Since a lot of people have bought the knock off 30 series from China and had troubles I thought I would make a post to share a few of my tricks....
Lets start with bushing.
Thats not a China or OEM part.
Its my own bushing, you could have some made too ( or make them yourself if you have a lathe )
Its hard brass not a sintered product so its going to handle the beating it gets on the track better.
And notice its full length rather short.
Let me explain some history.....
The original OEM Comet parts used a set of shim washer between the stationalry and moving sheave.
This was omitted a few years back on the OEM and the whole assmble grew longer, but the bushing stayed the same.
Thi slonger bushing is better because it allows the moving sheave a little more suport as it slides.
Its also tighter to both the moving cheave and bushing end of the stationary.
Its almost a custom fit part so you will have to tinker but in this case I shoot for about .004 max clearence ( mush less than the 10 to 15 on both OEM and Commie clutches )
Next if you have a Commie clutch you will notice the surface finnish is bad on the bushing.
Polish this with some 400 grit at right angles to the machine marks to make it as smooth as possible ( this will extend the bushing life a little more )
Next I polish the surfaces of the clutch with more 400 to get them smooth.
Nothing balls up a belt faster thana rough surface as these are made.
Maybe this works on a Chinese Varator but its not good for a 30 series.
Now let me turn your attension to the inside of the moving sheave where it rides on the driver hub.
I do an acid wash of the whole assembly to get as much of the factory anti corrosion coating off and then flux it up and solder it.
YUP I said solder, in this one I am trying a new harder solder with high tin and a little copper added to the mix.
The trick in the tinning is to coat the surfaces evenly to tigthen up the tollerneces.
If I do this right the slack will all be gone and I will need to do some work to get it to slide freely again.
Basicly I am going to make a bearing scarper small enough to fit in there and hand work the solder down flat so its close to but tighter than the factory specs for a Comet OEM part.
Last the Chinese driver hub.
Its a piece of shit and goes in the garbage.
This is the only thing not worth bothering with....
Final polish of all parts with some 400 and then the important bit. Fine wire wool to clean the tinned areas.
This is still soft material and will collect the abrasive from the 400.
The wire wool will remove that and leave me a clean soft surface
Now on too the zink weights.
Nothing to do here.
They work as is.
But I do trim up the springs as required to raise my engage speed a little.
You might chose to use a heavier spring ( set or single )
But I find its nice to trim the Chinese one to keep the moving sheave from creaping out at idle.
Off to the races!
Odds are if you have a high power aplication you will beatthat brass bushing, the moving sheave and driver hub to death in short order.
Don't expect even a Comet part to last long above 12 HP.
But these tips will work to freshen up a worn OEM or Commie clutch when you notice they are starting to hang up or the bushing is getting beaten up.
And don't forget your moly dry lube.
Lube everything even the inder side of the bushing.
Wipe the contat points with solvent to keep them clean and I find a little xylene is great to remnove any rubber that has gummed itself to the clutch from those drag racing or hill climb pulls.
Lets start with bushing.
Thats not a China or OEM part.
Its my own bushing, you could have some made too ( or make them yourself if you have a lathe )
Its hard brass not a sintered product so its going to handle the beating it gets on the track better.
And notice its full length rather short.
Let me explain some history.....
The original OEM Comet parts used a set of shim washer between the stationalry and moving sheave.
This was omitted a few years back on the OEM and the whole assmble grew longer, but the bushing stayed the same.
Thi slonger bushing is better because it allows the moving sheave a little more suport as it slides.
Its also tighter to both the moving cheave and bushing end of the stationary.
Its almost a custom fit part so you will have to tinker but in this case I shoot for about .004 max clearence ( mush less than the 10 to 15 on both OEM and Commie clutches )
Next if you have a Commie clutch you will notice the surface finnish is bad on the bushing.
Polish this with some 400 grit at right angles to the machine marks to make it as smooth as possible ( this will extend the bushing life a little more )
Next I polish the surfaces of the clutch with more 400 to get them smooth.
Nothing balls up a belt faster thana rough surface as these are made.
Maybe this works on a Chinese Varator but its not good for a 30 series.
Now let me turn your attension to the inside of the moving sheave where it rides on the driver hub.
I do an acid wash of the whole assembly to get as much of the factory anti corrosion coating off and then flux it up and solder it.
YUP I said solder, in this one I am trying a new harder solder with high tin and a little copper added to the mix.
The trick in the tinning is to coat the surfaces evenly to tigthen up the tollerneces.
If I do this right the slack will all be gone and I will need to do some work to get it to slide freely again.
Basicly I am going to make a bearing scarper small enough to fit in there and hand work the solder down flat so its close to but tighter than the factory specs for a Comet OEM part.
Last the Chinese driver hub.
Its a piece of shit and goes in the garbage.
This is the only thing not worth bothering with....
Final polish of all parts with some 400 and then the important bit. Fine wire wool to clean the tinned areas.
This is still soft material and will collect the abrasive from the 400.
The wire wool will remove that and leave me a clean soft surface
Now on too the zink weights.
Nothing to do here.
They work as is.
But I do trim up the springs as required to raise my engage speed a little.
You might chose to use a heavier spring ( set or single )
But I find its nice to trim the Chinese one to keep the moving sheave from creaping out at idle.
Off to the races!
Odds are if you have a high power aplication you will beatthat brass bushing, the moving sheave and driver hub to death in short order.
Don't expect even a Comet part to last long above 12 HP.
But these tips will work to freshen up a worn OEM or Commie clutch when you notice they are starting to hang up or the bushing is getting beaten up.
And don't forget your moly dry lube.
Lube everything even the inder side of the bushing.
Wipe the contat points with solvent to keep them clean and I find a little xylene is great to remnove any rubber that has gummed itself to the clutch from those drag racing or hill climb pulls.
