Putting a bigger engine in a 150... - BuggyMasters.Com - An On Line Mini Buggy Forum and Go Kart Forum

BuggyMaster · #1 07-19-2009, 10:31 PM

I have thought about this many times and I feel someone likely has thought about it as well. I wanted to do this with my Helix and the next one I get I very well may actually go through with it. Best I can tell there are a few heavy obstacles. One thing being how to mount it, the other being the fact that you need to find replacement engines with a right hand drive chain. Most engines are left hand driven. There are two machines that I have found to be suitable candidates. One is a trailblazer 250 and the other is actually a bombardier 200 or 250. The trailblazer would likely have more power because it is two stroke. The other advantage being that all of Polaris' chain driven machines drive from the right side. This by itself will save a ton of work. The other thing that has to be dealt with would be how to mount it. The 150's are overhead mount. In addition to the mount, how will you go about adjusting the chain? I think I found the answer in another machine that I had: a Murray killowat go kart. This machine appeared to have a fixed length chain with no adjustment. Drove me nuts trying to figure out how in the world to deal with the slack chain on it. Then after taking a better look at it, I came to realize that they had a fantastic design that I could use on my 150 mini buggy idea. The entire engine plate moved! So effectively, I could remove all of the top engine subframe and weld in a mounting plate between the swing arm rails. This will connect the trailing arms as the current subframe does and also give me a way to adjust the chain. Each trailing arm would have two tabs on it. One at the head of it the other towards the back. A flat metal plate would bolt to these tabs and would have slots that allow the plate to be slid forward and backward to adjust the chain. This plate would also allow me something to weld motor mounts to.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

24evanwilson · #2 07-19-2009, 11:01 PM

i think that you should do that , like the murray kart for chain tightening

funindamud · #3 07-20-2009, 12:10 AM

the CN250's fit good with some minor modifications.... and you can allways go with the 700 raptor

BuggyMaster · #4 07-20-2009, 12:12 AM

I saw someone else that put a raptor engine in and it had so much power he kept twisting jack shafts! With my idea on right side drives, shouldn't need a jack shaft.

funindamud · #5 07-20-2009, 12:21 AM

ide love to drop a 400ex motor in my buggy... or just build a whole new buggy...

BuggyMaster · #6 07-20-2009, 12:25 AM

400 ex would be good but then again, you are still stuck with the left side drive issue. The clutch could be handled on whatever you come up with for a stick shift. All the parts could for the shifting could be handled with HammerHead 400 parts. Just but the shifter lever and linkage and rig it up.

funindamud · #7 07-20-2009, 12:28 AM

ide love to do it but the funds just arnt their rite now

BuggyMaster · #8 07-20-2009, 12:52 PM

Ya that's actually quite a consideration. By the time you get it done and done right, what will it have cost you?

funindamud · #9 07-20-2009, 01:35 PM

around a grand... depending on the price of the motor and how many times you screw up...

24evanwilson · #10 08-13-2009, 10:28 PM

iiiihhh

TheVator · #11 08-28-2009, 03:49 PM

Dont forget to put a chain tenstioner as well, with the torque a bigger motor will actually flex the axle to some degree which will make slack on the chain durring torque, to much torque will make the chain try and hop a tooth and ultimately stretch the chain and damage the sproket, if anyone has any questions feel free to ask ive been there.

TheVator · #12 08-28-2009, 04:00 PM

Shifters can be made a # of ways, they make paddle shifters that go on the strering wheel, left paddle for up shift and right paddle for down shifting, straight forward transfer of energy shifter, cheapest, thats what I use very faithful, and untimately most expensive electric shifter they sell them for drag bikes 600 to 800 bucks.

BuggyMaster · #13 08-28-2009, 05:45 PM

Vator, how did you handle the clutch on yours? Seems to me you actually added another pedal. Do you have any good pics of how yours is set up?

