Mambo"esque" trike

Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
Today's lesson - measure for your tie rods AFTER tightening ALL the relevant bolts. After tightening everything the gap lengthened by more than can be adjusted safely. I got the things too small and now need longer ones. I usually just use tube with welded on nuts but splurged a fiver on pukka Kart ones with a L/H thread at one end. Thus ends the lesson.😢 At 54 I really ought to have learnt this some time ago!
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
Steering finished today. The clamp on the bars to column is strictly temporary to ensure it's perfectly aligned in tests before fully welding it and I'm not happy with the bars either so will either need to modify or start again. The M18 rod end took some getting on being designed for an M18 bolt not 18mm tube. The tube took some sanding down to fit. The UJ I made myself. UJs in socket sets have far too much play and car UJs are usually somewhat limited in movement. I can't test it tomorrow because I'm working but will try to see if the steering and suspension work on Monday.
Still to do:-
Rework the bars
Caliper mounts
Headlight mounts
Mirror mounts
Rear seat mount to rework as it isn't aligned
Chain management
Cable management

Possibly still to do:-
Convert to a solid front axle if the suspension compromises front wheel stability





 
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
4,572
Location
Nottinghamshire England
I assume the steering is interfering with mounting the beast.....

Still road report awaited with bated breath ...

Good luck
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
After many weeks of pondering the lack of location of the front wheels I decided to go the whole hog and simply scrap the front suspension. Whilst the anti-roll bar was perfect as suspension it was not man enough to use for locating the wheels. In retrospect I ought to have foreseen this but it's another lesson learnt the hard way. I now have a std no suspension set-up on the front and have modded the steering to work as per the mambo by simply resting in the lap, meaning it can be raised and lowered for getting in and out. Next job will be to mount the monster Yamaha callipers.

 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
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Wakefield, UK
I started on the calliper mounts then remembered I didn't have the hydraulic hoses needed to lock the calliper to the rotor. Until I can do that I can't weld the mounts so hoses ordered. I did make some mounts for the headlights and bar end mirrors. I also made a battery cage over the rear wheel - not braced properly yet which will then have panniers and a top box thrown over it to hide it. I also put in the chain management rollers but haven't made any retainers for them yet and kicked up the rear frame to miss the motor drive chain.





 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
I got the same size master as the callipers used on the Yamaha they came off but it just doesn't want to work. I appreciate the disk is thinner than the Yamaha but the pads are all but new making up the lost thickness. I've bled them till I'm brassed off and they just won't bite fully. I think I'll park this idea and get a pair of bog std mechanical callipers instead. I have a dual pull lever so will use that. As I did last time I used this set-up I'll get a left and right handed calliper for a mini moto rather than two lefts and have to make different mountings. Having them both similarly mounted just looks neater IMO. Whilst I await the snail mail on these I'll make a start on the chassis for the covered trike that's up next.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
There is a procedure called bench bleeding, you do it to get ride of a bit of air trapped in the caliper. It,s been a while since I last needed to do it but it may help. I,m sure you could look it up via thee internet for the proper method
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I made a mistake. It's been years since I needed to do this. That was on an old Jeep CJ I converted from drum brakes front and rear to disc brakes on the front. And it was the master cylinder that needed to be bench bled to get rid of the air inside it before it could be properly set up. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
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1,352
Location
Netherlands
Wow what a build. With those tires, the tubing looks very thin.
That seat is great. I love also how the rear looks with the fat tire.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
Starting to get built back up. Some way still to go. I have all the electric wires to lengthen to fit this latout too.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
The frame is the same 40x20x1.5 I've used for most frames except this has round edges sort of like an oval but with flat sides. I got it very cheap from someone-else's abandoned gazebo project. It certainly holds my bulk as I've sat on it. You are right though those fatties do make it look weedy.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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2,384
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Wakefield, UK
And done (almost). I just need to brace the jackshaft. Schoolboy error as I forgot Newton's 3rd law. As the jackshaft pulls the wheel forward the wheel pulls the jackshaft and it's not mounted robustly enough. It needs a straightforward bit of bracing. Not any issue I'll loose sleep over.











 
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
4,572
Location
Nottinghamshire England
Nice to see it on it's wheels and blinking in the sun light and wow that's busy under the seat !

Paul
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
1,352
Location
Netherlands
With that Trike you are unstoppable. People will move over as you come by. 😁
Looks good. With everything on it, it looks way bigger.
What for seat us that?

I like that you extended the part above the steering. Gives you extra mounting options.
 
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