I replaced my rear Contra spring with a new original. now everything is nice and tight with the new spring. The old spring had nothing left as springs go. Now the issue. After I replaced the rear contra spring, The engine is revving too high for my liking. I still have the original factory front Variator and weight setup. I also have a new Polini front variation with 8 weights 5.3g as well as set of 4.6 g weights. The polini setup is much lighter than the factory setup. I'm wondering which weights I should run with the new Polini front variator so rid the bike of the high revs? I tried looking it up but variation weight tuning seems to be all over the place to trial and error? Anyone have any suggestions? I would be well appreciated. Thank bin advance for anyone with knowledge on these Vespa Grande's. I should ad I also upgraded the engine to a 43 in place of the original factory 38 it came with. I also replaced the carb with 13.3. Engine starts and runs excellent. Only issue is the high rev after replacing old Contra spring .
Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
its a trial and error thing.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
I know.. I Removed the old Variator and replaced it with a Polini with the Blue cover today. Messed with two different size weights it came with and found 5.6 gram X 8 set made it run sweet! I also tried the 4.3 gram rollers Turns out and it went back to the old Hight Rev!, A heavy or really stiff rear Contra spring requires lighter weights in the front Variator. On the flip side, A old worn-out Contra spring in the rear requires much heavier Weights in the front variator. In my case, I needed much lighter weights than I was previously running due to a new stiff Contra spring.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
u got it totally backwards... who cares as long as your happy.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
I can only speak on what worked for me? My original Front Variator had 5 9.1 gram weights running with the soft worn contra rear variator. Once I replaced the front Variator with the new Polini using the included 5.6 gram weights X 8 along with the new stiff Rear contra spring it ran fine. Backwards, Maybe? Yet there it is and it now runs perfect.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
My variator will not engage ... I was riding and everything was fine . The idle was a lol wonky but all of a sudden I stopped at a gas station and now it just free pedals and won’t engage the motor .... someone please help
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
It's not the variator if the bike won't engage. It's either the clutch or the engine engagement switch on the rear hub.
I'd bet money on the engine engagement switch. It's there to do exactly what your describing, so you can pedal it like a bicycle without engine drag.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
Do you have any advice on how to check that ? I took it apart and from what I can see it doesn’t seem to have anything wrong with it ... is there anyway I can make it so it’s always engaged if nothing else
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
Ellak, can I ask what kit you went with. I’m either not looking enough, but I haven’t located one with the Grande head.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
The engage linkage works off a spring behind the large output shaft gear inside your transmission. If you can feel springiness when you try to push the black button shaft inwards to disengage the large gear from the output shaft, then it is working as it should.
The only thing that keeps the transmission disengaged into neutral ,is a notch in in the shaft that the locking pawl drops into to hold the large gear back out of line of the output shaft dogs.
Button out, trans engaged
Putton locked in, trans disengaged
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
Now if your transmission is engaged mode and your still having problems then...
Theres a coupla plates on your variator Front and Back that "if" rounded out in the middle instead of having the Single "D" shape then, they are jacked.
take a picture of the outside plate n hole, and the inside plate and hole. I find this a weak spot totally annoying.
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
It seems to be springy but gets stuck a lil bit
Re: Vespa Grande Front Variator issue?
That perfect travel. By now you know what is engaged and neutral my spinning the wheel
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