Baja Warrior Mini Bike Clutch To Torque Converter Conversion 

great video . i am working on basically the same bike for a customer and what i think was missing was the spacer for the shaft and the first plate which was rubbing against the bolts on the block.

ya, it makes it feel like a whole new bike. Best upgrade for these bikes IMO.

@thatcrazycat11168 the torque converter I use is the Comet TAV2-30. But ya that sounds pretty good if all you need to do is buy a belt and put the torque converter on and your good to go.

Im sorry.. I was tired. I was saying "Is that the best one out there?" haha. Sorry about that. And I was planning on keeping it stock and then bypassing it then going for the torque converter. I was riding it today, And it climbed the huge hill on stock speeds I was very impressed.. Thanks again.

At BMI karts in the USA you can order the jack shaft assembly for the Yerfdog 3000 series karts. Use this with the longer belt and 7 inch secondary clutch. Make an engine mount thats 1 inch of rise for 4 inches of run to tilt the engine and jack shaft forward. No modifcations needed this will all clear the frame and protect clutch. Add 14cc clone head and after market air filter small 7/8" header, jetting required after. Add a helper spring to the governer keep the RPM under 5000

I used to get them right from the comet site but you can't seem to do that anymore, so try ebay or a lot of people seem to get them from gokartsusa. You just have to make sure it can handle 6.5hp, is for a 3/4inch shaft, and is for a #40, #41, or #420 chain size.

Think torque converter is a general term and can be many things. If you look on any site that sells these, they classify them as torque converters. The reason they call this one a torque-a-verter is because it is asymmetrical.

Could you tell me if an "impulse" type fuel pump would help the performance of a clone engine? Also, is there very much difference between the 196cc and the Predator 212cc engines? Thank you, any input would be helpful and appreciated.

Thanks! :D I would say the TAV is definitely worth the money. Makes a huge difference! Its almost like putting an engine twice the size on it because now the engine can make full use of its HP at any speed.

Sorry In order to do that I would have to pull my bike apart to get a good video and I don't really have the time to do that right now. Could you just go to a store that sells them and see how it is hooked up on the display bikes? Thanks! Glad you like my videos. :)

This is a brand new bike, but the one I pulled the converter off of and often use for experiments is a few years old and dirty, yet everything still comes off just as easily. Although I store everything in a dry shed, I guess if someone stores there bike where water can get to it and everything is rusted on, it might be difficult to get apart. As for caked on grease, that can be fixed by just taking a pressure washer to the bike and giving it a good cleaning. :P

Its basically like putting an an automatic transmission on the bike, like a car. Much less strain on the engine compared to the stock gear reduction system because now it pretty much chooses the perfect "gear" for what ever situation it's in to make best use of the engines powerband.

it comes with a go-kart type clutch already on it, and if you wanted to you could remove the jackshaft and join the 2 chains together and run just straight clutch to back sprocket and you will get around 80km/h or more out of it doing that. BUT you would loose all your off-roading capabilities. it takes a while to get going, you wouldn't be able to drive up a steep hill from a stop and driving on rough terrain would probably just fry your clutch.

The chains more durable if you like to do serious off road and do a lot of it. With the belt you'll have to replace every now and then where as the chain, not so much. The torque converter allows for higher speeds.

Oh, Okay. Well, I took the Governor off and it pretty fast. I think I'll keep it at this speed until summer and then maybe I'll have $200 saved up. But anyways thanks for the help. Its nice to have someone so helpful. Thanks again.

@BraneDrane100 it's a Comet TAV2 Torque-A-Verter. I believe they are just saying the shaft of the engine needs to have a screw hole in the middle of it, which it should. I've never seen a TC2 so I don't know for sure, but according to the description on gokarts usa that one just mounts on with no mods needed..

I know this question wasn't directed at me, but i know the answer, so why not? LOL. Normally an engine is strained less when a torque converter is added because it has to work less to accelerate, and when you start accelerating, the converter changes ratios so you will have a higher top speed. So you have better acceleration AND speed. Big bonus.

