Trike Life basic build (no pics today)
The weather has been a little better for me this past week or 2 so I drilled the 'body mount' front 1/2" holes and made the spacers that are needed for the mount and shocks out of 1" OD aluminum which I already had . I still have to locate and drill holes for the body and grab bars .
I started making the rear foot peg adapters but the old lady said she would like mini floor boards instead which will require some extra material to make them more sturdy . I'll make the mounts out of aluminum and extend them under the mini boards . The boards are made of die cast aluminum so they are not really made to stand on . I had to order a slitting saw blade and arbor to cut the T6 aluminum which is 1" thick x 2" wide . There isn't much room for the pegs or mini boards . I don't mind getting some rub marks on the body from her boots but I don't want marks on the primary cover (like that isn't going to happen) :( .
I have a small 'hobby' mini lathe (7"x12") and a Harbor Freight mini mill and band saw . They have paid for them selves several years ago and now I'm glad I kept them . They are definitely not heavy duty so it does take longer to make things but they get the job done . When I do get the boards mounted I will post a pic of what I made and how they fit .
There is still a lot to do . I still have to reposition the brake calipers (they hang below the rotors) since I had to flip the axle over to get the pulley on the left side . Make a panhard bar , weld the blocks on the axle where the swingarm mounts , make a seat mount to bolt the rear of the seat to and prep and paint the body .
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 2
The weather has turned nice so back to work I went .
I welded the mounting blocks on the axle , finished make an 'adapter' for the foot pegs so they run straight out (no mini floorboards ,they are too long) , rotated the caliper mounts 90` and made a run to Summit Racing for a banjo bolt ($4.95). The one from Street Blob was too long . I looked at the exhaust system that's on the bike and decided to go for the setup from Paughco ($$$) . Made all the spacers for the project and now I'm waiting for the exhaust system which should be here by the end of the week . I decided to put the mini ape bars back on , have been running bars from one of my Sportster projects .
After I get the exhaust system installed I will take pics of the stuff I have done so far . It looks like I am on schedule to have the whole conversion finished and painted by the middle to end of May weather permitting .
So far it's been an easy project .
Lance
1 Attachment(s)
I researched them a while
I really did some good research on as many different one I could with in the money I was willing to spend and the look I want to keep. I wasn't looking for a HD look alike trike I want to keep the looks of my softail custom but still have 3 wheels. My ankles are shot and the weight of the bike was hurting me. I was becoming painful to ride.
I went with a Frankenstein Trike Kit that I change a few things and upgraded others. I am very happy I love to ride it. I just got done with it last Saturday so really I have only ridden it 3 day and 550 miles.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]44382[/ATTACH]
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 3
I had my surgery a week ago last Wednesday and today I decided to get back out to the garage/workshop and get something done .
I managed to 'wrap' the baffles and drill the holes in the tail pipes for mounting screws . I started up the bike to see how it sounds . A little too loud for me but it will do for now ..
I took a short break (still a little sore from surgery) and bled the rear brakes . Would have been easier if I had a helper but.....
The brakes felt good but after they sat for a while they seem to have air in the lines so I'll give it another try tomorrow .
I am going to change the handlebars back to the factory 'mini apes' and adjust the steering stem this weekend .
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 4
Had my doctors office visit yesterday and got the OK to get back to doing my 'normal' stuff . Still a little sore but I'll manage .
I bled the brakes 2 more times and still couldn't get all the air out so I did something an 'old timer' told me . I purposely let air in the system (bleeder open and slowly released the brake pedal) and then proceeded to bleed the brakes again . It worked . Brakes are good to go . Still don't know why that worked ...
Tightened up steering bearing a little , set rear tires pressure to 25# , front to 25# . Fired up the bike and pointed it straight down the driveway and tried it out . Straight as an arrow , no pulling and the brakes work (of course I was only going 8-10mph.) . Circled around a few times in both directions (lock to lock) and pulled it back into the garage/workshop .
I didn't take it out on the road , no brake , tail lights or plate on yet . Today I have to remove a couple of exhaust brackets and put some paint on them and change out some bolts/nuts to grade 8 . Still not sure on the handlebars . I like the stock sportster 28" wide 'custom' bars that I have on and the way they look . Makes the whole bike look lean n' mean (to me at least) .
The next big challenge is the seat mount . I am using a 1 pc. sundowner seat . The trike body is flat and the seat is curved to fit a curved fender . I could cut the body away underneath where the seat goes and just build a simple 'frame' or use a fender cut/fitted (sliced and diced) to go between seat and body and 'glassed in place . Once I have the seat problem figured out I can put the body on and do some drillin for the tail lights and license plate mount . I traded off the original taillights I bought and now have some led ones (smoke) with built in turn signals .
