rrunner
100+ Posts
Hey, nice ride. I got myself a gps speedometer white face on eBay for just little over 50 bucks. Works great and even had an odometer and has a red backlight on it.
The Odessey of Wilma
- Thread starter kerryb
- Start date
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
For cables I have liked the Venhill cables and kits.
Real motorcycle sized cables in lined sleeves and an assortment of ends.
Very nice. UK based, but are on ebay.
Real motorcycle sized cables in lined sleeves and an assortment of ends.
Very nice. UK based, but are on ebay.
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
You know...... I have been looking at sports watches like the fit bit thing. The ones for bicycling has MPH and distance traveled.
So.....speedo on your wrist.
But do they go up high enough in mph for you and your trike Rex ? If for the wrist they may have a speed limit they go to, and after that you are in the dark about your true speed.
Great idea if they have a range that goes up to plus miles per hour.
vwbug72501
700+ Posts
Display on Rex's Fitbit speedo while on his trike:
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
Wow!, that's what the trike feels like on some roads!
Thanks for the venhill link. I will get some parts from them. My minimum cable length is 118"
Thanks for the venhill link. I will get some parts from them. My minimum cable length is 118"
OK...here's the pics I promised. made the trailer hitch to fit the wheelie bar brackets, wiring the speedo was an exercise in perseverance, and the only problem with my trailer setup is I can't see the trailer in my mirrors unless I wiggle the handlebars!
Attachments
It's brake time!
I had an eye-opening experience... make that scphincter-puckering...on the expressway with my trailer in tow. At 65 mph I was leaving extra room in front for safety, but when traffic came to a halt I was literally standing on the brake pedal wondering if I'd make it! Good thing I had extra room, I needed all of it!
so.......Wilma is getting disc brakes in the rear. I have a few questions to answer and the opinions of others would be valuable to help me answer them.
I see many suppliers of disc brake kits, ls one better than others for some reason?
Is a hydraulic line-loc a suitable replacement for a cable parking brake? I miss having a parking brake, so I need to add something.
Thanks in advance?
I had an eye-opening experience... make that scphincter-puckering...on the expressway with my trailer in tow. At 65 mph I was leaving extra room in front for safety, but when traffic came to a halt I was literally standing on the brake pedal wondering if I'd make it! Good thing I had extra room, I needed all of it!
so.......Wilma is getting disc brakes in the rear. I have a few questions to answer and the opinions of others would be valuable to help me answer them.
I see many suppliers of disc brake kits, ls one better than others for some reason?
Is a hydraulic line-loc a suitable replacement for a cable parking brake? I miss having a parking brake, so I need to add something.
Thanks in advance?
You could probably solve the "not seeing the trailer" issue with a couple of "flags" on the edges of the trailer.
Nice job on the hitch ... did you have it powder coated or is that just a great paint jobs ...
Nice job on the hitch ... did you have it powder coated or is that just a great paint jobs ...
Nice set up. I was not sure if I needed to go disc brakes in the rear, but will watch and learn what I can here.
All does look nice, yep a few flags or orange flashing lights.
All does look nice, yep a few flags or orange flashing lights.
A good finish is all in the prep work, but I use duplicolor engine paint and I have many hours of practice with a rattle can.
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
Brakes.
I think I have put up my opinion before.....but I will again.
Things to remember.
With a car the rear brakes are at best only 20% of the stopping power.
With a trike the rear brakes are close to 100% of the stopping power.
So the rear brakes off a light car would be woefully underpowered for a trike.
Drum brakes work just fine. They just fade quick.
Disc brakes work good but the whole system needs to upgrade also.
Ok so you can make your drums work or you can make disc work. All about what you want.
To make your drums work.
New or excellent condition drums.
Quality brake shoes.
Put in late style (super beetle) front slave cylinders.
Master cylinder 17 to 19mm bore.
Brake lever at 7 to 1.
To make disc work.
Get a kit that does not have parking brake. As these are intended as a car rear brake. Most NON park brake kits use a front brake caliper.
A 17mm master.
7 to 1 pedal.
I think I have put up my opinion before.....but I will again.
Things to remember.
With a car the rear brakes are at best only 20% of the stopping power.
With a trike the rear brakes are close to 100% of the stopping power.
