Weed Eater Friction Drive Bicycle

I have been having some withdrawal symptoms since I finished my minibike, so I have now decided what my new project is going to be. A friction driven weed eater bicycle!! I have already gotten started with the whole project.

I have decided to use an old Mitsubishi T50 engine that I got off a trimmer. As far as I can tell, it is a 26cc engine. I just hope it has enough guts for what I am going to use it for. I also decided to be a little more elaborate than your average back yard friction drive that you see on the net and on YouTube. I have decided to try and duplicate the Staton/DAX friction drive setup.

So far, I have cut the steel plate into 3 equal sections and welded them together to make the U shaped housing that everything is going to bolt to. I then measured the bolt pattern of the clutch housing for the motor, and drilled the holes for that. Due to the rotation of the engine, it is going to be mounted on the right hand side of the bike. (I hope I got that right).Trying to get it all not to warp too much was difficult.

I then cut lengths of steel strips and welded them together for the U bracket that bolts onto the bike frame. As a protection for the bike, I cut strips of rubber off an old car mat and drilled holes in that to fit my bracket.

I am going to have to use a contact I have at a machine shop to drill out the holes in the housing for me to fit the bearings into. He is also going to machine the steel bar I have into the roller that will attach to the clutch drum. He only opens shop again tomorrow, so I will get hold of him within a few days.

Well, that is where I am at the moment. I have included a few pics of everything mocked up together.
Check out the bumblebeebolton design. They use a 26cc engine and they have no need for a clutch or u channel and its a friction!
 
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