Thanks Slab, and Joe, good point!
MAKING A TRIKE
- Thread starter transitman
- Start date
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As usual,behind way on my posts, but I have been working steadily an hour or so most days so quite a lot done since last post.
Cant remember if I've mentioned it before, but I have been seduced by the light side. Been looking at vynil wrapping and especially a cool gold chrome colour. So, vynil ordered and delivered, after Xmas will commandeer the dining room table and get sticking.
So loads of sanding, filling, primer. I will paint them all white to start with, in case it all goes pear-shaped I've got a fall-back.
Will do the faux tank panels, mudguards, side panels and fuel tank in vynil. I have dug out the panniers, the top box was beyond repair so that's been junked, the panniers I plan to mount flat either side of the tank with white lower and vynil uppers.
The wheels I shall try to do the spokes white and the rims in vynil. Looks a possibility.
Other stuff: I really really want the exhaust pipes to stick out much further but regs here preclude them exceeding the edge of the vehicle. So I plan to add a rear bumper to make the trike a few inches longer, then I can extend the pipes. The bumper will tidy up the back end too.
Also plan to do the seat backs and headrests this holiday, already well ahead polishing all the alloy and stainless steel.
Mounted this buffer wheel high up to save my back and give me plenty of clearance from the bench. Works a treat. It is in the garage attached to the cottage and has central heating piped to it so I can work in the warm in the bad weather.
That's it for now, try and catch up again after the holiday.
Cant remember if I've mentioned it before, but I have been seduced by the light side. Been looking at vynil wrapping and especially a cool gold chrome colour. So, vynil ordered and delivered, after Xmas will commandeer the dining room table and get sticking.
So loads of sanding, filling, primer. I will paint them all white to start with, in case it all goes pear-shaped I've got a fall-back.
Will do the faux tank panels, mudguards, side panels and fuel tank in vynil. I have dug out the panniers, the top box was beyond repair so that's been junked, the panniers I plan to mount flat either side of the tank with white lower and vynil uppers.
The wheels I shall try to do the spokes white and the rims in vynil. Looks a possibility.
Other stuff: I really really want the exhaust pipes to stick out much further but regs here preclude them exceeding the edge of the vehicle. So I plan to add a rear bumper to make the trike a few inches longer, then I can extend the pipes. The bumper will tidy up the back end too.
Also plan to do the seat backs and headrests this holiday, already well ahead polishing all the alloy and stainless steel.
Mounted this buffer wheel high up to save my back and give me plenty of clearance from the bench. Works a treat. It is in the garage attached to the cottage and has central heating piped to it so I can work in the warm in the bad weather.
That's it for now, try and catch up again after the holiday.
slabghost
Well-known member
I hope you ordered plenty of vinyl. That stuff is tricky to work with You'll need a heat gun, some very sharp knives and a ton of patience.
slabghost
Well-known member
Increasing rake is a common fix for both sidecar bikes and trike builds.
Slab, I ordered a lot of vynil, I have patience too! My lovely wife is incredibly handy and we will start on the small side panels first. We will use a hair dryer, not something I've needed for some time.
I expect to make a complete pigs of the first couple, but with two of us on it and no pressure it should go ok. I can't resist a new challenge!
And nothing is harder than working in the Javelin hydraulics hole...
I expect to make a complete pigs of the first couple, but with two of us on it and no pressure it should go ok. I can't resist a new challenge!
And nothing is harder than working in the Javelin hydraulics hole...
