Dauntlessmotors Sidecar Frame Modification Kit?

This format won't allow an attachment with a reply but if you e-mail me at nwsidecar@aol.com I will send pix of the modification on the earlier URAL.

Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars

Be careful dealing with Dauntless. There are a lot of folks on this forum who have had countless problems with this company.

Don't know why anyone should have problems with Dauntless, I found them quite helpful for the most part. The only thing I have a problem with, is they seem to be a bit vague on the technical details on their mounting kit modifications. Take into consideration, that they are in the business of making and installing sidecars mounting kits, so I guess they are a little relunctant to help the DIY guys.

The kit I received appears to be of good quality, the mounting clamps and all are a lot heavier than some I have seen, so as far as quality of the merchandise I have received and the help they have offered so far, I have no complaints. It's just to bad I live so far away, they would have welded up the modified mount for pennies compaired to what a professional welder around here wants. Some of them must think they are the Rembrants of welders, $200 to $300 dollars to weld up a mount already set up for them is a bit too much.

By the way, Dauntless even sent me new instruction on the install and modification needed when I lost my original set, over this winter. So I guess, count me as the lucky one, I have no beef with Dauntless, Just needed my hand held for a little bit. LoL LoL

Originally written by Rockhound Rider on 4/5/2007 4:21 PM

Don't know why anyone should have problems with Dauntless, I found them quite helpful for the most part. The only thing I have a problem with, is they seem to be a bit vague on the technical details on their mounting kit modifications. Take into consideration, that they are in the business of making and installing sidecars mounting kits, so I guess they are a little relunctant to help the DIY guys.

The kit I received appears to be of good quality, the mounting clamps and all are a lot heavier than some I have seen, so as far as quality of the merchandise I have received and the help they have offered so far, I have no complaints. It's just to bad I live so far away, they would have welded up the modified mount for pennies compaired to what a professional welder around here wants. Some of them must think they are the Rembrants of welders, $200 to $300 dollars to weld up a mount already set up for them is a bit too much.

By the way, Dauntless even sent me new instruction on the install and modification needed when I lost my original set, over this winter. So I guess, count me as the lucky one, I have no beef with Dauntless, Just needed my hand held for a little bit. LoL LoL

It's good you're able to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you go back and look at some of the "I hate Dauntless" threads you'll determine quite accurately that for every person who had a problem, there are 40 or 50 who have only praise.
I've yet to find a company anywhere who hasn't made a mistake or had something fail. It doesn't automatically make the entire company bad or crooked. I've done the modification you are needing on two sidecars, both with Dauntless parts and assistance. I also have one of their subframes on my Valkyrie. I admit I had a problem with it, even called Jay some names under my breath. Then my wife suggested I read the instructions that came with it. :0) After I read the instructions and followed them to the letter my problem mysteriously disappeared.

When you cut the front mount, don't just cut it off straight. Try to follow the red line on the photo and you'll end up with a much easier weld later. Next, slide the mount through the clamp and into the frame to make your tack welds. It makes it all line up much easier later. There is an advantage to making a lot of mistakes on the first sidecar. The second one goes much nicer.

I like to weld a triangular shaped plate over the whole connection once done. It must be put on in such a way as to still allow the clamping function of the tube to work but I feel it is much stronger than just butt welding the parts together. It also cleans up the whole area and if you want to can be made to mount a running light or even a damper if desired. Also be carful of weld pentration as too much will prevent the tube from goining into the other tube as it should.
We have als modified the way the part provided was instaleld from horizontal to vertical on a couple of rigs with good results. The conventinal way as shown in Mike's picture does allow more overall adjustment thought.
Mike, what the heck is that little u bolt holding? lol

That's actualy a 2 inch exhaust clamp. It supports the front of my trailer hitch. Originally I used a length of square tubing that starts there and ends about 6 inches behind the body as a Mock-up for the hitch. It worked so well I just added a brace going out to the frame just behind the sidecar wheel. It gave me lots of places for bungee cord hooks. I don't remember the exact size, but a 1 2/4 reciever hitch slides right in to it. I'll pull it out and take more photos if you want.
I also had an email about the hose clamp. This one is holding my ride bell, but it and a twin on the back, make it easy for me to see if something has worked loose and pulled apart. Much easier than a spot of paint.

SC Mike:

Like I've been know to say a time or two, a good photo is worth more than all the written instructions on this subject or at least a well drawn mechanical drawing of the same.

Some one once sent me a complete photo diary of the mount positions on a late model Goldwing, but when I had to go offline for a period, they didn't transfer with my new Yahoo install program. It left me pretty much in the dark and had to ask for the same information once again. I lost all my contacts and now I have to make new ones and try to find/locate the old ones, boy what a pain. Not the new ones, just trying to remember the old ones, my memory isn't what it used to be or should be at my age. LoL LoL

Thanks to everyone, clubs or groups like this are the best, when it comes to getting the information you need for your motorcycle sidecar project.

