Is there a quick easy way to measure trail. I have just put on my new unit leading link front end. Although it feels right where I have it set I would like to see where I am at.
First ride without the leading link went amazeingly well so thought I would share a couple more photos.
In that first photo the guard on the chair is not attached yet.
Still lots to do. Move hand brake lever, guard, cut hole in panier for rear upper strut, get chassis powdercoated, paint etc etc. Very happy with how it went together and thanks to internet road straight and true.
11" wheel lead, 3/4" toe in, and just guessed the lean out to our roads
some more
and more
Looks like a skookum setup.
Well triangulated and neatly done.
How does the (torselastic) suspension ride?
Lonnie
Hi Lonnie,
The suspension was just an experiment and actually works ok. It was rated at about 250kg from memory so thought it would work. Was simple to set up and we thought that if the wheel lead needed to be adjusted then it would be fairly simple. They apparently last pretty well but will have to wait and see on that. I am still pondering on an anti sway bar. I have mounted the boat on auto transmision mounts off a car and they seem to work well too so overall the ride is good from what the monkeys tell me and I can see.
The weight seems to have worked out well. I can lift the sidecar with effort and with some weight in there it's actually quite hard to get up, if at all. Bike pulls it easy and the front end now lifts under brakes which I like.
Tim
Are you going to put a shock on your set up, I'm wondering if the rubber wheel mount and the tire won't set up harmonics and fight each other while bouncing.
Hi Shadow, The suspension is used on a variety of trailer applications without shocks. It seems to work fine. I have a very rough driveway at the moment from floods and with a heavy guy it handles it. As I was building this from scratch I wanted something easy to set up and get working. If it gets sloppy down the track I will look at something else. I was also restricted by a law here reducing the overall width to 185cm. Once registerd I could look at something that may work better and use a bit more room up. I would like to put a sway bar on and this would link it with the bike shock but that will wait for a while. When I can sit down with a few mates and beers to scratch the head over it.
A photo showing how tight the width issue was.
Looks great Tim! Well thought out ...you guys did great. I like the transmission mount / body mount idea.
As far as measuring trail at this point I don't know of any easy way other than running a rod down parallel with the steering neck and using a framing square down from the axle etc. However, if you have a bud with the same bike as yours and know what the stock trail is you can measure straight back from his front axle to some reference point on the bike. Then measure from your front axle to the same reference point on your bike and see what the difference is. That'll work.
Please let us know how the torsion axle holds up. We have run a lot of torsion bars on rigs and have retrofitted quite a few on some too. These are not like yours in that the bar is linked to the standard type swingarm system. Point is that most do okay with no shock even though a shock is an improvment on some. Motorvation with their Formula II does well with no shock also. I think yours with the rubber torsion deal will do great with no shock. Keep us posted please.
Is that handle for a parking brake??
I attached a picture of one suggestion which is probably not necessary but thought you would like to see it.
Good job and thanks for sharing with us. If you ever come to the states look me up 🙂
Thanks Claude, The handle is for a hand brake, its law here to have a park brake. Great idea about trail, I have a mate with the same bike. The gusset will most certainly go on Claude as will a few more changes. The hand brake is fouling on the boat and we will have to cut and mount the guard.
Acouple of things its hard to see from the photos. A piece of plate was welded to the frame for the back upper mount and a bar goes right accross for the lower. Welded to the existing cross member and frame where its strengthend on both sides.
I will have to cut a hole in the back of the panier and in the bottom to allow the strut but liked it better this way as it put the strut right at the back. It will still look fine and be usable.
The front lower was a plate made to go where the stand goes and is held by all six bolts. This was the only concern I had as I wasnt sure how stong that plate was that we bolt up to.
All in all I'm very happy so far and will put up some more photos when its finished.
Tim
We will b elooking forward to the pictures Tim. Nice job.
