Mambo"esque" trike

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Oct 19, 2012
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Wakefield, UK
Whilst waiting for a few bits for the SWB I decided I had enough bits to make a start on a new trike. I'm going to make a fat wheeled tadpole and was inspired by the Mambo. I like the use of his uprights to get the trike sitting so low but I'm less enamoured of the steering which just appears to be held in the hands from a U/J rather than having any fixed column. Now, I was going to use motorcycle wheels because I have them but a couple of donors came up cheap so I'm now going that way. The Avigo Monster is the same bike type that donated to my SWB project and again I found one with some flashing still left on the nearly new tyres. These will absolutely have to be relaced and I have some 20mm axle disc hubs on order for just that task. The bigger wheel came from a folding fat bike that frankly had the absolute cheapest of everything bolted to it. Just horrible! Amazon is full of these things with leccy motors on for around £1000 - I'd be seriously peeved at the quality of the base machine for that money but it was just the wheel and back end I wanted so was fine. I swapped to a road tyre because as usual the thing came with a knobbly and I hate them. The bike was dog cheap because the rear wheel kept jumping out of the frame according to the seller - probably the bent rear axle had some say in doing that! One more thing to sort. I've started with the uprights and used the bearings recommended on the Mambo site. I have to say that they make VERY quick work of making the steering gear. They're a doddle to press in and are very smooth. I haven't got a drill the size I need yet (25mm) for the tube for the axles to pass through so that's awaiting the postman.





 
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Oct 19, 2012
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Got the bent axle on the 26" wheel replaced today. It was something of an ordeal. The SHIMANG (not a spelling mistake - I told you everything on this donor was utter garbage) freewheel utterly refused to part ways with the hub. My freewheel tool let go before the freewheel. I don't blame the Chinese tool as I was seriously exerting myself at the time. In the end a welded on nut both got it off and ruined it in one easy step. I'll have to get another so may as well get an extended ratio 8 speed as I've got a very nice set of old but very high quality Shimano trigger shifters in 8x3. The rear triangle splayed out excellently though I say it myself. The tyre is completely central.



The rear calliper wants the same space as the motor drive freewheel so I intend to up it to a 203mm rotor. I was going to go without a rear brake as my last trike did stoppies and as the rear unloaded the grip at the back rotor exceeded the grip at the tyre with hilarious or frightening consequences depending on if you were expecting it or not. This trike is, however, going to be much lower with go-Kart like steering above the chassis so the centre of gravity will be much lower and a rear brake therefore more use.
 
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The SHIMANG (not a spelling mistake - I told you everything on this donor was utter garbage) freewheel utterly refused to part ways with the hub. My freewheel tool let go before the freewheel. I don't blame the Chinese tool as I was seriously exerting myself at the time. In the end a welded on nut both got it off and ruined it in one easy step..
Brads shows how to make an ' indestructible ' cassette removable tool here Free wheel basics

Mine has not let me down yet :)
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Call that a drill - this is a drill! The largest I've ever used anyway at 25mm to make the holes for the axle mounts. Just need steering arms / calliper mounts for the uprights now but really need to add the 20mm hubs to the wheels and that's again waiting on the postie. Oh - I also need to add the headlight mounts too. I'm going to use 40x20x1.5 oval for the main frame and front axle because it's about the minimum I can weld and will take my weight, plus I have it anyway. Not a true oval but near enough.



 
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Liberated the 24V 600W system from the Schwinn scooter today. Also got a 203 rotor on the back wheel and have got the calliper now clear of the LHD freewheel. Should now be able to get the lowest part of the main beam in and fit these parts which will then allow me to fit the seat.

 
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I was saved from a day in a wet cold garage today by the arrival of my 20mm hubs. I proceeded to pull the wheels apart and discovered that the std spokes were just 1mm over optimal on the front and 2mm on the back so I reused those. The longer ones needed a slight kiss with the grinder before replacing the substantial rim tape though rim pad would be more accurate. Took me 6 hours start to finish and that included re-reading up the procedure on Sheldon Brown's site. The basic lacing itself was about 50mins per wheel. It's not much to look at though for 6hrs work. A pair of 203 rotors have been ordered now I can measure the pcd.

 
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Some progress today. Motor in. I had to use a longer hub than the motor originally came with as the motor wanted the space reserved for the rear shock. Fortunately I had one recently removed from the wheels. The seat has gone in as low as I can get it and as far back as the motor will allow. Next job will be to build the front swing arms and suspension set-up. An initial test of the anti-roll bar shows the calculator to be at least somewhere near so I have hope it'll work as expected. The batteries will sit above the rear wheel in a bag in a cage and will perform a luggage rack function too. I was going to site them behind the seat but that would have lengthened the whole thing considerably. I ordered some 4 pot callipers from the USA and have gone for motorcycle parts. Stopping should not be an issue if I can avoid ripping the discs off the wheel!



 
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Front suspension made. The centre mount isn't welded yet as that will set the ride height so will be done when the front and rear are mated.

 
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Callipers arrived from the USA today. They are Yamaha units and are a one piece casting. The silver plugs then bung up the holes that have to be bored from the outside for the pistons. They aren't particularly heavy as the one piece casting does away with the joining bolts and extra metal to support them. They came off a 2 year old bike with just 3000 miles on it and were £30 the pair. These were a revelation when Yamaha first produced them and did a better job than almost any other unit around at the time. Time will tell if they work well on this application.

 

SirJoey

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Feb 8, 2008
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My cozy little nook in the corner!
Man, that's some engineering there! (y)
Are those discs a big as they look? They look HUGE! 😳
Nice work, all the way around! (y)

***
 
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Oct 19, 2012
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Those are all 203mm discs. There's plenty of room so may as well get big ones. I had to have a 203 on the rear for calliper clearance anyway. Unlike a previous trike which I could tip with excessive braking this is so low that the centre of gravity will at least make tipping very hard if not impossible. I got it sitting on all three wheels today. The front ride height is now set by welding the centre torsion bar mount. I'm pleased to say that there appears to be the amount of give expected so the first hurdle is passed. The only other if/but/maybe will come on riding it if there is sufficient wheel location or not - time will tell on that one. If there isn't then a complete redesign of the front will be needed.





Why does my garage look like Steptoe's* yard! Next job will be the bottom bracket.

* For non-Brits and young people Steptoe was a rag and bone man or junk collector on UK TV many decades ago.
 
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Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Bottom bracket in. I had an idea regarding wheel location and have attached a rod across the two wheels via rod ends. This will allow each wheel to suspend independently whilst transferring any sideways wheel forces across both wheels and effectively triangulating them. I've also made a start on the steering.



 
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Dec 29, 2016
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Lanc's, England
I have been waiting for a update regarding your torsion suspension.
Does it work with satisfaction?
The ebay supplier has one left and I'm tempted, so let me know if you recomend me to by it or not.
 
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Static bouncing shows it working as expected . I'll have the steering on this coming weekend so will then be able to roll it down the road and see what it does.
 
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I've got a fair bit left if you want it. Will measure it when I get home. It's bigger than the bit I used. At work ATM.
 
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