How to cure the Death Wobble

[scotty]

I've got a rigid trike with a servicar rear end, 15x8 rear tires, and a sportster narrow glide front with a skinny 21" front tire. The frame rake looks to be stockish, 28-32 degrees give or take. The trike turns on a dime. When I first put her together I had little 70's bunny ear chopper handle bars. The thing was scarry to ride. At low speeds it had a terrible tank slapping death wobble, especially when I took my left hand off the bars to jockey shift and down shifting to a stop. If you held on tight at all times and were exepecting it you could easilly overcome it and ride it out but you had to be very warry all the time. I put some 25" wide buckhorns on it and it was 100% better but it would still bite me every now and then. I've got some 35" wide mini apes on it now and I can ride with 1 hand all day long, but I can still feel the front end oscilating mildly like it still wants to wobble. If I take both hands off at 5-10 MPH the front end goes out of control and I have to stop to regain control of the bars.

I never have any problems riding at speed or accelerating, it's just deceleration and low speed that I get the death wobble. Do you think raked trees would help me? What about a fork brace? It does seem like the fork legs might be going up and down at different rates causing an oscilation. What do you think is the best trail for a rigid trike? Thx, Scotty<br />
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<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j197/josephscotthall/IMAG0249.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br />
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<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j197/josephscotthall/IMAG0246.jpg" border="0" alt="" />

[oleman69]

looks like stock angle at the neck adding some rake I think would help, these pros around can tell you better personally around 5 to 10 degrees would be about right but you would have to have some longer tubes I wouldn't use slugs over 4" (prone to breakage) or a girder or springer with some built in rake

[Greydog]

Have you tried snugging the neck bearings down tighter to reduce the "fall away"? It's my understanding that trikes need the neck bearings tighter than a two wheeler to prevent head shake. One of the more knowledgeable wrenches here can advise you as to how tight to snug them for the correct front wheel free swing. The degree of wobble you are experiencing is far from normal and as a matter of fact downright dangerous!! Also, judging from the wear patch on the rear tires you're running way too much pressure in them. 20lbs -22lbs should be plenty.

[Bob Witte]

First let me complement you on a cool looking rig! Next I'll invite you to get a copy of our "How to ride a trike" document. ( <a href="http://www.thetrinitytrike.com/downloads/index.html" target="_blank">The Trinity Trike</a> ) It will answer several of your questions. But I would highlight making sure that you have a really good tire on the front, that it is in perfect balance and that there's no warpage on the front rim. I agree about the fork bearings and that a brace on the front might help as well.<br />
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<b>Bob Witte<br />
<a href="http://www.TheTrinityTrike.com" target="_blank">The Trinity Trike</a><br />
</b>

[kcchoppers]

Check your tire that you do not have a broken belt from jumping a curb. Also go to a wider 21 " tire it will track better and not want to follow the groves in the road. The rake should be fine the way it is.

[Bikerbozo]

There's always adding a sideways shock between frame and forks. Just like on H-D Tri-Glides.