Harley motor to VW trans axel

Since joining this fine web site....I've seriously looked into building an independant suspension type 3 wheeler.I got side tracked and ended up building a Bike that I cant ride(vertigo issues that wont leave me alone:banghead:)
Several variations have been looked at and considerations there of.
I have a 58 panhead Stroker motor that I'm either going to have to sell.....or attempt something totally unique......mate it up to a VW transaxel with some type of spline shaft adaptor.

This thread shows a harley motor adapted to a VW transaxel!!
[url]http://www.triketalk.com/forum/vw-based-trikes/6938-modified-vw-trike.html#post76123[/url]

So....how difficult could it be?

You are going to need an adapter from [url=http://www.kep.com]KEP - Flow Computers, Batch Controllers, HMI Software, MMI, Industrial Displays, Indicators, Timers, Ratemeters, Counters[/url] in order to do that and it is not cheap.

Sorry [url]www.kennedy[/url] engineering.com

While there used to be several adapter manufacturers offering a HD to VW kit, to my knowledge Rewaco is the only viable source for them anymore. Most of the suppliers quit offering them due to rear bearing failure in the motor (too much VW flywheel stuck on the HD crank end). Rewaco and a few others designed with rear bearing supports that supposedly solved the bearing problem. I have some friends in Texas who built two Nova Trikes with Twin Cam 88 motors on VW trannies, one with 4-speed and reverse (the yellow one in your referenced photos) and the other using a full-automatic tranny from a VW Type 3. Both were top of the line craftsmanship and paint.

I don't know that I've ever seen an adapter that would accept a panhead motor - other than one in my own shop for a project in 1967 (didn't finish building that trike before I traded it for a ready-to-ride panhead two-wheeler so I don't know if it worked successfully). Sounds like a job for you and Jamie (over at chopperweb forum - I've seen that you're a regular poster there). Maybe you could make an adapter kit available to sell to the rest of us and get yourself rich.

If you start a build like that take lots of pictures and keep us informed. If you like the Nova Trikes design I might be able to make a frame kit with fairings and suspension parts available (for a price, of course) to start the project.

heh heh....here I go again,puttin the cart before the horse.LOL:D
I shouldnt have gotten side tracked and put out money I couldnt afford when I built the 58 panhead.....Nice thing about it though is the motor will fetch 6 grand with out too much effort.....with a clear title.

I marvel at the VW transaxel!!! it looks like it's about 2/3rds of the project for a trike!
Since I have the motor....it just seemed that it would be a cool project but under powered now that I think of it...................................I went on line and checked out a few sites including Kennedy engineering,a little more involving than I may want to bother with.

Ya know what!!!:Excited:um gonna make this adaptor myself!!!!

It'll be a flange plate that bolts on to the transaxel housing with 2 horizontal supports to hold the motor.....I'll center up the shaft of the motor to the shaft of the trans,make up a splined adaptor to connect motor shaft to trans shaft and the plate will have 2 horizontal supports drilled to accept the bolt pattern of the motor.The motor will be spaced out far enough to allow for a "parade"fan to cool 'er off at stop lights

There'll be no bearing failure issues since the shafts will align perfectly due to the splined connector!!.....................Time to get busy!!!:woohoo: :Pray:

Bibs,
Well good for you, go for it and keep us informed on it with pics and all,
Also if you go to the [URL=http://www.swedishgarage.com]SAAB Specialists: The Swedish Garage of Charlotte SERVING Concord -[/URL], I think that is it, you can find an adapter that is made for the vw engine to mount mid engine, think they have a drawing of the adapter and you can copy it and make your own for what you are wanting to do, but remember a HD motor has an awlful ots of torgue,
Well good luck.

Before you go too far on your design, understand that the input shaft sticking out of the rear of the transaxle is not bearinged properly to handle any lateral load - it depends on the flywheel for that support. The big flywheel bolts independently to the end of the motor crankshaft, so the motor is swinging an 8-pound flywheel plus a pressure plate with bearing support coming only off the existing motor bearings. That's what has made for quick bearing failure for adapters that don't have some type bearing block outside (from the motor) the flywheel.