@andrewzb the top end would probably be a bit higher but it would take longer to get there. also you would loose a ton of bottom end and doing rough off roading or climbing would more then likely fry the clutch. The torque converter gives you more bottom end then the gear reduction kit while also giving you close to the same top end as straight chain to back sprocket. Also if you fry a torque converter belt its a lot cheaper to replace then if you were to fry the centrifugal clutch. :P

has worked like a charm since like 2007.

it does, thats how even the stock clutch is held on.

6.5hp engines are a 3/4inch shaft and you need one for a #40/41 chain to fit the baja.

Not sure. I think I recall seeing a video of someone putting a torque converter on with that setup and they found some sort of lug nut that fit perfectly and held the clutch on fine.

Thanks. I try to respond to just about everyone except for trolls. :P It definitely climbs better with the torque converter and doesn't slip as easily as the centrifugal clutch does if your starting a steep climb from a stop. It's the middle of winter here so I wouldn't be able to do that for at least a few months.

NP, glad you liked it! :D Unfortunately I can't sell the gear reduction kit because I'm currently using it on my other Mini Baja, because the one that came off that I ended up hacking up and using on my 50cc dirt runner when I converted it into a 6.5hp mini bike. :P

The GPS can calculate your speed based on the distance you cover and the time it takes to cover that distance. I've compared the speed the GPS calculates in real time while in my car and it is identical to the speedometer speed so it is accurate.

@thatcrazycat11168 hmm not sure, perhaps the belt is just too burned up and not gripping right, or somethings wrong with the weights or spring in the driver or driven or maybe the moving parts need to be oiled up. (if you do oil up the moving parts though, make sure you don't get any anywhere the belt makes contact with)

you might of bought a torque converter for a 1 inch shaft rather then 3/4 inch. Only thing I can think of is exchange it for the smaller version or if you can't do that you may have to buy a new 3/4 inch driver unit, or see if you can find some sort of adapter to go from 3/4 inch to 1 inch.

But when I first added the torque converter to the original bike the governor wasn't bypassed and if I remember correctly, top speed was pretty much the same, it just took longer to get there and didn't launch as hard.

I had this same minibike years ago and the factory jack shaft is junk... I ended up flipping the clutch 180 and running the chain direct. it was slow off the line but it went at least 70mph

Too busy with school and stuff right now to make new videos, but you can get cheap key switches that you would cut the wire from the stock switch and then attach that wire to one end of the key switch then the other end of the key switch to a ground and now it won't start unless there's a key in the key switch and its in on position. Although this wouldn't be good for anti theft if that's what your trying to prevent because then they could just disconnect the ground and it would start. :P

@soulevs Regular price on the bike here is $699, not sure what they go for in the states though. Then the torque converter is about another $200. I like it, it's fun. :)

@thatcrazycat11168 Sorry, I wish I could tell you but I can't remember off hand. I would just start small and keep trying different sizes or combinations of sizes until you find the perfect fit.

It would be like locking your car or dirt bike in 5th gear and driving around like that, whereas torque converter gives you gears 1-3 and is constantly changing between them to give you best performance. Torque converter gives you, decent speed (70km/h) and lots of bottom end torque (can do wheelies and climb).

that depends. If you keep the jackshaft on it and put a smaller sprocket on the back it definitely will go faster but you will loose bottom end. If you put a torque converter on it, then put a smaller sprocket on the back, in theory it should go faster, but I've tried putting a bigger sprocket on the torque converter itself which in theory would be the same as putting a smaller sprocket on the back and all it did was make me lose bottom end but the top end stayed the same.. so idk. :P

Stock with governor bypassed top speed was 34mph, once torque converter is on and working right top speed is 44mph.

