No Job No Money build, tilting trike

[Paul.............D]

Hi

Well at least i got time to do something yipeeeeee, not much but now i am on the right track. I keep changing what ever i've done, so tomorrow afternoon there will be progress

Gwhy
Cheers for the links need mesurements of a gas gas to make a frame, i have had some super light steel given to me so while i scavenge bits for the trike i will start on that.

kIM
Here are some pics, not much but getting there,tinnys in the fridge thinking posion now i will get my head straight







Paul

 

[gwhy!]

Hi


Gwhy
Cheers for the links need mesurements of a gas gas to make a frame, i have had some super light steel given to me so while i scavenge bits for the trike i will start on that.


Paul

What mesurement do you need from a gasgas ?. If you go down the route of making a frame from scratch for a trials bike I will be watching very closely :wink: , all the push bike frames that i have looked at are not quite the right geo ( to short a wheelbase and rake not quite right ) the nearest to a moto trials geo is a cycle trials but the trouble is then no suspension and the wheelbase is still slightly to short , would you be planning to have a full susser .

I like the way the trike is coming together.. top job..

 

[317537]

This thread has had my attention for some time now, so much so, I went out and bought me an arc welder two days ago. I burnt the crap out of my eyes learning how to use the bloody thing. I did buy the safety gear but how the hell do you see through #10 glass. Id be much better at oxy brazing in any case.

I have a steel bench press, outside for weight lifting, physical strength as such, "no I dont pack heat". I'm looking at convering this bench press into a recumbent trike in the next few months or so, but I am a little hesistant in starting at this project until I am sound in all things to do with trikes and metal working.

I've been looking at the ES welding threads while I'm at it.

 

[317537]

These DIY lights have got me. I like the design.

I did these a week earlier.





I just used a square plastic box I couldnt fit my controller I had laying around, I epoxy'ed the natural light leds in.

These three lamps run in series and the red lamp draws the current unequally to the others and cause at least one front lamp to warm up and all trouble sets lose. I balanced to use 12.5v each by resistor the voltage divder, its amazing what 1/4 watt resistors can do for led lamps in series.


I used 38v because I didnt want to put to much drop over the LM317t reg and I didnt want a flat battery to dim them when I accelerate. I didnt want to use a tap from the batteries.

The 12 ohm 1/4 watt resistor is used for is the leds go closed circuit and fail it will burn out under load. It also gives the circuit better effieciency.


I'm going to attempt to clone your style of lamp with my next design.

 

[AussieJester]

G'day Paul :: yaaawn :: i gotz up early cane straight to ES to check for updates LoL...Looks like you have a nice lil garage there aint that on the large side for England? most the shows i see on TV they have pissey little garages you couldnt turn around in without first going outside LoL Are you out in the country are you? I spy some nice green grass in the back of one of the pics...haha does anyone else scan the background of pics after they looked at the subject matter i alwasy do im a nosey bastard alwasy keen to see what others have in their workshops LOL

This thread has had my attention for some time now, so much so, I went out and bought me an arc welder two days ago. I burnt the crap out of my eyes learning how to use the bloody thing. I did buy the safety gear but how the hell do you see through #10 glass. Id be much better at oxy brazing in any case.
.

While i love to encourage all things DIY i have to say your going to struggle welding bicycle tube with an arc welder buddy especially if your new to welding, and the welds need tobe spot on for obvious reasons you will be riding the bike at speed...arc welders IMO are prolly the most difficult welder to use well (i haven't botherd with one in nearly 20 years...). I use #12 lens myself thats two shades darker need to protect zee eyez buddy :: wink :: Braising would be the shot if you have the equipment? our ol mate Safe has made several decent bikes using this method. Alternatively small 130amp and up gasless migs are the next best thing, if you can afford though GET A TIG if you can oxy weld you can TIG weld they are very similar technique but instead of a flame its like holding a big mofo spark plug and a welding rod LoL Best of luck anywayz which ever way you though PRACTISE PRACTISE PRACTISE and then PRACTISE some more...tiz all about the puddle and penetration :: wink ::

 

[317537]

Yeah I meneded a trailer with some left over steel Ive got. Ive got plenty of that laying around. The first weld was funny and awefull but does the job and I got better as I proceeded. I even got to hold the stick away from the piece and started to do beads. I like the arc idea because its good with old bits of stained metal and I figure if I learn the hardest first I'll be better for it in the end. Tig and mig will be a breeze. Maybe Ill learn to use this thing an tack my bits together and hire out an oxy set to braze it solid to minimize the cost and inhance the process.

The welding the OP does is excellent IMHO.

 

[AussieJester]

Maybe Ill learn to use this thing an tack my bits together and hire out an oxy set to braze it solid to minimize the cost and inhance the process
The welding the OP does is excellent IMHO.

Thats what the boilermakers used to do when i worked in the construction industry back in the late 80's
their work would then be moved along for ME to weld up fully with the mig I was never much chop
with an arc welder myself, didn't use one enough i guess, can mig weld well though OP uses a gas mig
the lucky baaaastard im stuck with spatter galore gas lees LoL Little ARC welders have some poke great
on a farm for doing odd jobs, takes time to get a nice strong and GOOD looking weld, but thats what
grinders are for right hehee...


KiM

 

[Paul.............D]

Good Morning

Grinder 1 Paul 0



Gwhy
I will sit down tonight and think which dimensions i will need. There are no bikes as balanced as a trial bike, so the frame will be the same dimensions. It will be the same but narrow 3 inches at the bottom with quick release peddles so i can use it all the time, uk laws stink.

