Motorized Couch

[rockdude]

July 23rd
My buddy Fred came over and inspected my welds the other day.... Let's just say, I have a ways to go on my welding skills. Like a good friend, he brought his welder over and went over my (weak-@ss) welds. Thanks Fred!

Here, he's welding on the steering support beams for the steering column.

We got steering baby!

Ran the brake line from the hand controls to the brake caliper.

Calling it a night! Very productive evening! Time for bed!

 

[rockdude]

July 25th
Ready to start working on the throttle control...maybe tomorrow. I need another day off!

 

[Stephen115]

nice! can't wait to see it work

 

[rockdude]

Justly 26th
My buddies Al & Fred came over. We got the jackshaft lined up better and the chain re-ran. New problem: My chain keeps binding. We were thinking that it maybe was a warped sprocket, but also the slack in the chain cannot be helping.

I'm going to double-check the squareness of the axles, but also am thinking of fabricating a chain tensioner. Any thoughts here?

 

[mysteryboy28]

chain tensioner for sure.

i found that using ONLY #41 chain AND sprockets helped a lot. if you use #40 in the mix it just causes problems. or ONLY #40 chain and prockets. make sure everything matches so there's no slop/wiggle. and of course make sure everything is alligned properly.

for something that heavy i'd go with #50 chain and sprockets (or #530, same thing. one is industrial designation, the other is motorcycle designation. same size though. #520 is different), but then you'd have to re-do the whole setup.

looking at your chain/sprockets they look good size-wise, so probably an allignment issue.

 

[bighead]

Can you turn the pitman arm around? This would make your tierods go straight across and not that big angle.

 

[OzFab]

Can you turn the pitman arm around? This would make your tierods go straight across and not that big angle.

It would also reverse the steering

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Oh, yes it would!

I like the creative use of swivel casters in the outboard corners to give stability without mangling the turning radius.

 

[mysteryboy28]

i'd put a wheelie bar on the back... it's a looooong way down!

 

[rockdude]

Maiden Voyage....A little ways from complete, but definite progress!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAk0gRh08cU

 

[bighead]

Thats freaking killer man. It's the best for getting weird looks for sure.

Are you going to add skirts around the bottom? Or just run it like that?

 

[rockdude]

Thats freaking killer man. It's the best for getting weird looks for sure.

Are you going to add skirts around the bottom? Or just run it like that?

Thanks!! Yes, I'm going to add leather skirts around the bottom! Definitely a head turner!! Also, gonna add lights, blinkers, brake lights, etc. Also, found a running board at pick-n-pull off a newer suburban that will serve as the front step.

 

[OzFab]

I noticed a bit of shimmying on the outriggers; have you thought about using a light suspension setup so they have constant contact?

 

[machinist@large]

Needs WIDE LOAD placards and an amber strobe light on a stick!!!!

 

[rockdude]

LOL! Yes, agreed! Well, we're back from Sturgis, so time to get moving on this best again! I'm hoping to get it painted this weekend. Also, need to separate this rear axle. I think the posi-traction is causing me to loose the chain around corners.

So far, I've changed the sprocket, added a tensioner and same result. It's gotta be the posi traction!

 

[Iron John]

Do you need to add some resilient connection ('suspension') to the outboard wheels? I am wondering if it will high center on uneven ground, leaving you unable to move. Maybe you can just run the ooutboard tires a bit on the low side, air pressure-wise.

Is it possible to move the drive wheels closer together? Might eliminate some of that positraction effect.

BTW, that thing is totally cool! Just needs cupholders.