Freewheeler "Chopper" Project

[Free Bird]

I really dig those tail lights....Did you get them to blink in sequence yet?

Not yet. The guys at Namz (Badlands Modules) are working on one but it is not released yet. I volunteered to be a guinea pig, but the took a pass on the idea. The United Pacific Sequential LED Light Kit was not compatible either. So the outer two are running lights and turns and the inner four are running lights and brakes.

 

[trikejones]

WOW!!!! That looks insane!! Those tires and wheels really stand out (no pun intended). As you get further in your build you get me motivated to get mine finished. Waiting on second tire to be delivered and going to measure for the hubcentric rings. Did you get a set for between freewheeler hub and adapter AND between adapter and wheel? I have the same wheel in a 10". Lets see that bad ass sissy bar!

 

[Free Bird]

Waiting on second tire to be delivered and going to measure for the hubcentric rings. Did you get a set for between freewheeler hub and adapter AND between adapter and wheel? I have the same wheel in a 10".

Yes I did I turned down a piece of tube stock to make the inner sleeve for wheel to adapter (see picture). But my adapter design required it. Then the hubcentric rigs went from Trike hub to adapter.

 

[trikejones]

Yes I did I turned down a piece of tube stock to make the inner sleeve for wheel to adapter (see picture). But my adapter design required it. Then the hubcentric rigs went from Trike hub to adapter.

Thank you. Have the same adapter also. My Calipers won't fit inside the wheel to measure hub! Going to call Cragar for the specs. Hoping to have this issue taken care of in next 2 weeks. Weather is changing here in Vegas so need to be on the road.

 

[Free Bird]

Sorry.... I duplicated my post trying to edit it....

 

[Free Bird]

Thank you. Have the same adapter also. My Calipers won't fit inside the wheel to measure hub! Going to call Cragar for the specs.

Calling them is a REAL challenge. I never could get a real number. I used the tech line email thing.

I run a machine shop in my factory, so it was easy for me to get an inside mic. Do you know a machinist that can lend you one? Or take the wheel to a machine shop and have them measure it. They will usually do it 'cause "those wheel will be cool" on the trike. I only suggest this because I bought something that did not work based on the tech line guidance and had to make one. Maybe you will have better luck

 

[18Wheeler]

Free Bird, would you mind posting a side view of the back of the trunk, I am looking to do a license plate mount like yours on my Wifes Freewheeler and she wants to see how far it is off the body. Very cool build by the way, I tried to get her to let me do wide tires on hers but she isn't buying it "yet" hahaha.

thanks Jason

 

[trikejones]

Just to see what they look like. Hopefully mounted and on the road next week! Having trouble uploading other shots.

 

[Free Bird]

Just to see what they look like. Hopefully mounted and on the road next week! Having trouble uploading other shots.

NICE!

 

[David357]

Ok Everybody.... (like it or not...that's ok)

Here is a real "fat tire" bike (trike)....

View attachment 61711

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Rear fenders are next followed by a raked and polished front end with 18" apes and the tins removed.....

Nice work Jeff.....ThumbUp

Absolutely stunning....:goodjob:

 

[Free Bird]

Free Bird, would you mind posting a side view of the back of the trunk,

Here you go Jason....









Here is the sketch with dimensions I used...

 

[DK Custom Products]

Ok Everybody.... (like it or not...that's ok)

Here is a real "fat tire" bike (trike)....

View attachment 61711

View attachment 61712

View attachment 61713

View attachment 61714

Rear fenders are next followed by a raked and polished front end with 18" apes and the tins removed.....

Very Cool!!!!

Kevin

 

[Free Bird]

Very Cool!!!! Kevin

Thanks Kevin

I used your machined rear bearing retainer plate for a little extra help with the loading of the wide tires. Much appreciated.

 

[Free Bird]

Here's the sissy bar trikejones







I dressed up the M8 with Kuryakyn Precision covers.... very shiny now. I also dropped the badges (tank and box) as I like the clean look

 

[Free Bird]

Yes...it is.... I have already gotten the message that I should not have posted the bad pic of her .... She likes it just fine

 

[trikejones]

Here's the sissy bar trikejones

View attachment 61803

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I dressed up the M8 with Kuryakyn Precision covers.... very shiny now. I also dropped the badges (tank and box) as I like the clean look

View attachment 61806

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Wow!! She has come together big time!! Sissy bar looks great.

