Motorized drift trike or just a Tri-Kart

[ChrisT]

I seem to have accumulated the makings of a project so I thought I throw up a few pics and ideas, see how it goes.
For those unfamiliar with drift trikes have a look here -

I don't have a huge expanse of tarmac to use but there is some waste land near the workshop so I'm hoping I might be able to make a kind of dirt track drift trike - it might not work in which case I just put pvc pipe over the tyres and use it on the bit of private road out front of it.

First off I got some kart rear wheels, wets so they're slightly more suited to off road use than slicks.


Made up some hubs from some tube, turned the end down to fit inside the wheels and welded a disc and some bolts to it....


These will be welded to the axle (more tube from the workshop), which will have a sleeved join in the middle so it can be removed.

Found some bearings, might change them to the 2 hole type as the smaller housing will make mounting easier.




Got this cheap on the weekend which will donate it's front end and some of the frame.....


and made these foot pegs for it out of some stainless tubing I'd had in the shed for years - knew it would come in useful eventually....


They fit to the front forks using the wheel nuts.

This evening I picked this up.....




It's a Honda G65, 6.8hp - a bit old but it starts first pull and seems to run ok. Float bowl needs a new gasket, obviously the 'filter' will be replaced (have a cheap K&N style one) and the exhaust is rusting away but I wanted to make a new one anyway.
Will probably replace the tank with a custom made one at some point.

So that's it so far, a throttle twist grip is on it's way, just need to get a clutch, axle sprocket and chain..............

[dodgerover]

Cool project but I recon you'll get about 5 minutes before the police turn up and spoil the fun if you are anywhere where the public can concievably get to even if they shouldn't be there! My mates had to stop using their works car park on a Sunday with mini motos for the same reason - the police gave them hassle including getting the bikes impounded and then when that failled just gave the company grief until they said no.

[ChrisT]

Hopefully they won't be a problem, we're tucked out the way, there's gates at the top of the road and another set to the waste land.......

Engine has obviously been sat with the tank empty for a while as there's rust inside it, the petcock tap seal is shot and there should be a filter underneath it but that's been blanked off - so it's been running filter-less for however long.
Will be making a new tank for it now, with new petcock and an inline filter.
Carb float bowl was half full of crud so guessing the carb will need stripping and cleaning out - can see one of the jet heads is rounded off from someone elses attempts to remove it.

Anyway, made an adaptor to fit the air filter and an exhaust - some 2" tube with perforated steel baffles welded in to act as a silencer.....



Thought I'd best see how it runs/sounds.....


Runs ok but the choke has to be mid-position otherwise it stalls - not getting enough fuel??? Would tie in with having crud in the system blocking a jet.

Mocked up how things are going to sit.....


It's taking shape......

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

look great fun, but alas the dudley dogooders would have plod round in mins i'm affraid.

[ChrisT]

We'll just have to wait and see on that one.......

Rolling chassis stage.....





Rear end left over long until I know where the engine is going to sit.

[ChrisT]

Motor just temporarily fitted, will be on adjustable bracket to allow chain tensioning.
Top of bike frame will be continued down to tie in to the rest of the frame.

Got a selection of different toothed axle sprockets from ebay, need to make a carrier to attach them to the axle.

[gtste]

That looks like it'll be a load of fun !

[ChrisT]

That's the idea

[gtste]

What sort of clutch are you going to use on it ? I'm guessing just a simple centrifugal clutch would suffice.

Stephen.

[ChrisT]

yeah, just a centrifugal clutch for a kart is the plan - only problem being the output shaft on the motor is 1" and most clutches are 19mm so I've got to make something up in the lathe to convert it........

Or strip the bottom end of the engine, get the crank in the lathe and turn the shaft down.....

[grizz]

Now I want one too.

Looks like great fun.

Lets hope the dickheads stay out of your way. Never get why people have to interfere.

[darrenh]

cool project

the engine looks a bit like one on my dads old suffolk punch, 4 stroke single cylinder shaker engine, spoon on the con rod cap for splash lubrication 1 spark plug, dynamo ignition, as long as you kept petrol going in it would run for eternity. seem to remember the method of turning the engine off was earthing the spark plug out with a spring loaded strap of metal ontop of the block. that was fun getting zapped lol

[ChrisT]

Thanks and yeah the engine has got a spoon (of sorts) on the conrod - did wonder what it was when I first saw it on there....

Selection of different toothed sprockets, so I can mess about with the gearing, from the good old bay of E......


Made up a carrier for them that fits to the axle......


Which will fit somewhere around here.....


Also finished off connecting the frame...

[ChrisT]

darrenh - just noticed your post edit, seem to recall as a kid our lawnmower having the same sort of set-up to stop it - this motor uses the same principal but with a proper switch (or it would do if it wasn't missing)

Been looking at exploded view drawings of the motor and decided as it's got a crank which splits apart I could easily get it in the lathe and turn the output shaft down to 19mm for the clutch, didn't take too long to get the bottom end stripped....


Crank doesn't come apart very easily though, especially as I'm trying to do it without pulling the piston from the bore, may have to rebuild it and go with plan B....

Must get some new oil for it though........

[lewist123]

Might I suggest using pulleys and belts and use a tensioner as the clutch?

[ChrisT]

It's not a bad idea, something I had been thinking about - having the tensioner on a lever to engage/disengage the drive belt, I can see the benefits of having a manual clutch rather than an auto but I'm sticking with the chain drive for the time being............

[darrenh]

well the reason i'm showing perverse interest in this is i made a go kart from said mower in the 1980s. the centrifugal clutch from the mower wasnt man enough to shift the go kart, and i tried belt driven with a tensioner too (as the mower used this second method to propel itself) and it burned through the belt and filled the garage with smoke the first time i tried to pull away

just my thoughts, but i'd stick with something motorbike/scooter related

[gtste]

I bet you could find a clutch off something like a Briggs and Stratton law mower engine.

if its only running with the choke half on you probably need to adjust your air screw on your carb (I think!)

With the right gearing this thing should be quick !

Stephen.

[kanesnotable]

red neck trike lol love it. only thing you haven't left much room for you to sit.looks like you will be sitting upright making it easier to fall out on your face.

[ChrisT]

you need to sit quite far forward on these things to get your feet on the pegs comfortably, seems to be plenty of room.

May 26, 2013 17:55:17 GMT darrenh said:

I tried belt driven with a tensioner too (as the mower used this second method to propel itself) and it burned through the belt and filled the garage with smoke the first time I tried to pull away

just my thoughts, but I'd stick with something motorbike/scooter related

That would be my worry of using a belt drive system.

There's plenty of Kart clutches available only I've messed up slightly with the axle sprocket/chain that I've bought as they're a different pitch to the clutches I was looking at - might not be able to get the gearing I was hoping for now........