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Author Topic: Baychimp's Reliant trike  (Read 11870 times)
Manky Monkey
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« on: April 25, 2016, 04:31:16 PM »

Just had a look for a thread on Bob's trike, but can't find one, so let's start a new one.
A quick catch-up for those that haven't seen it before:

I've either built, or had a hand in building, about a dozen trikes over the years, mainly little single seater Reliants. After building Flap's orange "Flapster", I stripped my current green one down & sold the rolling chassis to Ska Man, who painted it blue, bunged in another engine, forks & wheels & christened it "Blue Job". I then built a new frame around the old engine, axle, forks & wheels.
And then life kinda got in the way.
Nearly 8 years later I'd changed girlfriends several times & moved house -& the trike still wasn't finished. When I split up with Tanya, (Tazet), who I was building yet another trike for, I decided to sell mine. Enter Bob, a fellow Postie at the Basingstoke Royal Mail depot. He bought it, put it in his garage -& it's still there. That was 2 1/2 years ago. So this has been sitting around for over 10 years. Time it was finished I think. Bob retired a couple of weeks ago, so now he's got no excuse not to get it done -have you Bob!  Grin
« Last Edit: April 25, 2016, 09:35:49 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2016, 04:39:15 PM »

I didn't build it with the MSVA in mind, so there'll be bits & pieces that'll need modifying. I imagine Bob will be seeking advice from you guys who have been the MSVA route. He's already made a start by making up temporary brackets to lift the rear lights cos they're too low for the test. Biggest problem was the steering stops on the headstock. 2 stainless pins on the bottom yoke that stop against a central pin screwed into the bottom bearing cup. Trouble was the centre pin could only screw in as far as the bearing shell -about 5mm. Not enough for a solid fixing, so constant contact with the stops had stretched the threads until it wobbled.
Doc, (Twisted Patience), down in Somerset, made me up a pair of collars to fit over the bearing cups. That gave another 10 or 15mm of available thread depth. They were held with grub screws, with the pin screwing right through & into the original bearing cup. I'd applied for a VIN number from DVLA so had it CNC machined into the top collar.
For the MSVA test, the number has to be permanently stamped into the frame -into a part that can't be removed. So today's job was to weld the collars in place.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2016, 05:58:36 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2016, 04:45:55 PM »

I'd forgotten how many weeks I spent hand filing those slab yokes. Made the fork brace by hand too from 5 chunks of aluminium welded together. There are domed aluminium caps for the fork top nuts.
It was strange to see the ol' girl again today -like meeting an old friend you haven't seen for years.
The frame's powder coated, so Bob sanded an inch of coating off on either side of each collar so I could weld them in place. They're not structural, just a means of securing the steering stop & displaying the VIN number. When I first built the trike I had half a dozen aerosol cans mixed up to match the powder coat, so Bob can smooth the welds out, then re-spray the whole headstock &, to quote Laurel & Hardy, (no other resemblance between us  Tongue ), no-one will be any the wiser. 
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« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2016, 04:52:07 PM »

Forks are Suzuki Savage with progressive Harley Sportster springs. Front wheel's a Honda Superdream Comstar.
Handlebars are 1 3/8" the same as the frame, apart from the top tube which is 2". Bob bought some universal switch units, but will swap them for a new Honda C50 left hand switch which I'd bought at some point, & a new British bike style throttle unit on the right. I welded in 8mm threaded inserts for the mirrors to mount to, though I'd fit small bar end mirrors after the test. That's not a hole in the back of the headlight shell, it's actually a cup welded into the centre of the bars to hold the speedo.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2016, 06:20:47 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2016, 04:59:59 PM »

Somewhere in the depths of Bob's garage is the Sportster tank that sits on the top frame tube, also powder coated green. There's a few knocks & scuffs in the coating around the trike, from being moved & stored several times, but most can be touched in with a little aerosol paint.
Warning lights sit ahead of the seat. I think I'd change the gearshift now, having seen how well Mr Olds' linkage works. This one's vague to say the least, though I'm sure you'd get used to it. Gear knob's a black snooker ball, the same as my truck.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2016, 06:23:48 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2016, 05:05:49 PM »

