Quote from Quick_Cal on November 26, 2022, 3:49 pm

Quote from DRONE on November 26, 2022, 3:08 pm

That dogleg is frozen?  Well, then, yes, definitely hit it with PB Blaster.  The advice "not to lube" the clamp joints in your brackets is of course 100% correct, but out of context.  The correct advice is don't lube them during or after assembly.

You need to be able to adjust that dogleg.  Maybe give the PBB a day to penetrate.  Disassemble the dogleg, sand out all the rust, then use some rust converter liquid on the metal pores to really get the rust out.  Then sand rough/smooth (150 grit) before degreasing and reassembly. 

Once you've done that it should be pretty easy to get that heim joint aligned.

You might also want to start thinking about a rattle can for those parts.  I like matte black wheel paint or caliper paint because it's tough and easy to touch up.  You really don't want your subframe, struts or mounts getting rusty.

 

The one that is frozen is the one going into the sidecar frame. Not the one that attaches to the bike.

I'm trying to get my chemo brain to think of if rotating the one going into the sidecar will it change the angle? I think it will change the lead and height of the frame?

All the other mounting points point straight out. This is the only one that is at an angle. I sure would like to see another mount angled like this,,,lol. Won't it still point straight in?

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 26, 2022, 4:01 pm

Quote from DRONE on November 26, 2022, 3:08 pm

 

You might also want to start thinking about a rattle can for those parts.  I like matte black wheel paint or caliper paint because it's tough and easy to touch up.  You really don't want your subframe, struts or mounts getting rusty.

 

Ya. The whole frame needs some attention. I was going to wire brush the rust off and use rust converter on it. The spray paint. But I can't do that in my garage and now it's too cold outside. So that part will have to wait. Actually. When I took the body off and tipped the frame up water came running out of it,,,,lol. Also, when I took a strut apart there was A LOT  of water in it.

Half of the rubber stripping between the body and frame is missing. I'm not sure exactly what to use. Florida sidecar sells some but they want $40. Seems like it could be had cheaper. What are you guys using?

Quote from DRONE on November 26, 2022, 5:10 pm

I get what you mean about the chemo brain but you don't need to be able to imagine it.  You can simply DO it!

The dogleg has TWO joints in it -- see my pic attached.  Disassemble and clean up BOTH of those tube clamp joints.  Then use a floor jack to prop up the sidecar approximately where you want it, then put the dogleg back on but assembled nice and loose so that the tubes can slide easy in and out of those clamps.  When you get to that point, wiggle and waggle the loose dogleg parts until you have the heim lined up where you want it.  You might need for the front lower mount to also be loose while doing this.  Once the heim is lined up then tighten the two clamps. And the front mount.  Now remove the floor jack.

All the clamps should be pretty close at that point.  Measure your toe-in and use the clamps closest to the sidecar to adjust your toe-in.  (I prefer to make my front mount as short as possible but I don't know if that's what most do or not.) Use the upper struts of course to adjust your lean out.

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 26, 2022, 5:29 pm

Quote from DRONE on November 26, 2022, 5:10 pm

I get what you mean about the chemo brain but you don't need to be able to imagine it.  You can simply DO it!

The dogleg has TWO joints in it -- see my pic attached.  Disassemble and clean up BOTH of those tube clamp joints.  Then use a floor jack to prop up the sidecar approximately where you want it, then put the dogleg back on but assembled nice and loose so that the tubes can slide easy in and out of those clamps.  When you get to that point, wiggle and waggle the loose dogleg parts until you have the heim lined up where you want it.  You might need for the front lower mount to also be loose while doing this.  Once the heim is lined up then tighten the two clamps. And the front clamp.  Now remove the floor jack.

All the clamps should be pretty close at that point.  Measure your toe-in and use the clamps closest to the sidecar to adjust your toe-in.  (I prefer to make my front mount as short as possible but I don't know if that's what most door not.) Use the upper struts of course to adjust your lean out.

Sounds like the old Nike commercial. Just do it,,,lol.

In my last pic it shows that rear heim joint adjusted way out. I didn't like doing that at all. But I had to to get to 57'' out of the recommended 58''. Of course if I can get that joint loose I should be able to move it out.

I might have to take everything loose again so I can turn the frame side ways. Then I can put a board on the end of the clam and get a good hit on it. But I'll try a pipe wrench first.

Should I maybe try some heat on it too?

 

 

 

Quote from DRONE on November 26, 2022, 8:06 pm

Don't worry about the track width.  Really doesn't matter.  55, 56, 57, 58 -- doesn't matter.  Anybody else reading this thread?  Doesn't matter, right?

Yes, you should try to get everything to fit with the heim screwed in as much as possible.  It's not that the shaft on the heim is weak -- it's because you want most of the threads to be engaged.  Do you know how long that heim is?  2"?  4"?  Need to know.  I'd screw it out, then measure the depth of the threads INSIDE the bracket.  That way you'll know how far you need to screw in the heim for full thread engagement.

As for heat, you may have to go there but I'd start with a long PB Blaster soak.  I'd avoid the pipe wrench because it might deform the tube.  Not to mention all the teeth marks.  Once you remove those 4 bolts off of the two clamps then I expect a rubber mallet or dead blow hammer will loosen things up.