Hope I can make it to one of the Rally's this summer, hate to spend another one sitting on the sideline only crying over those who do get to take their rigs to one.

I hope it's wormer today than yesterday, didn't live up to the weatherman's predictions, but we're supposed to get into the 80's this weekend, so should be a go for some cutting and mock up in preporation for my hopefully re-found welding abilities.

Thanks again all,

Originally written by Rockhound Rider on 4/6/2007 9:00 AM<BR><BR>SC

we're supposed to get into the 80's this weekend, so should be a go for some cutting and mock up in preporation for my hopefully re-found welding abilities.

Thanks again all,

Rockhound,
just thinking out loud here reading what you and others have to say about your "re-found welding abilities"

BEFORE you go to town with the welding part of the project grab some pieces of similar material should you have some around and practice on that first to get yourself "tuned in"IF you are unsure of it find a welding shop that is capable of what you want done........better safe than sorry or worse if ya know what I mean

As often as I get to weld, I always practice before I actually do any finish work, like what needs to be done on my sidecar frame. I would like to take it to a professional, but even if I do the mockup for them, they are asking between $200 and $300 dollars to do the work. For that kind of money, I can practive quite a bit, buying scrap tubing, wire for my wire feed welder and even gas for fit, to lessen the slag buildup on the weld.

Anyway, time to get outside and do some work or I'll never get this proget done.

Well the mount modification is underway, I was able to cut off the old mount before it started to rain, just some small showers, so I will finish my final cuts tomarrow, Sunday. I should have the sidecar mock up ready for welding by then and then it will be time to drag out the welder and start practicing. I hope I still have enough strength left in these old handicaped muscles, not to mention the pain my joints are going to suffer when I do move the welder from where it is stored, out to the work area. I may have to go with just the flux wire and forget the gas, the argon gas doesn't work well outside, expectially if their is any type of breeze. At least I think it is argon, better check that out, so I don't blow myself up. LoL

Maybe I better just install the mounts on the motorcycle in preperation of when the sidecar is ready, just play it by ear I guess, as long as the rain stays away, even though we could use some more snow pack on the moutains and rain down here in the Vally.

With Rally and Meets starting in May, I better get busy and get things done.

Thanks again to everyone with comments, instructions, and photos, it is greatly appreciated.

Boy oh boy, I didn't realize how much my memory has suffered during the past years, dealing with and the cause of my disabilities. It has taken me some time going through three small storage sheds and several boxes to find my welding equiptment and supplies. None, as it turned out, was in the same box and/or place.
Now that I have everything in one place and the weather appears to be cooperating, plus I also wired up a 220v plug source, I can finally get down to the welding up of my sidecar mount modification.
Is their any last words of advice and/or wisdom, that may be of help, before I start welding and then attaching the mounting hardware to my 81 Goldwing 1100 I's frame? Just thought I'd ask.

Rockhound wrote:
>>>Is their any last words of advice and/or wisdom, that may be of help, before I start welding and then attaching the mounting hardware to my 81 Goldwing 1100 I's frame? Just thought I'd ask.<<<

Jim,
We are talking about welding the dauntless piece to your SIDECAR frame right?
The above sounds like you are welding to your bike frame...if that is so then it is another story.

Originally written by claude #3563 on 5/6/2007 7:44 AM

Rockhound wrote:
>>>Is their any last words of advice and/or wisdom, that may be of help, before I start welding and then attaching the mounting hardware to my 81 Goldwing 1100 I's frame? Just thought I'd ask.<<<

Jim,
We are talking about welding the dauntless piece to your SIDECAR frame right?
The above sounds like you are welding to your bike frame...if that is so then it is another story.

I am talking about welding the Dauntless modifying piece to my sidecar frame, just like the photo above. I doubt I would weld the mounting hardware directly to my motorcycles frame, at least not before discussing pros and cons and how best to reinforce the frame to counter any stress related force and/or weakening from the welding process, but I have no intention of doing it now or in the forseeable future.
I will be following the same rules when welding the modifying part to my sidecar frame. Once the part is welded to the sidecar frame, I will be welding in a tubular gusset with triangular flat stock gussets, top and bottom, just as the photo shows above.

Just as I have found with this welding project, the handicaps promoted by my disabilities, has made one thing abondently clear. I will have to severely scale back my riding plans, until I have had time to determine my physical capabilities and what support I will have while on the road.
Most importantly, available locations to replinish my portable Oxygen supplies, at least until I can find a unit, that runs on 12v, to replinish them myself. The other important factor, will be finding an insurance company that provides both road service and/or towing to a repair shop that can repair my 81 Goldwing. Not to the nearest garage or motorcycle shop, but one that can do the neaded repairs and knows what they are doing, hopefully.

Well I better get busy or I will never get anything done. LoL