My only other change would be to go back to my original plan & mount the brake & hydraulic clutch master cylinders off the footpeg mounts & run the hoses inside the frame tubes. That'd get rid of the stainless linking rods down the side of the frame. Instead of being pulled by a rod or cable, the Reliant clutch arm's pushed by a Mini slave cylinder mounted alongside the bell housing.
Bob had the exhaust manifold chromed a couple of years ago. I bought it from a guy who was selling them on Ebay, them modified it slightly. The rest of the system's also chromed & curves up over the back axle to a short Cherry Bomb silencer. The pipe sections are held together with stainless springs, like a race bike.
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« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2016, 05:12:45 PM »

The rear light mounts are fine for the running lights, but too low for the indicators. Unfortunately Bob's using the same lights as my truck, which are combined running lights & indicators, so the whole units need to be lifted about 4", but can be dropped down again once it's registered -perfectly legal to modify a vehicle after registration as long as it still complies to MOT/Construction & Use regs.
One of my unpatented disc brake conversions, using VW Golf calipers & Vauxhall Nova discs. The calipers are swapped from left to right to give better hand brake cable routing. The cables are modified Golf held by home made brackets. One of Bob's first jobs will be to clip the braided stainless brake hoses in place with some P clips -hoses & wiring need to be clipped every ...I can't remember how many inches. 
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« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2016, 05:24:03 PM »

Bob's already modified a Rover handbrake lever fitting to form the necessary swivel mount, (cables should be free to move independently I think -I originally fitted a T bar which would pull both cables by the same amount. Can't remember the specific reg, but this will work).
Number plate bolts to the back of the diff housing with LED "light bolts" to illuminate it.
I've built several trikes with integral luggage racks as part of the frame. They're really intended to be purely single seaters, but you could make up a detachable pillion seat to fit the rack. Bob's hoping Mrs Bob might accompany him if he makes one but it'll need a back rest cos she has balance problems. Personally I think it'd have to be very low -no higher than the rear tyres, to look right, but could be done with a curved rail of 1 3/8" tube to match the frame, curving round in a semi circle to enclose the pillion. He'll need rear footpegs too of course.
There's a pair of aluminium mudguards with small running lights on them, already powder coated in black ready to fit. Bob's added rubber beading to give the radiused edge required for the test.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2016, 05:26:11 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2016, 05:26:58 PM »

Just remembered I had slots milled in the face of the spokes of the rear wheels to match the Honda front wheel before powder coating them silver.
People think I'm joking when I say my memory's deteriorating, but I genuinely can't remember some of the details on this -I'd forgotten about the little knurled handle I had made for the choke for example that matches the footpegs. Couldn't remember what was inside the electrics box either -the black box on the right hand side. So we had to open it up to see. Starter solenoid, fusebox & space for a motorcycle sized battery with room for various relays. The horn mounts on the inside face of the box, with the hazard lights switch in the back face & 2 small toggle switches in the front, (radiator fan over-ride & on/off for the lights I think), plus the ignition switch.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2016, 05:36:29 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2016, 05:38:36 PM »

Mr Baychimp removing some powder coat around the headstock so I could weld to it.
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« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2016, 05:46:19 PM »

Although it's nearly complete, it would only take an afternoon to strip it down to make any changes Bob wants to make, like rear footpeg mounts, moving the master cylinders, altering the gear change etc. Probably better to do it now than have to modify stuff later, trying not to damage the coating, then he could have everything coated to match in any colour he chooses, but hey! it's not my baby any more.  Grin
I'll be on hand to help with anything I can & can't wait to see this one tested & out where it belongs.
Over to you Bob!  Wink
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« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2016, 05:48:44 PM »

An old shot of it with the tank fitted.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2016, 06:06:37 PM by Manky Monkey » Logged

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« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2016, 05:56:47 PM »

Nice trike. Looks like it shouldn't take too long to have this finished but after 10 years there is little point in rushing.
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« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2016, 06:09:24 PM »

Don't tell him that or it'll be another 10 years!
I can't comment though -my truck's taken nearly as long. Expect a request for a pre MSVA fault finding inspection at some point Dave.
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« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2016, 07:36:56 AM »

Glad to help if I can.
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