I hope you are successful in the project - I'll be interested in getting an adapter from you when you are.

[quote=Loner;76271]Before you go too far on your design, understand that the input shaft sticking out of the rear of the transaxle is not bearinged properly to handle any lateral load - it depends on the flywheel for that support. The big flywheel bolts independently to the end of the motor crankshaft, so the motor is swinging an 8-pound flywheel plus a pressure plate with bearing support coming only off the existing motor bearings. That's what has made for quick bearing failure for adapters that don't have some type bearing block outside (from the motor) the flywheel.

I hope you are successful in the project - I'll be interested in getting an adapter from you when you are.[/quote]

Loner....I think I know what your talking about....I have to get my hands on a trans axel and study it....see where I'm going with things.
The mounting plate that will hold the Harley motor would be bolted up to the trans axel...so that would make it very stable....the only other thing to do is fabricate a spline adaptor to mate up to the motor and transaxel.....a direct forward straight affair I'm thinking here.

Bib,
you can take an input shaft out of a vw trannie and remake it to fit what you want.

.....uuuum OK.....let's see if I understand whats involved here.....Do you mean an intermediate bearing just outside the trans out put shaft....and inbetween the motor shaft of the HD motor?
The intermediate bearing mounted in line/on center of the adaptor plate?

I can pretty much "see it"....I really have to scout around and aquire a trans axel assembly to get to work on and start to mock things up.


The whole nemesis of this project is to Have reverse and a better suspension than what I have now....with the 2 shocks under the softtail frame.

Am I fooling myself,re-inventing the wheel or is there a REAL benefit to attempting this in search of a better riding trike?

OK, let's approach this one issue at a time. First, I think you are missing a major point in your layout/planning - the VW flywheel has a huge clutch attached to it. You can't just plan to attach a spline connector assembly between the motor and the tranny input shaft. That's where it becomes tricky about having proper bearings in the drive. You will need a bearing to support the flywheel/clutch. Now that could be designed as a pillar block bearing on the tranny input shaft perhaps (if you make sure the tranny input shaft and the flywheel properly mate up for additional support).

Second, if you are after a "reverse and better suspension", the suspension/ride can be much more enjoyable than an adapted motorcycle rear suspension. As to reverse, I can see (give me a few more weeks) an electric reverse for the HDs that would be easy to fab and install and quite cost effective.

So, you are the only person who can decide if the benefits will outweigh the effort. Obviously, if you are successful in your HD/VW adapter you could make some good pocket change from it. But I can assure you that it will need an outboard bearing to be dependable.

Keep thinking about it and the little light will go on so you know what you want to do.

Loner,
If you mount the flywheel with the clutch to the HD motor as in a VW, you will not need a supporting bearing and if so Why would you, everything works off the trannie supporting the motor,
I have seen these HD motor's to a vw trannie and I for one would not want one, too much pain to do and maintain it.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Easy as guys here in Queensland Shermans does the lot Harley, subi. corvair and heaps more shermans engineering. go for itsome members of the aussie trike rider group on facebook have posted conversion pics on that site have a look.

[url]http://www.volksconversions.com.au[/url] Try this guys too.

Great site. Thanks for sharing.

Interesting site right there!!!
I'm going to have to do some real soul searching on this project(potential project)
Rest assured though if I can scare up a trans axel in the coming days,weeks.....I'll definately do some mock up work.

Another reason to go the route of this combination is the TITLE!!!..............It would still be considered a Harley......that may sound hard to believe but as long as you use an older Harley motor....69 or older....the ONLY VIN# required to register the bike was/is the numbers on the left side of the motor....we dont have motor vehicle inspection here in Jersey,only special construction vehicles go through an Initial inspection........................this is EXACTLY what I want to avoid!!! :censored:

Have rewaco trike with HD motor.

Need adaptor flywheel , is anybody knows who make them , or have them in stock pls.

My email [email]greveguillaume2@gmail.com[/email]

Guillaume Greve