Engine.....Kick Starter

[kartjockey]

My '48  has a bolted on kick start shaft.(u-bolts). In talking with Gary Wollard back then and as if to satisfy his own curiousity he asked me if mine was bolted on or welded on.

[Mike Sal]

Ya, the general rule is that if it has an electrical cord, don't buy it at HF.  When dad had to go into a wheelchair, I re-habbed their old house so he could get around.  I needed to drill some holes into the concrete floor of the front porch to mount a hand rail, so I picked up a hammer drill from HF, knowing that I'd be lucky if it survived the drilling of 8 holes.  In fact, it did make all 8 holes......but.....the trigger malfunctioned it won't shut off.  the only way to use it is to plug it in and then unplug it after drilling a hole.

There are some things that HF quality is good enough, but others things that you're just throwing your money away.

Kartjockey, it sounds like we're not the first to discover the randomness of the kick starter shaft welding.  In one of the manuals, it shows that bolt on kick starter like your bike has.
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

The u bolt kick starters were the first type used.  I believe they did this because they sold a kit to retro fit some of the earlier models.

Rick

[mywaymfg]

Those hf wire wheels sure are dangerous they should be sold as wire throwers !

[Mike Sal]

Installed the new bushing in the kick starter tonight.  Hopefully in the picture you can see the old bushing sticking out of the kicker after I sawed a slot into it with a hacksaw blade.  I then cut half of the length of the bushing away so I could use it as an alignment tool.  I took an old piece of 1/2 inch water pipe & turned down a section of it to fit into the new bushing & long enough to stick into the old bushing too.  I was all set to push the new bushing in with the hydraulic press when I noticed that the new bushing isn't a very tight fit into the kicker.  I was able to tap it in with very little pressure (as the new bushing went in, it pushed the old bushing out the back side).
Mike Sal

[kartjockey]

If you are worried about it moving on you Loctite 640 and prep will make that worry go away.

[Mike Sal]

that's exactly what I did.  I have access to all kinds of locktite products here at work.
Mike Sal

[LARRYBROWN]

  !/4  inch die grinder with 3 inch  "whizz wheel " does wonders for fast weld removal , It's my best freind in frame work  ,, I uaually discard the shaft and buzz another up in a lathe ,,,   few drops of oil keeps it alive.   I now dont use circlip but a cotter pin so kickstarter won't get lost ,  small practical improvement

[mneukirch]

does anyone know if Wayne has the kickstart addon kit for a 1947 model H

[Mike Sal]

I'm pretty sure he does.  I know for sure he has the shaft that bolts to the frame.
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

I just found some pics I had taken back when I was fixing up the kick starter.  As some of you have noticed, the factory made one of the holes really big for one of the pivot pins.  I assume for adequate clearance on the return stroke to clear the pinion.  Some of you have closed this gap up by using oversize pins or bushings.  I chose to re-  use the original pins and make a bushing instead.  The hole in the kicker measured .547 & the pins measure .312.  I used an 11/32 bit for the hole and a snug slide fit for the o.d. & then welded it back together.  It interacts very well with the pinion now (before the first few teeth didn't mesh well with the pinion & would eventually ruin it (one side was worn....since I've got the Phelon magneto, I just had to flip the pinion to get the better side exposed.
Mike Sal

[illMATTic]

My search for kick start did not bring this up. This should help me some.

[pd]

Mike ,

I did basically the same thing . I used a brass bushing and replaced the original pins ( they were well worn ) with 5/16" rivets , if I recall correctly . I am using a slip ( speed ) nut to hold the rivets , temporarily .

[Mike Sal]

Holy cow, I found out what happens when you have your foot too far forward on the kick start lever.  The quarter gear catches you rignt in the knot of your ankle.....ouch.  I bonked it yesterday & then again today....ouch again. 

Watch where you put your foot on these things!  At least if you have big feet (size 13).
Mike Sal

[pd]

Don't you have a rubber cover for that kick lever , Mike ?