I am putting all this stuff on the forum to help/show people on forum what it takes to build a 'kit' trike with a body . I may make some mistakes along the way but nothing that can't be fixed down the road . The main reason I chose to build a trike with a body on is because I don't like the looks of a trike with 3 rear fenders , been there done that back in the early 70's . Most bodies are too big and bulky and others just don't have the 'look' I want so I chose a 'kit' with a very basic body .
If I say or write something that offends someone , sorry . As they say , opinions are like butt holes , everyone's got one ..
FTW 'Forever Three Wheels' :)
Lance
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 5
Well I'm still here . Had surgery 6 weeks ago , doing fine and then back to the ER . I spent the last 8 days in the hospital with complications from my gallbladder surgery . Now I'm running 6-7 weeks behind my goal to finish the build . My 'ball and chain' (love that woman) won't even let me go out to the garage/workshop until the middle of next week .
I was working on the bolt on seat mount that would set on top of the body when I got severe pains in my stomach , stopped everything I was doing came into the house and told the 'old lady' I wasn't feeling well at all . She drove me to the ER down the street and they admitted me into the hospital . Transferred me to another facility 3 days later which could run a scope down into my stomach and see what was going on .Oops, there seems to be a couple of gallstones hiding in duct to my stomach causing my liver to be inflamed . They ended up getting 1 out but the other right now is stuck behind some stitching by the liver . Have to wait about 6 weeks and go back in and see if they can get to it .
So here I am ,waiting to get back to my build . Doing this build has been/still is fun . Could have just bought a new trike but that wasn't what I wanted to do .
Next week I'll take some pics of the seat mount I was working on and a few brackets I made the 1 week I was feeling good . Maybe it will inspire someone else on how to do stuff better than what I am doing :xzqxz:.
Lance
4 Attachment(s)
Trike Life basic build with bad pics
I finally got back out to my garage/workshop . took a couple of pics on my 'bolt on' seat mount . it's not quite finished yet , going to weld up what's left of the streetglide rear fender to the frame I made for it , clean it up (a lot to make it pretty) put some paint on it to keep it from rusting . I may cover it with some 'Naugahide' (imitation leather (vinyl)) . The back is curved to accommodate a 'cheap' trunk if I decide to put one on .. [ATTACH=CONFIG]46171[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46172[/ATTACH] .
Some pics of the extra framing that mounts the body and relocated shocks to the StreetBlob's frame [ATTACH=CONFIG]46173[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46174[/ATTACH] . Extra framing for the seat mount and grab bars to keep things together . . The 'duck' tape is holding some spacers in place I use when the body isn't on . I ended up using the 'Streetblob' shocks after trying several other shocks I have around here . From 12"-11"-11.5" and then back to the 12" . I'm not sure if I will end up using air shocks yet .. In 2-3 weeks I should be done with all the frame stuff including all the drilling to mount the body , taillights license plate and trunk door . Then to the wiring harness (easy part) .
Haven't decided on the handlebars yet ..............
The last thing to do then is prep the body for paint . I haven't done any painting since '91 when I painted my '46 Ford chopped convertible (which ended up getting smashed by a falling tree that took out my garage and the neighbors (happened 6 weeks after I got insurance for it)) Hopefully I will be done by the end of July unless I end up back in the hospital:( .
Glad I still have my Sportster to roll around on .
Lance
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 6
I finally got back to working on my trike build last week . It's been busy around here . I had some storm damage . Wind took out my garage roofing , tree branch took out my storage shed and a small section of fencing . After 4 weeks they are starting to fix things around here . Glad Nation Wide was on my side (again) . Next week I go back in for some outpatient surgery again (Gall Bladder stone stuck in bile duct) .
Anyhow I managed to drill holes for the taillights , license plate light/mount , trunk door handle (on body) and mounting holes for a cheap 'tour pack' trunk . Drilling and figuring things out took me 6-7 hrs. I started on the wiring harness (3/4 way done) . The seat mount is finished and works as it should . I decided to go with air shocks (12") , have them and waiting for some fittings I ordered to come in ($64.00 + $125 for the shocks) . I should be finished with everything except for painting by the end of next week , unless my surgery doesn't go well . I am glad I went with taillights with built in turn signals . Still haven't made up my mind:) on handlebars .
I guess this build would have been a lot easier if I didn't want a body on the trike . On the 10 scale I have to raise it to a 7 . I am still glad I went this way .
Lance
Trike Life basic build (no pics today) 7
Well I finally finished the trike except for the painting of the body . Since I put it all together to make sure everything was good to go (except body prep and paint) I thought I would give it a small road test around the neighborhood .
I didn't take it past 35-40MPH . It handles pretty good with just me on it . I set the air shocks to 50# and the suspension seems good to go . Front tire 30# rear tires 25# .
I would have been finished with the build a month ago but my surgery got in the way .. I will prep the body within the next 2 weeks and at least get it into primer .
Lance