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Frame Installed
Sandblasted and painted. I put the frame on the Stratoliner today. As soon as the oil seals arrive I can fully assemble the rear axle. The frame holding the upper shock mounts, trailer hitch, and exhaust needs sandblasting and painting too. Until I can whip up a small sandblasting enclosure I will be back on the wife's Roadstar trike conversion.
Assembly
First image shows the axle seals in the center bearings. The second image has the left and right axles installed with "C" clips, spider gears, and center pin installed. I have the gaskets, oil housing with reverse gear, and right side center bearing in place. With the "C" clips installed it's time to slide the parts together and tighten all of the bolts giving me a completed axle as in image three. Next step will be to bolt the assembly to the frame. To add oil, I'll remove one of the bolts between the flex plate and center bearing. Positioning that hole just below level I can squeeze oil into it until it begins to flow out. Reinsert the bolt and call it filled.
Progress
Installed the brake calipers and disks, and changed the air shock mounts around. Next will be running brake lines and shock air lines. The frame needs sandblasting and paint.
Rear Brakes
Finished fabricating the rear brake system. New bracket holds the new 0.7" diameter master cylinder (stock is 0.5") which should be enough to operate the two disk brakes. Of course sandblasting and painting of the remaining part needs to be done.
Note
Need to add this about the above post. I have friends ask why I have those curves and loops in the brake lines rather than run them straight. I learned while active duty that you do NOT run hydraulic line in a straight line between two points. Getting the tube cut and flared to exact dimensions is difficult to impossible. Also, as the pressure build and decreases the lines will grow and shorten putting additional strain on the fittings and lines. With a curve or loop, it allows the lines to flex and also makes it's easier to line the fitting up for attachment.
Air Shock Switch
Trying to learn my new lathe and mill so I made a switch mount for the air shocks. The top part has a schrader valve to bleed pressure off and the red button for the air pump to raise the pressure. No automatic stuff. Seems simple enough but sure was a lot of drilling small passages, tapping them, and getting it air tight.
The Body
I finished assembly of the mechanics and now to re-finish the body. Put it back on and sanded the cracked and broken areas for repairs. This time I will bond and glass the trunk into the body rather than just have it bolted on. The weather is changing quite a bit with rain and getting cold, so progress with the glass work is very slow due to working outside without any climate control. After being in the garage for a year and used as a shelf, being moved around, and whatever else, it looks horrible.
Oops
Been riding the Stratoliner as a trike recently. Some issues need to be resolved but otherwise, It works, mostly. A recent ride ended up with the front wheel bearings burning up. The ride of shame on a trailer got her home for bearing replacement. One week later my wife was just over 200 miles away when the drive belt broke. The second one with only 85,000 miles. Once home, I took the rear axle off and broke it down finding a mangled C Clip sitting in the gears.
A bit of inspector work allowed me to arrive at this conclusion. With the side loads at 70 mph the axle clips are under great stress. One bent and came out but due to the carrier spinning at speed, the centrifugal force held the clip against the carrier can. The disk brake kept the axle from flying out fortunately. When she slowed down for a gas station the clip started to flip flop around. She filled up and went to leave the clip fell into the gears and she was doing a tight turn to get back on the highway.
Of course the wheels need to turn at different speeds but couldn't and getting on the throttle must be how the belt broke. Talking to her, the belt broke at that moment. While closely examining the axles I found the C clip grooves messed up requiring repair. After welding the grooves up, I used my lathe to spin them while a right angle grinder bolted to the cross slide smoothed the weld down and cut grooves for the new clips to fit. That's when I realized the clips that came with the axles were the wrong ones as the outside diameters are too small.
Never caught it while building the axle up. One picture shows the original clip and then one with the repaired axle end and correct clip. Live and learn. Ordered a new belt, OUCH, and still considering converting to chain drive and replacing the chain every year. That will allow me to carry a spare chain and install it on the road should that break.
Going too Fast
Sometimes you need to slow down before something bites you in the butt. Sometimes it's too late. Reassembled the rear axle for the Stratoliner only to realize I forgot to install the spider gears. Frustrated, I decided to install the new wheel bearing in the front wheel. Yes, I forgot to install the bearing compression tube. I quit for the day...
Some days go like that and it's better to stay in bed.
