Cyclemaster engine rubber bushings

As if I haven't all ready go enough to do, I've just made a start of restoring a 1950s Cyclemaster Motor Wheel. I got it back in the 70's clearing out a neighbours shed. I played with it for a while and it worked pretty well. It must be all this current talk about 'E-bikes' but something is compelling me to get it going again and perhaps use it for climbing mountain tracks in the north. (Might need a change of gearing for that though!)

Just a general survey of this mean machine yesterday showed that all the rubber bushed engine mounts and a 'cush-drive' on the output shaft have turned into a black goo. I imagine the original spares will be hard to come by so what do vehicle restorers usually do when faced with perished rubber parts ? Are there sources that can cut new parts from fresh material ?

Gerry

Hi Gerry

My Father used one for cheap travel to n fro to work when I was young. He was forever a bike/2wheel enthusiast since his young days. He seemed to always be de - cooking the Cyclemaster.

John

If you visit a decent electrical distributor , you should be able to buy a two-pack self-setting hard rubber compound that would do that job perfectly.

I'm a member of the "British Two Stroke club" and I think there is section for Cycle Masters and similar MEAN machines. I'm sure you would be most welcome and be able to share information with others. If you send me a PM I will send you details of BTS. John

Would sectors cut from a ice-hockey puck be too stiff? Could have a hole drilled to ‘tune’ them to what is needed.

i remember our history teacher having one and driving it with gusto.

steve

You could try emailing the National Motorcycle Museum for advice, I think they use various restorers.

Edited By V8Eng on 06/06/2021 21:34:46

Good suggestions, as per usual on this forum.

Gerry

Potting compound wouldn't be ideal as it's often a hard setting epoxy.

We use this stuff for reproducing NLA rubber parts on vintage bikes, just pick a suitable hardness and make a mould. Give it a few days to cure and you're good to go. Link

One piece of advice with castable PU. To reduce the chance of getting bubbles when you mix the two parts, put the bottles in warm water before pouring it out.

Edited By Robin Dufton on 09/06/2021 21:44:01

Thanks Robin, I will investigate this.

Another piece of advice for castable PU: they're aren't kidding about the six month shelf life, so don't buy a bigger amount than you need because it looks more economical!

I have one of those engines, but not the wing wheel one, in the shed.

British two stroke club ?

Please could you pm pe about that club please ?

Thanks

An alternative to rubber is polyurethane. The tuning shops tend to stock a range of sizes for suspension eyes - as do Land-Rover specialists.

Cheers, Tim

Yet another avenue to explore would possibly be 3D printing with TPU flexible filament. I don't have a 3D printer but from what I read, having Googled it, it could work, though I suspect that you may have to experiment with the infill settings to obtain the required stiffness.

If I couldn't get direct replacements from a Cyclemaster spares specialist, like the one in Earls Shilton Liecester, I'd be tempted to buy a car engine or exhaust mount and carve it into shape, somehow.

John

Edited By John Hinkley on 30/01/2022 19:44:47