T-Rex Carbon Fiber

[joe]

My showed me a quick way to post pictures, so here are some of my built but not finished T-Rex trike.

[captainamerica]

While I can definitely appreciate the amount of time and effort involved here, can you explain your front suspension to me? Most importantly your upper A-arm chassis mounts, that looks like a recipe for compliance and eventual fatigue failure, similar to the issue I had with the chassis reroute I did to get around the exhaust on my trike. It looks like the mount is hanging off of a piece of 3-4" U-shape angle iron which is welded to the lower mount and then welded again at a 90 near the upper mount. Whats the total vehicle weight with you and a passenger?

[Liteway]

It is obviously not a TRex. Shouldn't it have its own name?
Sorry, I'm always the trouble maker, but I really am curious.

[joe]

I have not considered a special name for my trike since I'm not going to mass produce them,I simply refer to it as T-Rex C.F. (carbon fiber). As far as the mounting of the upper A-arm, it was my 1st attempt in the pic. I have since fabricated a shorter upper A-arm with new mounting points in order to eliminate bump steer issues.

[joe]

I don't have a total vehicle weight yet but I estimate it to be around 800 pounds.

[captainamerica]

I was more concerned with the wheel ripping the mount off your chassis then bump steer issues. Do you have any pictures of your new design?

[joe]

Thanks for your concern, The upper A-Arm is attached via. .187 x 1.5" Flat steel MIG welded to 1.5 dia. DOM main tubing with perpendicular gussets. Most of my design work is laid on on my CAD program prior to fabrication.

[joe]

Here are some of my original build pics. The body is a composite of extruded polystyrene, Carbon Fiber and fiberglass.

[joe]

Some of my detail work; designing a Stainless flange attachment for exhaust system. CAD Design to SS Fabrication.

[Liteway]

Feb 24, 2016 14:47:52 GMT -5 joe said:

I don't have a total vehicle weight yet but I estimate it to be around 800 pounds.

As I understand it ,you are using a Cadi Viper power train?

12hp?

[joe]

My Motor is from the Honda Silverwing 600cc Automatic, in order to create reverse since the Honda has no chain I designed a rubber roller that mechanically engages with the rear tire and then a reverse button triggers a relay that operates a winch motor attached to the roller. I was surprised how well it works, the winch is under minimal load so it barely draws any current. Note in the picture everything is tack welded and not painted yet.

[joe]

A few of years ago the first trike I worked on was called a Scoot Coupe, it had a 150cc scooter motor and a nice fiberglass body. At one point I had 3 of them, around that time I met a guy who had the Campagna T-Rex. That inspired me to conceptualize my version of the T-Rex build with a light weight carbon Fiber Body.

[captainamerica]

I am pretty sure I get how you changed it, and your new mounts look reasonable. Just curious, looking at the pictures you posted of the pre and post front suspension mod, how bad was the bump steer in the initial design? With the rack that high it seems like your would get absurd amounts of toe in during bump. Interesting reverse design, first I have seen that directly drives the wheel, do you get a lot of slippage between the two wheels? max incline you have tried to reverse up?

[DaveJ98092]

Nice work so far Joe.

I have had the idea of using one of my three Burgman 650s for power and doing what you have for reverse. Since we scooter powered trikes will not need the left foot for a clutch, I was going to design a left foot pedal for the reverse lever and a momentary push button to turn on the electric motor.

[Liteway]

You could put that switch to activate at the bottom of the pedal stroke, to make it easier to steer at the same time.
Might want to put an interlock on it so the circuit only works with the neutral light on.

[DaveJ98092]

Feb 26, 2016 15:54:33 GMT -5 Liteway said:

You could put that switch to activate at the bottom of the pedal stroke, to make it easier to steer at the same time.
Might want to put an interlock on it so the circuit only works with the neutral light on.

Scooters like the Honda Silverwing 600, Burgman 400/650 and others do not have a neutral. They are in gear all the time but have a low RPM clutch disengagement. You learn real quick that you do not want to do the "Harley" rap the pipes at a stoplight. It will launch you forward. Yes you could put a Silverwing 600 on its centerstand, rev it to 8,000 RPM and push it off the centerstand and it will rocket forward. Not a good thing, I imagine.

But on that note, a micro switch on the throttle lever on the throttle body could be done so the throttle must be closed 100% before it would engage the electric reverse motor.

[joe]

No Toe issues during upward suspension movement i.e. bump, I did a CAD simulation prior to fabrication. Thanks for your input on a electric reverse lockout mechanism, I like the Idea of micro switch N.C contacts when  the throttle is not depressed, ideal since auto trans is always engaged.

[joe]

No slippage or revers drive roller to to tire even when wet. The engagement mechanism works similar to a emergency brake were as it has multiple locking points to increase friction and eliminate slippage.

[joe]

Dave, I was thinking of the Bergman 650 for my trike, but for me the engine to rear wheel length was a bit long although I like the idea of the paddle shifter. Did you come up with a design for you Bergman trike?

[DaveJ98092]

Joe, No I have not figured out if I would go with a Burgman 650. The Burgman 650 (638 cc true and 54 horsepower) is a LOT longer than a Silverwing 600 (582 cc true and 49.6 horsepower) and is only 56 cc's and ONLY 4.5 Hp difference.

The paddle shifter is wasted on 95% of Burgman riders but the CVT's POWER button is nice for hilly areas for more engine braking. The Silverwing has a more conventional Vairator "Rubber Band" CVT belt where the Burgman has a computer controlled Kevlar/aluminum drive belt that you do not replace too often, hopefully at 110,000 miles.