2020 - GEGcorp "Dirt Bobber Trike"

[gegcorp2012]

Thanks @brianator .

Found the source of the leak on the right front. Will have to break down that side of the tire and check out the bead to see if I can get it to seal. While its up in the air, I can do the front bearings.

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[gegcorp2012]

I watched a couple of YT videos about how to remove a locked cap last week, and decided to go ahead and buy a new lock set since they are pretty cheap.

Got the replacement ignition lock and gas cap today to replace more broken or missing parts.

...Was hoping that the new key would possibly open the old Honda cap lock, but it don't even go in the slot.

There may be some crusty junk in there, so I sprayed it with silicone lube and let it sit while I think.

I may have to drill the lock to get the old cap out. Tried a few more times and the lock is all frozen up on the inside.

Time to operate.

First with a small bit, I went for the pins. They are on one side of the slot but I driled both, and before long; I had broken the small bit. Then I started drilling with a larger one.

Then started torquing around with the big screwdriver. The cylinder turned a little, but was not opening the cap. The remaining edges of the lock cylinder were getting all buggered up - and I started to get that feeling you get right before things go bad...

I took a break and found the correct direction to turn the cylinder in the owners manual.

Later that night, I cleaned out the hole with compressed air and found some signs of the opposed latch mechanism and a spring.

I used needle nose pliers to get the spring out and a small screwdriver to pry on the latch pieces until one of them moved enough to open the cap.

Ok, that went well, right ?

Did anyone notice the difference between picture 1 and picture 2 of this post ?

I didn't either 'till now.

I just got more time to clean the tank : )
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[landuse]

So the new one is too big to fit?

 

[gegcorp2012]

Well, the cap seal and latch may be the same size, but the top of the parts are different. The trim ring with the cool looking bolts fit the newer tank that has 3 mounting nuts in the channel by the filer neck. My tank wont accept the newer cap.


Aftermarket is providing the newer part, but all I have found so far is old parts for the older style. 87-90 Hurricane

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[gegcorp2012]

Coin trick for gas tank cleaning

I let the tank dry out last week and noticed there was quite a bit of junk still in it.

Today I went to NAPA to get some o-rings for the fuel sender and petcock. While at the counter, I started fiddling with the rust and varnish dirt-like-solid-scale that was re-deposited on some areas of the fuel sender. It scraped off easy with a flat blade that I improvised with one of my key tooths used flat like a scraper.

...Just need a bunch of little scrapers to skate around inside the tank and knock all the solids loose again. Thats the idea, at least.

When I got home, I went to my dresser and gathered up close to a pound of loose change. I poured the coins in the dry tank and started the shakedown. Heres how it went:

First load started falling through the petcock hole immediately, till I got the correct motion so the coins would skate a while before exiting.

I ran them through a second time and dumped them on a white piece of sheetrock ...

...and used a clean blue shop towel to check the cleaning effect.

Look at the edges of the quarters, nickles and dimes. Its hard to tell if the pennies picked up any dirt, but the sticky ones from the cup holder in the car certainly did.

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[Brianator]

Lookit that money saving you money! Good idea!

 

[gegcorp2012]

About to spend some of that change on new front calipers, pads and the lower ball joints.

I replaced the worn out wheel bearings on one side, and in the process, I discovered the lower ball joints are worn as well.

Should be OK once I get all the slop out.

Everything else seems to be good enough to use, but I didn't want to take any chances on the front brakes and any obviously worn steering/suspension parts that have been exposed to years of high stresses offroad.

The front brake pads were worn paper thin but the rotors seem to be OK.

The caliper pistons have been extended all the way out for years(?)since the top end of the engine failed on the PO and they decided to scrap it.

When I pushed the caliper back in, the brown liquid came out.

It was certainly "Rode hard and put away dirty".

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[landuse]

You are getting there! That brown stuff is definitely not the right colour

 

[gegcorp2012]

Got some parts in today.

New upper and lower ball joints and some threaded tubing ends to match.

I spent about 5 minutes evaluating the new parts and the construction and geometery of the stock a-arms, and its certainly not the type of extra work I want to take on at this point.

I really wanted to replace the loose lower ball joints, but it looks like I will leave it sketchy and see how it works, for a while, at least

So, I have decided to hold on to the new parts and plan for a proper upgrade to a set of longer travel a-arms, possibly when this project turns back into the buggy build.

I want to this get thing running and driving for the summer, so I located a pair of used 1988 calipers with good pads and spare hoses to replace the ones that were bleeding rusty fluid.

Also I had ordered a carb synch tool from a shop overseas and it was supposed to have been delivered last week and did not show, so I am having to deal with that bogus transaction and get another one on the way to help get it running.


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[gegcorp2012]

Sync tool is in. Wow Amazon is so much faster than the slow boat from China.

I made a deal with one of my neighbors for some help to go through the carbs in exchange for the sync tool.

My neighbor works on bikes all the time and spent a couple of hours going through the float bowls and the diaphragms and slides. He found some insect eggs in one of the float bowls, and cleaned up the diaphragms and slides real good so it should run and idle much better.

Also found I had connected the wrong hose to the tank.... I had the tank connected to the overflow hose and there was nothing connected to the 2 supply nipples.

That explains some of the leaking... Not stuck floats after all.

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[gegcorp2012]

Things are coming together for a test run this weekend if things go as planned.

Lots of busy work to get small necessary parts like the fuel line splitter (it was missing) and some new air filter pods since I found out the air box that came with the bike is for a 96 and not compatable with the 90.

I got the replacement calipers on the front end and bent some pipe to tie in the lower bars on both sides at the foot peg area... will be welding tonight.

