Spur gear doesn't reach cluch bell properly

[FrankensteinVt]

Hello all new to the forums. I just bought a sort of Frankenstein Redcat aftershock 3.5. Bought to mess around with and got a good deal on it. Under 100.
It has a LRP .32 stage 2 engine, mounted to the stock transmission. The problem I am having is the clutch bell isn't reaching the spur gear fully. The spur gear sits on the clutch bell barely, maybe 1/4 of it is on the teeth. I ran it for about 5 min and first hard acceleration it stripped the spur gear. It was set properly but thinking it's just not touching it enough.
What can I do about this? Any suggestions? Am I missing something here as to why it isnt fully on it?
As you can see in the pics, it isnt reaching. Is there an engine adapter to use to sit the engine more towards it?
Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[olds97_lss]

I don't know the vehicle. Can you post a photo of the side of the engine/engine mount? Is the engine new? Is it a pilot type crankshaft?

It could be the engine mount parts aren't installed properly. Looks like it uses a couple things they call washers and the mounts themselves:
https://www.redcatracing.com/BS801-003-OEM-Parts
https://www.redcatracing.com/BS801-005-OEM-Parts

Without having them in my hands, they appear they could be mounted in a few orientations which would move the engine back or forward.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

I don't know the vehicle. Can you post a photo of the side of the engine/engine mount? Is the engine new? Is it a pilot type crankshaft?

It could be the engine mount parts aren't installed properly. Looks like it uses a couple things they call washers and the mounts themselves:
https://www.redcatracing.com/BS801-003-OEM-Parts
https://www.redcatracing.com/BS801-005-OEM-Parts

Without having them in my hands, they appear they could be mounted in a few orientations which would move the engine back or forward.

The engine is not new, but has been ran on this car as far as I know.
Here are the best pics I can get without disassemble. Which I will do in the next couple of days replacing the spur gear.
It is using what looks like the redcat mount bs801-005.
Screws line up perfectly on bottom of car, so its mounted to chassis correctly.

 

[cbaker65]

Have you ever had the engine off the mount itself?

Some engine mounts have two screw locations on them ,so check that ,an see if it is in the proper
location!

 

[olds97_lss]

Have you ever had the engine off the mount itself?

Some engine mounts have two screw locations on them ,so check that ,an see if it is in the proper
location!

It looks like the backplate/starter plate is pretty much flush with the mount, so it can't really move further forward. Hard to tell in the photo's for sure. I'm thinking it's something with those plates the mount screws too. Kind of a weird mount. Then again, might be normal for ST's/buggies to have risers and plates vs just risers.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

Here is a pic of it taken off. Can see the mounts a little better. I have to use those risers because of the way the holes are on the chassis. Without them there isnt anything to hold the screws down to. See pics to show it better than describing it.
There can't be any forward or backward placement for engine only right and left.
But taking apart the spur gear it looks like I am missing some washers behind the spur and the slipper clutch. It also seems a bit worn out. I purchased new ones just to see what and if I am missing something. Like I said I just picked this up and going through it. Just havent ever had or seen this problem and was hoping maybe someone else has.
Any suggestions on the mount setup and risers? Everything seems right to me though.

 

[olds97_lss]

Those plates appear to be bidirectional and unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, one way will move the engine closer to the spur and the other will move it further from the spur. Looking at the top plate, the slotted hole on the right looks closer to the end of the plate than the one on the left.

FWIW, I'd never use 3mm button heads to hold an engine on. Can't get good torque on those without stripping them. Whenever I remove an engine from the mount, I always throw away the screws and use new 3mm cap heads. Just a habit now.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

Those plates appear to be bidirectional and unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, one way will move the engine closer to the spur and the other will move it further from the spur. Looking at the top plate, the slotted hole on the right looks closer to the end of the plate than the one on the left.

Good eye! I didnt even think about that. Spur gear will be here tomorrow and I will put it all back together and see if that does indeed cure this issue. I appreciate your help!

 

[olds97_lss]

Worse case scenario... you could use those plates as a template and make your own with a hack saw, drill, dremel and coutnersink some 1/8" aluminum, or even steel stock you can get from lowes. The aluminum lowes/home depot has is awful quality stuff, so I'd go with some plate steel. Harder to work with, but less likely to bend/crack on you. Considering how much you'd need, it wouldn't add a lot of weight. Just move the holes where it mounts to the mount where you need them.

You could add a crank extension as well, but considering how long you would need, I'd be more inclined to make my own plates and move the engine over if flipping those doesn't work.

Like the silver sleeve collars in this kit:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/ofna-1-8-clutch-bells-shim-kit-ofn10099/p5428

You just use one of those and a longer screw and it effectively makes your crank 1/4" longer or so. However, in your case, the bearing will be riding fully on that, which won't be nearly as strong as it would be if it was the crank shaft and considering where the load will be, it will likely bend/break the bolt off in your crank after a short while. Using that, you would also need to stack a buttload of shims up behind the flywheel collet to push it out too.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

I was thinking if all else fails I could just grind a little out on the chasis so I have just enough wiggle room forward. I dont know of anyone or seen online where there is a redcat aftershock 3.5 with this motor swap so I'm going off nothing.
Also there are no washers on the slipper or behind it. The kit I bought has more parts in it than I took off this setup so it is indeed missing some things there.

