88 Blazer Trike

[LarryA]

reply

i will definitly agree with vw bug. that setup will work just fine.......i've noticed that when using smooth side w/p pulleys....they give more degrees of belt wrap....less traction than with grooves, l suppose.

 

[Fowler]

Great,

Once I get the Trany cross-member done I can start on that

This weekend is tied up with Honey do list and PM on my other trike

 

[Fowler]

started mocking up the altenator

The stock bracket puts it up to high

if I make my own bracket I can lower it 2 inches

 

[Fowler]

Not sure why all my pics got turned on their side

Had issue uploading another pic also

 

[Fowler]

fabricated the cross member yesterday

for now it has 1 bolt on each side

later it will have 2 on each side

need to weld some gussets on the underside on the bracket that is actually welded to the frame

 

[MarkFL]

Not sure why all my pics got turned on their side

Had issue uploading another pic also

I've rotated them as requested.

 

[Fowler]

I've rotated them as requested.

Thanks

 

[LarryA]

crossmember

bob.....what are your plans for the humped up crossmember that is above your new rear trans.mount??? .....realize it was/is needed to keep frame in alignment. body mnt. seat mounting or what.....just curious.

 

[Fowler]

bob.....what are your plans for the humped up crossmember that is above your new rear trans.mount??? .....realize it was/is needed to keep frame in alignment. body mnt. seat mounting or what.....just curious.

In front of the cross member will be the front seat (above the trany)

Behind that will be the back seat. (will have a plate over the drive shaft for Butt protection)

Then the gas tank and at the end a truck bed with a nice wood floor inlay

My wife wants a dash panel so attached to that cross member will be some type of stand with a platform on top. Not sure what will go in her dash yet

 

[stacebg]

fabricated the cross member yesterday

for now it has 1 bolt on each side

later it will have 2 on each side

need to weld some gussets on the underside on the bracket that is actually welded to the frame

View attachment 44554

View attachment 44555

you are moving right along, more than i can say for my projects...no idea if its been mentioned or not...but it looks like your pinion may be up a tad... should be within a couple degrees of the trans..if not it will vibrate...i think you can buy wedges to help or cut n re-weld the saddles....

this a great explanation

 

[Fowler]

you are moving right along, more than i can say for my projects...no idea if its been mentioned or not...but it looks like your pinion may be up a tad... should be within a couple degrees of the trans..if not it will vibrate...i think you can buy wedges to help or cut n re-weld the saddles....

this a great explanation

Not for a Double Cardan/CV shaft.

The Pinion angle is different when setting them up

 

[stacebg]

Not for a Double Cardan/CV shaft.

The Pinion angle is different when setting them up

View attachment 44585

ah i figured you probably had if covered.. but thought i would mention it

 

[Fowler]

ah i figured you probably had if covered.. but thought i would mention it

I appreciate that. The more advice the better.

I try to take it all in and then make as informed of a decision as I can

 

[LarryA]

reply

good info on drive shafts.....sounds like that crossmember will be put to good use! i like that idea of a dash for the passenger, could be a backrest for the driver and used for a hand hold for the passenger to get into the their seat. speakers mountings ,electronics etc. also a partial windbreak for the passenger. i am enjoying the build !!

 

[Fowler]

I think I have my rake and trail wrong



Did not have a lot of time this weekend but put this front wheel on just for I could roll it around the shop

 

[LarryA]

reply

yes,:xzqxz: rake and trail do not look good! lol!! however necessity is the mother of invention!

 

[stacebg]

yes,:xzqxz: rake and trail do not look good! lol!! however necessity is the mother of invention!

just about right.....

put a riser in the stem, turn the bars around, add some heim joints and rods u should be good to go ... looks like about 1-1/2" of trail... perfect!!

 

[Fowler]

I got the bottom part on the alternator bracket made. Now need to make the adjustable arm

Its made out of 1/4 flat and 1/2 rebar support

I like the look but wish I had justification to put another one on the other side to balance the look out

Instead I will put a dummy pulley on the other side

 

[Fowler]

set an old seat on it.

I may have to rethink my seat design

I was going to have front seat, back seat, gas tank, truck bed

Basically I will have to move the front and back seats back some and move the gas tank to a different location and/or lengthen the rear for the truck bed

 

[LarryA]

yeah....maybe move back 18" or so. gotta have room for legs and feet. if headers go straight out and then down over frame, your feet could be between headers and block , but could get warm.....other wise either side of tranny or bellhousing.....you may have to decide on your exhaust system before the seat location, just saying.

 

[Fowler]

yeah....maybe move back 18" or so. gotta have room for legs and feet. if headers go straight out and then down over frame, your feet could be between headers and block , but could get warm.....other wise either side of tranny or bellhousing.....you may have to decide on your exhaust system before the seat location, just saying.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[Fowler]

moved the engine/trany forward 10 inches



Before



After



This puts my wheel base around 9 feet. I wanted to keep it down to 8 but I did not want to modify my rear.

 

[peteg59]

Forward progress, pun intended! Looks good:clapping:

 

[LarryA]

moving forward

looks like plenty of room for radiator and neck/fork. will you use steering link rods or long handle bars?

 

[Fowler]

looks like plenty of room for radiator and neck/fork. will you use steering link rods or long handle bars?

The plan is to have the radiator under the truck bed in back and channel air to it,

I was thinking of using a steering link setup. I have seen a few of them and I am told they work well.

I personalty like the long handlebar look better but I have to balance the look with the function

 

[Fowler]

Now that I moved the engine/trany forward I will have to change my pinion angle.

Since they were moved forward and I will be using a double cardan style drive shaft I will have to lower my pinion to point at the trany output shaft again.

I have not figured out how much I will have to lower it yet but I will

 

[Fowler]

since I moved the engine and Trany forward I had to make a new Trany mount

I am keeping the old cross member because it is the right height for the back seat area



This is a quick mock up at 36 degrees will do a better mock up later

Not the wheels I will use just something I had around to stand up there

I like the fat car tire but not sure how well that will work

 

[peteg59]

I like your thinking in that the "fat car tire" out front will serve you best.

Engineering a wheel/brake mount for the stock GM wheel isn't rocket science, but it is critical in getting the trike to handle the way you want/expect it to. Looks like that's what your after in the "mockup"?

In my opinion/for what its worth, (not much), typical motorcycle fork or leading link setup might be easier to fab from scratch, but maybe you have that covered already...?

Traction is your/our friend, on a trike!:clapping:

 

[LarryA]

ditto

ya ditto on the fat car tire.....that tire will soak up a lot of small bumps.....plus w/ heavier engine, fork springing will need to be stiffer.....so that tire area will be more important than ever for ride quality. my .02

 

[Fowler]

Engineering a wheel/brake mount for the stock GM wheel isn't rocket science, but it is critical in getting the trike to handle the way you want/expect it to. Looks like that's what your after in the "mockup"?

In my opinion/for what its worth, (not much), typical motorcycle fork or leading link setup might be easier to fab from scratch

:clapping:

I have been scouring the internet for info on setting up a GM wheel for motorcycle forks but cant find much

I have been researching Leading link forks I believe I will go with some form of that

I want to keep my wheel base as short as I can

Right now my wheel base measures at 9 ft 2 inches

That is longer than I wanted but it is what it is