Dry Lakes Racers Australia

Hi Dave. Welcome! Yeah, I took a good look at the Crowerglide clutches before settling on the QuaterMaster. In the end I realised I don't need the automatic take up for quick acceleration like a drag or sand drag bike; I just need to be able to start the bike in gear and get rolling without drama. S...

Well, I've learnt that there's no point having a jig if you don't use it ... I tacked the two U shapes (in the last post) together a little on the piss. No real drama though, after grinding off the tack welds and welding some extra stoppers and fixtures and buying a bunch more clamps and magnets I g...

Hi Guys, Been a bit quiet but haven't totally being sitting on my hands ... finally bit the bullet and bought some RHS for the bolt together Jig parts I bought a few years ago. Wish I'd done it much earlier actually, it's brilliant how straight and square this stuff is. Also go a bit smart and had t...

Oh, and ...

Hi Guys, Well, the Harky solution was a success! M10 x 1.5 holes at each end ... I got 20mm in at the clutch end and about 15mm in on the output sprocket end. Drilling it turned out to be the easy part. Had the Colchester on 30rpm (which looks like its hardly moving by the way) and used a 8.5mm coba...

Hey Bones, Cool. Yeah, that 200 is such a compelling target. Tanks, I'll start with a 4mm bit I think, I want to do a quick test in my drill stand at home and then I'll bring it into work to use the lathe after it shows it'll cut. Will use plenty of oil. I can send you a few online videos I've learn...

Hey Bones, Yeah, my idea was to press a sleeve on at the end of the shaft if I wasn't able to drill and tap the end of the shaft for a bolt ... I'll be doing a test pilot hole this evening to see how hard the shaft is at the ends/center; I'll report back. Two 12mm wide bearing fit spot on because I ...

Hi Bones! Welcome back (to Australia?) ... I heard you went 186 for a record at BMST, how did you go at World of Speed? Or was it the Shootout? I forget what the Engineer said the shaft was made of exactly ... I think he said CR20 or CN20, but he did say it was super tough. It's been hardened and ni...

Hi Guys, Thanks for the suggestions. very helpful. I visited Hooper bearings yesterday and had a good chat with the guy there. Without some thread and a nut to preload the tapered bearing it would be pretty awkward to set one up properly ... not to mention they aren't sealed so the salt would wreak ...

Hi Greg, another idea would be a tapered roller bearing that sits in a housing that pushes back on the pillow block. I'll make a drawing.

Hi Greg, ummm ... took me a moment to figure out what you were talking about ... I'd been thinking about supporting behind the thrust bearing and hadn't considered what would happen at the other end (i.e. stopping the clutch itself from simply pushing away). With all its hardening I don't think mach...

Thanks Chris, yes, I think you're right re taking extra bearings. Cheap insurance. Cheers Walkingpace, yup ... out of the center of the clutch that came with the motor. Figured it would be up to the challenge! At least at stage 1. That one is a pretty tight fit up that end of the spline ... the othe...

Hi Hoofhearted, yeah, I'll cut the front off and redo the front and rear ends when I feel comfortable with it over 200 ... feet forward is the way to go really fast, I'm still convinced of that. I picked up the JackShaft components on the weekend. The shaft looks beefier than I was thinking it would...

Hi Simpleterm, for the speeds I'm attempting it's actually not much of either. I had about 10k (all up, including getting to the salt) and 500hrs into last years bike and did 195mph. My mate Paul did 185mph on about 6k all up. I blew my motor in the process, but Paul's Blackbird is rock solid! I'm s...

Hi Simpleterm, cool, will post video when there is more to see. I think I'll buy the tube for the frame later this week, so that will get things moving. I recon I'll have about 20k in parts and materials in it by the time I'm done. About half that is in the motor and electronics. Probably less than ...