 

[cbaker65]

Here is a pic of it taken off. Can see the mounts a little better. I have to use those risers because of the way the holes are on the chassis. Without them there isnt anything to hold the screws down to. See pics to show it better than describing it.
There can't be any forward or backward placement for engine only right and left.
But taking apart the spur gear it looks like I am missing some washers behind the spur and the slipper clutch. It also seems a bit worn out. I purchased new ones just to see what and if I am missing something. Like I said I just picked this up and going through it. Just havent ever had or seen this problem and was hoping maybe someone else has.
Any suggestions on the mount setup and risers? Everything seems right to me though.

I was goin to suggest a spacer back behind the spur ,but wasn't sure that it can be done ,some are different .that
may just cure your problem ,by a simple spacer ,sense the shaft is shaped!

 

[FrankensteinVt]

I was thinking if all else fails I could just grind a little out on the chasis so I have just enough wiggle room forward. I dont know of anyone or seen online where there is a redcat aftershock 3.5 with this motor swap so I'm going off nothing. That's why I bought it, I saw that motor, and asking 200 and got him down to 90 bucks for the whole truck, (he couldnt sell it, hard area for this hobby) motor, roto starter and battery, extra parts, remote, 2 bottles of fuel, multiple igniters.
Also there are no washers on the slipper or behind it. The kit I bought has more parts in it than I took off this setup so it is indeed missing some things there.

 

[olds97_lss]

Could you post up a few photo's of the spur, it's mounting parts laying flat and loosely installed so we can see how things go together?

 

[FrankensteinVt]

I was goin to suggest a spacer back behind the spur ,but wasn't sure that it can be done ,some are different .that
may just cure your problem ,by a simple spacer ,sense the shaft is shaped!

Its def missing parts behind the spur. I bought the whole spur, slipper kit assembly. This is the pic of the kit.
The only thing in that pic that this truck has, is the 1 slipper, 1 big black washer, spring and front bolt. That kit shows a lot more parts and the redcat diagrams shows more that it has.

 

[cbaker65]

That's for sure ,that engine set up doesn't fit ,but at least you have that plate ,which might help with
channeling the chassy!

Its def missing parts behind the spur. I bought the whole spur, slipper kit assembly. This is the pic of the kit.
The only thing in that pic that this truck has, is the 1 slipper, 1 big black washer, spring and front bolt. That kit shows a lot more parts and the redcat diagrams shows more that it has.

A pin is usually there at the back of the shaft , you would have to work around the pin!
But ,I would definitly go that route before I would alter the chassy!

 

[olds97_lss]

That's for sure ,that engine set up doesn't fit ,but at least you have that plate ,which might help with
channeling the chassy!


A pin is usually there at the back of the shaft , you would have to work around the pin!
But ,I would definitly go that route before I would alter the chassy!

Well, that's likely why the spur is too far away then. Once you have all the parts, hopefully that will resolve your alignment issue.

Wish you had taken a photo from the bottom to show where the flywheel hole was in the cutout of the chassis for a bump start. Would help give us an idea if the flywheel was in the right spot, or at least close.

In the end, $100 for the entire thing with that engine was a good deal, if the engine is good. That's a $200 engine. I have an LRP28S3 and LRP30S2 on 2 of my trucks currently. The 30 has been fighting me a bit... but finally, today with a different pipe, it seems to work well. Just kind of like a light switch regarding power. Very on/off. Still, LRP tend to be long lasting engines if taken care of.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

Well, that's likely why the spur is too far away then. Once you have all the parts, hopefully that will resolve your alignment issue.

Wish you had taken a photo from the bottom to show where the flywheel hole was in the cutout of the chassis for a bump start. Would help give us an idea if the flywheel was in the right spot, or at least close.

In the end, $100 for the entire thing with that engine was a good deal, if the engine is good. That's a $200 engine. I have an LRP28S3 and LRP30S2 on 2 of my trucks currently. The 30 has been fighting me a bit... but finally, today with a different pipe, it seems to work well. Just kind of like a light switch regarding power. Very on/off. Still, LRP tend to be long lasting engines if taken care of.

I have ran it and it runs, I wanted to see it run and losing a spur gear wasn't a big deal. Runs perfect.
I'll snap some pics of it tomorrow evening. When I have access to it again.
Thanks for all the suggestions all.

 

[FrankensteinVt]

That's for sure ,that engine set up doesn't fit ,but at least you have that plate ,which might help with
channeling the chassy!


A pin is usually there at the back of the shaft , you would have to work around the pin!
But ,I would definitly go that route before I would alter the chassy!

There was no pin
All parts are ordered and will report back good or bad. Should be ready by Wed.