@croakar I use an impact wrench to take off the bolt and that gets the bolt out without turning the engine.

no problem! It all depends what you plan on doing with the bike. if you were racing it or just cruising around smooth paved streets CC would probably be the way to go but if your off roading and trail riding and that kind of stuff then TC is definitely the way to go. :)

Wow excellent job and well documented thumbs up I wish they still had the star rating s because this is a 6 star forget about the old 5 stars awesome job very impressed

I have no idea sorry. I just have a pile of bolts and try em all until one fits. :P You may be able to find out if you look up a spec sheet on your engine?

ya I'd definitely say get the torque converter, it's not that hard to put on and you'll be getting a nice upgrade and something a more reliable then the stock gear reduction kit. I don't think you'll find one in a junk yard though. I'd try gokartsusa or ebay.

Comet TAV2-Torq-A-Verter, 3/4" Bore 10 Teeth, #40/41. Around $270 in Canada or $200 in the US. You can also find cheaper knock off versions of it too if you want.

@KiidJerkk323 can't remember, sorry. :P Did it a long time ago and Bikes at home and I am away for school so I can't check. :P I'm sure you could probably find the size online somewhere if you do a search for it.

Why is a torque converter better than a clutch, particularly on these bikes? My stock baja can get up over anything and thru just about anything where 4 wheeler's get stuck and the bike is so agile it smokes 4 wheeler's in the woods. So from a terrain stand point these bikes are nearly unstoppable as they are. Would a belt driven torque converter be as good in that situation or would it make the bike less capable in the woods. Is the torque converter for more speed, not off road terrain? Because these bikes are awesome off road. I am honestly asking because I don't know. Let me know what advantages you get from a torque converter and any disadvantages too removing the chain driven clutch and switch to a torque converter. Thank's Okay after doing some research on the topic, the major advantage is speed, their is a disadvantage. If you use your bike off road primarily where 25 mph is enough speed, their is a tendency to wear those belts out a lot and have to keep replacing them. You also loose some traction that a chain powered clutch gives. So for me I would not want a torque converter because I use my bike out on trails with inclines and declines and mud. If you are using these on flat surfaces and on roadways where its clear a torque converter would be the way to go...

@allezsport2010 gives you more bottom end torque and more top end speed. Its like putting an automatic transmission on the bike rather then always being stuck in one gear.

Fantastic camera work and great instruction. Invaluable!

@MarcelsWorshop i have a mini baja and i guess it a older year because my clutch just doesn't come off if you pull it off you have to take off a pin, so when i got the clutch off their was a part that stayed on the shaft , so i cant take off the plate where the chains connect because i want to get in the engine because it been sitting for awhile

ive added 3 clutch spacers ( thin washers ) and im still just a bit off, its damn near shredded the whole belt. it seems like when it supposed to have tighten and take off, sometimes it dosent grab and then when it does i dont get the most torque because the belts not riding right, then when its supposed to switch to " overdrive " the belt isint alligned so the driver wont close all the way and the driven wont open, so my top end lacks. i have to get a comet belt and get this sorted out

@SuperConfederateMan Thanks! :D Apparently there's one gokartsusa sells, that was mentioned a couple comments down, that mounts right up with no mods needed. I've never used one of those ones before so I don't know anything about it, but it might be something to look into.

Don't know off hand. I have a ton of bolts so I just keep trying different sizes until I find the match, but have no idea what size that match is. :P

NP. Although if you just want speed and don't mind loosing torque, you could always just remove the gear reduction system and attach the two chains together so your going straight from clutch to back sprocket. :P

"But its the one you have is the best you have?" hmm not quite sure what your asking. :P Ya if you've never rode before I'd keep it stock until your completely used to it, then from there I would bypass the governor to give you more speed and get used to that. Then once you get board of that go with the torque converter for even more power and speed.

