My Trike build- ala Steve and Tank

[landuse]

Don't worry Tony, I know what you mean.

 

[firemanjim]

Guys, jokes ... Paul knows what I think... (I hope )

Yes, I "outsourced" the bending of my frame but, only after I'd exhausted all other avenues as far as doing it myself (I couldn't afford $600 minimum for a tube bender) &, it was just that, the bending, I had to design it, I drew up the plans so that the guy bending it knew what he was doing & then I had to weld it all together...

I'll let you all in on a little secret: One of my front tyres has a kink in one of the beads so it wouldn't seat properly, which was making inflation difficult. Again, after exhausting all other avenues, I took it to a tyre shop (who has a bigger compressor &, therefore, more of an air blast than my compressor could provide) who inflated it for me...

Although this is DIY go karts, I have no problem with anyone outsourcing (to a point), some people simply don't have the tools or resources to do it themselves BUT, when someone takes their toy to a shop to change the oil & spark plug, that's not DIY...

I'm the type of person who would rather do it myself than have someone else do it for me, it just makes me feel better, in a number of ways. I also have the education/knowledge to do so, in most cases so, I sometimes forget that not everyone has the same background & mindset as I do.

Rant over, carry on

Its cool Tony, we still like you..... When I see that kart, I think to myself, man Fabroman did one helluva job building that thing! Not ,yep,Tony got a bad a§§ kart built for him...... Thats YOUR ride! Take pride in it and know we are on your side.

 

[itsid]

We like you indeed
I think we all know what you mean, but I just couldn't resist

'sid

 

[OzFab]

Its cool Tony, we still like you..... When I see that kart, I think to myself, man Fabroman did one helluva job building that thing! Not ,yep,Tony got a bad a§§ kart built for him...... Thats YOUR ride! Take pride in it and know we are on your side.

Oh, I do, don't worry about that

We like you indeed
I think we all know what you mean, but I just couldn't resist

'sid

I hear ya, similar logic to my "cheat" comment

All good guys; I know this is the kind of BS we "carry on" with around here, that's what makes this forum so great, the fact that we can simply laugh it off

 

[firemanjim]

 

[Oxymoron]

Hopefully this weekend I have a roller!!

Looking good so far, this thing is going to be cool

 

[landuse]

All good guys; I know this is the kind of BS we "carry on" with around here, that's what makes this forum so great, the fact that we can simply laugh it off

I agree. This is why I love this forum. Others just don't feel......right

Looking good so far, this thing is going to be cool :thumbup:

Thanks. I hope so too

 

[danssoslow]

Long time watcher, first time commenter.

It's 2:55p here, the weekends drawing near. You have that roller yet? Vanilla Ice can remodel a bathroom in an hour; what's our deal?

In all seriousness, I've been anticipating this since you posted it'd be rollin'. I'm fiending for some pics!!!

 

[landuse]

Long time watcher, first time commenter.

It's 2:55p here, the weekends drawing near. You have that roller yet? Vanilla Ice can remodel a bathroom in an hour; what's our deal?

In all seriousness, I've been anticipating this since you posted it'd be rollin'. I'm fiending for some pics!!!

Hopefully tomorrow. I will have a few hours to hopefully get the forks sorted and welded on

 

[danssoslow]

Hopefully tomorrow. I will have a few hours to hopefully get the forks sorted and welded on

Cool. I hope things go well. If and when you get pics up, please take a pic with you on the cart. I'm having trouble visualizing the scale. Thanks!

 

[landuse]

Cool. I hope things go well. If and when you get pics up, please take a pic with you on the cart. I'm having trouble visualizing the scale. Thanks!

Will do. You can also look at the plans I posted on page 1 or 2

 

[machinist@large]

Oh, I do, don't worry about that



I hear ya, similar logic to my "cheat" comment

All good guys; I know this is the kind of BS we "carry on" with around here, that's what makes this forum so great, the fact that we can simply laugh it off

OK, temp thread jack...

Tony, I know we all couldn't resist teasing you about the frame & then the "cheat"" comment. It got me thinking about just how far can I deconstruct the working principles of an industrial tubing bender..... Hmmmm.... I'm thinking about this as I type.... This needs to be something that anyone could build an use...

It's after dark now here, and the temps are dropping fast tonight. Let me do an inventory tomorrow, and see what I can think up with the scraps I have....

