FRICTION DRIVE METZ, CARTER

[Les Murray]

I OWN THE ONLY BRITTANIA  BRITISH FRICTION DRIVE CAR 1914.  I READ OF FANTASTIC FRICTION DRIVE ON METZ 1914 LA TO GRAND CANYON. I AM STRUGGLING TO GET REAL GRIP ON LOW GEARS. I HAVE PAPER PULLEY CO DRIVE. MY FLYHEEL IS STEEL NOT ALUMINA WILL THIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. OR MAYBE I NEED MORE PRESSURE? ALL ADVICE WELCOME.

[Mark Shaw]

Contact between the flywheel and drive wheel should be adjustable. You might also look for Cartercar info.

Cartercar.org - Documenting Cartercar History and Production

 

[keiser31]

Here is the setup for a 1913-14 CarterCar....there are no gears for this car. The forward to rear wheel (spoked) slides from side to side using a control arm above. That determines the speed of the car. Where that wheel contacts the flywheel will determine speed and forward or reverse. Neutral is in the center. There is some kind of brake shoe like band on the outer edge of the spoked wheel for grip.

Edited March 27, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[F&J]

11 hours ago, Les Murray said:

I AM STRUGGLING TO GET REAL GRIP ON LOW GEARS.

Is it gripping Ok as you run the fiber disc to the outer part of the flywheel, like halfway out, or all the way for highest speed?  If so, that type of drive system is terribly prone to slipping/heating if you are running the fiber disc very close to the center of the flywheel. That's because it is skidding sideways a lot. 

 

What I mean is that the paper disc has far less grip on the flywheel when you get close to the center of the flywheel.

 

You can see how shiny the center part of the flywheel is on the pic that was just posted by keiser31.   His pic almost looks like a copper flywheel liner??  If it is, could that be to run cooler like the aluminum Metz flywheels were?

 

My 1912 had a cast aluminum flywheel with casted in ribs on it's front for strength.   The 1913 Metz I had was wood ribs with a 1/4" thick aluminum circle plate bolted to those wooden spokes. The 1913 plate was chewed up very badly near the center due to the skidding that mostly occurs near the center.  I replaced it with new aluminum plate.

 

11 hours ago, Les Murray said:

OR MAYBE I NEED MORE PRESSURE?

On Metz, you can't set it to give more pressure without changing things.  The flywheel and it's shaft get shoved rearwards by the factory engineered ratio of the linkage. I would not change the ratio.

 

You need the proper paper disc. It has to be correct material or it won't work right.  Your older post on AACA had one member giving you the American supplier of that correct paper disc and they do make one for Metz.

 

I would also switch to aluminum plate like it once had when it was a new car. The steel one may be overheating as steel does not transmit/remove heat as good as aluminum