Hi,

I've been working with a few different chainsaw and string trimmer engines over the last year or so. Keep getting more and still haven't finnished a single one yet. Not really a lot of time for gas. I've too much nitro to burn but the pockets seem to be getting shallower each week so I think I'm going ot step it up a bit.

My questions is in regards to the fan fins on the flywheels. I'd like to trim them down as much as possible. All the way would be best but I'm concerned about putting the flywheel out of ballance.

Whats the best way to either trim them down or reballance the flywheel afterwards. I certainly do not want to ruin an perfectly good flywheel or create a dangerous situation by trimming.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Enjoymentboy

The accepted standard is to mount the flywheel true on an arbor in the lathe and turn the fins off flush with the highest point of the counter balance. This usually changes the original balance of the flyweel very little.

But I have seen on here where they were mounted in a drill press chuck with a bolt and spun against sandpaper.

I've also seen the fins broken off with pliers and the resultant ragged edges cut down with a carbide cutter in a air powered die grinder.

No matter which method you use, the flywheel should be balanced afterwards. I have High point balncers that can now be obtained from Bennett Built or B&B. You can also use the Dubro balancer. These are the kind with the thin, larger diameter wheels that a arbor rides in.

The flywheel has a taper in the hub. When mounting on the arbor, the outside cone has the pointed end towards the hole in the hub. The inside cone has its flat side towards the hub.

Cut off the heavy side of the flywheel with the die grinder and a carbide bit until you get it in balance.

Some of the phelon flywheels on Ryobi's are not balanced to begin with. This has been discussed on here often. I alsways balanced mine and the engine didn't vibrate. You do what you wish.

Or you can send the flywheel to one of the people on here that do this all the time and have them do it for you?

Enjoy,

Jim

I was determined to do my conversion by myself. So, I mounted the flywheel in a work bench type drill press(with a drill). Put a bolt through the flywheel and glued sandpaper to a piece of wood and monted that on the bottom of the press. Chucked it in the drill and started sanding away. Not the fastest way to do it but it worked. I did not balance it and still have yet to fire it up on the test stand. So hopfully it is not way out of balance.
Here is a pic.

Bill

A ryobi wasn't in balance to begin with so it doesn't much matter? It's easy to balance a flywheel though.

Looks like you needd to get after your mount with a hole saw?

Enjoy,

Jim

RedWing
It looks like you have still got the ignition kill switch attached, I have heard these can cause radio problems, not sure if it is true. I just noticed and thought I might point it out. Otherwise nice neat conversion.

I have a 20A toggle switch that I was going to use. Is that the way to go?

Bill

BTW - It's a Wacker mount - here is another pic

Edit:

I also removed the red and yellow plastic covers on the carb screws.

I am not sure, it's just what I have heard. I am using a ch cdi ignition so the ignition is killed by switching off the power. Sorry I cant be more help but some of the guys who have been doing this for a while should be able to say for sure. I will see if I can find where it was where i read that maybe there will be an explanation.

Ok i cant see it now, but i did find you will be ok with that setup.