Raking out

[Mek5o]

Have 2001 Harley L1200L with Raider kit thinking of Raking it out any experts out there with advise ?

 

[stacebg]

Have 2001 Harley L1200L with Raider kit thinking of Raking it out any experts out there with advise ?

all i can say is "DO IT YOU WONT REGRET IT"

 

[wlivin2]

i used a paugcho trike kit on my 93 1200 sporty didn't rack it at first 2 yrs later i installed a 5 degree triple. it was amazing how much improvement there was do it you wont be disappointed

 

[ol' school]

Contact our President, Papa Zook (Randy) at 346-800-7946... he sells rake kits and can help you out.

http://www.cutnshootcustoms.com

 

[CrystalPistol]

Do it only if you are prepared to accept easier turning, less fatigue on the mountain roads, more control when accelerating while turning like exiting a gas station, and in general, a more enjoyable ride.

 

[Mek5o]

too much?

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

 

[Lee H. Mann]

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

WHOA !!!!! You are going to remove just about any drive-ability and need a football field to turn around.

Stretching it out is going to put more stress on the swingarm and make it top-heavy.

6 degrees is maximum with 2-3" longer forks should satisfy handing and comfort.

Do you have a Custom Sportster ?

 

[CrystalPistol]

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

If you are thinking of a kit that rakes just the fork tubes, 14 degrees & 6 inch over will remove all trail, be like pushing a caster backwards. I doubt you'll even locate them. Most "rake kits" you read about with trike conversions do not alter the steering stem through the frame head, they just kick the fork tubes out enough to get trail down into the 2-3" range, using 2-3" extensions to pick the front of the trike back up. The reduction in trail makes for lighter steering, but in the interest of safety & stability, you do not want to eliminate all trail.

If talking about cutting and rewelding frame head on at 14 more degrees, I'm out.

 

[stacebg]

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

r you talking trees or the frame??

either way is not going to be good on a 3 wheeler

 

[Mek5o]

r you talking trees or the frame??

either way is not going to be good on a 3 wheeler

I was talking trees, From chopper supplies LLC

- - - Updated - - -

If you are thinking of a kit that rakes just the fork tubes, 14 degrees & 6 inch over will remove all trail, be like pushing a caster backwards. I doubt you'll even locate them. Most "rake kits" you read about with trike conversions do not alter the steering stem through the frame head, they just kick the fork tubes out enough to get trail down into the 2-3" range, using 2-3" extensions to pick the front of the trike back up. The reduction in trail makes for lighter steering, but in the interest of safety & stability, you do not want to eliminate all trail.

If talking about cutting and rewelding frame head on at 14 more degrees, I'm out.

No to cut and welding, its kit sold by chopper supply LLC.

- - - Updated - - -

WHOA !!!!! You are going to remove just about any drive-ability and need a football field to turn around.

Stretching it out is going to put more stress on the swingarm and make it top-heavy.

6 degrees is maximum with 2-3" longer forks should satisfy handing and comfort.

Do you have a Custom Sportster ?

It's 2011 XL1200L with Raider Kit The Harley Dealer first suggested it because I was complaining of handling. He suggested 10 degrees with 6" over forks as I was shopping kits I saw these kits on Chopper supply LLC for 9,14,& 18 degree with different length forks was trying to get the best look and handling!

 

[stacebg]

WHOA !!!!! You are going to remove just about any drive-ability and need a football field to turn around.

Stretching it out is going to put more stress on the swingarm and make it top-heavy.

6 degrees is maximum with 2-3" longer forks should satisfy handing and comfort.

Do you have a Custom Sportster ?

the extra stress on the swing arm is not enough to worry about by any means... more on the neck than swing arm but i wouldnt worry about that either

 

[stacebg]

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

okay now i am sure you were not talking about changing the frame....

i layed it out in an autocad file i dont know your bikes rake and trail

for example i started with 30 deg rake and 5 inches of trail and 10 deg in the tree and 6 inch tube i came up with -1. inch

if you know your rake and trail i will do it again if you like

which is a death trap!!!!

 

[Burnerboy]

My builder told me when I asked about raking:

Out of all the rakes that I have done NO ONE has come back and said please change it back........BUT 90% have come back and say please rake this out for me...

I have a 5.5% rake....... it works!

Ronnie

 

[stacebg]

My builder told me when I asked about raking:

Out of all the rakes that I have done NO ONE has come back and said please change it back........BUT 90% have come back and say please rake this out for me...

I have a 5.5% rake....... it works!

Ronnie

some people dont get confused actually the term used is "degrees" not "%"

 

[CrystalPistol]

I was thiking of 14 degrees with 6 over tubes would that be too much?

You still wanting to do that?

I saw where you said just triple trees with no frame modifications.

Adding 14 degrees looks to me like a dangerous proposition, the 6 over tubes will level the trike, but you are gonna go from trail to lead, the front wheel will want to turn like that shopping cart when you back up.

Lead would be when the tire contact patch is ahead of or in front of the imaginary point where that line through the steering stem intersects the roadway. You want some trail.

 

[stacebg]

You still wanting to do that?

I saw where you said just triple trees with no frame modifications.

Adding 14 degrees looks to me like a dangerous proposition, the 6 over tubes will level the trike, but you are gonna go from trail to lead, the front wheel will want to turn like that shopping cart when you back up.

the illustration is not good representation for this case as still showing trail not lead but at 14 degrees, according to my figures would be a little lead as you say but shopping cart act will play going forward not back... which is why i said it would be dangerous

 

[Burnerboy]

some people dont get confused actually the term used is "degrees" not "%"

OOPS! Your correct! Thanks! (5.5 degrees) yep, that does indeed make more sense!

Ronnie

 

[CrystalPistol]

the illustration is not good representation for this case as still showing trail not lead … etc …

Well, yeah, but but it was really only meant to show in what direction one was headed with these kits. It isn't to scale, but I thought it would help illustrate … and with imagination, understand why going too far (like 14 more degrees and 6 inch over tubes) is not a good idea.

For anyone … to clarify my shopping cart illustration, reach down and turn the casters 180 degrees so the wheel is furthest ahead in the "lead", then push the cart towards the shopping aisle and see the casters immediately try to turn back around to "trail".

 

[Mek5o]

Well, yeah, but but it was really only meant to show in what direction one was headed with these kits. It isn't to scale, but I thought it would help illustrate … and with imagination, understand why going too far (like 14 more degrees and 6 inch over tubes) is not a good idea.

For anyone … to clarify my shopping cart illustration, reach down and turn the casters 180 degrees so the wheel is furthest ahead in the "lead", then push the cart towards the shopping aisle and see the casters immediately try to turn back around to "trail".

Thanks for the info. its been very helpful.

 

[alwims]

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but 14°? I bought my 6° rake kit from Papa Zook and it solved my hard steering perfectly. I think you are just asking for trouble installing anything over 6° on any trike. The only problem I have noticed is it takes a lot more room to make a slow speed turn, but it's liveable.