@islandminisunlimited actually do you know what, I just remembered what I did with it. I put it on my old mini baja that I pulled the torque converter off of, because the one that was originally on that one I cut up and converted to a chain guard when I converted my baja dirt runner 49cc to a 6.5hp mini bike. I want to keep the old mini baja operational so I guess I cant sell the part. :P sorry :(

Hello Marcel I did this job on my Baja Warrior without drilling extra holes between holes and I was able to keep the chain cover by just a slight trim. all you have to do is to flatten the side of the minibike frame tube behind my lower torqueaverter position. Works perfectly looks better and is stronger. let me know if you want a photo. Robert B

@MarcelsWorkshop Its a lot of work. But the difference is you get a much stronger system with a lot more grunt. A properly set up and braced 30 series is good for an easy 12 hp enging

its 3/4 inch. the difference is the size of the shaft on the motor. yours will likely be 3/4inch. 4-8hp engines are usually a 3/4 inch shafts, less then 4hp is usually a 5/8 inch shaft and more then 8hp is usually a 1 inch shaft.

Watching you video I also think the holes in your TC cover is a good idea to cool the clutch

@ShityDurPirate like the sprocket things the belt sits in or the sprockets the chain sits on? The back plates of the belt sprockets should line up and same with the chain sprockets or you may get premature wear and not be getting the speed out of it that you could.

@XB0XFR34K Probably wouldn't be much slower, just wouldn't accelerate as fast. When the clutch is in its high gear the engine doesn't really have enough power to push much past the governed rpm if everything else is stock on it. My guess would be around 60km/h.

I got mine at a Princess Auto. But in the US I think you can get them online at gokarts usa or mfg supply.

I use the Comet 203589 belts or the equivalent by a couple other manufacturers. I usually get them from ebay stores.

I like the look of the warrior apposed to the mb 200 thats why I'm getting the warrior

We found him. The last known man to wear a wrist watch. :)

no idea. :P if it broke off you may have to get a new unit, or Macgyver something, or just remove the whole unit and connect the 2 chains, that would gain you lots of speed but you would loose lots of torque. :P

A Torque converter will greatly increase your off-roading capabilities! :D The belt system can handle a lot more then the centrifugal clutch system it comes with.

Thanks! I've never seen the baja heat model so I have no idea. :P The torque converter comes with everything you need if you get the actual Comet torque converter kit. Not sure about the knockoff kits. If you look on my channel under How to and assembly videos, I have a un-boxing video of a brand new comet torque converter kit that shows you everything that comes with it. :D

Two questions/comments: 1) I know a TC helps for speed, but how does it affect slow speed torque? The reason I ask is because I use my bike in situations where I need to go over rough ground, up steep slopes, etc., where I need good torque and not necessarily speed. 2) My Baja Warrior doesn't have the tapped center bolt hole on the crankshaft end. I've heard some people get around this by using a lug nut from an auto Mag wheel. Have you ever heard of doing this?

I just got one of these and it's throttle and governor assembly is took apart and I have no idea how or where the springs n stuff go, is there any way you could do a good slow film of how all the throttle governor assembly is linked and maybe a diagram in the video?? Would help me a lot! Thanks and I think your videos on "upgrades" are great!

I got mine at Princess Auto but there's lots of other places that carry them.

Translate says "A good chain replaced the rubber crap? Why?" So I'm guess it means why replace the chain with rubber? If so, because the chain and clutch is single speed, the torque converter is variable speed, so more power + more speed. Also the centrifugal clutch the chain is connected to slips way easier then the torque converter does when it comes to climbing.

again, don't know off hand. I have a ton of bolts so I just keep trying different sizes until I find the match, but have no idea what size that match is. :P

What were to happen if you connect a centrifugal clutch straight to back sprocket wheel how come all setups have 2 chains instead one directly to the rear wheel

@gabriel56440 I'd say around 60-75km/h depending on weight, wind direction, road surface, and how well tuned the engine and bike is. :P

Wouldn't it go faster if you just took off the gear reduction and ran a strait chain to the back wheel? How much would it effect the torque on the bike?

