Speedy & The Spyder (A lightweight sporty build)

Suspension Day:
Going to paint all the links and hub carrier black. Thinking satin instead of gloss. Disassembled everything, and there are some enhancements that will get done during the reassembly.

Getting parts ready for paint.

In order to properly set up the suspension, shock travel and vertical positioning is pretty important. This shock doesn't use Heim joints, or rubber/poly bushings. Alignment is really critical to mitigate stiction, and wear.
Couldn't find the specs on the shock, so the spring was removed to measure stroke. Found the shock mounting orientation matters. If mounted in the Upside Down position (USD) the shock will cavitate at the top of the stroke.

I'm kind of excited about what was found out on the shock. I think it will require new mounts. If so, I'm going to take advantage of creating a new upper mount that allows both mounting points be through the metal embedded in the body. Currently only the bottom bolt goes through the metal.
What this will allow is using flat head bolts through the tub. That eliminates the bolt and nut inside the tub. So the side trim panel can fit tight to the contour of the tub side.
Bolts circled in green are what will get replaced with flat face fasteners, same as the three fasteners above that hold the fender in place.

Scott,  we have received a couple written questions from your viewing audience,  they are....in no particular order:

In picture  #3 above, what is your intended use of the air shock ?

In picture #4 above,  why is your 8 year old little girl neighbor wearing only rubber thongs on her feet, in a shop with dangerous materials around  ?

Exclamation: Did you think we would not SEE those tiny little toes, with toenail polish on them, peeking out of that rubber thong ?

Hi Miles, 

Can't wait to read about your latest European Vacation!  🤩 

Motorvation made this an option for load leveling.  Same plan here.  With this option the coil over shock was moved to the web of the hub assembly.  The air shock was installed where the coil over would normally be.  Since the plan is to install an air compressor, a small tank and electric solenoids will be added with a 4 pole switch on the bike to make adjustments on the fly.  

That my friend and neighbor will step foot in the garage, I'm not going to argue.  I remember as a teenager, working in the garage on the latest drag car, or track car with all our girl friends hanging out.  My how times change.  lol   I'll make sure to let her know you marveled at her youth. 

One of the enhancements that will get done is to shape the lower shock mount correctly to fit the web.  Motorvation felt a flat shock mount attached to a sculpted web was okay.  I can't disagree, since there are no reported failures.  But it doesn't look very nice.  The shape is a lazy S.  Debating on whether to do a multi-piece backbone plate, or heat and bend up a piece.  Need a cup or two of coffee to clear the cobwebs. 

Mulling over what to do about the lower shock mount that bolts to the hub.  Definitely an afterthought on Motorvation's side of things.  Not sure how the original designer would feel about what was done.  Pretty "hack".  To be fair, and as stated previously, the original mount lasted with no signs of possible failure for over 10,000 miles (if I understand the original owner's info correctly).  I'm just not comfortable putting my name to that.  So it will get enhanced, one way or another.  

* ETA:  after a couple cups of coffee to ruminate over this,  I started thinking about using a two part metal epoxy to build up the area.  Learned this is something done in the aerospace industry.  They call it "liquid shim".   Did a bit of research, and found a few choices.  Now to see if any of them are available locally. *

In any case, this is what will be dealt with.  Where the shock mount mates to the hub, is pretty curvy. The lower hole is right at the edge of the skeleton. 

Think it will start with a piece of 1/4" plate.  That thickness provides plenty of meat to thin out as needed.  Like around the bottom corner where the hole is.  I don't currently have a press, or oxy/acet torches.  So I might try cutting separate pieces, shaping each piece then weld them together to create the back plate.  

Oh yeah, found out this tub was built with an aluminum structure embedded into the fiberglass.  That matches the brochure.  I'm guessing Motorvation switched to using steel at a later date (total WAG on my part).  I'm looking forward to see what this sidecar weighs.  Paws crossed it is less than the reported 190 lbs. 

@scott-h JB Weld "Steel Stick" is your friend!  linky

@scott-h JB Weld "Steel Stick" is your friend!  linky

It must have been worth repeating   

Posted by: @ben-franklin

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@scott-h JB Weld "Steel Stick" is your friend!  linky

Great minds? 🍻 

Couldn't find the 3M liquid shim epoxy, but can always find JB Weld products in a rural community.  😎 

I'm feeling better now.  Funny how something so trivial can really chafe my hide.  Motorvation should have done this during the build. Set the original bracket in place to make sure the fillet was correct.  After lunch the holes can get re-drilled, then it will be time to start hanging stuff up to paint. 

New struts came in yesterday Speedway Motors has a good selection and pricing. Ended up getting three different lengths, with the thought to minimize the amount of threads showing for a cleaner look.
 
Also painted the suspension links. They are pretty pitted from corrosion.  The lower longitudinal link is also bent up.  Will replace them all with new when the rig is stripped down for paint. The Heims are all new (previous owner bought them). So just the tubes need replacement.

