Upgrading trike shocks

markg0vbr

Registered user
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
205
Reaction score
0
Location
rotherham




I now have twin shocks now on the softest setting, on the back of the beast, it handles well but there are times when I get a bit of wheel spin and feel the rear suspension can't keep up On rough back roads.

The axle is a cut down reliant with 205 17" tyres on I have them at 23psi

Any one know what might be good replacements please?
 
A swing rear axle from a Triumph Herald to give independent rear suspension, combined with a limited slip differential :p:aidan

Or you could slow down ya fecker ;)

:beerjug:
 
Naaaaaa, that is why i am interested in the suspension, that or fiddler brakes fitted to thumb levers.

there is a slight loss of power to tyre spin coming out of tight fast turns after the light/ air born wheel hits the road, like a bit of bounce.
If I time it bang on I can shut the throttle as it hits and wind on again just as it gets full grip again.

As I am applying the power before the apex on most turns, any rough suffice mid bend can have the same affect as most of the traction is going through the heavy out side wheel.




i love my blast Sunday morning 5:30 out over wood head, across to Glossop over the a57 then all back roads down to Matlock for a cup of tea.
Next to no one about and I can really get the wind in my hair.:eyebrow

I have been told it is impossible to get air .....:eek proved that's a load of rubbish, twice last Sunday.

The chap that spanners it, has Got a bit of welding to do to the axle it has some cracks around one of the brackets on the axle.:blast every time I hobble in to the work shop he says what you broke/bit fell of this time, the man is paranoid and developing a tic :rob
He says "you did what!" a lot as well.
 
Hi Mark...
Try dropping your REAR tyre pressures to 12 psi TWELVE...
It also helps if your tyre section is a55/ 65 [ eg 205/65/ 17 }
Even on Rocket 3 trikes I never ran more than 15 psi rear.
My K75 trike runs at 12 psi, even 2 up, I've got a full size Reliant axle with 195/65/16 iirc
If you have a lower tyre section eg >> 25 or even 35 the sidewalls are too hard to help the suspension and cause the bounce you're getting even at 12 psi.....
 
Last edited:
Hi Mark...
Try dropping your REAR tyre pressures to 12 psi TWELVE...
It also helps if your tyre section is a 65 [ eg 205/65/ 17 }
Even on Rocket 3 trikes I never ran more than 15 psi rear.
My K75 trike runs at 12 psi, even 2 up, I've got a full size Reliant axle with 195/65/16 iirc
If you have a higher tyre section eg >> 75 or even 80 the sidewalls are too hard to help the suspension and cause the bounce you're getting even ay 12 psi.....

You're probably right Proff :thumb

I followed Mark round the Borders, he was airborne most of the time. The tyres being designed to carry more weight than the trike had :nenau

He might as well have been on solid rubber :eek:

:beerjug:
 
I've been known to get a bit of a hop on myself Micky.
137mph on a Rocket 3 trike was amazing and completely unintentional.
We ( Wackeys} recommended 55 {lowest} or 65 section {normal} tyres, never lower sidewalls One owner insisted on 225/35/19 on a Vmax trike, it was unrideable in my opinion, We even put a set of 16" rims with 65 section on temprorarily to show the guy that it COULD be a really good handling trike
BUT he insisted on the bling wheels, even after admitting it rode brilliantly on the high sidewall tyres...... made him sign a disclaimer before releasing trike to him :(
 
I have gone from 8 to 23 psi in slow increments.

I am a lot fitter now than when I fist got it plus the trail reduction mod, so can pull it through the corners a lot tighter and faster.

I am thinking of stiffening the shocks then going through the psi thing again.
Just hard work, I have to pick my days when I can do this.

I need a pit crew and a race track :green gri and some nitrous :JB
 
I did the presher thing again going down at firs 2psi then 1.
Any thing below 13psi I start getting alternate bounce which build in to front end weave at any thing above 70mph on slightly rough roads.

Balance cornering speed and ride comfort 17psi, at this the ride is good and I get that positive set as the weight shifts across entering a corner, and i can take my hands off the bars 70+ on a slightly rough road.

This is after making the shocks as soft as they will go, I will repeat this after stiffening the shocks.

The man that built it and keeps the thing together has com up with a cunning plan, a belly pan is to be crafted to run from the back of the oil sump to the first lateral anti twist strut* this and the new mud gards should rectify the huge folowing spray/cow crap cloud problem I have.:rob


*the first crossbar under the pivot.
 
shocks

not being silly that shock looks very similar to a lambretta shock
NOW a guy called ian frankland fitted a vertually identical shock from a 2000 year yamaha R1 he had to put softer springs also he made some adapters for the eyelets
plenty olins from them old bikes in the breakers
worth TRY :beerjug:
 
I have had a look around for two identical mono shocks to come up at the same time, being mono shocks there is a flaw in that plan:blast
If I can drop on two identical ones making them fit should not be a problem within reason as the bottom bracket can be replaced.
I would think any pair of 600 sports bike ones, as loung as they have rebound adjustment.

The mad mechanic at the ferret works* "tha rides it like it wa nicked all time" I have taken out some Anglo Saxon, May be a small factor.

They want me to test out a new rear brake disc kit for the reliant axle, this I can't understand as I try not to use them! :rob

This will stiffen
*yorkshire version of the USA skunk works
 
I have had the trike striped sand blasted all the welds inspected and repainted.
A new clutch and slight mods to the brakes.
I have two hardly air shocks for it now as the others are about had it, still awaiting fitting as the opv (old plumbers van) comes first.

The last big trip I did was a lap of Spain and Portugal with a flock of harly riding hells angels, they always cheer me up when I fall over by laughing and pointing, wafting forbidden food at me and genarly not wrapping me up in Cotten wool.
Though I did nearly get them all beaten up in Portugal, boy did we laugh.
 
The man that built it and keeps the thing together has com up with a cunning plan, a belly pan is to be crafted to run from the back of the oil sump to the first lateral anti twist strut* this and the new mud gards should rectify the huge folowing spray/cow crap cloud problem I have.:rob

Why do you think we always let you ride at the back - 'go on Mark, you make a really good tail end charlie' :D:D :tarka
 
Those shocks look like cheap R &R items or similar, they are useless on a twin shock bike, always far too hard and seem to be designed ! for any bike from 250 to 1300 cc
 


Back
Top Bottom