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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: March 10, 2016, 2:00 pm 
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Location: worcester county, Massachsetts
Wyked, thanks for the links.

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: August 25, 2016, 7:36 am 
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Well, it's been a very frustrating summer for several reason. The trike side of the summer has been dealing with it being off the road for a little over 5 months. The short version of the story is - On the second day in a row of commuting (first day was pictured above back in March) I developed a horrible noise when decelerating to a stop. I thought I was stranded for sure but was able to keep driving, it only was an issue on deceleration and coasting with the clutch in stopped the noise so I thought I had lost the chain tensioner. When I got to work everything was there and looked fine. So I came back out with a flashlight and started crawling around and found the part of the engine/transmission case around the output sprocket was cracked in several places and actually bent out (pre-damage picture below, highlighted in red). So the noise was the chain hitting the cracks and gaps in the case. Apparently on deceleration there was still enough slop for the chain to lift up on the sprocket and was being held in by the engine case. I was able to limp home and it immediately went up on jack stands (and stayed there until this week). So basically I started over with the idea of chain tension. I figured I either need to make the jacktube adjustable, but it shared the pivot with the swingarm so that would shift the suspension geometry to some degree. Or I would have to come up with a sprocket size that fit the sprocket/distance such that the chain fit correctly without all the slop. I went with the second option which meant custom sprockets in order to fit the ID & bolt pattern for the jacktube. Well, here is where things dragged out literally for months between me and a shop that makes custom sprockets and I won't go into all the frustrating details but I finally got the custom sprockets this past weekend and everything fit up as intended. I've said it a few times in the past, but hopefully this time I've fixed the issue of chain tension on the primary chain...

While it was off the road I finished the engine cover, which I think cleans up the look a bit and leaves a lot of the wires and mechanicals less exposed. It's perforated aluminum to still allow for some airflow. I also ditched the old hard as rock tires I had and went with some Toyo R888's which should be stickier.

I would have liked to have gotten more done in terms of front bodywork or other aspects but for the most part I was either ignoring it out of frustration with the sprockets or dealing with other issues that kept me out of the garage. Such is life. One thing I started kicking around in my head was ways to clean up the look of the taillight boom. One thought I had was a vertical stabilizer similar to the ones on Le Mans prototypes. I'm not 100% sold on the look of it but it would be somewhat functional. The alternative is incorporating a taillight and turn signals into the rear fender. Thoughts? Ideas?

Not much left of the season with Fall right around the corner, hopefully I can make up for some of the lost time before the snow...


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: August 25, 2016, 9:51 am 
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I think running a small tube horizontally from the tail light assembly forward would look a little better. It would certainly stiffen up the light assembly. You could fill the void with a polished alloy sheet to match the body work too.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: December 29, 2016, 8:00 am 
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Location: Downingtown, PA
I ended up using some gaffer tape to mock up both styles of fins and Acerguys smaller version looked much better in person so I went with that. I kicked around making an aluminum coolant overflow to fit in the triangle (The stock position on the engine isn't in the best spot) but ended up just welding some sheet metal in. I then stripped the whole thing down to the bare frame to finally cover the bare metal. I got the frame back the other day from the powder coater and now I have the rest of winter to take my time and reassemble.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: December 29, 2016, 9:57 am 
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Location: Cornelius OR
I'd suggest moving the light assy forward at least a foot, maybe more.

You can put some small LED's on the rear fender if you need lights at the rear extremity.

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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: December 29, 2016, 4:36 pm 
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Thanks Bent Wrench, but I think I've come to accept the tail light/turn signal cluster in its current location. The work to triangulate the back support should clean up the look some. As I've said before, when I'm driving, its the furthest thing from my mind :D


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: May 17, 2017, 6:55 am 
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Hello all, just stopping in with an update. I took my time getting everything back together after powdercoating the frame. I started working on enclosing the nose by putting side panels on the front. Debating how best to make the nose cone and top. Maybe next winter. Once again just happy to have it back on the road.

The perforated aluminum engine cover does reduce the air flow through the side ducts which increased my coolant temps. Not to the point of a problem but has me looking at ideas for opening things back up to get the air moving more. May add louvers to the engine cover or put some shark gill type louvers in the back of the ducts to open things up a little. time will tell.