Quote from smitty901 on November 27, 2022, 6:16 am

 Rather than a touch to heat things up, an adorable electric heat gun often works. Just takes a bit more time. 

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 28, 2022, 5:32 pm

Well I got bad news, and I got good news.

So the bad news is I had all ready put a pipe wrench on the stuck tube clamp BEFORE  Drone told me not to,,,,lol.  And yes I smashed the tube. At that point I knew I would never trust it. I found a NOS one on ebay for $28 and ordered it immediately knowing I was about to do some damage to this one.

I had all ready started soaking it with pb.      

I tried hitting the head of it with a baby sledge hammer. It didn't budge. So I cut the head of just knowing I can get a good straight hit on it the tube and it will move. Nope. Didn't happen. I tried my propane torch. Nadda.

So I found a black iron pipe fitting that was the right size to go in the pipe. It had a hex head on it allowing me to put a big socket on it.  I drilled a hole in it and put a bolt through it.  I then heated, sprayed, beat, and rocked it back and forth with my cordless impact for 2 days. It was not moving.

So today I took it to a friends shop who has a cutting torch. After heating it up quite a bit and then turning it at the same time with the impact it finally broke free. And yes. I was at least smart enough to check the front one. It was stuck too. So it got some heat on it as well.

I didn't see any rust in there. What the heck was causing these things to be so stuck,,,lol.

As I said before. My chemo brain couldn't see how rotating the other clamp would change the angle that much. So I couldn't wait to try it out. All I can say is oh boy, much joy!!

Now I get to start all over again once the new part gets here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote from smitty901 on November 29, 2022, 8:30 am

Take your time . Get the frame set close to where it should be. Make sure your bike is secure yo it can not tip over.

 

 

Quote from DRONE on November 29, 2022, 3:41 pm

Never say die! Sorry you had to go through all that but I'm sure the next time around everything will go smoother.

 

Sometimes it's a fine line between breaking loose a stubborn part and just breaking it.  

Spoken by a serial destructor.

 

Quote from Thane Lewis on November 29, 2022, 9:59 pm

Quote from DRONE on November 29, 2022, 3:41 pm

Sometimes it's a fine line between breaking loose a stubborn part and just breaking it.  

Spoken by a serial destructor.

 

<img alt="" data-src="https://tenor.com/bzSBJ.gif" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img src="https://tenor.com/bzSBJ.gif" alt="" />

Hi, my name is Thane and I am a serial destructor.

Quote from DirtyDR on November 30, 2022, 6:39 am

I have a copy of the Friendship I and II installation manual from California sidecar if you would like it. There are nine pages but I just cannot get them to load up here. PM me an email address and I will send them to you. I will send them to anyone that can get them to post up here, 35 years in IT and this place gets me so frustrated at times.

 

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 30, 2022, 8:18 am

Quote from DirtyDR on November 30, 2022, 6:39 am

I have a copy of the Friendship I and II installation manual from California sidecar if you would like it. There are nine pages but I just cannot get them to load up here. PM me an email address and I will send them to you. I will send them to anyone that can get them to post up here, 35 years in IT and this place gets me so frustrated at times.

 

Hey that's fantastic. Thank You very much. PM on the way.

 

Quote from DirtyDR on November 30, 2022, 9:28 am

I sent you a .zip file with all of the pages in it.

Dana

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 30, 2022, 10:05 am

Quote from DirtyDR on November 30, 2022, 9:28 am

I sent you a .zip file with all of the pages in it.

Dana

Got it!! Thanks.

 

Something strange about the pm's. I see where you sent the first one. But there's nothing there. I can then see everything I wrote. Then I see that you replied, and can read it in the email notification. But can not read it on the forum,,,lol.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 30, 2022, 10:15 am

I tried attaching a zipfile but it wouldn't work. So let's see how each page does.

There's going to be 9 pages so let me edit the post to keep them all together.

 

Hmm. It won't post the attachments. They are jpeg files. So I don't know what's going on. If someone needs them I can also forward them to you. But it's not like there's tons of people trying to install one of these things,,,lol.

 

 

 

Quote from smitty901 on November 30, 2022, 12:37 pm

  Sight is limited on size of files so posting that much would be hard.

 

Quote from Quick_Cal on November 30, 2022, 1:01 pm

I tried one at a time. Still wouldn't do anything. I'll try again here.

Quote from DRONE on December 1, 2022, 7:30 pm

Cal, probably best to use Messages to send Dana your email address and get the zip file that way.  Messages on this forum are wonky.

Hey, Dana, maybe send me that zip file as a Message attachment?  Let's see if it works for a long-time user.

Quote from Quick_Cal on December 1, 2022, 7:39 pm

Quote from DRONE on December 1, 2022, 7:30 pm

Cal, probably best to use Messages to send Dana your email address and get the zip file that way.  Messages on this forum are wonky.

Hey, Dana, maybe send me that zip file as a Message attachment?  Let's see if it works for a long-time user.

Dana emailed me the zip file. I unzipped it and tried to post here but it wouldn't work. I'll try to send it to you.