Hi guys, finally putting up a thread on my final year engg. project! A year later as i didn't get the time right after it due to exams!
The background! Sorry mods gonna go a little off topic here!
My idea was to keep everything as simple as possible! Spoke to a few guys from the reputed colleges of India who had taken up such projects, and made nothing but a dual powered fancy looking four-wheeler, upon asking why they didn't make it a true hybrid and use both sources of power in the same drive cycle, i was told " You need a torque coupling for that and it costs lacs, would've messed the budget up big time"
I wanted to laugh on the guys face even though i didn't have a solution to it then and my project was nothing but lots and lots of ideas in my head, i knew there had to be a simpler solution, if nothing solenoid actuated clutches(not the best option but yeah wouldve done the job.
Now after me and my friends decided that it had to be a very basic vehicle with maybe a ladder chassis. then came the first eureka moment for me, why not make a proper gokart, its fun and solves our purpose beautifully!
Then we set out on a search for parts for the same and visited go kart tracks in NCR, collecting little knowledge and contacts for parts.
Then one fine day I reach college and see my friends in deep discussion, i was glad to see them probably working on something related to the project, but was sadly informed that they were all backing out and wanted to go buy a project instead as they said they didn't get what was going on and i was being toooo optimistic with only 2 months left for submission and exams right after that!
I don't think i was this upset even after my 1st GF left town! lol
Well my dad being my pillar of support and sharing my passion came upto me and asked me if I can do it alone? and how much would it cost? i told him Im sure i can do it! But the only issue is spending around 60K on my college project sounds crazy and my college isn't willing to sponsor the same, they were too reluctant as they were already sponsoring an ATV project.
I was given attitude like "Complete it and then we'll consider it"!
Well my dad was supportive and kind enough to fund it!
So began the journey!!
Well after having finally found a guy who had made a few lots of gokarts, replicas of one he had imported, I bought an old briggs&straton 6HP engine, centrifugal clutch wheels, steering seat rear axle, etc.
I started welding together the chassis!
Still thinking of a better idea for the switchover of power. then it came to me literally a bell rang, it was the bell of a cycle, I ran downstairs and checked out a cycle, that was it, A freewheeling hub ! thats all i required! Eureka moment 2 ;p
It cuts off the DC motor when the engine rotates the axle faster than the motor is! much like peddling slowly while coming downhill on a cycle!
Well the CAD drawings and search for a decent freewheel ensued, finally settled with a cycle rear sprocket itself!
Well thats the begining pics and progress follow:-