Springer steering damper

[Pup]

:Computer:

I have a springer trike Cross Bones/Frankenstein. I have been looking for a stabilizer for over a year now and still no luck. I know there has to be a way to do it. I had a bad tank slapper that yanked the bar out of my left hand several months ago. It not only broke my thumb on the first slap but around the third time it switched back and forth it hit the back side of my hand and ripped off 1/2 the hide. I was about 100 miles from home. That was a pretty miserable ride home with my hand wrapped in a bloody bandana and no thumb to hold on to the bar to pull the clutch.

I am currently switching the cheezy stock mini apes out for some wide beach bars and that should help a little bit with better leverage. But I really need something to buffer the tank slaps on low speed little bumps.

Also will lowering the back end help any?

Any assistance would be muchly appreciated...


Pup

[Loner]

Sterring dampners are to me nothing but bandaids over the key problem which is usually too much trail. A springer in front of a Frankenstein rear sounds like a great looking duo to me, but I can bet that your springer needs just a bit more advance of your front axle forward to reduce the trail. In this case to me a side view photo of your trike would be worth a thousand words. It could be that you might redesign your lower springer rocker to move your axle forward a couple of inches to lower your trail and your handling problems mighto go away (easier and better looking than adding a dampner). How about that side view photo? And maybe we can recommend some slight redesign of that lower rocker.

[Pup]

Extending the rockers is more of a big deal than you might think. This will also render the front fender unuseable. I will add some pictures next time I go for a ride. Since I wrote the initial post, I changed out the stock mini apes handle bars to a set of black fatty beach bars and retro grips. The change is amazing. No more fighting the bars at low speeds. No more tank slappers or the bars attempting to pull out of my hands at low speeds on bumpy roads. The trike is also much more comfortable with a new ergonomic stance. It was like adding power steering on the trike. They look bad assed to boot...

Really added some retro style to the trike. I understand the attitude about steering stabolizers but I can't just rake out the trees like on conventional trikes and any other mods to the forks are just too expensive and or time consuming. I think I figured out how to make a bracket for the stabolizer. So if it works, I'll take some pics and post em here for others with similar springer issues. With the new bars I have a new love for my trike again... :Pepper:<br />
<br />
Oh yeah... Once again... Will lowering the rear end help any with the steering problems? I can get a rear lowering kit pretty cheap. I was considering dropping my air pressure in the tires just to see but input here would still be apppreciated.

[hat]

Hey Pup,
Sorry to hear you are having the tank slapper issue, just as I have had. If you come up with a damper clamp design and any other remedies you come up with please!

[Pup]

Actually with the new bars I have cured much of the problems I had. But I am looking at making it even better. I will definitely show pics of the bracket if I can make it work.

[Pup]

Ok here are the pix requested.

[Baz]

Lowering the rear will unload the front end, this will exaggerate the issue.Try raising it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a good quality steering damper correctly installed.

PS. Love the Trike

[Nana]

Pup, that is a sweet trike!

[Pup]

Cool, How would I raise the rear of a softail? The way the fenders are mounted I doubt I could go with too much taller tires. Maybe an inch taller tire raising the rear end 1/2 inch. Would that help at all?

and

Thank you

Lowering the rear will unload the front end, this will exaggerate the issue.Try raising it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a good quality steering damper correctly installed.

PS. Love the Trike

[Pup]

Nana,

Thank you, It is my pride and joy.

Pup

Pup, that is a sweet trike!

[Baz]

Cool, How would I raise the rear of a softail? The way the fenders are mounted I doubt I could go with too much taller tires. Maybe an inch taller tire raising the rear end 1/2 inch. Would that help at all?

and

Thank you

You raise or drop the rear ( and the front for that matter ) by adjusting the preload on the shock ( or fork ) springs. This assumes the correct weight springs are fitted. The idea is to lift the rear to have the front tyre pressed harder onto the tarmac to put it crudely. Try it. :beerchug: Baz.

[Baz]

You raise or drop the rear ( and the front for that matter ) by adjusting the preload on the shock ( or fork ) springs. This assumes the correct weight springs are fitted. The idea is to lift the rear to have the front tyre pressed harder onto the tarmac to put it crudely. Try it. :beerchug: Baz.

PS. I make the assumption that the rear has coil over shocks ??

[Loner]

Great vintage look! Reading Baz note above, I've strained my eyes to see, but I have to ask - what do you have for springs in the back?

Also, the other obvious way to get the front loaded a bit more is to go on a bulk-up diet (get fat). That may serve as well to lighten the back end since you may not have your co-pilot hanging around you much anymore.

[Pup]

It's a Softail so the shocks are under the frame below the transmission and they are not coil overs. I do not know if preload is adjustable. But if it is it will be very hard to do the adjustment.

[ultraboy]

Softail shocks are certainly adjustable, and it's fairly easy to do with the right tools. Lengthening lowers the rear and shotnening raises the rear. On the Softail trikes I've built, I make them as short as they will go.

Ub

[Bob Witte]

Here's a source for an inexpensive motorcycle steering dampner from eBay:

Motorcycle Shock Absorber Stabilize Handle Steering Tit | eBay

I've bought a couple of parts from them already and the quality is quite good actually. Other bike dampners are up to 10 times more expensive, so this is a good way to try it.

Bob Witte
The Trinity Trike

[Dwight]

Pup,
I don't think you can raise or lower the rear enough to do any good. If the bars have done enough for you regarding the tank slapper then all is well and good. If it hasn't I would experiment with adjusting the steering head bearings a little tighter. Check your shop manual for the correct way to check your steering, it's generally so many swings of the forks back to center. Try adjusting it to about 1/2 what the manual says, and test ride it. Be carefull about too tight as it will affect the steering. This is a normal adjustment when converting to a trike. By the way I removed the dampner from my TriGlide when I installed the painted inner fairing. Was always going to to re-install it but it just didn't seem necessary.

Dwight

[iaff84]

Liberty sells or modifies you springer front end for side car and trike use.
Not cheap, they may also have dampeners for the springer.
Dennis
5° Raked Fork Modification for Heritage Springers®

[pettifogger1]

Neat stuff on the Liberty site. They aren't changing much more (if any) than what it costs to buy racked triple trees for a conversion on standard forks. That looks like the safe, sanitary, way to go for a springer.

[Pup]

I found someone who does the same thing as liberty except they dont have to machine the lower leg assembly since they actually bend the neck where it fits in the lower fork. This means I'll save on shipping my forks and over $700 in price. I just received an email from the company and they say it works with the crossbones. Only $229. YEAH!!!

Harley Springer 4.5 Deg Rake Kit*::*Triple Trees*::*Motorway Engineering Co.