Frankenstein install questions

[Foodog2]

I think I am going to pull the trigger on a Frankenstein kit this week and am wondering how hard it really is to install? How long does it take? I am mechanically inclined and can follow good instructions. I am opting for no easy steer since I also have a sidecar with no raked tree and ride with no problem. Are there any alignment adjustments that are tricky? Is it worth $799 to have it installed? I would rather spend that on different exhaust and a power commander. I am handy but have a bad back and working on the ground for extended time is a struggle. I think if I pace myself and take a few days I would be ok. Anyway, I think I only need a jack and a torque wrench which Harbor Freight can fix for a single use. any other must have tools?

Should I look at heavy duty shocks? I am a big guy 250lb and my better half is smaller than me but not much. The trike should be a solo rig, but I know she will want to ride with me some.

 

[rmzieli]

last winter I installed one of the kits on a 2006 1200 sportster. my husband has a bad back also and had just had a procedure done and so he gave me direction and I did the work. it took us 2 days to install except for fenders that needed paint. the kit pretty much aligns itself.

 

[scotty]

A friend of mine helped me install the kit on a Softail. It took me an hour to remove all the stock parts including the stock exhaust and install the Frankenstein swingarm. It took us about 4 hours to assemble and install the rear end/wheels/tires, install new Vance and Hines Big Radius 2 into 2 exhaust, and install a Champion reverse kit. Neither of us are mechanics but are mechanically inclined and worked through the instructions. I thought the whole project was straight forward and pretty easy.

 

[Foodog2]

I really like your truck bed. If I was crafty I would have something like that. I have a vision of a wooden stake bed. I would not know where to start to mount the bed. Let alone fab the bed. You like the big radius? I am going with those also, short shots are too loud.

 

[ridinrigid]

Just finishing up a Frankenstein install on a 03' road king. product quality is excellent. I had a couple of small issues, couple of missing bolts , one axle had one wheel stud partially pressed in and one was laying loose in the box when I opened it. Installed it by myself but would have been much easier with another pair of hands. I do have a lift in my shop which helped a lot. I installed a set of raked trees from Zook and a steering dampner from shindy products. I got the universal fender bracket kit from Frankenstein but haven't mocked it up yet for welding. There has been some negative feed back regarding their exhaust system ( too loud & too expensive).I used some mufflers I had from another build and welded up my own. A good set of tools , a torque wrench and a friend should get you thru it with no problems. Have fun and enjoy your build.
Jim

 

[Drpepper]

It took about 10 hours total time too install on 04 ultra. keep swing arm down out of the way ,put belt on ,slide half together ,then mate too swing arm.

 

[scotty]

I really like your truck bed. If I was crafty I would have something like that. I have a vision of a wooden stake bed. I would not know where to start to mount the bed. Let alone fab the bed. You like the big radius? I am going with those also, short shots are too loud.

Thanks! I had a local fabricator build it to bolt to the stock frame struts. Paughco now makes a similar bolt on bed. I love the big radius pipes, plus they direct the exhaust down and away from the axle tubes. I think they sound great.

 

[Foodog2]

That paughco bed is cool but they are proud of it.

 

[scotty]

That paughco bed is cool but they are proud of it.

Yep, but truth be told I'm at $1K for the custom job and powdercoating. I still need some body work and painting. My fabricator says he should have charged me more based on his time but he stuck close to his original quote. He said he wouldn't build it again for less than $1500. I haven't seen Paughco's quality in person but if its good, their price for a bolt on bed with no fabrication required seems fair. Here are some better pics of mine:

 

[outrigger]

I put mine on in one day, 1 month after having a left radical neck surgery for Cancer. (You can google that). Tons of staples still in my neck. I drove to Pleasanton Kansas and Daniel loaded it in the van for me. I drug it out and installed it in my garage. Wife said I was nuts to try and do it. lol

 

[pcombe]

I think I am going to pull the trigger on a Frankenstein kit this week and am wondering how hard it really is to install? How long does it take? I am mechanically inclined and can follow good instructions. I am opting for no easy steer since I also have a sidecar with no raked tree and ride with no problem. Are there any alignment adjustments that are tricky? Is it worth $799 to have it installed? I would rather spend that on different exhaust and a power commander. I am handy but have a bad back and working on the ground for extended time is a struggle. I think if I pace myself and take a few days I would be ok. Anyway, I think I only need a jack and a torque wrench which Harbor Freight can fix for a single use. any other must have tools?

Should I look at heavy duty shocks? I am a big guy 250lb and my better half is smaller than me but not much. The trike should be a solo rig, but I know she will want to ride with me some.

i DIDN'T HEAR ANYONE MENTION BEEFING UP YOUR TOP ENGINE MOUNT?

A bike was never intended to be a trike and when you take off, the engine on a rubber mounted system wants to twist in the frame.
It will eventually break that mounting brace.

