88 Blazer Trike

[Fowler]

Did some more work on the battery box and seat frame area. Had to wait for some sanding disk to come in. For some reason I cant find any disk for my die grinder here locally.

I think my son got me a brake booster and master cylinder for my birthday coming up

I will have to mount it under the floor and most likely backward

Once I have it I will figure out the left side of the seat area

 

[Fowler]

My birthday is not until the 1st so I have to wait for my brake parts.

while I am waiting I was looking at my exhaust

From the exhaust flange I have about 4 inches of 1 1/2 inch round, Over the round I have welded 2" square and from there forward it is the 2" square.

I have not connected the individual exhaust to a main pipe yet.

I am trying to figure out if I can carry on with the 2" square all the way back or if I need a larger pipe

 

[Fowler]

Looking online it seems people are using anything for 2" to 2.5" but most 2.5.

Would a 3" collector and exhaust be or is that to big. What about back pressure or have I already screwed that up with my 2 inch square header?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Looking online it seems people are using anything for 2" to 2.5" but most 2.5.

Would a 3" collector and exhaust be or is that to big. What about back pressure or have I already screwed that up with my 2 inch square header?

Keep your headers equal lengths, smooth radius, forget back pressure, think about exhaust reversion

That is what will slow down your exhaust and also cause exhaust to still be in the combustion chamber fighting the incoming charge

 

[Fowler]

I know the square exhaust is not the best design but it looks cool.

A while back I found some old post on a different forum from the guy I am copying this idea from.

He had a 350 with square exhaust

He said the power loss was not noticeable.

If I remember correctly he had 2" down pipes. I know he had a bigger collector but I don't know the size. I cant seem to find that info anymore.(don't remember where I seen it)

 

[Sidecarbill]

There was a guy on you tube a few years back. He took a new set of headers and beat the tubes flat more and more until he really saw performance on the Dyno drop off. Let me tell you he beat them up. Anyway he did it because every body is an expert and they all said even a little dent would kill power. But it didn't.Yours can't be any worse than some of the old exhaust manifolds they had on cars.

 

[Fowler]

I think I will go with 2 1/2" for the exhaust collector and back.

I picked up another seat from a friend. I am fabricating the frame for it now. Just ordered some seat springs for it.

These seats are just place holders, the ones I want will mount the same way but I don't want to get them yet because I don't want to damage them and do not have any place to store them.

My wife and son gave me my master cylinder and booster. Its a 8" dual diaphragm booster with a 1" boar master cylinder. I will make sure my wheel cylinders are 1" also.

I have to mount it low so I will need a check valve (I forgot what it is really called).

This will brake the rear wheels.

I am guessing that I will need a separate system for the front wheel but I wonder if I could use a portioning valve to operate all 3 brakes on the same brake system

Anyway I will take some pictures soon and post them

 

[Fowler]

Here is a pic of where I am mounting the brake system. Its not exactly in place right now its sitting on a box and some welding gloves.

It is above the wheel cylinders but the brake line will run above the master cyl

I am still figuring out the mounting of it.

 

[Fowler]

Fabricated the bracket from some thick flat plate I had.



It fits good but it screws up the plans I had for that side floor area

 

[Fowler]

I had stated the booster is a dual diaphragm but I was wrong its a single diaphragm.

It should still be fine.

 

[Fowler]

I have been thinking about brake linkage

Sorry for the crude drawings. I used to do these in Visio years ago but I don't have that app anymore



With Idea A I don't know how big to make the pulley. I have a few different pulleys I can try

With Idea B I don't think I can get a straight run on the long brake rod and the rod will be under the frame open to get hit by road debris

 

[LarryA]

I like A best, but would just extend the lever hanging down from pivot point and attach the cable end there, thus eliminating the linkages to the right and down of the pivot point

Regarding the pulleys ..look up the minimum radius permitted for the cable dia. your'e using.

plan B would need to have a tubing type push rod so as not to buckle, both A and B may need to be protected from snagging on what gets ran over! Just my .02

 

[TomyJ]

Hi Bob and Larry

If you want to go the cable route, try some reading in "Control Cables (Inc) .com" They will make the strength and length of cable for what you want. I would think "Parking Brake cable" strength. I like your build and I hope you're having fun with it...:clapping:

 

[Fowler]

After looking at it more I believe plan B will be best and as suggested I will need to make some type of guard for the rod and linkage.

