Anyone know of a shop in Phoenix AZ good with Sidecar alignment?
I have a cozy rocket on a 57 Triumph T110 that needs to be set up properly.
S'not too hard to do your self.
Use a chalk string to make a straight line on the garage floor.
Roll the rig onto it so that the chalk line is the centerline of the bike.
Get a 6 foot or longer straight edge and bungee it tight to the hack wheel through the spokes.
If it has no spokes, c-clamp it to the wheel.
measure from the straight edge to the centerline just behind the rear wheel.
Now measure from the straight edge to the centerline just forward of the front wheel.
Adjust until the forward measurement is about 3/4 of an inch less than the rear.
This is a good starting point for toe in adjustment. It will nearly alway be best at somewhere between 1/2 inch and one inch. Final adjustment is attained by how the machine tracks on the road.
When you find the optimum, measure it again and write it down in your maintenence book.
Now start with the bike vertical and ride it. It will probably pull towards the hack.
Correct this by adjusting the bike to lean away from the hack until there is no pull in a straight line on level surface at about 50 to 55 mph with no side wind.
After experience is gained you may want to try different adjustments to your own flavor of riding style but this will at least get you a safe start.
BTW Make sure your steering bearings are in good shape and PROPERLY tightened first.
When all this is done you may want to add a steering damper. It is good life insurance to do so.
Tom Ridyard is in your area. He can help you.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
jay@dmcsidecars.com
Thanks, do you have any contact info for Tom?
Tom Ridyard phone # 602-224-9553 . Otherwise there is Logan's shop in Mesa. Doug
I agree best to learn to do it your self as you will have to learn to make adjustments for weight and road conditions. I used 2, 8 foot florescent tubes to do mine. Really would be nice to see pictures of your ride. I am restoring a 71 T100C which more then likely will but a hack on it one day do to my knees main reason I put a hack on my 02 HD ultra.
I made contact with Tom Ridyard to set it up. I'll learn from someone that knows what they are doing rather than trial and error.
Here is the pics of my rig. I think my plan is to remove the sidecar form my 57T110 and put it on my rigid (pic below) the T110 rides so nice without it, and with it it handles ...like a bike with a sidecar. The rigid already rides bad.
my rigid
One of the true pros here can give you better advice than mine, but I thinhk you'll have trouble mounting a car to your rigid. The rear part of the bike frame is so low that it will be difficult to get decent triangulation with your struts.
Great looking rig and bike! I got two friends of mine President and vice President of the Georgia Sidecar club help me the first time. Only problem was instead of toe in I had toe out. LOL. Calculated the wrong way with the measuring tape but help me lean a lot. I ended up fine tuning it and know what to do now and know what lean and toe does. Keep us posted.
OldSchool_IsCool - 11/7/2012 2:40 PM
One of the true pros here can give you better advice than mine, but I thinhk you'll have trouble mounting a car to your rigid. The rear part of the bike frame is so low that it will be difficult to get decent triangulation with your struts.
I do beleive he is only going to put a sidecar on his swing arm frame.
on the T110 the sidecar attaches both to the swing arm frame and up near the shock top. but the arm is adjustable and pivots. i "think" it will reach the lower frame. but I have emailed Tom to see what he thinks.
that sidecar is gonna look really cool on that old rigid frame bike. johnny
How about some more pics of that rigid ,nice job.
