Big single cylinder motorcycle engine?

[Elliot Naess]

Ah, yes. A 4x4 with low range would get the speed down where we need it.

[Elliot Naess]

I'd just give it to you...and some ear protection

I appreciate both thoughts!

Digging in my old garage, I see I have a golf cart axle complete with electric motor built right onto the differensial. Almost certainly DC, and probably 24 or 36 volts. Wonder if I could power that with my (super quiet Honda EU-1000) 900 watt generator? In other words, create a hybrid drivetrain. I have several deep cycle batteries to throw in the mix. Hmmm... I have a 36 Volt charger that came with those deep cycle batteries. I may be onto something! (This is called brainstorming. LOL)

Edit, update: the golf cart motor is 36 volt.

[Elliot Naess]

The main reason for my original Big Thumper idea, is to avoid what I consider annoying high-pitched noise from small cylinders and high RPMs. But the Honda EU generators are so quiet that I don't care what's inside that lovely red "lunch-box"!

Now.... I also have a giant AC motor that... from what I can understand, should be possible to run on 110. But I have no control apparatus for that either.

So we'll keep brainstorming, and by August we shall have a Studio Grand Piano that goes up to 5 MPH and has a stripper pole on top.

[Elliot Naess]

Some of my pals are making their own plans for this piano:

[paul iossi]

I like your electric drive idea with the honda generator, with your bicycle knowledge and parts and some kind of transmission and motor assembly , washing machine comes to mind, you should have no trouble transporting strippers on the piano bar

[Elliot Naess]

The ideas just keep popping up! Washing machine...? How about a swamp cooler motor? Only 1/4 or 1/3 HP, but I used one to run a 12 foot diameter Ferris Wheel. With huge downgearing by chain, it might work? Advantage to low power motor with deep gearing is that I can just throw a switch on and off -- no need to modulate the "throttle".

Best is probably to design the chassis so several kinds of power can be swapped in. Chain drive makes that easy.

[paul iossi]

washing machine should be only 1/4 or 1/3 hp, with the trans having some sort of fwd/rev on the agitator and a large dia pulley on the drum, plus whatever bicycle reductions you use slow should be easy. another thought look for a right angle gear reducer, the worm and ring types run in the 50/1 reduction range.

[Elliot Naess]

Problem with so little power and corresponding reduction, is that the top speed would probably be a snails crawl, and we do want to get up to near 5 MPH, as "Black Rock City" is two or three miles across. But it is fun -- and sometimes productive -- to explore all the options.

[paul iossi]

18 speed transmission spin cycle should move along for high gear, use some bike derailers for gear changes

how about a riding lawnmower transaxle with belt driven electric motor

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

My ears hurt just thinking the words "Briggs & Stratton".

But if you are serious about parting with it, we ought to discuss it -- price, location, and details of the engine for starters.

The newer Briggs 5-7.5HP single-cylinder "Quantum" engines aren't that loud...I bet a compact-car muffler from a junkyard would really quiet one down.

[Sojakai]

I've heard good things about those sport exhausts, if you can find one to modify for the engine. Supposedly, some of them are rather small and very quiet.

[the_experience03]

A Peerless transmission from a tractor isn't a bad idea at all. Dead tractors are easy to find and I happen to know I can pick up a brand new transaxle unit for less than a bill anyway. You could easily adapt a tractor transaxle to just about any power source you want.

[C00LR]

Have you thought about a VW engine and transaxle???
maybe a Sportster motor??

OR... if your a good detective, you can track down the low down dirty SOB who has my 2003 Kawasaki KFX 400 4 wheeler and I will donate the whole thing to your project. I THINK the 4 wheeler is in Texas if that helps.

[C00LR]

On second thought, the Sportster motor is probably going to be in the high end of the $$ area of what your not wanting to spend.
HD doesnt stand for Harley Davidson... It stands for Hundred Dollars. Because thats the minimum it will usually cost when you walk away from the parts counter! LOL

[Elliot Naess]

Yes, I am familiar with lawn tractor transaxles. We occasionally use them in KSR. I have one or two around here somewhere.

WV is a practical possibility, but I dislike the sound. That said, a local guy has a home-made exhaust system on a kit car, and he ran the pipe forward under the car, and then back again, so the pipe is "normal" length. That did help on the quality of the sound.

[paul iossi]

Just about any transaxle assembly would work, IIRC most of them are selfcontained on a subframe, upper suspension mounts shouldnt be hard to fabricate, you could even eliminate the suspension struts and lock the steering linkage straight ahead and then use a single tire/wheel to steer with

[crazyidea]

The Kawasaki KLR has been around forever and uses a 650 thumper. I know you can find these bikes fully functional on the cheap so a wrecked one should be even cheaper. Honda also makes a 650 in the same category as the KLR but they haven't been doing it as long so the prospect of finding a wrecked one would be more difficult.

[Elliot Naess]

Anybody familiar with the Briggs & Stratton opposed twin engine? Looks to be rated at something like 16 HP. Flathead design, I think.

The local lawn mower guru has a lawn tractor with this engine, no mower deck, and a defective transaxle. The transaxle trouble does not worry me. He wants $100,- -- after he tunes it up and starts it for me. Are these engines any good, generally speaking?

By the way, he tells me that gasoline powered golf carts are becoming scarce and expensive -- which matches my observations on eBay and Craigslist.

Quite a few big ATV thumper engines on eBay, but very big $$$.

[Griff]

Generally speaking, a well-maintained Briggs opposed twin will run a long time. Be aware of the fact that Briggs support for the L-head engines (opposed twins, non-OHV singles) is pretty much gone now due to increasing EPA standards. Short-blocks for said opposed are pretty much non-existant (snapped up by lawn mower racers). Many individual parts are still available, but again, supplies are dwindling. $100.00 isn't bad - IF - the engine is in very good condition. I still get a few in the shop every so often. Their owners take very good care of them, and they are still strong.

I've been in the outdoor power equipment industry for about the last 15 years. If you can post the model, type and code numbers, I can get you just about any OEM information that Briggs still offers for it. HTH

[Elliot Naess]

Thanks Griff!

Matter of fact, Perry (the local mower guru) told me that he had this machine sold for $200 a year ago, to a guy who wanted to use it for lawn mower racing! Then the transaxle snapped on the test ride, and the deal fell thru.

So these engines are "racing" engines, eh.... Now I KNOW I would need to build my own deep-reduction chain drive anyway.

Are these engines noisy? I can probably put a giant muffler on it, but I'm worried about mechanical racket.