What are those that have added weight in their cars (behind seats) using and where did you purchase at?
I have an 03 HD Ultra with sidecar and am going to ride my young girls in it now that the weather is getting nice.
What works best when adding some weight.
Thanks in advance for any input.
I have found it best to take my wife along. Barring that, a girl friend.
My first choice is a wahine, but if you need the weight and don't have one of those, try this.
Weld a flat piece of 1/4 inch steel plate under the sidecar frame outboard of the centerline and just aft of the seat.
get an old frying pan and melt 40 or 50 pounds of wheel weights in it. Skim off the steel scrap that floats to the top.
Let it cool, turn it over and knock out the large lead puck. drill a 3/8ths hole through the center and a 3/8ths hole through the steel plate.
bolt the two together using locktite on the nut.
It is heavy enough to stabilize and light enough that it is un noticed when a wahine is aboard.
I have used this on four rigs. I presently do not use any on either of my rigs.
Two or three 25# bags of lead shot in the trunk also work well.
L.
Means Phelonius has enough young ladies waiting for to get a ride!?. (What is a wahine?)
I damaged the fibreglass floor several times with surplus steel parts, so I start to think about something else, but I prefer some tools or spares to useless ballast. (useless means in this case without a second possible application, ballast in most cases is very useful and can save lives)
Lead shots will soon will loose its second use in Costa Rica too. They want to restrict maximum fire weapon possesion to 1 arm per person and ask for individual registration for all amo. So collectionists as my father (wrip) will not even be able to melt their own bullets.
Laurence, I would get myself quite into trouble if I'd listen to your advice.
I had to oat not to take any women into the rig who are not from the family. (The best of all wifes did not ask for the same with the solo KLR yet... I better stay quiet)
Sven, who has the last word in his house....
I have used (2) Reliance Fold-A-Carrier water containers which can add up to 80# with each gallon of water weighing 8.33#. The advantage here is that if you need the space, drain containers, then when dropping off passenger, fill up again. There are bladders available of various volumes, but they are more expensive and yes. more durable.
Outboard, behind the seat is a good location for an auxillary battery.
I agree with manofleix.
I use 5 gallon collapsible water jugs that i bought at WalMart for about $5.00 each.
I put about 4-5 gallons in 3 jugs, 2 behind the seat and 1 where the seat would be.
So far so good.
Jay
I use a 20 kilo barbell weight and a five gallon collapsable water container. That way I can easily reduce weight by 40 lbs if I add a passenger during the course of a ride (not an unusual occurence).
I once upon the time had a deflection sheet metal below the MZ sidecar. It was great for to ride in snow and in the forest. In winter usually it would collect a solid block of snow in between boat, frame, spare wheel and the deflection sheet. As I am tinkering at the moment mounting a new engine and engine protector, I start to play with the idea of an auxilliary tank inside the sidecar frame and make up again a deflector.
Here we have no snow, but for sure mud would get collected and become a solid ballast.
Not likely a goody, so how about 2 tanks: one for gasoline and one for water and catch up the surpluss space with polyurethane foam or styrofoam beeds?
Sven
A bag of sand at Lowes/Home depot is much cheaper than a bag of lead shot. Wrapping in a trash bag helps keep things contained.
If you go with sand, do as 1bmwmc sayz and wrap it. I carry a sand bag which is wrapped in plastic AND placed in a canvas boat bag to protect the plastic. Cleaning sand out of your tub is a chore. I learned that the hard way!!
I use sand ballast for road testing clients rigs at times. 100#s split up and plastic wrapped, placed into 2 fiber grocery totes with handles. One on the seat and one in the boot. Lots easier to place and lift out than one 100# sack, or the pickup traction sand tubes I used when I was younger and had no back problems.
At our old Shop we used spent sandblasting abrasive placed in 1 gallon plastic milk jugs. Even easier to work with. We'd put three or four in the sidecar and New pilots could remove them one at a time as they grew more proficient with their rigs. Sometimes we would find all of them later, sitting in front of the shop door with a thank you note.
Lonnie
I use 78 pounds of ballast in a black curly haired bag of dog skin. It jumps in and out under it's own power saving my back.
Hi Squid, good answer!
