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Getting My Bearings....
Seemingly ages have passed by since something to report has occurred as far as my sidecar is concerned. Things have been slowly appearing on the horizon though... I have a very helpful friend of long standing who has a modest machine shop, we share an abiding interest in motorbikes...!!! after I deliberated about things, he has kindly made some bits for so as I can convert from Imperial to Metric wheel bearings etc..... these are the bits etc...
The axle now has two manufactured sleeves at either end to take the different bored sizes of the bearings. There is also another spigotted sleeve to make the oil seal fit. The two thin rings above the axle are to make up the 2mm differential between the Imperial sizes and the Metric, above those we have the original, and the new oil seals.... to the right you can see the original Imperial bearings, and the new boxed Metric alternatives. The big nut on the end of the axle is a new one, advertised as a non-Q.D. wheel nut from a 1958 Triumph Bonneville rear wheel.....
Looking at the bearings again... both new Metric bearings were well under £8.00 each, both Timken, as are the originals, however, the larger of the two Imperial ones could cost me just under £200.00 each, the smaller one is an unknown cost..... I think I have gone the correct way....!!!! I could have probably used the originals, but I fear trusting unknown, used wheel bearings on a sidecar....!!!!
Now the axle is more or less taken care of, the hub and the wheel rim are away being powder coated, I fetch them home next week..... then we have the spokes, hopefully being made for me in an area where this Covid Plague is at its maximum ferociousness. I await an email for an update...???? Chassis leaf springs are still away being renovated, so awaiting another email before I pay for their return....!!!!
I acquired a box full of various sidecar fittings, many of which are Imperial sized. Unbelievably, I had a choice of several Ball Joint fittings... I have selected one that should do the job... Once these are back here after sand blasting tomorrow, I need to purchase several Imperial nut and bolts for them. The telescopic mounting arms probably will have to be made by myself, I already have clamps to suit and connectors etc...
Once the spokes are here I can build the wheel up, install a new tube, tyre etc and maybe sort the chassis fitting crudely. Then hopefully a storm-cover can be made for it by a professional company who made one to cover a friends Morgan three wheeler.... we live in hopes.....!!!! Once the bike is out under this cover, maybe I can then have space enough to manufacture the proposed 'Sport Launch' sidecar body. I was going to do it in Aluminium sheeting on top, with Etching Primer paint covered in Black Gloss, but I think I like the idea of buffed up Aluminium sheeting now mounted on the Satin Black Chassis..... who knows..??? I don't..!
Originally Posted by Jack Klarich
