Out of the garbage.. a free vehicle

Nicad

Nicad

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
3,565
Reaction score
571
Location
Toronto
Walking to my car yesterday I happened across a snow covered object in the garbage that caught my eye. A Ryobi weed wacker that was missing the wacker part.
I could not leave a 4 cycle motor to be mixed in with the diapers and refuse, so popped it in my trunk. Once home I google "What can you do with a weed wacker motor"
Several suggestions came up. A portable blender, a concrete vibrator, then an idea that held my brain captive for the rest of the day
It seems a lot of 15 year olds are putting these together….A Friction bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZf5J5fWt8M

Stripping the plastic off my wacker, you find a sleek 4 cycle overhead cam single with integrated gas tank. It weighs 5.5 pounds with gas and oil.Displacement 31cc…should be plenty to send a 185 pounder to the hospital with either a ripped off Goolie when the crank goes through the case or a concussion when I fail to stop for that bus because I can't lose my momentum.







I fiddled with it a bit, (it had no oil which was worrisome) added gas and it fired up and ran beautifully…with crisp throttle response.

So hopefully it will get tacked on a bike I found in the garbage a few months ago (Bianchi Grizzly) in mint shape. I dropped it on my daily driver bicycle that I have been pounding since 1987 to see if things might line up.



I know I will look like a nutcase if I end up riding it downtown, but it will make me laugh.

Supposedly you can get 150 MPG too.

See next post to see DQ's friction bike power plant
 
Last edited:
LOL, you made me laugh. My side business is dumpster diving. Sometimes. I clean up body shops, recycle and resell and sometimes I'll "go in" if I have to. I had a group of kids laugh at me one day because the body shop is next door to a Kawasaki dealer. They were in the back when I decided it was worth going in the dumpster and I think I made their day. When I got out I looked at them and said, "stay in school!".

Of course, I didn't tell them that I'd make about $600 on the xenon lights I pulled out.
 
Nicad said:
Dang, I so want to dive in the Dumpster at the local BMW dealer, but they forbid this. I have seen very nice repairable bumper skins, tons of rims, exhaust systems. Looks like Gold!!

They guard their dumpster.
Click to expand...

If you show them cash it works wonders. The business that my partner and I have been running for almost eleven years now operates from the top down. We work deals with the owners and managers of the businesses and they tell their guys to save stuff for us. You get more parts if you pay the technicians directly, but it starts changing their priorities at work and management doesn't like it.

As much as its been a great side business and provided well for the time put in, sometimes I have to leave my pride at the door. :cool:

Dan
 
Thought I'd post an update.
Scratched my head a lot (Over the long ago winter) trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my Ryobi 4 cycle engine. For the last twenty five years I have played badminton Friday nights with the same group of friends. Since we have some pints afterwards I like to ride my bike. One friend I always meet at the same corner and we cycle together. I figured it would be great to cycle up , start riding (we usually talk about car stuff as we pedal) and then without him knowing, hit the gas and zoom by him with Ryobi power. To do this I'd need the bike to work as a bike whenever I want and as powered vehicle at the push of a lever. Grafting this engine on involved cutting out many parts.. I think it was 43 or so.

I finished it about three weeks ago, rode to the gas station , filled up for 31 cents and went for a test drive. It exceeded all my expectations ….for about 5 miles. Seemed to go quite a bit faster than I can pedal, and was relatively quiet. My guesstimate is 30 MPH, which makes it illegal in Ontario.

In 5 miles, the gas tank fell off and the fuel lines were not right and a bolt holding a bearing in also went awol. Took it back to the shop, spilt some of my gas, changed a few things, remounted the gas tank, new fuel lines, new bolt, and back to the gas station. This time it took 18 cents to top up. I then headed to my friend's house down a long hill and at the bottom it was running very poorly. Hmmmn, might be an ignition issue ( I was welding with the ignition module attached ) Carb? took it apart and didn't see anything wrong? Valve clearance looks good. Well no, rigged up my compression gauge to it today and it only has about 50 psi compression. I think the Ryobi is done and my prank on my friend is on hold for now.
So, should I find another Ryobi 4 cycle, 2 cycle or perhaps go Honda power with a GX35? I know it will involve a lot more work to take apart what I have built and adapt a new motor, but there was quite a bit of satisfaction when it drove on it's own power. I am very happy with the drive engagement . Works on and off with the push of a lever. The fun was certainly in the shop time.

Side view



The tennis ball is to protect the motor if it falls over, made the air intake out of a VR6 Corrado breather and a cheap socket welded to a cutout plate.


Throttle is a twist shifter from the used bike store $5. Locks full on !!


.

Motor engagement. I am most proud of this part and it works like a gated shifter on Exec Malibu's Dino. Piece of bent steel and made the hinges out of two nuts and bolts that were welded and shaped. Kill switch is still looking for a permanent place to reside


When you pull the lever it is hooked up to this nylon cam at the back that pushes down on the plate the motor is mounted to. This pushes the drive spindle (A 1.25 " BMx peg) against the tire and off you go!





The best thing of all is it justified the purchase of this 1991 Miyata 1000 LT, which is now completely set up for long distance touring. If all hell brakes loose I can hit the road and live out of waterproof saddle bags.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top