TheVator · #14 08-29-2009, 12:33 PM

If you have a buggy like mine the pedals should be very similar, the break pedal has a extra long axle tube which needs to be cut down to about the same size as the gas pedal, the gas pedal is perfect where it is but still has to be taken out to be modified. I found a extra gas pedal at Karts R Us in Niles Michigan. I cut off the cable hook of the new gas pedal which is now going to be the new clutch, next I opened up the plastic bushing inside each pedal untill a 1/2inch galvanized rod sliped through all the pedals, you will have to take the plastic bushing out of the cut end of the break pedal and reinsert it into the shortened break pedal axle tube, the break linkage that pushes on the master cylinder needs to be welded in place in the middle of the break pedal as shown in the photo album. next the bolt support braket for the break pedal that is closest to the center needs to be cut off, and all the bolt holes in the remaining support brakets needs to be opened up to 1/2inch, Oh yea the return springs that were in the pedal do not go back in as there is no longer any room in the axle tube for them, I used springs that i got from Lowes and put them under the stop braket which works very well, the break pedal, i just used a long spring wraped it around the master cylinder resivior and hooked it on the back side of the break pedal. im sure someone can come up with some thing better for that. Next lightly sand off any imperfections on the 1/2 inch galvanized rod and spray with WD-40, now push the rod thruogh the first support braket and slide the clutch and the break pedals on, I used 1/2inch fender washers for between the pedals, line up the gas pedal and push the rod on through, cut off the rod so theres 3/8inch sticking out each end, stick a fender washer on the stub ends and drill for 1/16 cotter pin. the linkage on the clutch is a temporay set up I just need to get a longer clutch cable and i will be able to bring the cable right up to the pedal and do away with the flat stock linkage. I think i covered it all. I hope this helps out in the next creation of the frankenbuggy.

rocko · #15 04-19-2013, 07:43 AM

I have been thinking about modifing my Crossfire 150 for a while now , a year or soo back Metalstudguy gave some really good pointers for me , I kept looking for the right motor when a 1986 Honda TRX200sx found me , right after that another one found me , I have been riding that bike and it is an awesome motor /transmission set , 5 speed automatic and geared to be fast and responsive , it's chain drive but the wrong side , that really isn't that bad a problem , I could make a collar/hub and weld it to the axle on the left , or make a jackshaft and all would be well except for thought into the chain adjuster , but , I am thinking of going a totally different approach by cutting the bike frame with the motor and rear end as one piece and weld it to the motor frame of the cart , since I have another rear motor carrier if I mess up the first attempt I can try again , as far as the axle being narrow I have some very deep dish rims that push the tires out about 6 inches and 2 inch wheel spacers will get it 16 inches wider than the 200 stock

Johnny 5 · #16 04-19-2013, 12:46 PM

Maybe flip the axel and re weld the disc brake bracket to the other side. For left hand drive motors.

Masteryota · #17 04-19-2013, 06:22 PM

Depending on the axle itself, you might be able to slip a hub on the unused section of the axle once its flipped, and still retain the stock caliper location. You would need to be able to weld it in place, or cut a key way in the existing axle to keep it from spinning, and it gives you the option of adding another disc on the back, since you have more power, you will need more stopping power as well.

rocko · #18 04-28-2013, 05:46 AM

The guy I get to do my aluminum welding has a project going on for someone in his shop and I was checking it out , he streched the frame on a Banche racing fourwheeler and mounted a Hubusa 1300 4 cylinder engine in it , it appears to be first class work as it looks like something NASA would use on a Mars mission , very high tech , wish I would have snapped some pics of it

donfordguy · #19 08-10-2013, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheVator

If you have a buggy like mine the pedals should be very similar, the break pedal has a extra long axle tube which needs to be cut down to about the same size as the gas pedal, the gas pedal is perfect where it is but still has to be taken out to be modified. I found a extra gas pedal at Karts R Us in Niles Michigan. I cut off the cable hook of the new gas pedal which is now going to be the new clutch, next I opened up the plastic bushing inside each pedal untill a 1/2inch galvanized rod sliped through all the pedals, you will have to take the plastic bushing out of the cut end of the break pedal and reinsert it into the shortened break pedal axle tube, the break linkage that pushes on the master cylinder needs to be welded in place in the middle of the break pedal as shown in the photo album. next the bolt support braket for the break pedal that is closest to the center needs to be cut off, and all the bolt holes in the remaining support brakets needs to be opened up to 1/2inch, Oh yea the return springs that were in the pedal do not go back in as there is no longer any room in the axle tube for them, I used springs that i got from Lowes and put them under the stop braket which works very well, the break pedal, i just used a long spring wraped it around the master cylinder resivior and hooked it on the back side of the break pedal. im sure someone can come up with some thing better for that. Next lightly sand off any imperfections on the 1/2 inch galvanized rod and spray with WD-40, now push the rod thruogh the first support braket and slide the clutch and the break pedals on, I used 1/2inch fender washers for between the pedals, line up the gas pedal and push the rod on through, cut off the rod so theres 3/8inch sticking out each end, stick a fender washer on the stub ends and drill for 1/16 cotter pin. the linkage on the clutch is a temporay set up I just need to get a longer clutch cable and i will be able to bring the cable right up to the pedal and do away with the flat stock linkage. I think i covered it all. I hope this helps out in the next creation of the frankenbuggy.

what did you use for the clute cable im trying to find away to hook my clute up