Tech Tech Tech, or...So you want to build a trike?

[DeathBySnuSnu]

If you do not have a place for the bypass line to connect......it does not HAVE to go to the tank. It can loop back to the low side of the pump.

Works perfectly fine but does run a chance of heating up a pocket of gas if demand is real low and is bypassing right back into the pump a large amount. Potential vaper lock.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

An internally regulated pump does the same loop back to low side just all inside the body of the pump instead of 2 separate pieces.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

In addition.....

That first example the bypass line could also go to the low side of the pump like example 3 does.

 

[IDon]

what is the best transaxle to put in a vw trike

what is the best transaxle to put in a vw trike

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

what is the best transaxle to put in a vw trike

Ok.....so that is a very subjective question.

The answer to that would depend on what you expect to happen.

Do you like to sport around town, bang out the gears and do wheelies?

Or

Cruise down the highway?

Two very different transmissions there.

I have my preferences. So I would want a late model single side cover irs. Preferably from a ghia.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

IDon.....

I did get your pm.

But I am going to answer here in open forum.

I am not a professional trike builder. This is my....well....our hobby....our fun time. This is about sharing experiences and lessons learned.

Please post up your build.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Ok. Ask yourself some questions.

Body?

No body?

Vw body?

Highway?

Sport about?

Money? (Vw ain't as cheap anymore)

Skills?

Resources?

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

A vw back half. Commonly known as a beach bas***d.

Engine enclosed from the elements. Shelter from the sun. Full width rear seat. Big rides good. All the rules of a beetle, full fan and tins, cooler, air ducting ect. And wind drag. Big takes more hp to highway.

A fiberglass body or "styers style"

The open engine gets lots of free air. Cooling becomes a lot less of an issue. Lighter weight. More wheelie prone. Still full width and with some adjustments rides well (comfort wise).

No body.

Free to change width and length when you build it. Style it any way you wish.

Reversed power train.

Can use a lot of mid engine dune buggy parts. Many many parts can not be bought, you must make them. Makes a fun sports car/bike ride. Not the most comfortable riding. Short stiff, pitch. Not well suited for long distance highway or pulling a trailer. But is more motorcycle looking.

 

[grandpanystrom61]

Now as we typically are building our own frames to no standard production dimensions the front end will have to be custom to it to be totally correct. Even though it may be possible to get there with carefully researched and fitted bought parts. Especially if you use all aftermarked harley parts as there is a large aftermarket for them.

By a large amount the most common front suspension for a hand built trike is a hand built leading link. It also is one of the easiest to build in a hobby shop in the garage.

View attachment 47624

Do you know how stable this ride was ? I have searched for link arm distance, most short, and this one is much longer than 6". Rough est. is that I will have near 10 inch long trail from the fork tube pivot point, minus the 5 1/2" pivot distance on the monster link arms, leaves 4 1/2 inch's, but under load I will lose about 1/2 to 1 inch in trail, making it more near 5 to 5 1/2inch's of trail when I increase to a 18" front rim. If I do the rim increase than the rear and front axle height will be the same. If I only want to have near 2 inch's of trail, well than I need to extend the distance between the fork pivot point and the axle point. Does this effect how stable the front suspension is ????

Is there a need for a drop pivot design of the fork tube point with a leading link design ?

I read that there is more stableness and control of the front end with a drop pivot, weight of trike below axle level, less when both points are level, and it gets worse when fork tube pivot point is above the axle pivot point. :xzqxz:

Excuse me, did not mean to waste anyone's time, followed link on page 3, got some answers, still trying to read some links from it.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Typically leading links are ok being longer than a springer rocker......because they are connected around the back of the wheel.



I would not advise long individual rockers.

My front end has less than an inch of trail. The lower you can get that pivot then the less trail you have to have.



If you go with a flat or level pivot to axle then stay in the 2 to 3 inch range.

And another link.

http://www.chopperhandbook.com/rockers.htm

 

[grandpanystrom61]

heads up

Tech link.

http://www.thechopperunderground.com/forum/index.php?/topic/37455-building-a-bike-based-trike/

This link is dead.

The Chopper Underground is gone. It may be rebuilt and up in another form one day

I wanted to share this, just tried the link and got a front page. It seems they are trying to get things back up and running, so maybe shortly it will be viable again.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Yes.

The Chopper Underground

Web site is basically gone. There is a tapatalk page but only a few folks and none of the old content.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Well it has been a while....

Whatcha wanna talk about now?

I have not thought of another hard hitting topic lately.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Oooooo....I got one....

The dreaded vw shifter is next up.

Now to collect some pics.

 

[grandpanystrom61]

Oh yes, this is a good one. I had looked at mine and it seems the extension bar is just 1" rebar bent into position and welded in place at each end. It will be nice to see how else it could or should be done.

Thank you Rex.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Let's explain what you are doing when you shift gears.

This is an example of the "hockey stock".

The end of this is what is sticking out of the trans.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

This what the hockey stick engages in the trans.

These hooks are the shift rods into the fork and synchro. You are pulling these hooks in and out individually.



Here the hockey stick in the hooks.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

And how it works assembled.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

The trickiest trick to it all is getting that rod to rotate the right amount and stop rotating it the right place to line up with the hook inside.

The number one thing stopping the linkage rod from being rotated enough is this bushing.

It must be there and reasonably snug to the shaft.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

So if you are using a stock vw shifter or an aftermarket one that is meant to bolt down to the stock location it will look a lot like this.

The mount will either be hacked out of the vw tunnel or will be a replacement stock style.



The main difference in a trike and the car is that that shift rod has been cut in two, shortened, and welded back together......and not particularly in correct or original rotational reference.