 

[trikejones]

So I am stumped on the wheel mounting part. I'm not following something here. I ordered a hubcentric ring to go from trike hub to inside face of adapter. Where do the off center washers go and is something you had to order separately? What size lug nuts did you order? Sorry for all the questions but I'm at a standstill here and want this done right and safe! Thank you again. I appreciate your help.

 

[Free Bird]

So I am stumped on the wheel mounting part. I'm not following something here. I ordered a hubcentric ring to go from trike hub to inside face of adapter. Where do the off center washers go and is something you had to order separately? What size lug nuts did you order? Sorry for all the questions but I'm at a standstill here and want this done right and safe! Thank you again. I appreciate your help.

No problem...

The sequence is:

Trike Wheel Hub ---> Concentric Ring ---> Wheel adapter---> 1/2-20 short length lug nuts ---> Turned ring ---> Cragar Wheel ---> Offset Washers ---> 1/2-20 Cragar S/S lugs.

Washers come with the lug nuts (got mine from JEGS). The adapter you use dictates the need for the adapter-to-Cragar ring. Mine needed it. An I wanted the offset of the Cragar to match the offset of the stock HD Wheel... so that was a design choice given available adapter options.

Hope that helps...

PS

Put just shy of 100 miles on the highway Sunday and I am guessing about ~30 in the city stop-n-go since I bolted them on. No issues holding torque or vibrations

 

[trikejones]

No problem...

The sequence is:

Trike Wheel Hub ---> Concentric Ring ---> Wheel adapter---> 1/2-20 short length lug nuts ---> Turned ring ---> Cragar Wheel ---> Offset Washers ---> 1/2-20 Cragar S/S lugs.

Washers come with the lug nuts (got mine from JEGS). The adapter you use dictates the need for the adapter-to-Cragar ring. Mine needed it. An I wanted the offset of the Cragar to match the offset of the stock HD Wheel... so that was a design choice given available adapter options.

Hope that helps...

PS

Put just shy of 100 miles on the highway Sunday and I am guessing about ~30 in the city stop-n-go since I bolted them on. No issues holding torque or vibrations

Got it... thank you again. Great to hear about the ride. Any noticeable difference around tight curves from stock tires? I imagine you need to be aware of the extra width of the trike now also as compared to stock. I'm sure I'll bounce off a few things until I get used to it. Hubcentric rings ordered and hopefully won't take too long... they had to be made to size and I got the aluminum instead of plastic. Thanks for the updates!

 

[Free Bird]

Yes.... I will win the rooster tail contest.... I actually am interested in how bad the hydroplaning will be. We have not had a serious rain since the tires were bolted on but I have a park nearby that is going to become a test track for driving and controlling the wide tires in the rain....(Thanks for the idea Kevin... saw the Tri-Glide snow video)

Oh, and before anybody says it ....

Yes... the best way to manage rain with those tires is to park it 'till the sun comes out :laugh:

I am getting geared up for the next phase: The front end.

I reverse engineered the triple trees from a set of OEM ones. Don't let anyone tell you the Freewheeler has a Tour Glide or Road King front end... it does not. The dimensions, rake, neck geometry differ substantially from those and other models.

The triple trees are complete at this point. They are machined from 2" billet.... The tree design is similar to this (kind of a reverse-v wide glide) only a little beefier:



We kept all of the touring geometry except we added some rake vs the stock tree. The between trees tube covers and cowbells are similar to this....



The front end will be 4" over stock (the pic above is more like 6 over) so it will stretch the profile a bit and (if I did the rake and trail calcs right with the geometry changes induced by the front and rear wheel/tire changes) it should net out like a set of HHI 10 degree trees (I know they only make 9 and 12.... but I want to be my own person orag and the whole bike will be lifted 1.5" like the tail is now.