Or just buy the Trailmaster MB200 which comes with a torque converter stock and has front and rear suspension so it rides way better than the Baja. It's also about 4" longer so it's a slightly bigger bike overall.

@MarcelsWorkshop Sweet! So theoretically If i bought the converter from gokartusa I could buy it for my MB165, and put it on without having to drill holes or make any other modifcations

No Problem! Hmm, the only thing I can think of is your belt has worn down or is glazed over from continuing to rev the engine when the belt is slipping?

Ya I guess you could just cut the chain guard if you want to keep it. I just didn't care for it much so It was just easier to get rid of it altogether. Glad you got it to work with the original holes though. :D Although I'm not sure if I would want to start bending parts of the bikes frame because it might cause a weak spot. :P But who knows, I guess only time will tell, chances are it will be fine.

nah its a sealed slot, its solid a little ways down into it.

I went with a smaller rear sprocket before with out changing the drive and eliminated the gov I also upgraded to a taller rear tire and made 68 mph

Did I miss something? Doesn't the Warrior come with a shaft that ends at a metric threaded stud? the biggest problem when adding a Tav to theses isn't addressed in this how to? Or has it changed since the vid?

The only problem about bypassing the governor is that the motor would wear out faster. I would get a 6.5 hp 212cc at harbor freight and get a torque converter it would go bout 50 or 60 mphs. Also another why to make it go faster is to heavier valves

This helped so much, thank you for putting this video up

@LHRShadow gokartusa has them specialy made for the mini baha 6.5 now for 189.00! plus 19.90 for the belt cover!

I am having trouble finding the right clutch I need for my baja and was curious if u knew what size the shaft is

Thanks a lot for the video i followed your instructions and the torque converter fit my bike perfectly...Only after a month of riding i seem to have a problem with the torque converter it just stopped accelerating like it used to when i installed it which was 40ish mph now it seems to go like 10 mph at most...Do you know what could be the problem with it? torque converter seems to work fine running, just not accelerating the bike for some reason...Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

This helped a lot

Well there's way less vibration with the torque converter compared to the stock centrifugal clutch and it engages a lot smoother, but I have no Idea how it would compare to a racing centrifugal clutch, I've never tried one. :P

they're around $270 CAD here, but you could probably find them for around $200 in the US.

I’m having problems with my Coleman 200 trying to swap engine up to a 212cc

I have a mini baja and the shaft on the back sprocket just like wore out and it doesnt drive do you know where to buy a whole new stock gear assembly

I've been researching torque converters for my new Baja Warrior 200. Unfortunately, the crankshaft on mine does NOT have a threaded center bolt. Instead the end of the crankshaft is threaded on the outside and the clutch is retained with a nut and cotter pin. Bummer. What options do I have with something like this?

Nice video very straight forward

Definitely! The difference feel like you put on an engine twice the size. :D

if its the tapped crankshaft then ya, if its the threaded one then not unless you find some way to hold the clutch on. :P

No, should be fine. As long as you not stuck somewhere and just keep holding the gas and the tires aren't even spinning. :P A torque converter is a lot better then a centrifugal clutch for off roading.

Cool video...i notice in the comments some ppl just gotta spit out the 2cents worth they got lol... great job showing others how to do work themselves

got a HONDA XL 500cc,oil scrapper rings cooked,cam shaft lobes worn down bt could start wth lots of smoke.got it for USD$250.Piston still okay in bore(no play/slap).hw can I get piston kit std/next stage i.e. 10

I didn't have to drill new holes in mine I just cut off the bottom section of the torque converter plate

Hey i have a question i bought a tav2 for my baja and i went ahead and started mounting it on and i got the backplate and stuff on but the clutch pease is to big for my shaft where u put it on

How do I know which torque converter I need ? I got a mini baja bike and I check eBay for the torque converters and some say 3/4 and some say 1' which one do I need