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I dont know what tire you have now.
But a lot of the newer tires are shorter and wider, somewheres around 24 inch diameter.
Try to stay around 26 diameter of at all possible.
The shift linkage probably has been hacked all up and cobbled back together. It is just sloppy or not adjusted or adjustable.
The late vanagon did have a 5 speed. It dont fit a type one.....but if you want to badly enough anything is possible.
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I have not been able to see what is so off that makes your front tire off center so much.
Something is bent on the forks I just caint see it in the pics. That top yoke fitment tells you something is off.
How was the neck alignment with the bar stuck through the bearings?
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I never had that much slope in a shifting linkage before, first time for everything and something else to fix.
I am just fine with what I have.....at least for now until I convince myself otherwise.
I just had a thought of a jig to see if main tubes align with neck stem, all are equal distances apart and the stem is center , but the lower tree looks bent on the right side area near the main tube hole.
I did another thread "springer forks", as it is a subject that has it's own world. My mind is still thinking of how to confirm how many degrees off the neck twist is. It will get done, what ever is needed to be done.
A wonderful morning to everyone.
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The bearings rest in the top and bottom of the neck tube, guess one could clamp or tape into position as they slide the rod down thru the bearings.
I do not have any 3/4 inch straight stock in the garage, will have to go buy it or borrow it so I can do it:(
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I guess one way to do it is with 3/4" all thread rod and if the threads were the same as the top bearings nut than we need only one other nut to hold against the bottom bearings. This would tighten bearings into place as the rod is centered in the neck.
Okay I had a telescopic fiberglass fishing pole, and it tapers slowly from thick to thin like any fishing pole, but the base was large than 3/4", so it centered in the top bearing and it took a shim in the right place to hold the bottom of the pole center in the bearing. It almost went all the way to the floor, guess I could have set the trike on the floor and than it would have touched, but it would not have centered itself on the top bearing, so this way worked out so we can see how it lines up.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]57374[/ATTACH]
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]57376[/ATTACH] The end of the pole is a bit less than a 1/2" from contact with the floor. I used the lazer beam to run down the center line from the head of the T square on the floor, make sure I am on a straight line.
The out come is "the center of the pole line measured 1 1/2" off to the left of the center line on the floor.
I guess if one ties the plum bob string at the top end of the pole above the top bearing at the up most point, than the plum bob should reveal a equal off set to the right side of the line, hum have to go try that.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]57377[/ATTACH]
Yes this method was not ideal, but I just wanted to get as close to that as possible so that the outcome would be accurate as possible. I know it is off, now how do I re set it, grind the welds to weaken them so I can move the neck into proper alignment, than weld into place ? maybe wrap the neck with a steel to reinforce it and weld that to the back bone as well as on the neck tube where contact is, ideally the front half of the neck tube would be welded to the metal reinforcement plate. Help me.. I see I need better idea's and ways than mine, any thoughts about it ?
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I got a head ache thinking to hard about it, after laying down I woke up with a thought.
Wow, it worked and now I know what needs to be fixed. Just how am I going to do it ?
I have a small level that is magnetic on own side. I just stuck it up against the back bone by the neck area and I was able to see the offset neck were it attach's to the backbone. I took a few pics of it.
and for some reason I can not upload them at this time, maybe later.
:(:(
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The left side of the neck tube sticks out past the side of the back bone beam.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]57403[/ATTACH]
and with the level against the right side of the back bone we can see how the neck is off center of the backbone beam, and apparently with a twist from top to bottom, which also explains why the risers off the top tree always looked a bit off to the left, plus I am sure the body was aligned trying to cover it up some, so might have to do some work on that, but first have to get this done.
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Rather than cut and grind neck welds maybe you should think about "adjusting" the main tube to get the neck back into alignment. If you've got good welds in the neck area, why mess with them? If you take a big rosebud oxyacetylene torch to the main tube further back nearer to the U bend and heat the tube and bend it there, a little tweak there will make a big change up front. You can attach a come along to the rear torsion tube casting and the neck and apply pressure to move the neck over to where you want it. The main tube is a long lever arm and a "little" force on the neck with heat at the back can be quite productive. Also a movement of 1 1/2" at the neck will equal maybe 1/8" movement 4' away on the tube.
No big rosebud torch? Most welding shops will have one and can handle this part.
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Just saw your latest pix. Looks to me like poor fabrication not impact damage. The trike was probably off from Day One. It obviously rode OK looking at the wear on the running gear.
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gotta agree with vw bug.....can't envision an accident that would cause a twist in the top tube, the light front end of the trike would just slide sideways before twisting that tube, no doubt, construction error. if your frame can be clamped secure to a heavy welding table with a centerline established, then heat about 4/6 in. of the top tube and twist into alignment. most welding shops are very good at getting things aligned, straight and square and plumb.
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From what I found out earlier is that it was a fab error, no one knows of any front end damage ever, the person backing into the front forks was kept hush hush, and they were cold pressed once to be straightened, and they do suffer some bend in the main tube just below the lower tree partly because of rake angle when wheelies where done and slamming back down on the ground.
I do think resetting a few mounting brackets a bit easier than the neck job of grinding and welding, the idea of lower back on the back bone with heat is a good one, small amount back there would lead to much more up front. I do like this idea as it is also a open area to work on.
Thank you both for the input.:)
Good morning, I am back, but with not so good news.
I would be throwing the body alignment off if I tweak the back bone back by the curve, the shift linkage bracket and brake master cylinder. Further looking and checking the back bone is square and centered coming of the torsion tube/rear end.
Getting at the very last 1/2 inch of round backbone by the neck tube only revealed maybe a 1/16th of inch off center to the left, so some one screwed the pouch setting this neck. It is just not the neck tube, but the bracket for the foot pedals is off and will also need to be re set. If you just twist the tube to correct the neck twist, than that foot pedal bracket would need to be re set, either way the foot pedal needs to be re set along with neck tube.
After that the foot rest bar will need re alignment so the line up centered behind the forks.
I guess the next step is to find fork length and see if I can find a pair with 3/4" dia. neck stem. I did the measurements, just keep looking things over waiting for new ideas to surface and seeing if they are viable ones.