RODS build........

[ROD]

Ya know ,I had a feeling you would make a comment like that!
 BTW its not a battery box!!

[Manky Monkey]

I've bought bikes constructed from less.
So does the lever linkage work? Does it reduce the amount of sloppiness in the gear change?

[ROD]

 
 Yes ,I was surprised how it worked considering part of it was made from odds and ends I had lying around. I think if each joint (centre boss to cut off g/lever/yoke to square on new lever etc) is made with tight tolerances it should eliminate the slop.Obviously Ive only changed the gears in a stationary situation ,but it does feel positive and controlled.
  couple of tips if anyones interested........The orig g/lever has a bend in it at its base (well mine did!)to kick it over toward the driver.I couldnt straighten it true enuf to allow the centre boss with yoke to pivot on it (it has to pivot as the lever goes thro its motion)so I sleeved the lever with a piece of tube (rod I machined into a tube)brazed it to the orig lever . this gave me a parrallel area to mount the boss which has a bush in it.I used a rod end from a go kart steering (cheap at kart shops)The piece that fits on the new lever that passes thro' and pivots on the yoke I made as deep as I could so that theres a large area that pushes against the yoke side as the gears are selected.The pivot for the rod end bolted to the g.box is only an old bit of tube ,but I am going to use a slightly larger diam tube to allow bushes to be used in the ends. Saying that ,cos the tube is binding on the rod it is pivoted on it also serves to take out a bit of the general slopiness the g/lever has ,which is there even in the orig set up.Hope the above helps somebody decide to have a try . I remember MM saying he hadnt a lot of space to do this on his,but mine is seriously tight in there (oo,er !) One last thing.. dueto having to lift the lever to select reverse ,I am going to drill and tap the centre of the existing stubby lever,and put a plate across the inside of the yoke with a loose fitting bolt tho' the plate holding it down to allow the yoke to pivot ,but also to stay on the pivot ,when it is lifted.
                     Just my ideas,hope it helps, Rod

[morrag]

Oh, well thats ok then, as if it had been a fuel tank it would probably have leaked!!!

[ROD]

Been busy with a few bits and pieces on the trike ,but SWMBO's Birthday today so been out and very attentive (crawl ,crawl ) to hertoday!
   Seat,h/bar risers,rear light mounts etc ,but none of the little projects actually finished yet. Will post pics Tamara.

[ROD]

Well,so busy at work,no time to post pics that Ive taken!
   Forging ahead with the pedal arrangements for clutch and brake.
  Got the clutch in an advanced state of prototype,just building a mount for the brake m/cyl. Cos I dont trust my welding,Im having to work out clamp arrangements to hold the parts on to the frame. Will then strip the trike to basic frame and take for final welding of the bits.Have now solved the probs with the footpegs...I'm gonna turn up some aly ones that I will knurl and incorporate them into the front of a footplate arrangement,which im building in stainless.
 Main concern at the mo' is the correct 'throw' of the brake pedal. Just guessing,as per Andy,that the actuating rod will move no more than an inch to fully apply the brakes.
   Got 2 weeks leave coming up soon ,and I estimate that it will take me at least one of those weeks to perfect the pedals.
  An auto jumble locally coming up soon ,so am going hunting for a h/lamp.Still confused on lighting issues ,as per my H/lamp thread!
                  Rod

[gpz]

can u post pics off gear change linkage as im getting seriously stressed trying to sort mine any help would be much appreciated 

[Plasticpig]

Do you mind if I borrowed your gear lever idea. Looks like just the thing for mine.

[ROD]

Not my idea mate! Just "borrowed "it from someone else on here(terrortubby),then 'tuned' it a bit to my set-up.Hope you sort it! All I had was a pic to go on.Was surprised how easy it made the gearshifting.

[ROD]

No pics(computers down at work) to back up my claims of continued hard work! But finally got the clutch and brake pedals working nice and smooth.Just gotta turn up some footpeg coves in aly tomorrow. Will leave the pedals roughed out of 6mm plate ,until Ive ridden it ,then trim the excess off,and grind all the edges to shape once I know the 'throws' are OK.
    Have abandoned my fuel tank fitted into frame idea,and have gone for a cylindrical one across the back,this is being made from 2 cut down calor gas cylinders (about 8" diam)and a piece of 2mm steel which I'm having rolled by a local firm into a cylinder ,then welded to the 'domed' ends of the gas bottles. Have started on the footplates,but now need to build a template from ply to get them symetrical.Handlebars are bent,risers need a dose of the miter templating to get them to fit the bars.Headlamp brackets roughed out but I reckon theres a days work to get them looking nice ,and fully welded .Pics when the computers are back up!

