Front wheel size

[Deleted]

I've started to gather parts for a RWD RT. I'm wanting to use motorcycle wheels/tyres for less rolling resistance (i'm not going for performance so high speed handling isn't a concern) I first looked at honda superdream rear wheels as I could make my own center for them so they could mate up to a car hub & brake assembly.



I got one from ebay for 99p and one of the benefits is that they are symmetrical so I can use another one of the same on the two front wheels. But I started thinking, how much does the size of the front wheels matter?

I've seen Peugeot Speedfight rear wheels, and they are bolt on so I could adapt the car hub for them to fit.


They are 12" instead of the honda's 18" so would weigh less. Are there any benefits to using the larger wheel? A smaller wheel could make a slimmer front area and would need smaller wheel arches etc

[woodsmith]

I would say that it really depends on the rest of your design.
I started off looking at the little scooter wheels, then at motorbike wheels and I am settled on MGB 14x4.5" wire wheels on the front and a 15x7" Morgan wire wheel on the back.
I have teh smallest front tyres and the biggest back tyre that will fit on.
The weight of mine is also going skywards rapidly though.

I have a range of wheels and options stacked about including an MGA 15x4" wire with a motorbike tyre on it.

I reckon that you should have a good idea of the overall look of your trike to guage which wheels will be right.
Smaller ones have a slightly higher rolling resistance and more limited tyre choice, larger ones may have steering lock clearance and suspension issues to deal with.
You also need to consider the size of brakes that need to fit behind or inside the wheel dish and ground clearence for the suspension parts.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the reply As for the rest of my design, I have an engine, a wheel, a hub and an idea in my head ;D I want to get a gearbox next and then start doing wooden mock ups.

I think you're right about the overall look, wheel size will certainly play a big part there. If I were to go for small front wheels then i'd be tempted to fully enclose them with bodywork. If I use tall wheels then i'd want to have bodywork over the main chassis but keep the wheels and wishbones exposed. If I tried to fit bodywork over really tall wheels then i'd look too bulky.


I've not looked at how much difference exposed wheels & wishbones will make over fully enclosed. I suppose if I went for the no bodywork option then I could improve things to a degree by making large, almost fully enclosed wheel fenders, moon wheel covers, oval tube for wishbones etc. Wheel fenders something like this:

[woodsmith]

I know what you mean about the covered wheel look. Harks back to the 'still born' Aptera.
I was also trying to avoid the overly tall c0ckpit look of a bubble car too so I decided on an open c0ckpit sportster/hotrod look in the end.

Here is the early attempt with a huge front motor and tiny wheels.



In the end it changed to a mid mounted motor with bigger front wheels.


I have progressed a bit further and gone for side by side seating and may have front wheels as big as the back so I only need one size of spare wheel.
The body will be a cross between a T bucket and a Morgan three wheeler with cycle wings on the front and a 'tray back' tube pick up bed over the rear wheel with a wire mesh floor so the motor and rear swing arm can be seen.

The rear wheel has also got taller and wider and faces the other side.


This is the 11" DC motor.


Getting a smooth blended surface to the welds.


Sorting out the spacing between the motor and the hub to plan the swing arm length and chain .
I will be using a 5/8 duplex chain.

[Deleted]

looking awesome I hadn't thought of taking pics of a mockup then photoshopping it, that's something I'll do!

Off to scrapyard tomorrow to get the other hub I need, then hopefully another wheel soon and I'll start mockups

[scooterrebel]

Woodsmith, I'd like to see more of your styling ideas posted.