I took a piece of ready rod and found I can make a straight rod work.

I wont use the ready rod for the actual rod though. Larry you suggested a tube. I assume a tube would be stronger than a solid rod. Right?

I will start looking for the rod and Heim joints I will use

I received the springs for the back seat in and installed them today.

 

[Fowler]

I did some reading on hollow tube vs solid rod

There is a lot of talk about it, people believing one way or the other. I'm not smart enough to say one way or another but looking at both at the hardware store. I think either the 1/2 inch rod or a 1/2" tube will with a relatively thick wall will work fine. I think the tube I seen had a 1/16" wall, It felt strong. And the tube would be lighter.

I will be attaching some type of guard to protect them. (Have not figured that part out yet)

 

[TomyJ]

Tubing

Bob look for Steel DOM Round Tubing, seamless

 

[TomyJ]

Grade8Bolts

Bob, Try to use "Grade 8 Bolts" as much as you can, safety,safety,safety...

 

[Fowler]

I started fabricating the brake linkage but I ran into a snag.

I need to know how far the brake booster rod will need to depress

Question..... if I depress the booster by hand to measure it, will that be an accurate measurement?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Too long of an adjustment could cause the brakes to lock, there are gauges available to set the length of the booster rod

 

[Fowler]

I just watched a video on how to use the tool. I did not now that end needed adjustment. Know I do. Will order the tool soon.

What about the other side of the booster. How far does it depress?

 

[Jack Klarich]

I just watched a video on how to use the tool. I did not now that end needed adjustment. Know I do. Will order the tool soon.

What about the other side of the booster. How far does it depress?

I dunno, that is a good question

- - - Updated - - -

 

[Fowler]

I ordered the tool you suggested.

I will keep researching this.

I have to go to the torture house now. (physical therapy)

Thank you for your advise

 

[LarryA]

booster

The only consideration I can think of, is to make your pedal linkage travel somewhat longer than m/c travel so as to accommodate the longer travel of the booster. You can feel the lost motion that is used to contact the floating valve in the booster.

 

[Fowler]

Once I get that new tool in I plan to take the MC and booster off the trike to adjust it. While it is off I will connect the booster to my car to see how much it will depress.

I have most of the linkage fabricated now. I just need to figure out the rod length and pivot point.

I will take some pic soon and post them.

The next step i guess will be to run the brake lines, and check valve and ensure I have the right size wheel cylinders

I will cap off the ports for the front brake for now. Will need to figure that out later.

With my VW trike, after I installed the brake system I went to the top of the hill here and rolled down. That was a fun first ride.

 

[Fowler]

I think I have it now. Its just held together with vice-grips and I don't have the spacers or all the grade 8 bolts yet

I will tack weld it and see before I weld fully

I get about 1 1/2" depression on the booster

I took the MC off and it depresses about 1 1/2"

 

[Fowler]

I pulled the MC off the booster and took the measurement. with the new tool.

The 2 rods were touching. I screwed the booster rod in some. I have a gap but I don't have a way to measure it. I don't have anything that is .02

I tried adding some feeler gauges together to get the right thickness but them I cant get t in past the tool to measure it

I had to bend a wrench in order to get to the lock nut

At this point I have eyeballed it.

 

[Fowler]

I had to shift gears.

My wife has been having me make Christmas presents for people.

Almost done with them. Then will get back to the trike.

 

[Fowler]

I got the brackets welded and picked up all the grade 8 bolts. Then the Ol'Lady put me on another mission.

Should have it all bolted together tomorrow.

I get a good pedal movement and the booster rod comes out plenty far enough.

I made the linkage adjustable in a number of ways just in case

Now I need to tear off the back wheels to check the brake pads and wheel cylinder size.

Then will order a brake line kit and plum the brakes

More Pics coming soon

 

[Fowler]

Linkage off and on the floor. I may remake the right bracket bigger for I can use bronze bushings



Brake pedal not depressed and depressed

 

[Fowler]

linkage at booster not depressed and depressed. I need to move the rod in the first pic to the right side of the linkage. I did not notice that until I looked at the PIC



Added a support for my seat bracket. Not finished yet. I can remove the master cyl still with this brace. The problem is now I have to redo the brace on the other side sine its not at the same angle.