[Manky Monkey]

Looking forward to them. Sounds like you've been a busy bunny. 

[ROD]

Anuver day has wizzed by!Built the jig for my footboards,built the tank mount plates(frame tubing supports for it tomorrow). .
  Oh yes and today I bent some tube up and mocked up the pillion seat and backrest.Got my daughter to sit on the seat and tried out with me on the front seat.Then it was the turn of SWMBO to change places with daughter! Laugh ! I nearly wet myself!! Shes only 5 ft 4" and seeing her trying to lift her leg to get on the pillion seat was hilarious. In the end my daughter had to help her by lifting her leg up over the frame,she lifted it too high ,and SWBO nearly went base over apex! I tried to explain that I wouldnt be doing that out on the road,so she better get exercising! I didnt let on that when the footboards are there (got paint tins at the mo' to give footrest height) it will be much easier!!

[ROD]

Up early as usual today. Just returned from the workshop after a 5.30 start. Im not allowed to make any noise outside in the garage until about 8.30am,cos SWMBO and mini swmbo, moans!So I went over to the workshop to turn up some spacers I need for my fuel tank mount.An hour later and I emerged with them.Not bad considering I had to find the 1 1/2"steel bar,cut 4 pieces to size,then machine 10mm holes in them down the centres,and face off the ends to length.
  Yesterday went to check with the co thats rolling my tank steel ,they hadnt started it yet,so this may hold me up,as I cant set the brackets on the frame for it until I know more about the tank size etc. Ive got a dealine of Friday night to have all the welding ready ,with jigs made in places,strip the trike to the frame,and load it in my Dutton ready for welding on Saturday.
  I can weld OK with a stick welder,in fact sometimes I'm tempted to weld brackets to the frame.I'm making all the minor bits like h/lamp brackets etc,but want to leave the major stuff,ie pedals,pegs,tank final welds to bracketry etc to a trusted welder who did the main frame(same guy as pie used).So what I do is tack weld bits to the frame ,and pay a visit to the welder guy once Ive got a few bits ready.He is a perfectionist,and doesnt really like mig welding over or across my arc welds ! You can actually hear the welder change note as he welds across the tacks. By my calcs,this should be the last time the frame goes to him! Sorry to ramble!

[Manky Monkey]

Ramble away matey.
I'm deeply jealous -both of your ability to machine bits & pieces at a moment's notice, (I have to beg favours from various mates then wait till they've got the time & materials to do it), & of your ability to get up early! I'm a Postie so get up at 4.30 every morning & 3.30 on Saturdays. When my day off comes around I really struggle to get up & motivated much before lunchtime!
Looking forward to seeing some piccies of your progress so far.

[ROD]

Got a call at 3.30 today ,"We're rolling your steel right now,come and get it " As you can guess I was in the Dutton ,quick as! On the way there I stopped off to get a threaded boss to fit my petrol tap to the tank....£1 ..bargain! And the rolled steel was £20 ,not £25 as quoted. Happy as a pig in s***.Back home ,WHEW! it fits! I guessed the bracketry distances etc so chuffed with that! BUT it took me many hours today to set up the frame for the tank mounts! What a b****** working in 3d!...... Got the h/lamps tacked up.......Trial fitted,yet again  ::)the pillion back rest. This is gonna be a cruiser type trike.
Up again early tomorrow,more lathe work!tank end caps to cover the hole where the valve sat. Also need to shorten the threaded boss I got for the petrol tap,so I'll chop it off in the vice,and then face it off in the lathe.
  Andy. You gotta remember that I used to be in the same position as you are the begging of favours ,borrowed garages etc. I just consider myself extremely lucky to have the use of all this equipment!
   Im no lathe expert by any means,but I get by from what I learnt at school ,all those years ago. I guess it sank in and I retained it ,cos I was interested in what the teacher had to say ! Im envious that you can weld ! This alone is giving me probs having to strip it down to transport it!
  Also remember without you showing that it can be done ,even under stress and logistical (big word) probs  you have,it has inspired many ,including me! Im used to car building ,or should that be adding bits on ,and re-working the rest? I would never have attempted this if I hadnt come across the Manky chassis build article,which led me to this forum and then a chassis from the ground up . When I get people looking in the garage they always ask where I got the chassis ,and dont seem to believe me when I say it started out as a couple of lengths of tube and a pile of 3x2 timber for the jig!!!!