Hey fellow Hackers,
I had originally set my lean-out as recommended, I understood it was to compensate for crown in the road etc: but in the few months of riding my area, and a trip to Biketoberfest, I have noticed there is very little "crown" on the area roads....seems when they resurface them they tend to "flatten" the roads?? anyway, I "Tweaked" my settings one more time,
lean-out 0 degrees, toe-in 1 inch, and rig tracks good and is more comfortable to ride....maybe this might help anybody with a Texas S/C grafted to a Roadstar, living in the N.E. Florida area? ... ( mine`s probaly the only one!! )
While on the subject:: bear with this old mans ramblings!! .... the neighbor came over to visit and watched me wrestling with two 8 ft straight edges and blocks to support them....he said wait a minute...went home...came back with two small lazer levels...the bikes lean-out was already set at 0 degrees with magnetic level on rear disc...we leveled up front disc to 0 degrees....and then shot center of rear tire with one lazer and center of rear of sidecar tire with other lazer...took a measurement and then shot center of front tire and center of front side of sidecar tire....measured and set toe-in.....easy, quick, and I think more accurate using centerline of bike??
I figured somebody else has used this method?? but it was new to me and I never read it in a book!!
Ya`ll ride safe out there.......Mike...
Toe in measurements are made as (?) inches of toe-in difference at (X) number of feet. Your described method doesn't address the length you were using as an index point for your toe-in measurement.
With the straight edges the distance point might be 8', 10', or perhaps the wheelbase of the motorcycle. Therefore any toe-in angle number named would be only at the distance you had used.
You have two of the three parts of the equation accounted for. If it's just the length of the sidecar tire you have a bunch of toe-in.
Am I missing something here?
Lonnie
Hey Hack`n,
I did miss out some details,...did,nt want to be long-winded (cough)
cough!! ...I did take the 8ft straight edge and mark equal distances on bike side and sidecar side.....this was our benchmark to shoot lazers from, just as if I was using straight edges....(wifey did not care for me drawing lines on garage floor)
anyway, after the neighbor left I double checked with the 8ft straight edges...
came out the same...1 inch of toe-in?? and like I mentioned it rode good.....maybe later on I will try even less toe-in? save on tire wear?? so long as it don`t pull to the right......
this all is probably clear as mud????? Mike.......
1" toe-in at 8' with no leanout equals about 1/2" at 8' with 1+ degrees of motorcycle lean-out. You'll get ess tire wear using mimimal toe-in. Toe in corrects the travel on a flat surface to keep the bike and car from pulling away from each other.
The lean-out negates pulling due to road crown. Result with minimal toe-in usage and adequate lean0out is longer tire life with neutral steering.
Enjoy your rig this fall and winter. We're getting ready for the cold stuff here in the high desert.
Lonnie
how does changing lean out effect toe in when using an adjustable trim control, when i leaned the bike out a little more(fixed adjusters) i noticed the toe in went from 1 inch to 0 now add in the adjustment range of the trim (about 3-4 inches) what does this do to all this tripod geomatry(i spelled that right,try) man the roads suck here in alabama , my car bounces all over the place whew :O its easier to dodge the pot hole on 2 than 3 and lets not forget the panic stops couse there are still cages out there. my first hack was a 1500 wing with a champ escort it was a heavy weight and road like a caddy,my strom set up is 1/2 as much long stroke suspension is more of a hinder then a help , would a sway bar help this,have read up and saw sume pics. i under stand how they work on 4 wheels but this tripod thing has me scratchin i have up graded my front springs to 1.0 sonic single rate spring,should more be needed, i go 220# have not upgraded rear yet very pricy. i know alot of ? marc in bama roll tide
If the pivot (lower attachment) points on the bike are not the same height and distance from the centerline of the bike there will be at least slight changes in toe-in if the lean out is changed.
How much will depend upon the difference in the position of the two lower mounts. Whether one is higher or protrudes farther out from the bike. The more difference, the more change in toe-in.
Sidecar alignment is all about compromise since the ideals are only there at rest. When moving, the road surface, direction of travel and suspension create a constant variable.
Lonnie
it seems like a hack with no suspension and a sprung car like harleys would be a better set up becouse the loads on the side car would not effect the ride hight of the car and or the lean out of the bike? i have found that pitch and yaw effects this thing like a small boat on rough water lol i ride my hack everyday so i stay tuned in to how it rides. some times it fells like the car rides high on its suspension after a correction of right left right then it will settle down. so in my mind a non suspended car would follow the road more consistintly(let the passenger do all the bouncing around) what about hack with a rigid axle , a suspended body, like a harley, but then add a adjustable camber control so u can compensate for road crown and help in the turns. i have never ridin a harley hack so i am nnot sure how thay handle. am i lost on this , just wondering?
The Harley car chassis, being usprung transfers more feedback from the sidecar than a sprung chassis, bumps and such.
The sprung body rocks around some and this will also affect the handling in the tight stuff (Think PCH south of Monterey).
A sprung chassis will follow the road better than an unsprung one. (Ever ride a hardtail bike?)
Lonnie
point made
