Kelly setups... air gap

[Tmoore]

Hey!

I bought a Kelly setup a couple of weeks ago (my second purchase) and decided (today) to setup the setup with some Mura magnets. After installing the magnets I measured (and re-measured) a .520 air gap!!

Is this an aberration? Is it a good abberation? I can't imagine all of the Kelly setups having such a tight (pardon the expression) hole.

By the way, given there isn't much metal on the can, is anyone trying force the thing onto a can straightener?

Thanks!

Tony

:confused:

[weedracer]

You'll find that the use of a can straightener will give you a gap of about .526 or so, which is close enough to the legal limit (.528) for government work.

The trouble is that the can straightener will sometimes pop the welds open on the sides of the can, which stinks.:(

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[BillyBob]

Hey Weed,

You need to run for National Tech. Director. I know those boys at the Div. II Natz. wish you were at the tech. table. It would be nice if we ran under Government Rules but it is the strong arm of the USRA.

Keep it in the slot and JUST HAVE FUN.:D

BillyBob

[weedracer]

Too late, they already snagged me for division 1.

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[Tmoore]

Thanks Weed!

That's exactly what happened to my last (now marred) Kelly can. It didn't take much to break the solder joint (I don't think they're welded) when I stretched it over a Proslot (sized) can straightener.

Tony

[weedracer]

That's the trouble...they are welded, otherwise they would fall apart when you solder them into the car.

If you know someone who can braze them, great, if not, return them if you can.

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[cheater]

Weed/T, I'm pretty certain the Kelly cans are silver-brazed, rather than welded. At least that's what it looks like to me.

It would be nice if they were welded, as due to the thin material the brazed joint has very little strength. I've broken a number of them and usually just solder them back together, trusting the glued-in magnets to augment the joint's strength.

[Bobhardt]

Same here Cheater. I have soldered them back together and never had one come apart during a race.

[wayne h]

ya, the only thing holding my kelly set-ups together is the magnets and a liberal amount of koford black!.

wayne h.

[Tmoore]

So! Wayne, Bob, Cheater and Weed....

Would the consensus be that the only way to get (at a minimium) a .525 gap is to break the weld, straighten, re-solder the weld, glue and re-glue (again) the magnets into the can?

Thanks!

Tony

[wayne h]

in about 4/5 cans i can get a straightening tool in without breaking the brazed seam. i get all of the paint out of the inside with some lacquer thinner. this gives a couple thou extra clearance. try some oil or soap to help it slide on. go slowly. tap gently. i get about .530 - .535 after straightening.

on the ones the do pop, i silver solder them back together and try again.

lately, i've been a lot happier working with the new rjr can.

wnh

[Tmoore]

Thanks Wayne...


Regarding the RJR cans...are you finding the can tabs to be crooked? I've had to bend the tabs (on one side) to get the endbell to align correctly.

Tony

[wayne h]

i know some of the early rjr cans were big to start with and the tabs had to be tweaked in.

here is a trick i figured out a while ago for getting the endbell straight. lightly crazy glue the endbell to a bearing alignment tool. the endbell can be glued on level or advanced - whatever you need. slide the alignment tool in and drill away. the endbell won't move and is perfectly straight. tap the screw holes. with an exacto knife, clean up the plastic that has "mushroomed" out of the endbell. screw the whole thing to the can tightening each screw progressively (this will let the tabs find the best position). take the set-up apart and carefully pry the endbell off of the alignment tool. you should now have a set-up that is perfectly aligned.

wayne h.

[Tmoore]

Wayne!

I really like that technique.

Tony

[Speedshop]

Kelly Cans are all over the ballpark when it comes to airgaps. I have cans from .520 all the way up to .544. I don't straighten Kelly Cans because they break. Do as I do and buy 12 cans at a time and then you can build whatever you want .

[Bobhardt]

Wayne,
That is a great idea. I cant wait to try it. I have never enjoyed driling the holes while aligning the endbell.
Thanks...............