Leading vs Trailing

[magusjinx]

Now for a real brainbuster ... Are there any handling differences between leading link and trailing link front ends? ... I know one points forward while the other points aft ... I know that tire clearance could be more of a concern for a trailing link since it puts the shocks and tire closer to the frame ...

My concerns are ease of turning, tracking and bounce/hop ...

 

[redneckray]

What is a trailing link front end?

 

[magusjinx]

A trailing link puts the axle behind the pivot point while a leading link has the axle ahead of the pivot point ... Like the Honda Rune, old Indians and some early BMW's ... Some of the early leaf spring suspensions were trailing link too I think, but they had the pivot in the middle with the axle behind and the suspension arm in front of the pivot ... More of a see-saw arrangement ...

 

[redneckray]

I have seen both, i think they both work good, but never tried the trailing link,

 

[stacebg]

biggest thing is the "travel" of the wheel

the trailing link rides a tad eaisier

think of a tele front end... when u hit a bump the wheel travels sorta the opposite direction of the bump
if the forks where tilted forward at the top the the bump would not be absorbed by the suspension as well

with a leading link... the pivot should be an inch or so lower than the axle for the same reason...

hope that is understandable

 

[JJTRIKER]

THE TRAILING LINK ON MY TRIKE RIDES REAL NICE. YOU SEE THE SHOCKS MOVING BUT YOU ARE UNDISTURBED. TRAIKING LINK ALSO HAS A BAD TRAIT AND THAT IS RAKING. IT WONT HAPPEN JUST BUY A STABILIZER AND KEEP SMILING I HOPE THIS PICTURE COMES THROUGH.

 

[magusjinx]

Now for the tricky part ... Imagine the trike with a 1,000 pound drive train ...