So the rear brakes off a light car would be woefully underpowered for a trike.
Drum brakes work just fine. They just fade quick.
Disc brakes work good but the whole system needs to upgrade also.
Ok so you can make your drums work or you can make disc work. All about what you want.
To make your drums work.
New or excellent condition drums.
Quality brake shoes.
Put in late style (super beetle) front slave cylinders.
Master cylinder 17 to 19mm bore.
Brake lever at 7 to 1.
To make disc work.
Get a kit that does not have parking brake. As these are intended as a car rear brake. Most NON park brake kits use a front brake caliper.
A 17mm master.
7 to 1 pedal.
WOW!, thank you, that's the kind of insight I've been looking for. I'll still go for discs but not with the parking brake option. I'll start looking for a hydraulic line lock to get a parking brake. It's nice to be able to let the engine warm up a few minutes without being a slave to the brake pedal in the driveway.
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
Purdy much all the plain basic kits are the same imported stuff.
The only major difference I see is the caliper mount adapter bracket. Some are stamped and are known to be off dimensions sometimes. Other are a forged and machined bracket and are known to be too thick where it mounts to axle.
So with either one you will have measuring and shimming and possibly some machine work to do to get all set up.
Example of plain Jane kit.
http://carcraftstore.com/reardiscbrakekitwithoute-brake.aspx
The only major difference I see is the caliper mount adapter bracket. Some are stamped and are known to be off dimensions sometimes. Other are a forged and machined bracket and are known to be too thick where it mounts to axle.
So with either one you will have measuring and shimming and possibly some machine work to do to get all set up.
Example of plain Jane kit.
http://carcraftstore.com/reardiscbrakekitwithoute-brake.aspx
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
Then the dune buggy brakes.
Buggies like a trike are all rear brake and usually NO front brakes at all.
Buggy brakes are light weigh performance units intended for 100% rear only set ups.
These would be great......but expensive.
http://carcraftstore.com/microstubbrakekit.aspx
Buggies like a trike are all rear brake and usually NO front brakes at all.
Buggy brakes are light weigh performance units intended for 100% rear only set ups.
These would be great......but expensive.
http://carcraftstore.com/microstubbrakekit.aspx
DeathBySnuSnu
Old Redneck Motorhead
Check you local laws about park vs emergency brake.
A line lock works great as a park brake.
But does not constitute an emergency brake if the hydraulics fail.
The UK law is it has to have emergency brake.
State laws vary. My state does not require much.
A line lock works great as a park brake.
But does not constitute an emergency brake if the hydraulics fail.
The UK law is it has to have emergency brake.
State laws vary. My state does not require much.
It seemed I needed to pull the back wheel to measure the spline length. Then there was the guy at jbugs on the phone who said "front wheel calipers won't fit on the back".
Then I broke the socket extension with a 5' cheater bar at 500 ft/lbs torque trying to break the axle nut loose!
starting to lose my focus on this brake change quest...
so I put it back together, turned the key and fired her up... went for the first blast of the riding season for me. Still doesn't stop very well...but I don't care...its just too much "bleeping" fun to ride! Now I remember why all these headaches are still worth it.
Then I broke the socket extension with a 5' cheater bar at 500 ft/lbs torque trying to break the axle nut loose!
starting to lose my focus on this brake change quest...
so I put it back together, turned the key and fired her up... went for the first blast of the riding season for me. Still doesn't stop very well...but I don't care...its just too much "bleeping" fun to ride! Now I remember why all these headaches are still worth it.
Oh yes, know that to well. I have to say those axle nuts can be a real pain. I used liquid wrench on them over night before I tried to break them free. I still bent a bar, so a bigger stronger cheater bar, and that actually bent the pin and flange on my breaker bar. I welded it up in a set position so I have a breaker bar and finished the job.
At least you can ride and enjoy it, that is what counts.
At least you can ride and enjoy it, that is what counts.
Just got back from my favorite car service shop...a few seconds of impact wrench and off they came! I put the nuts back on for the ride home with my breaker bar. Now we are ready to proceed with the "stopping".
p.s. maybe its time for me to have an impact wrench. Save money in broken tools and bent stuff!
p.s. maybe its time for me to have an impact wrench. Save money in broken tools and bent stuff!
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