a kit you can buy. Here are some more details on it: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=32777&post=741486#POST741486 | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Ping Fireman Jim, he did it for a Bonneville bike. It's is a TON of work even on the old Evo motor, the Xb is going to be worse. | ||
| Chauly |
Still no "Why"? What problem is he trying to solve? | ||
| Terrys1980 |
He is not trying to solve anything. He is using a Buell motor on a chopper and wants the primary drive exposed. If you got the $$ and resources the "why" turns into a "why not"! | ||
| Froggy |
Who cares. It is his bike to mess around with. For a real reason, open primary would reduce weight from no cover, also a belt will be lighter so there will be less rotating mass allowing faster engine acceleration. Not having to change primary fluid is a nice bonus, and its nice and easy to check the belt tension without having to break out any tools. If it wasn't such a pain to do, I would have done it on mine already. | ||
| Chauly |
Fair 'nuff, Froggy. There's some "why"'s... Thanks! | ||
| Usmc2089 |
Exactly, Terrys1980 and Froggy hit it right on the head. I am doing it for various reasons. Not just look but mechanical as well. The motor I am using is a stock Buell Firebolt engine yes, however the heads are being changed for better flow and more torque, I am not worried about high speed its a chopper. I am also doing it to shave some weight off the drive side as that is the heavy side of the motor, eliminating the cover and heavy chain will lighten the complete assembly. I have the resources right now to do this, I have a guy that does 3d imaging with his CAD and has a water jet to make all the aluminum parts. My biggest thing is that the way the Buell is set up is that the primary and tranny share the fluid, what I need to do and know from anyone is how to eliminate fluid from entering the primary side through the tranny. If anyone knows a company that makes sealed bearings for the newer Buell's and if anyone has already tried doing this if they have run into any problems. I figured doing this my way and not buying a kit will end with a final product that I want not what another company has made. I am also doing this because it is a chopper and I want an open primary for ease of oil changes and adjustments. I appreciate all the posts already and if I can find enough relevant information on bearings and seals and how to close the cross over from the tranny to the primary case. |