DOM tubes showed up today.  😀  

Ordered from WFO Concepts, which is a really great custom 4WD shop out of Northern California.  I've purchased product from them before.  Always had great service, and great pricing.   Notice how clean the cuts are, and how they finish the edges.  Metal supply shops normally just chop the pieces with pretty big variances in length.  These tubes are spot on the 12" each, as ordered. 

I'm going to have to get more bolts.  Motorvation didn't use the correct bolts for the hub.  Good example of what happens when the bolt grip is too short.  Thankfully this lug doesn't need to be drilled and sleeved, but it is close.  The threads of the bolt cut into the aluminum.  Wouldn't have happened if they used the right product.

MX des Nations is this weekend.  Not sure how much more work will get done.  Priorities, priorities.  😉 

Touring Bike October 1978 has a four page write up of Tom Pederson (Motorvation Engineering owner at the time), installing the Spyder T-1 on a Kawasaki KZ1000.  Tonight's reading exercise.  😎   Different style lower struts, but otherwise pretty much the same rig I have, with the air shock.  

Mean time, a new lower coil over shock mount is getting fabricated that will lower the shock about 1-1/2".  That allows lowering the upper shock mount.  That means I can drill and countersink the final hole in the tub to run the flat face fasteners.  🤩  

Round 2 of bolt changing.  Getting as close as possible to proper grip lengths, but it's still going to require one more try.  Thinking a web order through Fastenal.  All five bolts required shortening, but at least the grip on each goes clear through the aluminum hub.  So that will get by until the tub is stripped for paint. 

Interesting article.  More about the thoughts of a sidecar, and dealing with riders/non-riders who question a sidecar.  Some good pictures though.  Learned the Air Shock was used in place of a coil over on the rig in the article.  Not sure if two shocks was another option, or specifically ordered for this rig.  Or installed at a later time (which would explain the poor implementation).  

Getting close.  😎 Need to shorten the two top shock mount bolts, add some medium strength thread lock to the lower link bolts, check/balance the sidecar wheel.  Then it will be time to start the mating process.  Have an emergency call in to David Attenborough to find out if there is any special mating calls, or nesting materials required for a Triumph/Spyder mating ritual.  Just in case he doesn't return the call, I've got Spike Jones ready to spin up on the Victrola.  😉

Took quite a bit of work to get things right.  The way the coil over shock was setup it was in a bind, causing stiction.  I used the opportunity to lower the shock 1-1/2" with a new lower mount.  Along with lowering the shock via the new bottom mount, it was moved in about 5/8".  

Lowering the coil over shock allowed remounting the upper bracket an inch and a half lower, so now both bolts go through the reinforced portion of the tub.  Also able to countersink the holes and use flat face fasteners.   The tub is fairly narrow, so that extra inch could be the difference of Jenifer Lopez being able to get in and out, or having to call the fire department to pry her back out.  😮 

In order to get the lower mount properly aligned for a correct shock stroke, it required a spacer added to the front lateral link.  Interestingly that now makes the lateral links parallel with each other.  I might put all the measurements into my four link calculator on a snowy winter day.  Air shock lower bushing is about 1/4" short inside the polyurethane, so I added a spacer to properly locate the shock without it squishing into the Heim joint. 

Any of the Heim joints that aren't captured, have a safety washer, so that if the socket comes off the ball, the link can't fall off.   Overall happy with how this is coming out.  

Scott, just a thought....make sure that the use of the two very different shocks are not fighting each other. 

One  being a coil over shock, and the other being an air shock, they could be opposing one another in their actual actions.

Just check it out. 

Posted by: @miles-ladue

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Scott, just a thought....make sure that the use of the two very different shocks are not fighting each other. 

One  being a coil over shock, and the other being an air shock, they could be opposing one another in their actual actions.

Just check it out. 

That's a great point Miles.  

For the spring side of things, the air shock needs a bit of positive air pressure, or it wants to retract (fighting the coil spring, as you noted).  Since I don't have an air line connected, what I've done for startup is to fully extend the stroke with the air tight cap off. Then installed the cap.  When the shock is compressed to mounting length, it has a slight positive pressure (like a gas charged shock).  If that isn't sufficient for the test rides, I'll install a short line with a schrader valve in the fender (as originally equipped).   

The original coil over shock that came with the sidecar had a progressive spring.  This new shock is a straight rate 250 lbs/in spring.  Will see how the static and loaded sag works out. 

Both shocks have compression and rebound damping designed to support the "spring" portion.  I've run them through the stroke to get an idea of the damping effect in combination.  For initial start-up I've decided to set the coil over shock rebound damping adjustment to full soft.  That adjustment will also effect compression.  The air shock damping is designed for a spring rate that holds up a corner of a car.  Damping seems a bit heavy for a light sidecar.  

If the Triumph/Spyder works out well, I'm going to figure out a different direction to go for the future.