Sorry Paul, I didn't intend to thread jack you. It looks like you are making forward progress; good luck, and keep us in the loop.... Pat

 

[landuse]

MAJOR UPDATE. I HAVE A ROLLER!!!

I didn't put in too many hours of work this weekend, but I got myself a roller!

The first thing that I had to do was attach the trike neck to the main frame. Because the neck was rectangle tubing, I had to notch it so that it would fit over the main frame so that I could weld it on snugly. I cut the notches slightly larger than they should have been, so welding proved to be a bit of a mess. I had to do a few passes over some areas.

I then had to notch the neck to weld the fork tube onto it. I use a compass to draw a semi-circle on the neck and then cut slots in it with the angle grinder. It turned out a bit messy, but it worked.

I then bolted the fork legs onto the wheel adding spacers as I went to get then straight. I then slipped the flat plate with the holes over the legs and bolted everything onto the neck. I have used a bit of threaded rod for the moment, but I will get a long bolt in the future. Once everything seemed like it was lined up (eyeballed), I started welding. Once I had tacked things together, I realised my eyeballing was seriously out and I had to grind the tacks off and weld again.

And there you have me proudly sitting on my roller!!! All smug. It is a bad a$$ looking ride at the moment.

I then welded the motor mount onto the back end. I might have to put a bit more bracing in, but it is pretty dang strong as it is, even though it looks like it is hanging off the end there

The wheel and sprocket hubs have not been attached yet, but they will be soon

I know I will probably get flack for this, but I have decided to use roll pins to hold everything onto the axle. I know you shouldn't drill into the axle. Yes...I have advised people not to do that too....but I am going to be going very slow with this thing, with a low HP engine, so I should be OK. If I am not, then I will just have to fix it again. I discussed it with Daniel, and this is the way he did his, and he abuses his trike with no problems.

Things to still do are brakes (I have a hydraulic brake off a pit bike), put engine on, attach sprocket and wheels, put handle bars on....and lots more.

I hope you enjoy the update

 

[danssoslow]

Bravo!

I didn't find any pictures of that other build on OMB with somebody on it. I'm glad you posted that pic; becuase to be honest, I thought that this was going to be a tiny, tiny trike. That bad boy looks downright comfortable!

I'm diggin' this trike immensely.

 

[OzFab]

I then had to notch the neck to weld the fork tube onto it. I use a compass to draw a semi-circle on the neck and then cut slots in it with the angle grinder. It turned out a bit messy, but it worked.

There's no mess a welder & a grinder can't clean up

Once everything seemed like it was lined up (eyeballed), I started welding. Once I had tacked things together, I realised my eyeballing was seriously out and I had to grind the tacks off and weld again.

In this situation, never trust your eyes unless they're looking at a ruler

And there you have me proudly sitting on my roller!!! All smug. It is a bad a$$ looking ride at the moment.

That bad boy looks downright comfortable!

great work

I have a though, something you may have already considered but, anyhoo: Could you put a seat over the engine to carry passengers (facing backwards). If nothing else, it would make it a little more verastile...

 

[landuse]

I have a though, something you may have already considered but, anyhoo: Could you put a seat over the engine to carry passengers (facing backwards). If nothing else, it would make it a little more verastile...

I haven't thought of that, but I am a bit worried my engine would not be able to handle the weight. t is only 4.5HP, so I am having to gear it extremely low just to get the thing moving.

It is something to think of though

 

[OzFab]

I haven't thought of that, but I am a bit worried my engine would not be able to handle the weight.

My daughter's kart has a bit of weight to it (about double the AmEx) & is powered by a 3hp B&S with around 11:1 gearing; it gets up ok & moves at a reasonable pace, even with me in it...

It is only 4.5HP,

That's easy enough to change

I am having to gear it extremely low just to get the thing moving.

Don't forget that low gearing multiplies torque...

 

[landuse]

Don't forget that low gearing multiplies torque...

I know, and it is the only way the engine is going to move my a$$ around

 

[Oxymoron]

That is definitely bigger than I thought it was. I like that!

What's the angle of your head tube?

Looking good!

 

[landuse]

That is definitely bigger than I thought it was. I like that!

What's the angle of your head tube?

Looking good!

Here we go