Honda hobbit variator 'notching'

I started making hobbit weights a few years ago for friends and such, because there is really nothing on the aftermarket, and the stock weights are hard steel, which is tough to modify, and the chincy little plastic nubs on them fall off. I started with a few different metals and ended up using a very hard acetal polymer.

I have since learned other moped wizard guru types have been doing this much longer than i have, and came to the same conclusions. I've sold a few through Treatland now, of my best design and manufacturing methods, and there have been some complaints. One of the first test sets i made, had the same problem. The weight pushes out too far and gets pinched, with the sharp steel outer plate digging into the plastic and jamming it in fully variated position. Some R&D confirmed this was due to people improperly 'notching' their variators, so I made a note to doccument it the next time i did it. Peter's Blog has a ton of great info on hopping up Hobbits, including info on variator notching. You should read all of that first, but in how it directly relates to 'Moped Factory' Slick Rick Rollers, I would like to add a bit of detail.

The very important first step in the process is carefully measuring a line around the variator 10 mm from the outside edge. I've done this with a caliper, but if you dont have one a wrench might work well. the exact number isn't super precise (+/- .2 maybe) but making sure its even will keep things balanced and make sure it variates precisely.

From Hobbit Vario Notch

Tape off the line so you can see it and make sure its dead-on. Then get your dremel cut-off wheel out and start cutting just above the taped edge, along where the roller 'track' goes through.

From Hobbit Vario Notch

Next, cut the rest of the window out, along the edges of the roller 'track'. I use the hacksaw because its way faster than the stupid dremel wheels, but maybe you're turbo lazy or something. Either way, cut that out of there.

From Hobbit Vario Notch

You will probably be left with a little material in the corners holding it in, a quick tap tap taparooo with the hammer will bust those chunks out.
Before:

From Hobbit Vario Notch

After:

From Hobbit Vario Notch

This is what it should look like from the inside. Note the fact that the cut edge sticks above the top of the roller track by about 3 mm. This is about the thickness of the cut area... coincidence? i think not!

From Hobbit Vario Notch

Now you just take your grinding bit and extend the ramp through the wall of the variator.

From Hobbit Vario Notch

The key is that you aren't grinding down the original ramp at all, just extending it. What you dont want to do is cut off flush with the top edge of the ramp, and then grind it down, you are changing the clearance between the two ramp surfaces, and now the rollers dont fit. Maybe i'll do a diagram of this later.

When you're finished it should look like this: (or maybe even prettier, if you want to go nuts with fine bits... not that important)

From Hobbit Vario Notch

The key is first and foremost making sure everything is exactly symmetrical with respect to the 3 roller tracks.

For those of you who already screwed up your variators, i'll be shipping out some 'oversized' rollers as soon as i can test them. Hopefully we can save the variators.