It’ll get better
or worse
doesnt seem the clip coming out would break a belt.unless the rear locked up;. you mention tires couldnt spin at different speed... if it was a spool not a diff... it would not put more stress on the belt only the tires an axle when one tire skid on the pavement
thinking out loud
Thought
I've been going over this with my last functioning brain cell and that's all I could come up with. No engineer nor detective, just a carport mechanic. But I do see where you are going. Thanks
Exhaust
Finished the new exhaust. Took a Thrush Glass pack muffler, cut it in half, and welded the two pieces together with on at an angle to fit under the fiberglass body. The first "can" is a heat shield since the exhaust passes near the air shock line. Sandblasting and BBQ pit paint cleans it up. Sounds so much better now. The second picture is the switch to turn power on for the reverse. I put a brake/turn signal LED light on it to blind me while it's on. Pretty much won't forget to turn it off.
Re-do
Our last ride to Arkansas we had to go through Lafayette, La TWICE. La Hwy 90 through that city is horrendous! Huge cracks in the pavement that WILL push/pull the bike side to side and the slabs drop at least one to two inches at every seam. While the Stratoliner remained mechanically sound, I can't say the same for the body. I had the trunk fiber-glassed to the body and that highway did a number on my back and cracked the body. On the return trip, I had to pull over in Lafayette to bungee cord the body together and hold the trunk on. Horrible, horrible, horrible, Dropped the speed down to 30 mph so I could physically keep riding while cars sped past us at 60+ mph. Not fun. Well now for today. Still have the issue with my wife's Roadstar starter/charging system which I'll work on tomorrow, but the Stratoliner is positioned for repairs. Pics and information will follow as I progress. Yes the handlebars I welded together some time back broke clean in two. Thankfully I was able to keep riding and get home. Ordered new ones today.
Belt Issues AGAIN
Been quite a long time since last post. We have been riding our tails off during the COVID pandemic. Mostly local rides of 200 to 300 miles but a few weekenders included. Today's ride ended after only 20 miles with ANOTHER broken belt. Just like before, the belt ripped straight across. After the second belt broke I checked and rechecked the pulley alignment and found them true to each other. Checking the sides of the belt for glazing shows black rubber and nothing unusual. Can't find any spots if a rock or debris got caught up in it either. One thing I have been going over is the deletion of the Cush drive. The trike conversion I designed didn't include it due to space issues. These belts are expensive and require removing the swing arm to install. Not an option on the side of the highway even if I did have and extra belt. So I am considering going with a chain drive. Should that break, I can repair or replace it on site far easier than a belt. Not worried about fitting the toothed sprockets as I will machine adapters for them. To lower my RPM's at highway speeds I looking towards 27 tooth drive and 54 tooth driven. I am aware chains require a cleaning and oiling every 1000 miles (max), but I can accept it. Any thoughts or advice on a belt to chain swap?
Belt vs chain
The O Ring chains need NO oiling. But I would think a chain tensioner, similar to a 10 speed bikecycle would be needed to compensate for swing arm movement
2012 Triglide Piaggio MP3 500 to get groceries 1991 FLHS as back up
"Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it !"
Tiffany, Olive, Daisy, “The Three Musketeers” together again.
i hate chains.. belt or shaft for me for me if things are lined right a belt should go quite a while.. like anything else have to keep an eye on itOriginally Posted by Rickus Dickus
a little taller tire can make quite a difference in rpm
i have NEVER seen one on a "modern" bikeThe O Ring chains need NO oiling. But I would think a chain tensioner, similar to a 10 speed bikecycle would be needed to compensate for swing arm movement
a trike will be no different
Chain
Everyone is right. I can't find any reference to chains on bikes above 1100cc and a chain tensioner is a great idea. But replacing a $400 belt every other year and possibly sprockets every other belt change is too expensive for us. That and being stranded somewhere bothers me. As I mentioned earlier, tossing and extra chain in the trunk gives me a piece of mind a belt doesn't. Chain drive also allows me to set both my wife's RoadStar AND my Stratoliner up the same making highway repairs simple. I could swap out the chain AND sprockets for less than half the price every two years for new ones too. From what I have read, manufacturers have gone to belts for less weight, less maintenance issues, and noise reduction. Well anyway, I ordered a new belt for $400 which I consider myself lucky to have found it so cheap just to get back on the road. However I will order sprockets and chain around May/June to begin the swap over. Going to look into the 27/54 tooth gear and chain to fit. Not set in stone on that since I have to consider pitch in there, but going for 2.0 ratio.
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