Joe, not so sure about the rake thing being a fix. Been doing some reading up and it seems the 3 critical things are offset, rake and trail. Trail is the killer, more gives stability, less gives agility
It doesn't look as if anyone has done a proper analysis mathematically, of the system. I am certainly not going to try but I shall ask my mate the university lecturer to have a look at it. My bet is that it is something to do with the polar moment of inertia, think of supermarket trolley wheels vibrating. Hopefully Rob will work something out but I'm not holding my breath, I'm still waiting on him doing the finite analysis of the frame
It doesn't look as if anyone has done a proper analysis mathematically, of the system. I am certainly not going to try but I shall ask my mate the university lecturer to have a look at it. My bet is that it is something to do with the polar moment of inertia, think of supermarket trolley wheels vibrating. Hopefully Rob will work something out but I'm not holding my breath, I'm still waiting on him doing the finite analysis of the frame
ok ive made and built all kinds of special purpose equipment .....mostly farming stuff ...but it like this ..a trailer with to short a tongue will wobble ..why because its wide enough at the wheels to over leverage the tongue and it will jump over some till it looses leverage and then goes the other way til the other side dose the same thing ...trailers and trikes are triangles and the controlling part of the triangle has to be made that it out leverages all other points of the triangle ...this is done in length when that gets done it will be in control and very smooth ....im not saying rake dosnt help ...but i am for sure saying its leverage by the rear wheels that causes the bigest problem in trikes steering ..so if the trike is already to short ...then of course rake is about the last option ...it adds length plain and simple ..i wouldnt spend big bucks on rake package till i tried it first ...
to me it looks like from the pics your ok ...but that a stretch in opinion without much to go on but pics....
to me it looks like from the pics your ok ...but that a stretch in opinion without much to go on but pics....
Thanks for that, Joe, and I won't be spending any money until I find out how she goes.
And yes, mine has a long wheelbase, deliberately to improve the ride. To me it looks way longer than Charlie's too. Next time I get out there I will measure it up again.
And yes, mine has a long wheelbase, deliberately to improve the ride. To me it looks way longer than Charlie's too. Next time I get out there I will measure it up again.
:yahoo: not something I've needed for some time.
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=164923#p164923:1hkjwpuz said:
i must be slow or i havnt drank enough egg nog to figure this post out .... :headscratch:
I'm with you on that one Joe
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Need stronger eggnog. Maybe leave out the eggs.
nah some times it just aint worth figuring out what some are thinking ...it was a post that was surely off topic and seemingly demeaning in some way to either transitman or me ..but to me its only demeaning to eric or i just dont get the the post plain and simple ...past that i could care less
I never take offence at a post, Joe, most people mean no harm
More pictures please. :hi:
~O~
~O~
ok transitman ...sorry i got off topic ....
Ok, still plodding along, too many distractions this time of year but getting in an hour or so most days.
Been digging in Chris's scrap boxes and come up with this neat little spade valve to make a petrol tap. Next thing is to make an adaptor to go from 1/2 inch BSP to a bike fuel line. Off to my local bike parts supplier to look at what he's got and whilst there will try and sort out the brake lines.
Also in the pic you can just see a sender unit. Found one on ebay that just needed adjusting slightly, cut a 1 inch hole and in it goes. Got a nice rubber seal for it and will also rivet down the top plate. Then must find an upside down alloy box to cover everything, and work out how to fix it on.
Here you can see a pile of seat back and headrest stuff all cut out and ready to cover. The bandsaw is just perfect for trimming foam.
Not started the covering yet, or the vynil wrapping. Only just got the glue in the post today and whilst it's ok to work outside I am doing so.
This is the 2 inch long spacer to fit between the end of the propshaft and the diff. I was planning a flywheel and starter motor to fit there to form a reverse gear but that is on hold for now. Priority is to get the trike running this year and then do the fancy work later.
Other work includes the passenger seat base, working out a method of fixing it on, also still working on the left hand mudguard, getting the fixings sorted and all the holes drilled.
And on it goes!
Been digging in Chris's scrap boxes and come up with this neat little spade valve to make a petrol tap. Next thing is to make an adaptor to go from 1/2 inch BSP to a bike fuel line. Off to my local bike parts supplier to look at what he's got and whilst there will try and sort out the brake lines.
