The Wide Glide Frankenstein Trike Conversion Has Begun...

[TinCupChalice]

The Czar Eclipse front wheel is installed; transferred the Arlen Ness Big Brake rotor to the new wheel, and needed to massage the fender mounting holes with a round file and then touch them up to get the 21 x 3.50 wheel with the ME888 120/70 tire to fit without any contact.

No images in the sun today; it's cold, and raining, as it always is. But, soon. That's a piece of meat on that front now...

 

[ol' school]

Really nice looking wheel Darryl!

 

[TinCupChalice]

The new rear brake line is installed; I had a handful of Goodridge 3/8 - 10mm chrome fittings and copper washers, but to clear everything I eventually used a 90° on the caliper and a 35° on the master; a purge and bleed and now a firm rear brake pedal.



And, on to the exhaust...

No plan survives first contact........

Attempted to mount the BSS exhaust; an epic failure. The exhaust contacts the rear fork belt tension adjuster long before she's even snug on the exhaust studs. I knew it was going to be close but I had hopes it was going to clear. Ah, nope.

So much for the plan of keeping the exhaust the bike has been tuned for; oh gawd. But, I get why people use short exhaust systems on trikes.

Ah well, the exhaust is here and since now I'm in to re-tuning the bike anyway, I'm breaking out some mean cutting tools and having at that exhaust. The biggest problems will be clearing the transmission mounting plate and getting the W158 TTI's back in, and the full coverage heat shields. If I can't make it fit it's going to end up in many small pieces... :laugh:

But, I am having fun!

 

[GRR]

Looking great!

 

[jjvw]

Hurry up and finish, I want to see it in action!

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Hurry up and finish, I want to see it in action!

+1 .... I just love a finished product, but, are we really ever finished with a Harley???? :blush:

 

[MDO]

Very nice looking & thanks for the pics & updates. I love those wheels, front & back.

The fenders look great too!orag:

 

[TinCupChalice]

A few new images; the rear fenders are mounted. Ditched the supplied fender mounting hardware for chrome hardware with high crown acorns; nothing exceeds like excess. Next up, is to doubleback on the exhaust and see exactly where that's heading...

 

[My Turn]

Great build you have going there!

Question: are you adding engine stabilizers to the bike? I am considering a Dyna for my next build (fat bob) and am concerned about the torque being applied to to the engine & tranny via the swing arm. I have seen some talk about this issue but have no idea how serious it is.

BTW nice touch on the fender mounting bolts. I went with stainless button heads and polished the heads

 

[ol' school]

Really looking good Darryl! Can't wait to se the finished ride!

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Dang ... it even looks fast

 

[TinCupChalice]

Great build you have going there!

Question: are you adding engine stabilizers to the bike? I am considering a Dyna for my next build (fat bob) and am concerned about the torque being applied to to the engine & tranny via the swing arm. I have seen some talk about this issue but have no idea how serious it is.

BTW nice touch on the fender mounting bolts. I went with stainless button heads and polished the heads

The Dyna was/is a unique animal in the HD line and with the Dyna you have to think in different terms. The front wheel, forks, fuel tank, and frame are the rolling chassis; the engine, primary, transmission, exhaust, rear fork, and rear wheel(s) are riding on the mounts/isolators with a top stabilizer. Acceleration and braking forces are trying to push and pull the engine/primary/transmission/rear fork/axle assembly/rear wheel(s) in the frame through the mounts and engine torque tries to pitch it up and down at the front. The rear shocks exert a constant rearward pull on the mounts due to their angle; basically, the mounts are a knife edge and rely 100% on the top stabilizer for vertical alignment.

On later model Dyna's the rear fork uses a spacer and a dust cover on the right side, and a press fit pivot bearing with an interference fit spacer on the left side. The hollow pivot shaft rides in the transmission boss making the entire rear axle assembly a part of the isolator/mount system. I have replaced the front and rear mounts with aftermarket and use a solid top stabilizer with a proper turnbuckle for accurate 0.00 vertical alignment.

So the question is, would it be possible to overload that transmission boss or the pivot shaft with the bike converted to a trike? I don't know; the left side rear fork pivot bearing takes the brunt of the load. My plan is to verify vehicle/engine and vertical alignment before this bike even sees first light. I know she was in perfect alignment previously, but with changes this dramatic, 'trust but verify'.



I am a bit out in the tall grass on this conversion so I will be taking it slow and easy when this ride finally does hit the street checking for any stability or handling issues...

 

[TinCupChalice]

The doubleback on the exhaust.

A few cuts here and there and now the Big Shots are Short-Big Shots; or are they Big-Short Shots

The W158 TTI's are installed, and cutting your exhaust, a re-tune is in order. No issues now with clearance as there was before, now it's just a case of what effect did it have.

My 'goal' is this bike sees first light very soon for the shake down rides; I want her to make her first public appearance on 7 June for the first of the season Bike Night at Holeshot HD





Pipes mounted; details, details. Used HD #17048-98 SE exhaust gaskets and new heavy duty stainless steel exhaust flanges and snap rings; polished to within an inch of their lives with Flitz. And double nutted; always double nut your exhaust studs...



Heat shields back on...







Stepping away from the exhaust was the smart move; once I walked back and started cutting everything fell in to place.

Doubleback, indeed

 

[Gorilla]

Very Very NICE work. You will be very proud showing it off.

 

[TinCupChalice]

Removed the jiffy stand with the Bung King extension, along with all the frame mounting hardware; it's all in the trash now. Painted the cut ends of the exhaust pipes and the heat shields with black high heat paint. Installed the Power Vision and flashed the original custom tune; now she's ready for auto tuning.



Details, details... The devil lives in the details; 3/4" chrome acorn bolt covers on all the rear axle mounting hardware. Grade 8 hardware is sweet to have, but looks just a bit like crap; we need to dress that up a bit



Do you see that smirk? That's the face of someone who knows that first light is very soon now

 

[Jack Klarich]

Very Cool project, great attention to detail:clapping:

I have always been a big fan of flames

 

[ol' school]

Really looking good Darryl! It is going be an attention-getter wherever you are with it!

 

[TinCupChalice]

I really need to update this thread; I've been riding so much I get a bit remiss about things...

No love at all for the first license plate mount; so I built another fender mount that positions the plate further under the fender and at a better angle. Much better.

I will do some glamour shots and post them up; promise; if I could just quit riding this beast long enough

 

[MDO]

Very nice! Whan you get a chance, I would like a ride report on how it handles.

 

[Lee H. Mann]

So the question is, would it be possible to overload that transmission boss or the pivot shaft with the bike converted to a trike? I don't know; the left side rear fork pivot bearing takes the brunt of the load.

I don't know if any other manufacturers address this issue, but Lehman used additional pieces to reinforce the transmission boss at the rear engine/transmission/swingarm mounting point. Pages 6 & 7 specifically.

http://www.lehmantrikes.com/assets/...on-instructions--wi-501-0044-af48c52e30bf.pdf