[unclerob]

There is a parts list/instructions for one on ebay in the UK......
MOTORCYCLE STARTER ROLLERS RACE BIKE STARTER PADDOCK STARTER , PLANS TO BUILD | eBay
I know nothing more about it than that its available but it seems fairly similar to this one I bought also on ebay which costs £250 less the motor.....I used one made in 1940 that I had lying around! Have had the thing for a couple of years, no problems at all and it starts anything! Was a bit dubious about the boat keel rollers at first but they've been fine too....

 

[busapilot]

^ It'd be really nice to have a starter that is just a bit smaller and lighter than an actual Ford Ranger and 6' rollers.

 

[o1marc]

There is a parts list/instructions for one on ebay in the UK......
MOTORCYCLE STARTER ROLLERS RACE BIKE STARTER PADDOCK STARTER , PLANS TO BUILD | eBay
I know nothing more about it than that its available but it seems fairly similar to this one I bought also on ebay which costs £250 less the motor.....I used one made in 1940 that I had lying around! Have had the thing for a couple of years, no problems at all and it starts anything! Was a bit dubious about the boat keel rollers at first but they've been fine too....
View attachment 16304

Okay, I'm on the grid and ready to fire up. Now wheres that dang receptacle to plug into?

I finally ordered the shafts, rollers, and pillow blocks. All I need is the solenoid and I can finish assembly. Nothing ever goes my way though. The shafts, rollers, and pillow blocks are all 5/8", but the shafts are too big for the pillow blocks. So now I have to have the ends turned down on both shafts.

 

[piniongear]

It would seem to me that you want to buy pillow blocks to fit the shafts, not spend money having the shafts turned down to fit the pillow blocks.

What I recommend to anyone is to first consider the diameter of the starter motor shaft, then build out the remainder of the unit (bearings or pillow blocks, shafts etc) matching all components to that same shaft size.
Otherwise you will find yourself with a less than ideal situation. Good planning ahead of time always makes for a betterend result.
Perry

 

[o1marc]

What do you do when you order 5/8" shafts and they aren't 5/8" shafts? If use the smaller shaft correct for the motor, which they have no correlation to each other, then I would have to build up the center of the shaft to match the rollers. I suppose I could make custom rollers and shafts, I'm sure that would be more economical than using the $25 in available parts, NOT.
I knew when I made a post today that you would be quick to jump in and criticize what I'm doing. I would hardly call spending more money as "an ideal situation". When I'm done mine will work as well as, if not better than yours. I'm really not interested in your opinion, but it is the internet.

 

[piniongear]

Jesus, what a project you have undertaken!
I have built and sold 20 of the starters while you have fumbled away the same amount of time trying to get your first one together. And you are still fumbling.
Now if you want to call THAT a critical comment, you have certainly earned it!

When you get the starter built (if that ever happens) I look forward to having a good laugh over the thing.
I shall comment no further in any way because you seem to think I am being critical.
I also thought your buddy was going to build one for you. That would be your ticket out of the mess you seem to be in.
Goodbye and good luck to you!
Perry

 

[o1marc]

Jesus, what a project you have undertaken!
I have built and sold 20 of the starters while you have fumbled away the same amount of time trying to get your first one together. And you are still fumbling.
Now if you want to call THAT a critical comment, you have certainly earned it!

When you get the starter built (if that ever happens) I look forward to having a good laugh over the thing.
I shall comment no further in any way because you seem to think I am being critical.
I also thought your buddy was going to build one for you. That would be your ticket out of the mess you seem to be in.
Goodbye and good luck to you!
Perry

I never had a time frame on this project, so go fuck yourself.
You claim you do this for fun and not a business, but you claim to have made and sold 20 of these in the last 80 days, 60+ units total. That's a business, unless you give them away at cost. You're a liar.
I'm not fumbling at all. I am merely taking my time putting this together, I'm in no hurry. Where did you see that I ever mentioned a buddy making this for me? You're full of shit.
As far as spending money to find a shop to turn the shafts down a couple of thousandths, that would be an inconvenience if I couldn't do it myself. Oh wait, I do have a lathe right here.
I'm laughing at your vague attempt to disguise that your are selling roller starters for a living as you have come here for no other reason than this particular thread and keep raving about how good your starter is and how mine is a POS.
So Goodbye.

 

[unclerob]

Take your point plugging it in but its wired to a plug that fits the outdoor sockets at the campsite..... I do have a 12v motor for it as well but find it gets very hot after a couple of minutes whilst the mains one can happily run for 20 minutes or more, after a rebuild its quite reassuring to run the bike with the plugs out just to check I haven't done anything stupid!!

 

[o1marc]

unclerob, mine needs to be used on the starting line for LSR racing, and then removed from the "grid" or starting line right away. So it needs to be battery operated and portable to remove quickly. I think the shaft issue I had was due to a thickness of zinc coating on them. I chucked em up in the lathe and just ran a flat file over them to take the coating off and they slid right into the pillow blocks.

 

[drgonzo]

Boys, boys, BOYS! Y'all be nice now.

 

[Mark Burton]

I like this thread as I could do with a roller starter. My right ankle aches after kicking up nowadays.

 

[unclerob]

Same reason I bought mine Mark.....was going to make one but saw the one in the pic on ebay for £250 so didn't bother...and got a discount for cash too! Have had it for a couple of years and no problems at all with it....and it'll start anything!He doesn't advertise very often, just makes a batch now and then but can dig out his number if you're interested. Price doesn't include the motor though he can supply them.....I used ones I had....but he did machine sprockets for both and didn't charge anything!

 

[grandpaul]

I'll repeat:

Auto Zone - Ford Starter - $79 LIFETIME WARRANTY

Duralast Gold/Starter DLG3185 - Read Reviews on Duralast Gold #DLG3185

 

[Mark Burton]

Rob, I think your supplier has one listed on EBay now for £225 plus postage. I've got a decent Honda engine laying around that I would want to use.

 

[jalsteve]

Rob, I think your supplier has one listed on EBay now for £225 plus postage. I've got a decent Honda engine laying around that I would want to use.

That's a very robust looking item BUT

1. Its tall, getting your bike on a off will be a pain.
2. It has no side guards to prevent the rear of bike swinging left or right which it will if the bike is not 100% vertical and 100% 90deg to the rollers.
3. When the bike does swing to the right your tyre will get ripped up by the chains and as soon as it hits the chains the bike will be flung backward.
4. It will weigh an absolute tonne and unless you have a big workshop were it can be stationed you'll get fed up moving it about.

That said fit chain guards and something to keep the rear wheel in the business area and it looks half decent.

 

[unclerob]

Its similar Mark but not the same supplier....as Jalsteve says the lack of side guards would be a concern but that said on mine the V shaped rollers do keep the wheel central, I did a full rebuild of my Tribsa in the spring and used it as a sort of amateur rolling road, running the bike without plugs for a good 20 minutes.....it sat there quite happily....and got up to 40 on the speedo! Agreed, it is heavy though, since pic on previous page I've added small castors to the back face.

 

[o1marc]

Mark or rob, do you have a link to the starter you are referring to?

 

[steveo]

roller starter in Motorcycle Parts | eBay

MOTORCYCLE STARTER ROLLERS RACE BIKE STARTER PADDOCK STARTER , PLANS TO BUILD | eBay

 

[unclerob]

This is the one Mark saw I think....
Motorcycle Roller Starter - Bump Starter - Race Paddock Workshop Starter | eBay
But the one I bought.....picture on previous page .... comes from a retired engineer who makes a batch of them now and then and then sells them on ebay but doesn't have any advertised at present....

 

[Mark Burton]

Yep, that's the one.