Back on solid ground. The alignment is very neutral to start out with, .2 degrees of + camber at the side wheel, .1 degree of lean out, toe is set the same amount as the first chassis, and I'm using the center lead position first.
Still need to build the new front strut, weld the nuts to the threaded rods, build an extension harness for the hack tail/brake light, and some other stuff.
Closer.
Looking good Chris! 😎
The size fits the bike really well. Substantial, but doesn't overpower the looks of the bike. Any thoughts towards how you'll dress the platform? Or will you just keep it bare frame?
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Looking good Chris! 😎
The size fits the bike really well. Substantial, but doesn't overpower the looks of the bike. Any thoughts towards how you'll dress the platform? Or will you just keep it bare frame?
I have gotten used to the size of this one. The bike is actually pretty small, so the 40 inch track width seems to have worked out.
Even though with the hack light, this thing has six led arrays on the rear, the big empty spot between the bike and the side wheel may not be visible from behind to someone in one of those tank sized pickups. So a raised cargo platform of some sort on the rear half is being planned now.
Yo, Hardtail...Chris Murphy, give some thought to adding HyperLites to the sidecar, either on the actual frame rail, or possibly the fender, as they are all LED lights, draw very little from the bike, and are VERY bright.
Right now I am doing the full wiring and lighting installation on my Africa Twin w/Ural sidecar rig. 100% of all lights being added to the sidecar are all HyperLites, and all the wiring coming off the bike are all Plug 'n Play wiring harnesses from Eastern beaver, which means that no wires on the OEM harness on the bike have been tapped into, , no cutting, etc. The bikes' wiring harness is 100% intact, just Plug 'n Play connections to allow me to wire up the HyperLites on the sidecar.
And, unlike some so-called hominids, I am NOT running wiring, or lights, out to the sidecar FENDER. This rig will be a 50/50 use rig...50% on road, and 50% offroad, so why put wiring and lights on the sidecar FENDER that may scrape a rock, brush up against a tree, have to bump into a Grizzly Bear, etc. So all wiring and HyperLites will be attached to the Ural steel tub body.
Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort
Welded the nuts to the threaded rods, after a soak in cleaning vinegar to remove the zinc coating first. Installed the locking flange nuts on the opposite side with an impact as a weld test, all good.
Working on the front strut now, which will be a truss built from three pieces of .120 wall DOM. This will give more room for my Fred Flintstone sized right foot.
Before building this I found that info on building a tubless rigid hack for a rigid framed bike is scarce. The first place I looked was the giant collection of car and bike magazines that I started hanging on to in the late sixties. Mostly show rigs, and various types of racing rigs. But I was able to pull some ideas from these.
Also, since my memory is rapidly riding off into the sunset, this is the crude way I archive interesting articles and features into my desk top confuser. Even captured a couple ads from an alma mater from around the time I attended.
Desk top confuser. 
Pretty sure if we went back to slide rulers,
I for one would be more satisfied....
I have enjoyed seeing your work happening.
Trouble is there's now a niggling idea in the back of my mind about a light hardtail 650 single rig.
Most likely way for it to happen here is if I find a cheap pommie vintage hardtail frame with girder forks.
Meanwhile there's enough stuff happening so I'll just watch yours.
Thanks for sharing.
Always have a plan B (situational awareness). The plan was to have a third tube triangulate the new front strut, but the new notcher won't do something so short, so a 1/4 inch gusset it will be. Now a PSA, I don't use paper products to make patterns. I use very thin and stiff styrene sheet. Cuts with scissors, takes center and transfer punch marks well, and drills perfectly with a step drill. The best part is the ability to make a pattern from two pieces. This took five minutes today, (mill scale will be sanded off before I mark for real). I used the same method when I built the foot controls to locate the left footpeg hole.
Another item about the new front strut. I'm using spherical rod ends for the struts which allow for misalignment at the mounting points. This keeps the struts adjustable for length and able to triangulate down to the chassis. But even with everything locked down, there will still be movement in the bearings, which means nothing if the strut is straight.
The dog leg shape of the new strut means that movement needs to be eliminated. I kept it simple and adjustable with two clamps from Jagg bolted together, locking the strut to the chassis. Jagg uses these to mount their oil coolers, but I have found many other uses for them over the years. Again, just mock up hardware here.
"I know what I want this part to do, so I make the part to do what I want". Sand, cut, sand, fit, jig, tack, install. Foot clears, pedal clears, does its intended job. Yahtzee. Final welds tomorrow.
Chris Hardtail Murphy @not-bob, your front tire is low on air.
Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort
Chris Hardtail Murphy @not-bob, your front tire is low on air.
Only at the bottom though. But I did pull this out of its hiding place a couple days ago, and staged it near the 20 amp outlet. Ready to do an inflation marathon on my 52 yr. old pick up and all tires in the garage, followed by blowing a thick layer of the best agricultural dust in the world off of the poor bike.
Threw a whole lot of 10 ft. TIG welds on the strut today. It isn't pretty, but it won't break, While experts told me I definitely don't have OCD, What I do have, will make me paint the front strut to match the rear strut.
Also installed the Gas Box fender. That's four 3/8" bolts with flat washers, lock washers, and Loctite. It's about 1/8" thick. It could easily decapitate a Prius if it was to leave unexpectedly. Insurance.
I'll see you on the 10ft and raise it to 15....
That is an unusual looking beasties there.
If I tried similar here it be pulled over on site and declared unroadworthy.
Do not pass go.
A totally unreasonable attitude I know.
Glad you can do it though.