Given the fact that you are a big guy it will further strain those mounts.
I hope you have looked into purchasing a kit to beef up that mount or does frankenstien come with one?
The epoxy to attach it to the frame comes with the kit. I welded mine as i got the blessing from champion to do so.

I also have a disability and i converted my bike with a champion kit,
You will also need to pick up an inside/outside caliper to get your alignment really right, and a set of jack stands will come in very handy.


I hate to say this but my advice would be to use that $700.00 dollars to purchase a raked triple tree from zook.
There is a site at the right side of this page, and that $700.00 will likely cover the cost.

The question you didn't ask is how do others REALLY think your trikes handling will turn out?

Ask how theirs turned out when they didn't rake the front end, and check this forum on the topic of raked front ends VS non raked steering? A side car may not be a very good indicator of what your trikes handling might be?
Just a suggestion? If you decide to rake the front end, you will need to change the bottom bearing and race on the neck.
Access to a welder will make that chore easy instead of a nightmare.

Google-- pcombe/photobucket/library --to see what to do with those calipers on alignment. and to see how a welder will remove that brace?

 

[Springman2007]

My fabricator says he should have charged me more based on his time but he stuck close to his original quote. He said he wouldn't build it again for less than $1500. I haven't seen Paughco's quality in person but if its good, their price for a bolt on bed with no fabrication required seems fair.

Scotty, can you put me in touch with your fabricator?

The real problem I have with Paughco is that they don't seem very forthcoming with any info... the pictures in your post tell me more about your bed than they have about theirs..... even with emails and a phone call. I may have it wrong, but the whole experience with them has sort of left me weary of getting one of theirs.


Truth be told, I started out wanting to make something along the lines of an old, pre-WWII Servicar - I though that style body would look excellent on my converted 2007 FLSTSC.
But, the only place I found that made such a body/parts was L&W Body in PA. They too never responded to my inquiries and from what little I did get on them and their body parts did not give me a warm feeling...... Its a shame to, as I think that little box on them, the old pre-War Servicars would be a great trike body, adaptable to lots of bike conversions.

Anyway, Thanks to everyone for your feedback

 

[Sloufoot]

Scotty, can you put me in touch with your fabricator?

The real problem I have with Paughco is that they don't seem very forthcoming with any info... the pictures in your post tell me more about your bed than they have about theirs..... even with emails and a phone call. I may have it wrong, but the whole experience with them has sort of left me weary of getting one of theirs.


Truth be told, I started out wanting to make something along the lines of an old, pre-WWII Servicar - I though that style body would look excellent on my converted 2007 FLSTSC.
But, the only place I found that made such a body/parts was L&W Body in PA. They too never responded to my inquiries and from what little I did get on them and their body parts did not give me a warm feeling...... Its a shame to, as I think that little box on them, the old pre-War Servicars would be a great trike body, adaptable to lots of bike conversions.

Anyway, Thanks to everyone for your feedback

If you are wanting to put a '23T bed on one , why not just buy one from a custom car body place. You might have to cut things down, or maybe they can do it for you.
That's part of the fun of building your own.
Just say'n............

 

[Springman2007]

If you are wanting to put a '23T bed on one , why not just buy one from a custom car body place. You might have to cut things down, or maybe they can do it for you.
That's part of the fun of building your own.
Just say'n............

A few years ago, before my current medical state, I would without question, But, now I am hesitant. So, I am looking for the best path to get me from two to three wheels.....for me.

Probably the simplest would be just to buy a trike, Harley's new Freewheeler look appealing. But, I dearly love my Springer and would dearly love to keep it and have it as trike instead. The funny thing is that when I make that argument folks always come back with "Why not get a sidecar then?" But, if you look at the good sidecars and the cost, the trike conversion is no more costly, may even be cheaper than some, and I think piloting a trike would be easier in the long run, for me anyway.

Now another question for Scotty and all:

I have noted that your trike incorporates the Frankenstein tow hitch and the single, inboard brake. Have you towed anything with it? What is your experience if you have?

I would like to have the ability to tow and I was thinking of following Frankenstein's recommendation of using the 2, outer brake setup. But, that is at an additional $450.00' so I am trying to determine if that would be the right path for me or not.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Springman2007

 

[monks]

I triked my wife's softail with a Frankenstein kit. She Loves it. The have one of the best customer service that I have ever dealt with. If you have any questions message me.

 

[retread83]

Triked my 1200 sportster last year w/Frankenstein kit. We love it, wife rides it also. If you decide to do it, get the whole kit. Took me 1 1/2 days,not counting my time to paint fenders, might take longer on a BT to change the trees. If they told you to upgrade the brakes, do it, they know their product. There is a member on another site that has something like 30k on his, no problems and has installed others. You need to look at the components used by Frankenstein, compare to other kits. Nuff said.