Also in the pic you can just see a sender unit. Found one on ebay that just needed adjusting slightly, cut a 1 inch hole and in it goes. Got a nice rubber seal for it and will also rivet down the top plate. Then must find an upside down alloy box to cover everything, and work out how to fix it on.
Here you can see a pile of seat back and headrest stuff all cut out and ready to cover. The bandsaw is just perfect for trimming foam.
Not started the covering yet, or the vynil wrapping. Only just got the glue in the post today and whilst it's ok to work outside I am doing so.
This is the 2 inch long spacer to fit between the end of the propshaft and the diff. I was planning a flywheel and starter motor to fit there to form a reverse gear but that is on hold for now. Priority is to get the trike running this year and then do the fancy work later.
Other work includes the passenger seat base, working out a method of fixing it on, also still working on the left hand mudguard, getting the fixings sorted and all the holes drilled.
And on it goes!
slabghost
Well-known member
Excellent craftsmanship there! I love following your build.
nice as always
Hi again.
I have copied this from the NGW site that I started on. Up to now I have written separate write-ups as I have mostly done them at different times. Rather than make you wait even longer I am doing both at once.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a finish later in the year.
Mild weather all January means more work on trike and less on indoor jobs, so vynil wrap and seat backs still not started. Finished most of the polishing though.
Status of trike, now the radiator is on and I am putting together the thermostat housing pieces. The exhaust system is at the 'first fit' stage. The biggest problem is the prop shaft offset because it is 3 inches to the right, making it tricky to get things to look right. I am pleased with the way the pipes stick out and the height they are at. To me it's now got a decent attitude.
The prop shaft needs some serious fettling to get the bolts to line up in all the holes so have ordered a double cut bastard round file and a double cut second cut one to make them fit. Will have to find where I've put my early Iron Age fettling skills.
I am not too bothered about having to gently enlarge the holes because the alignment is made by the flange fittings, the bolts really just giving the clamping force. I hope.
Still fiddling with bsp fittings for the fuel line, got a hose tail coupling on order now.
I have ordered a couple of blue silicone hoses to cut down to fit.
Still working on the brake lines and cables and trying to get the rest of the build process in order in my mind. And I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time hunting for bits and pieces from the original strip down. Obviously didn't get it organised properly. Latest thing to go missing is the cooling fan bracket. Should be really difficult to lose that.
*****
Since writing the above I got the files and cleaned up 2 of the 4 holes to fit, the other 2 being ok. Quite a quick job really.
I have copied this from the NGW site that I started on. Up to now I have written separate write-ups as I have mostly done them at different times. Rather than make you wait even longer I am doing both at once.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a finish later in the year.
Mild weather all January means more work on trike and less on indoor jobs, so vynil wrap and seat backs still not started. Finished most of the polishing though.
Status of trike, now the radiator is on and I am putting together the thermostat housing pieces. The exhaust system is at the 'first fit' stage. The biggest problem is the prop shaft offset because it is 3 inches to the right, making it tricky to get things to look right. I am pleased with the way the pipes stick out and the height they are at. To me it's now got a decent attitude.
The prop shaft needs some serious fettling to get the bolts to line up in all the holes so have ordered a double cut bastard round file and a double cut second cut one to make them fit. Will have to find where I've put my early Iron Age fettling skills.
I am not too bothered about having to gently enlarge the holes because the alignment is made by the flange fittings, the bolts really just giving the clamping force. I hope.
Still fiddling with bsp fittings for the fuel line, got a hose tail coupling on order now.
I have ordered a couple of blue silicone hoses to cut down to fit.
Still working on the brake lines and cables and trying to get the rest of the build process in order in my mind. And I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time hunting for bits and pieces from the original strip down. Obviously didn't get it organised properly. Latest thing to go missing is the cooling fan bracket. Should be really difficult to lose that.
*****
Since writing the above I got the files and cleaned up 2 of the 4 holes to fit, the other 2 being ok. Quite a quick job really.