It will be crowned off with a set of 1.25 18" rise apes (of course) and braided steel lines all round. So that is the work plan for October.... Will keep you posted on progress......

 

[Free Bird]

Any noticeable difference around tight curves from stock tires?

Honestly no. Even reverse works well. I was trying to maintain the setback on the wheel to be same as the stock design so as to keep braking dynamics and moments the same (except for the extra weight) as the stock wheel. It corners really well, steering effort and response are not affected as for as my senses can tell. I was no more or less fatigued by the drive through the twisty turny roads in Calhoun County Illinois.... So unscientifically, I would say ... It turned out OK

You do have to be more mindful (very) of staying in the center of the road. I only have a foot on either side. Kinda like driving a dually pick up.

 

[MDO]

Man thats looking good. Make sure you enter DK Customs online bike contest for next year, I think you got it!orag:

 

[DK Custom Products]

Yes.... I will win the rooster tail contest.... I actually am interested in how bad the hydroplaning will be. We have not had a serious rain since the tires were bolted on but I have a park nearby that is going to become a test track for driving and controlling the wide tires in the rain....(Thanks for the idea Kevin... saw the Tri-Glide snow video)

Oh, and before anybody says it ....

Yes... the best way to manage rain with those tires is to park it 'till the sun comes out :laugh:

I am getting geared up for the next phase: The front end.

I reverse engineered the triple trees from a set of OEM ones. Don't let anyone tell you the Freewheeler has a Tour Glide or Road King front end... it does not. The dimensions, rake, neck geometry differ substantially from those and other models.

The triple trees are complete at this point. They are machined from 2" billet.... The tree design is similar to this (kind of a reverse-v wide glide) only a little beefier:

View attachment 61965

We kept all of the touring geometry except we added some rake vs the stock tree. The between trees tube covers and cowbells are similar to this....

View attachment 61966

The front end will be 4" over stock (the pic above is more like 6 over) so it will stretch the profile a bit and (if I did the rake and trail calcs right with the geometry changes induced by the front and rear wheel/tire changes) it should net out like a set of HHI 10 degree trees (I know they only make 9 and 12.... but I want to be my own person orag and the whole bike will be lifted 1.5" like the tail is now.

It will be crowned off with a set of 1.25 18" rise apes (of course) and braided steel lines all round. So that is the work plan for October.... Will keep you posted on progress......

Wow, this is gonna be an amazing Trike. I am fighting temptation looking at it. haha

As you know, it will hydroplane easier...only testing it out will let you know how much slower you will need to go to prevent it. Very bad-ass!

Man thats looking good. Make sure you enter DK Customs online bike contest for next year, I think you got it!orag:

Yes, we'll be opening up the 5th Annual IBC in the next few weeks. Big difference this year...Winners will be determined by Public Voting!

Kevin

 

[Free Bird]

Yes, we'll be opening up the 5th Annual IBC in the next few weeks. Kevin

I am not sure I will be finished with it in a few weeks.... it has been slow going (lots of personal learning curve issues... this ain't no mid-70's shovel ). But we'll see where we are when the day comes.

 

[DK Custom Products]

I am not sure I will be finished with it in a few weeks.... it has been slow going (lots of personal learning curve issues... this ain't know mid-70's shovel ). But we'll see where we are when the day comes.

Are they ever really finished?

In a few weeks is when bikes/trikes can start entering. But the IBC will be open for new entrants all the way thru the end of the year.

Kevin

 

[Free Bird]

Are they ever really finished?...IBC will be open for new entrants all the way thru the end of the year. Kevin

Thanks Kevin. I should have the front end on by then for sure. Paint and seat and stuff.... That will be next years upgrades :laugh:

 

[Tucci]

Free bird custom

Fantastic. Are leaving the floor boards on or going with forwards?

 

[Free Bird]

Fantastic. Are leaving the floor boards on or going with forwards?

I replaced the stock floorboards with CycleSmith Banana Boards & Matching Brake Pedal and the stock passenger boards with Supreme Legends Floorboards. The Controls are a Kuryakyn Extended Brake Pedal and a Baker Custom Extended Shifter Arm & "Old No7" Extended Shifter Peg. Very comfortable ride