I replaced the fuel sender and gauge. This sender is the same capacitive type but is supposedly designed for experimental aircraft and able to handle harsher conditions. It also has a 5V output as opposed to the automotive 12V which seemed to have problems. So I picked up a 5V fuel gauge for a boat and the combo works much better than the original setup. Time will tell if it holds up but so far I'm happy with it.

Now that the major problems are for the most part solved I'm starting to nit pick other aspects like the shifter. The severe bends in the push pull cable make it really stiff to actuate. So I'm starting to think about redesigning it with some linkages, but again, maybe next winter...


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: May 17, 2017, 10:15 am 
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Looking good!

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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: May 17, 2017, 12:44 pm 
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Location: worcester county, Massachsetts
Wyked, glad to see you back on the road! In the words of Deep Purple, "...It's a killer machine..." ;-) Reverse Trikes FORWARD! oh, wait, that doesn't sound right...

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: May 17, 2017, 7:37 pm 
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Thank you both.

robbovius - funny you mention just driving and focusing building elsewhere in your log, in my case it's RC planes these days. Amazing how you can build something from scratch in a matter of hours as opposed to years. I'm definitely enjoying that change of pace, while still enjoying the trike!!


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: May 18, 2017, 7:33 am 
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Location: worcester county, Massachsetts
wyked wrote:
Thank you both.

robbovius - funny you mention just driving and focusing building elsewhere in your log, in my case it's RC planes these days. Amazing how you can build something from scratch in a matter of hours as opposed to years. I'm definitely enjoying that change of pace, while still enjoying the trike!!


I know right?

I've got a literal stack of bodies waiting for me to build chassis for them, and I can experiement as much as I want in design and fabrication, and, honestly, I find that it is informing my fabrication techniques and design ideas for the next full size project. Working in 1/24th scale, I still have to make square cuts and jig everything properly, and make sure the chassis is flat and square...even moreso that a full size car that has movable suspension to take up some of the squareness tolerance in the chassis.

...and it feeds my building jones, which is the most important aspect ;-)

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: August 16, 2018, 7:56 am 
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Joined: March 15, 2018, 6:03 am
Posts: 160
Mr Wyked... I've only been here a few months so, yet again, late to the party... but many thanks for a great build-log - informative and inspirational - and, overall, fun.
I particularly like your details, especially the pretty 'nacelle' (is that the right word? It's better than 'binnacle'...) behind the instruments, and the little curved addition on the side - very effective.
I have also been bothered by the rear light support and concluded what was wrong (to my eye) was the support bar being curved to match the rear fender. I would have suggested making it straight (to match the rest of the chassis) and also adding the horizontal bar... which seems to be pretty much what you've done...
Thanx-a-lot - MangPong.


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: January 11, 2020, 12:11 pm 
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Location: Downingtown, PA
Hey guys, miss me?

In celebration of 60deg weather in January I had to throw the wheels back on and go for a drive. While I had it out I got a few pictures of it's current appearance. The original intent was to have an open frame car like an At*m. Over the years I've been slowly adding more panels. This winter I bit the bullet and I'm working on a nose for it. It's close to done, just need to finish grinding the welds and smoothing them out.

The driveline is still the weak link (pun intended). It eats primary chains fairly quickly. I think they are getting too hot from it's short length and near constant tooth engagement. May play with cooling as the next project after the nose. At my usual pace.

I realized recently my harness is almost 10 years old now. I know racing regs have them being replaced every couple years, what are you guys doing?


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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: January 11, 2020, 7:50 pm 
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My harness is bordering on antique. It still looks better than the belts in my 99 Miata.

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 Post subject: Re: wyked's 3-wheeler
PostPosted: January 12, 2020, 12:09 am 
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Posts: 781
Location: Cornelius OR
If your belts show and signs of aging you might consider replacing them.

Chafing, fading if they have been exposed to the sun for a long time, fraying at the attachment points or around the adjuster. Etc.

The sanctioning orgs are pedantic about anything safety related. And they insist on age based replacement based on a worst case situation.
2 years of direct full day sun and belts will have taken a significant amount of degradation.
2 years in a daily driver of rubbing on a sharp edge and you have half a belt.

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