Heathkit Help Please.

rjwhitne

rjwhitne

New Member
#1
#1
I have an old mini bike that, as far as I can tell, is a Heathkit (see pictures to verify). I've got two areas that I hope someone can help me with.

1. I've twice tried putting a drum brake assembly on, but both times the brake seems to wear out very quickly. Is there a popular disc brake assembly used for heathkits?

2. As seen in the picture, I used a piece of PVC to tension the chain. Is there a chain tensioner than I can buy? I have seen a chain tensioner before on a DoodleBug. Is there anywhere I can get one like that?

thanks for the help!
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#2
#2
there aren't any disc brake kits that i know of that will just bolt on. if you want something like that it will most likely have to be fabricated.

you could contact Baja Motorsports ( All-Terrain Vehicles & Parts – Baja Motorsports) if you want a chain tensioner off a DB30. a friend of mine used a primary chain adjuster setup off of a Harley Sportster for a tensioner. both of these will require welding though.
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#5
#5
how do you have your tensioner set up now? could you get a pic of how it's mounted? that may make it easier to figure out something that would work easily for you.
 
rjwhitne

rjwhitne

New Member
#6
#6
Well Im at college at i cant take a picture, but I drew a detail drawing of it. Essentially its two conduit hangars bolted to the frame, conduit goes through the hangars and the PVC spins freely on the conduit. the problem is that the chain tends to eat through the PVC a bit.

(the pvc fits around the conduit much closer than as illustrated)
 
Last edited:
Strigoi

Strigoi

#7
#7
have you tried running it without the tensioner? if the chain is adjusted properly you don't necessarily need a tensioner.

going by the first pic, it looks like there's enough slack in it that you could take out a link or two from the chain. is the motor plate slotted so you can move the motor back/forth to take out slack?

i'm not running a tensioner on my Cat and just use a Harley primary shoe to keep the chain from hitting the slot in the frame. if you only have around 3/4" of play in the chain it should be fine.

i should have just done all of this in one post but i keep thinking of stuff. :doah:

give it a day or two and i'm sure some more people will chime in. this isn't the fastest moving board.
 
kbs8ball

kbs8ball

Active Member
#8
#8
My heathkit has no tensioner...its not really required ...adjust the motor up to take out the slack. that bike usually has a jackshaft...I see your running right from the clutch to the rear sprocket.
 
rjwhitne

rjwhitne

New Member
#9
#9
Im not sure what a jackshaft is, could you explain please. Also, you said that you noticed the chain is running from the clutch right to the sprocket, is there another option?
 
rjwhitne

rjwhitne

New Member
#10
#10
Strigoi: I cant seem to figure it out, but when i do take a link off, its to short to connect the two ends, but with that link in, theres too much slack. Im not sure if the engine plate is slotted. Is it possible that the chain actually stretches over time...?




Edit: The photo that I have posted is a bit older. The PVC arrangement shown in the photo has been since changed to the arrangement that I have drawn.
 
Last edited:
Strigoi

Strigoi

#11
#11
rjwhitne said:
Im not sure what a jackshaft is, could you explain please. Also, you said that you noticed the chain is running from the clutch right to the sprocket, is there another option?
Click to expand...
here's a pic of a jackshaft with a TAV.




basically, you have the chain going from the clutch to a sprocket, then there's a shaft going across the frame with another sprocket on it and it goes from that sprocket to the rear wheel sprocket. it allows you to mess around with the gearing more.

the chain that's closest in the pic would be going to the rear sprocket. the far chain would go from the jackshaft gear to the clutch if there wasn't a TAV on it.
 
Last edited:
kbs8ball

kbs8ball

Active Member
#13
#13
thats my set up looking down at it...the boonie is suppose to be a 2 speed. on my bike the sprocket for the rear wheel is on the other side compared to yours. hope that pic isnt to confusing. lol.... dont even ask me to explain the 2 speed deal....its been covered hundreds of times....im sure your motor plate is slotted....obviously you cant cut the chain to exact size...chains need to have adjustemnt as they do stretch over time.
 
kbs8ball

kbs8ball

Active Member
#14
#14
on the other side of the jackshaft there is 1 sprocket going back to the rear wheel....on my bike the jackshaft holder (transmission) is also slotted for chain adjustment.
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#16
#16
rjwhitne said:
Strigoi: I cant seem to figure it out, but when i do take a link off, its to short to connect the two ends, but with that link in, theres too much slack. Im not sure if the engine plate is slotted. Is it possible that the chain actually stretches over time...?
Click to expand...
you're in between then. chains usually do stretch with use. if the plate is slotted, just slide the engine up a bit to take up the slack in the chain.
 
KB2ROCKET

KB2ROCKET

Active Member
#19
#19
if you ever wanted to go to a live axle set up it can be done with out cutting welding or drilling just use the two holes that are already on the rear axle mount then if you wanted to add a disc brake it could be bolted outboard of the frame
check it out
Heathkit Boonie Trike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top