Adjustable coilover shocks... need some education

[rrunner]

Just wondering what shock setup you ended up using. I'm doing a leading link front end for my v8 trike and the two different shocks I tried both went straight to full compression. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Fowler]

Here is what I used for my V6 build -- https://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/35590-88-blazer-trike/page34

https://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Universal+Coil+Over+Shocks+200lb&_id=162994043441&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658

 

[rrunner]

Thanks for the reply. Think I will try another setup I have in mind, hope it works.

 

[rrunner]

Ok I got another pair of shocks in place. They held up much better, squat was about an inch. Took trike out for test ride and found it did fine until I hit speed over 45. The wheel began to hop up and down quite a bit. It got worse as I sped up. So I turned around and headed home. Under 40 all is fine. Any idea what the issue could be?

 

[stacebg]

oops

 

[stacebg]

Monster leading link. The man is missed. I use to live in chiefland fl and had the pleasure spending some time with ol troy. my leading link was a part copy of Troys design and Mr magoo

not to burst your bubble but ole troy took credit for stuff he didnt do! like the trees and LL ends on "devils due" not to mention design stuff he didnt do and never gave credit

 

[grandpanystrom61]

My trike had simular issues, one reason I built a new front end for it.

So one thing it was old and bending and was racked up once, bent up and straightened out. Seen it's days.

Okay my trail was way off on the old set, it was a very light front end, and a small 16" dia wheel, just not at all what the trike needed.

Now one thing is that for me to figure out the needed shocks for the fornt end, need to weigh it and see how much all weighs. The ideal is to see about 1/2 inch compression in the shocks when the load of the trike is put on the front end, this is so you do not lose the trail you are after.

If you figure trail is going to be a inch after 1/2 inch of load compression, but instead you drop 1.5 or 2 inch's your trail is going to be off. If to soft and the faster you go the more compression the front end my feel and again the change in trail will effect how all controls and feels.

You want to figure it all out, see the range of the shocks as the extend and compress, and I just watched the chart I made to see the change in trail. How far the extended point is and trail at that point compared to trail at the fully compressed state. I go from 0 or 1/4" positive trail at full extension to 3 1/2" of trail at full compression. The loaded ride trail should be at 1 1/2" to 2", ideal target with loaded trike is at 2" trail.

If you loose 1/4" in front tire height, due to loaded weight, and than there is the 1/2 inch of load compression on the shocks. Again this is from a motorcycle book, so trikes are a little different and are not a standard build, so it is hard to say one tike is same weight as another , or that the trikes even displace the gross weight the same ratio.

I do hope you the best getting all to work correct. It was a lot of work and hours of learning new stuff for me to understand and build my front end. Not done 100% as I am at the point of my shocks and how all attach's after I confirm all is as it should be to this point.

Oh, separated the shoulder last month so I am out for recovery for 6month or longer......but I do hope I can play and get all worked out and someone to help get all put together, or that I recover soon to do it myself.

Sorry if I ran off at the fingers, early and awake and I wanted to say something that may help you.

 

[rrunner]

Again thanks for the response. I ended up using variable coil over spring shocks from a chevy truck for my front end. They compress about 1.5 inches with the weight of the trike. My trail is at 1.5 inches and my rake is at 40. One of my buddies says it needs rebound adjustment but the shocks don't have adjustment. A couple say it might be wheel/tire balance. I'll check out the balance suggestion first since I'll be ordering a new tire soon.

 

[LarryA]

Different trail dimensions should not cause bouncing, and coil overs would need to be disassembled to check shocks....If front end is bouncing with the weight of a V8 shocks must be no good at all or tire/wheel grossly out of balance......but I would check for front end possibly binding up..(connections too tight or parts snagging) this could have the same effect as bad or no shocks. Try to see if the bouncing is a the same frequency as front wheel rotation and look for any frame or fork flex.....this could contribute to bouncing also. my .02 good luck

 

[stacebg]

Different trail dimensions should not cause bouncing, and coil overs would need to be disassembled to check shocks....If front end is bouncing with the weight of a V8 shocks must be no good at all or tire/wheel grossly out of balance......but I would check for front end possibly binding up..(connections too tight or parts snagging) this could have the same effect as bad or no shocks. Try to see if the bouncing is a the same frequency as front wheel rotation and look for any frame or fork flex.....this could contribute to bouncing also. my .02 good luck

GOOD INFO dont think i would think about parts hanging up.... my guess would be tire balance

 

[grandpanystrom61]

I had several issues with my original front end, at least it looked that way, original.

The trail was more than 4 inchs, best I got measured was 3.5", this also create a larger flop ratio, and they were bent and some one attempted to straighten them.

Okay when you do a front end, first things first, the wheel is done correctly and balanced. You need to know it is good.

Also why many buy new shocks, it is not an area to fudge on, okay that is my take on it.

Before buying any shock or spring you need to know front end weight along with rider weight, so that you can get the preload correct and functioning shocks or springs that operate correctly with your trike.

40 degree rake is not the best as you do get a higher flop factor with this rake than a 45 or greater rake. The flop factor will get smaller actually as rake increase past this point.

Just stuff I had to learn and understand so I could design and build my front end. I guess one can do it by try this and try that until all works, but that is not the approach I took or would recommend.

So glad you getting it worked out, it is always better to ride................

 

[grandpanystrom61]

My point was there is more than one way to skin a cat, even when it comes to Trike's.

I am stuck in my own mode right now, some time my mind is closed to others, that was not fair at all.

All can be done if one's will is strong enough and we do not give up.