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PostPosted: July 25, 2019, 7:36 pm 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 10:29 am
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So I have a lot of experience with Locosts with traditional drivelines, and I rode dirt bikes as a kid. I have a few questions about using chains and belts in BEC applications:

-How much maintenance is needed?
-How long do they last?
-Are they loud?
-Are they failure prone?
-How come belts aren't more popular?

Thanks!


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PostPosted: July 26, 2019, 5:40 pm 
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kreb wrote:
-How much maintenance is needed?
Regular adjustment and lubrication or spray wax for o ring types (which cost more).

-How long do they last?

half as long with twice the weight (Bike vs car)No comparison to a diff

-Are they loud?

Louder than a diff.

-Are they failure prone?

More so than traditional driveline. There are considerations such as chain speed and ratio range is less than what can be done with a diff

-How come belts aren't more popular?

Belt systems are much more expensive and are bulkier. You can't add links to a belt if you need to with a gear change but they are less noisy and don't "stretch" like chain. The stretch is wear of the pins that is not even so you have looser sections of chain as it wears

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PostPosted: July 26, 2019, 7:32 pm 
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All I know is that the few times I've been to the track, one of the BEC's seemed to loose a chain during one of the heats. Beyond that:



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PostPosted: July 26, 2019, 7:39 pm 
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Thanks for the info. I've been scanning the forums for feedback from others. One guy said that his chains lasted about as long as his oil - about 3500 miles. Another said that a chain was good for two track days. Another noted that since belts don't have master links, you have to remove a half-shaft to change one.


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PostPosted: July 30, 2019, 3:55 pm 
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I am surprised no one has re-purposed an engine timing belt for this purpose. They seem to last well in their original function.


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PostPosted: July 31, 2019, 8:15 am 
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Dave wrote:
I am surprised no one has re-purposed an engine timing belt for this purpose. They seem to last well in their original function.


Timing belts aren't designed for high torque. The glass cord is great in that it has zero stretch, but you have to be very careful with bending in too tight of a radius or you'll crack a bunch of glass strands in the cord.
There are specific belts for high torque, just STOOOOOPID expensive.

I was able to drive my A Mod back onto the trailer at exactly 2 events of an autocross season.
I broke chains, I exploded chain hubs, I snapped axles, and I sheared keys.
Justin and I got pretty good at putting the chain back on and a few times we could fix the car between runs.

I have a Miata diff slated to go into the car this winter.

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PostPosted: September 4, 2019, 6:17 pm 
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-How much maintenance is needed?
-How long do they last?
-Are they loud?
-Are they failure prone?
-How come belts aren't more popular?


You've asked about the issues that have had me swear off using a chain drive in a car ever again.. NO CHAINS!!

I've spent a fair amount of my time with bike-powered minibuggies, and God bless the guys over at minibuggy.net that are still willing to hassle with chain drive, but it's just not for me.. It seemed like nearly every time we went out for a fun weekend of riding, a failed chain would take out somebody's bike-powered chain-drive car (and once too often it was mine).. Sure, you can carry spares and get up and running again- for awhile.. I no longer have the patience for a lost weekend spent fixing my crap instead of driving/riding it..

Given the choice, no chains for me.. I'm still building bike powered cars (now for the street), but none of them will ever have a chain..

(**If you're hell bent on using a chain, as maybe the powertrain design mandates it, the lessons learned were make sure it's not too short <heat becomes an issue on a short chain- longer with a proper tensioner is better>, and an oil-bath setup is best for cooling and lubrication.. although an oil bath setup can be pretty tricky to engineer..)

good luck whatever you do :cheers:

--ccrunner

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PostPosted: September 4, 2019, 8:22 pm 
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I recently came back from a 2200 mile trip with 3 motorcycles. Much of it was dirt and gravel roads 2 bikes had < 1000 miles on them at the start of the trip. The third bike had, let's say, a bit more well worn. A very short way into the ride, the seasoned rider on the 3rd bike replaced the chain with a new one, just on general principles. This was probably a good thing too since it was up to 600 miles away from the nearest bike shop. Fortunately, the bikes had no chain issues during the trip. The truck I was driving had a couple problems. Neither was chain related. :ack:

I guess my point is that even bikers know that chains aren't long lived.

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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766


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PostPosted: September 6, 2019, 4:26 am 
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I've never had trouble with chains on motorcycles. I had about 16000 miles on my CBR900RR when I decided it was stretched too much. That was about 6 sets of tires in ;). I ride it hard.

I'm hoping that with a decent cush drive design on my diff it will be ok. It's not like I'm gonna drive the thing more than a couple thousand miles a year, likely much less. But I could easily see without a cush drive that the chain would be getting hammered, alot, and have a significantly shorter life in a car.

And what started this for me was seeing the F1000 class and getting the BEC book, so that mostly led me down the chain path.

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PostPosted: September 7, 2019, 7:25 am 
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Years ago, Diamond used to sell HD, pre-stretched racing chains, which was the hot set-up. They would last a whole season of endurance races. I would also look at industrial double and triple linked chains. I believe Boston Gear still carries the chains and sprockets. Some of the older bikes use to have chain oilers. It would be easy to add one to your build. You just need to remember to turn them on and off. Which is why they last favor, when you ended up with a puddle of oil under your scooter the next morning. Davew


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