317537
Kim answers are the same as i would have said, your ride is looking good, the lights i made are just pvc waste pipe with 2 paint spray caps at the rear, to look at them people think they are bought ones .

Kim
You nosey sod Ha Ha i live in a urban area, when the house was built 6 years ago there was supposed to be another 2 house on the site and the council would not let them pull the redwood tree down so we ended up with quite a bit of land .



It was 40 foot high pissed off with it so i cut it down, the estate is named after that tree, oh what tree

More later loads to do

Paul

 

[317537]

The irony about solar panels being green, They dont work very well around trees do they!

Watch that wedding ring when working with machines.

 

[gwhy!]

Good Morning


Gwhy
I will sit down tonight and think which dimensions i will need. There are no bikes as balanced as a trial bike, so the frame will be the same dimensions. It will be the same but narrow 3 inches at the bottom with quick release peddles so i can use it all the time, uk laws stink.


Paul

Hi Paul,
woops sorry about the finger mate! Im not going to be around for a couple of days so I can't help you with any dimensions till I come back., but here are some specs for a beta ( which I think rides slightly better than a gasgas ) http://www.betatrialuk.com/content/view/138/

 

[Paul.............D]

Hi

Had a few hours on the trike today, the frame just needs the wishbone lugs welding. I have not decided yet wether to use delrin bushes or bearings, as i have some delrin but that means repairing the little lathe i have.

Things are not moving as fast as i would like, but that comes down to money. I will just have to look harder to see what i can find, i still need 2 shocks for the front at least then it would be a rolling chassis




Gwy
I had already found the Beta,i thought you would pick that one too
317537
I cut the tree down as there was no light in the living room

Paul

 

[AussieJester]

The irony about solar panels being green, They dont work very well around trees do they!

Watch that wedding ring when working with machines.

CRAZY too wear rings of any kind in the workshop IMO..here's what can happen
when they get caught-->

(WARNING VERY GRAPHICAL PICTURES IF YOUR SQUEAMISH I SUGGEST NOT CLICKING THE LINK...)

Wedding ring removal the painful way

KiM

 

[gtadmin]

Remember that the longer it is, the more certain front suspension angles will need to change. I don't remember what they're called, but certain things need to be in a line from the front wheel thru a pivoting part of the steering to the rear contact patch, I believe. This may not be applicable to yours, because you are not using "normal" steering, because it's a tilting trike.

I believe it is still applicable http://www.rqriley.com/suspensn.htm (and it's called Ackerman)

Cheers,
GT

 

[317537]

Ouch! That picture Jester. OMG.

Thats one way to get a divorce.

 

[Paul.............D]

Hi

I will be starting the build again as soon as i have rewound the transformer on my welder, as it went bang restoring a freinds FIAT X 19. Which was a basket case. All floor pans replaced and inner wheel arches and a lot more, finished the last bit and then bang AND smoke so it has held me up i have just found a huge transformer to strip the wire off so fingers crossed.


Paul

 

[docnjoj]

HI

Matt or Docnjoj or anyone else do you think the tadpole trike with a longer wheelbase would handle better, as i intend to try and get cranks in the centre of the wishbones. Because i think Matt said heavy braking could cause it to tip forward.

Paul

I just spotted your question and don't get to this area very often. The racers use a shorter trailing arm on their trikes for better handling and sharper cornering. The toureres are starting to use longer trailing arms for 26" rear wheels that support the standard gearing better and cheeper. I guess it depends what you want to do. The Tricruiser that i rebuilt many times used whatever rear triangle I could get on a suspension Goodwill bike. I used 20" rear wheels and no rear brakes. 2 discs on the fronts, of course. Good luck with your build, as a tilting trike helps solve one of my biggest standard tadpole problems: Crowned roads! I have tilted my seat about 10-15 degrees and that helps but there must be a better way!
otherDoc

 

[AussieJester]

HI

Good luck with your build, as a tilting trike helps solve one of my biggest standard tadpole problems: Crowned roads! I have tilted my seat about 10-15 degrees and that helps but there must be a better way!
otherDoc

Let me get this correct (im sure i havent) Doc..you have your seat on an angle permanently so you sit straight when riding on the roads that have a slop off to the right-left because of the hump in the middle? Surely not? I never even thought of this being an issue must suck when you come across a flat road with no crown? If so though, Couldn't you rig a threaded rod somehow possibly so you can adjust it 'on the fly' to match the roads angle Doc? Your a man with a pack of 'trained beavers' at your disposal would be a piece of cake to knock it up HECK you could even use a couple of electric motors, ACME threaded rod a DPDT momentary switch and have it all electrified!

Wheres the progress Paul? fixed that welder yet mate?

KiM

 

[Paul.............D]

Hi

Cheers docnjoj for the answers that i have been looking for.

Kim
The answer for the welder is yes, would i rewind one again no thanks, it had my head batterd 3 times i rewound it. On the 3rd attempt it was scrap 10 cups of coffee later brain wave plug the extension cable in I think the first 2 times i wound it to tight or the wire i stripped was bad in places, tomorrow i will weld a lot of scrap to see how it performs

I will be starting building 2 trials bike frames shortly one for me and one for another member. if i get this job i will need transport so the wife can have the car, and winter is here soooooo that means snow loads of fun. the canonndale will be ragged for the manatou forks and other bits. if this job comes off it takes 3 seconds from their door to a dirt track down to the sea, for dinner time fun.
Fingers and toes crossed

Paul

 

[StudEbiker]

Any progress??

 

[docnjoj]

Hey AJ! I just saw your post on the tilt and I have solved the problem 2 ways. Now I can jack the right front suspension to level the trike or...............................I ride in the middle of the road! No sweat!
otherdoc