I cut up the fuel cap for the later model so it will work on my tank. I had to cut off the hinge and the thread bosses where the screws go, and I will need to stick the ring to the tank somehow. Thinking about epoxy, but may try doublestick tape first.

I spend a couple of afternoons doing surgery on the air box because the intake hole spacing was too wide and the plenum was not tall enough.

... then I found out the angle of the carbs and the rubber intake pieces raise the top of the plenum too high to work with the tank.

Here is the space I have to work with under the tank

The Air filter pods will be in tomorrow, so I may have to do final adjustment on the rear tank mount after getting the parts in hand.

It's always better to build something with limited clearances when you have the parts all mounted up in place before welding it.

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[gegcorp2012]

OK, I made some good progress Saturday afternoon but ran into an issue in the start circuit and have not got it going yet...

Here's the pod filters.

Got a good pump on the front brakes. Note to all DIYers: be sure you put the bleeder valve at the top or the brakes will not bleed out properly.

Decided no changes are needed for the rear foot brake. It will be heel operated, so I just have to remember that. Otherwise, it should operate like a bike with extra big/wide front wheels.

Got the steering shaft cross drilled so there are two bolts holding the removable part of the steering shaft.

I ran the 3/8 fuel line to the carbs using the new tee fitting and a fuel filter to the small Honda tank for test fire.

Then... the big moment. I hit the switch and the starter and [nothing].

So I am back tracing my steps related to re-routing the harness and the welding I did on the frame to make sure I did not inflict any stupid damage.

It did start last weekend, so im pretty sure the problem is self inflicted. I found one bad 10A fuse, but not sure if that is the ignition circuit or some other.

Also looking for the correct wiring diagram for this model, so finding the right one that shows the connector pin-outs would make this troubleshooting a bit easier.

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[Functional Artist]

"the big moment. I hit the switch and the starter and [nothing]"

Well, that sucks

Gotta love them, unforeseen delays,

Does this mean she would not "crank"? (turn over)
...or that she would not "fire up"? (start)

 

[gegcorp2012]

Not cranking over. No sounds from any components in the starting system.

I traced the circuit with a burnt fuse and it goes through the start button, the on/off switch and ends as the +12v pick line for the starter solenoid.

With the new fuse, I'm seeing the 12v at the solenoid, so it appears to be a bad starter solenoid..
I have one on order ETA Thursday.

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[gegcorp2012]

Ever once in a while I get a gentle nudge to do something a better way. It may look like a setback, but there's a reason when things don't work out to our expectation sometimes.

The wait for the solenoid gives me the opportunity to properly mount the gas tank and get some kind of seat on order since I will need these items securely mounted for safety and control on my first rodeo on this bull of a trike.

I am using some 1"×1/8" flat stock for the front tank mount. I have marked it, scored it, bent it and cut it last night in about 15 minutes as my angle grinder but the dust.

The angle grinder was speeding up and slowing down and now it does not turn on when I hit the switch unless it sits a while.

Hmmm. will be heading to HF tomorrow to get a new one and a tranny jack (for a car project, but it will be perfect for the front end of the trike as well)

Once the front is welded, I will work on the back mount. I plan to make the tank flip up (like is was designed to do stock) so I can service the carbs, but I have to re-create the rear mount because that section of the frame was really bent.

That is the main reason I bobbed it, because it was a wreck to begin with.

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[landuse]

Taking it slow is a good thing I can't wait to see a vid of this completed

 

[gegcorp2012]

Here's a video showing the various interlock switches with it starting and running.

The clutch has to be in (starts in neutral or any gear), Run/Stop switch to Run and main power switch to On.

https://youtu.be/pKViVNyrotA

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[landuse]

Here's a video showing the various interlock switches with it starting and running.

The clutch has to be in (starts in neutral or any gear), Run/Stop switch to Run and main power switch to On.

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Dang that sounds good!!!

 

[gegcorp2012]

Thanks @landuse .

The right side muffler is totally missing and the left side muffler has the fiberglass stuffing blowing out of it, so it seems like the baffle may be missing.

It's a lot quieter on the video for sure with the camera in the front instead of at the noisy end.

The short term plan is to close off the right side (for the neighbors) and use the stock muffler can, so the only restriction would be in the stock crossover section.

... or I may just take 'em both off and let 'er rip.

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[gegcorp2012]

Happy Independence Day everyone.

Last night I worked on the gas tank and instrument cluster.

I started with a review of my bucket of scraps to determine the type of material I wanted to use, and decided to go with flat bar stock. I had a couple of short pieces of 1"×2"×1/8 like I used for the front tank mount.

Started the same way I did on the front mounts, starting with the width as the key measurement, scored the bends and used the hammer and vise for a swag at the angles and left extra for final trim on the ends.

Then I took the ~8"x3.5"x~8" piece and test fit, with 4 or 5 trim to fit cycles and once I was happy with the clearances, I welded the front mount, and tacked the new rear mount piece on both sides.

The rear mount has to clear the fuel petcock and allow the tank to be tilted up from the front for engine service.

I added some bracing towards the rear that will double as the mounting tabs for the tank. These are about 7" long with a shallow bend on the tank end. Need to allow access to the battery and tool compartment.

I took a break from that and worked on the instrument cluster mounts and found some strap material that happened to have holes in it that would work with the screws that are used for cable management on back of the cluster. These have a 90* bend at the bottom to tack onto the front tubes.


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Here's how the pan looks underneath... It will need to be reworked next as I think about how to handle the "bobbed" frame rails and how I want to do mud management for the back tire.

BTW, the street tire will be temporary, soon to sizzle.