Show me your electric reverse!

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Jek
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:15 pm
Name: Jek Rankin

Show me your electric reverse!

Postby Jek » Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:29 pm

I'm trying to gather information on an electric reverse system for my R1 Fury build, but have found photos/specs/suppliers of such systems hard to come by.

Since this is something all builders of road going BECs are going to have to consider, (unless they down the Quafie or MNR reverse box route), I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to try and gather some info on how people have managed this in the past. If I'm right in thinking a rudimentary reverse is a requirement for the RGB series, then there must be a fair few cars with a starter motor reverse installed!

I'll probably remove the reverse post IVA to save some weight and recoup some of the cost. I'd imagine many BEC Fury builders will do the same, so perhaps BGH will offer a Rent-A-Reverse system sometime in the future!

Cheers,
Jek

bitsilly
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:34 pm
Name: Ed Keane

Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby bitsilly » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:00 pm

Yes it is needed for RGB.
and it is needed for IVA.
Here is a link that may help, I actually know the guys e-mail if it helps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU6cBjgW1cY
The usual advice is that the electric reverse is only to get past scrutineers/testers, otherwise get out and push!
My last BEC had a Quaife unit, and it sapped power and vibrated like a vibrating thing, hate em.
Problem with temporary measures is that the sprocket/wheel needs to be on the drivetrain, and the motor needs a bracket, so the rentable part is the cheap/easy part, ie a starter motor, so don't hold your breath that that will ever get off the ground.
If I were you I would
1)look at where phisically a sprocket could go, and choose the easiest place to mount a motor nearby, this is so specific to each kit that I wouldn't hold out for a one size fits all solution, try and see what same kit flok have done.
2) My BEC, to meet RGB, has a motor on a big (locked out) handbrake lever thing, and you push it down to engage, then press the button!

Good luck.
Ed

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David
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Name: David Hussey
Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk
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Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby David » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:45 am

Luckily, my boat anchor features a built in reverse. However, I do know of people of the BEC persuasion, so I've referenced their stuff.

You *may* find someting useful at:

http://www.hoverd.org/Tim/Fury/build-body-0405d.html (Tim's on this forum and races in RGB)

http://www.danstuff.info/furyracerb8.htm

http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=3;t=58577;st=0

HTH
Se7en Pervert -- by definition; I don't drive a Caterham

Jek
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:15 pm
Name: Jek Rankin

Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby Jek » Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:29 pm

Thanks for the links guys,

Interesting to see the various ways to package the system - I hadn't considered it before, but its obviously much different when you have a live axle car with the diff bobbing about! Since my car is IRS, I think the easiest and safest option is to sandwich a ring gear between diff flange and prop.

The AB Performance system looks nice, although a bit more than I was hoping to spend on my disposable reverse. I assume the lever operated systems are to prevent the reverse from being engaged by accidentally pressing the button? Since I only really need mine for the IVA test, I think I might get away without a lever, and just use a starter motor on rigid brackets that engages directly via solenoid at the push of a button.

Here's such a system installed on an MK, which uses an Audi starter motor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0V0clui0BQ

I think I'll attempt something similar, although as you point out Ed, with all kits being different a one size fits all system isn't possible. The guy who designed the system is going to try to organise a group buy for the various parts required on locostbuilders, although obviously you'd have to fabricate your own brackets to fit the Fury chassis.

Since the need for an electric reverse is a new requirement for road going cars due to IVA, its not as well documented in the various build sites and forums as other aspects of the build. I think the most difficult part is finding a suitable starter motor, i.e one which can be packaged easily, turns the correct way and has a suitable pinion to mesh with the ring gear on the prop (some of them have strange pitches apparently). I think the other tricky part is finding a ring gear for the prop, which I think is usually a custom job requiring post-machining to fit the diff flange (The ring gear for the reverse in the clip cost the guy £140!).

Assuming the Audi motor can fit in the Fury's transmission tunnel, I'll probably enter the locostbuilders group buy if it gets off the ground (will be around £275), although it would be great to hear from any other Fury owners who are running an electric reverse.

Thanks for your help,
Jek

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timhoverd
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Name: Tim Hoverd
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby timhoverd » Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:48 pm

David wrote:http://www.hoverd.org/Tim/Fury/build-body-0405d.html (Tim's on this forum and races in RGB)


Indeed I am, and I do.

Coincidentally, someone (another RGBer) was asking me the other day for photos of my reverse installation. I actually occasionally use my reverse in anger!!, usually when i can't be ar$ed to get out of the car, there's no one around offering to push, and I'm lining up in the assembly area before a race.

Because of the request, I uploaded all my photos of my reverse installation to the web. It might help, so you can see them here. Beware, there's several generations of installation there, the latest ones are where the chassis has gone grey. (I set fire to it, you see... :( )

HTH,

Tim
Il semble que la perfection soit atteinte non quand il n'y a plus rien à ajouter, mais quand il n'y a plus rien à retrancher.

Jek
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:15 pm
Name: Jek Rankin

Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby Jek » Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:33 pm

Hi Tim,

Thanks for all the info, food for thought! Above the prop looks like a good place to package the assembly, and should provide easy access for removing it....er I mean maintaining it, post IVA!

Jek

paulevernden
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Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:05 pm
Name: Paul Evernden

Re: Show me your electric reverse!

Postby paulevernden » Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:08 pm

Hi,
Having worked for Fisher Sportscars for nearly two years, I had on three occassions the unenvied task of fitting Electric reverse mechanisms. All three were to RGB Furys to enable them to pass scrutineering. The units that we fitted were I believe all that were available at the time and were rather crude. The meshing of the gears was always hit and miss and the noise was unbelievable. The whole idea and design seemed quite sound but a little more thought was needed in the precision engineering department! Perhaps now that a reverse gear is needed for IVA manufacturers of bike engined cars will be forced to rethink their chassis design to incorporate a reverse mechanism and also design a quality electric reverse as well..... who knows!

Paul


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