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realnutter
Joined: December 8th, 2010, 4:43 pm
Posts: 3
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 Using front arms backwards... Do people do this? Is the negative trail an issue?
The reason I ask is i'm planning a 3x2 vehicle, ie a motorcycle and sidecar, with a powered sidecar wheel...
The idea is to put a 2cv engine in the tail of the sidecar, with a driveshaft to the bike's back wheel, and one angled forward to the sidecar wheel....
To keep it simple and cheap, i want to use standard components where possible, including front suspension arms.... turned backwards....
I kinda think the swapping them side to side, and running them as trailing arrms solves the negative trail problem, but is it necessary??
Hoping for some useful thoughts from more experienced people...
Cheers, Matt
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| December 22nd, 2010, 1:15 pm |
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ken
Agony Aunt - You have a car problem? Speak to Ken
Joined: March 6th, 2009, 1:40 am
Posts: 3675
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Re: Using front arms backwards... Matt, there won't be any problem with 'negative trail', as the ability of the hub carrier to swivel on the suspension arm will be disabled, surely? Unless you're opting for a bit of rear wheel steering, just to liven things up somewhat...  ken ( There's a 2CV based buggy still sitting around here, which has been built using a very neat solution to its rear wheel drive setup. I can take a few pictures of the arrangement, if it's of any interest to you. ) realnutter wrote: Do people do this? Is the negative trail an issue?
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| December 22nd, 2010, 7:12 pm |
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Little Louis
Field Plougher
Joined: February 8th, 2009, 12:07 am
Posts: 2357
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Re: Using front arms backwards... I'd contact Louis Barbour for rear arms the driveshafts can be attached to. http://www.barbour4x4.com/
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| December 22nd, 2010, 7:19 pm |
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imothepixie
Firing on two.
Joined: December 26th, 2008, 11:46 pm
Posts: 254
Location: Leicester
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Re: Using front arms backwards... Having an engine in the tail end of a sidecar will make it a bit unstable surely? Wouldn't the wheel have to go further back (thus really making it an asymmetric trike!) or have some dead weight over the front wheel? 
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| December 22nd, 2010, 7:43 pm |
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toomany2cvs
Firing on two.
Joined: December 26th, 2008, 9:40 pm
Posts: 3332
Location: Surrounded by 2cvs...
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Re: Using front arms backwards... imothepixie wrote: Having an engine in the tail end of a sidecar will make it a bit unstable surely? I was going to say "Surely not - think about all those VW-based trikes" - then I realised that that probably wasn't proof of stability...
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Zookeeper of a miscellany of motorised silliness - from 0.75bhp to 9ft tall - now living life on the road in an old VW.
http://WhereverTheRoadGoes.com
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| December 22nd, 2010, 8:15 pm |
 
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imothepixie
Firing on two.
Joined: December 26th, 2008, 11:46 pm
Posts: 254
Location: Leicester
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Re: Using front arms backwards... toomany2cvs wrote: imothepixie wrote: Having an engine in the tail end of a sidecar will make it a bit unstable surely? I was going to say "Surely not - think about all those VW-based trikes" - then I realised that that probably wasn't proof of stability... Yeh! maybe nose up (unless there is a burly beardy bloke sitting in front of the engine which there otten is!) but least it may go in a straight line! When gunned a little to much I could see this spinning round and decapitating on-lookers!  
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| December 22nd, 2010, 8:59 pm |
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ken
Agony Aunt - You have a car problem? Speak to Ken
Joined: March 6th, 2009, 1:40 am
Posts: 3675
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Re: Using front arms backwards... Good for about 80mph, though you needed to keep a good grip on the bars...   2CV trike by slcchassis, on Flickr
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| December 22nd, 2010, 9:17 pm |
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Norman
Firing on two.
Joined: May 11th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Posts: 198
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Re: Using front arms backwards... A young looking Ken there !!! 
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| December 23rd, 2010, 12:51 am |
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ken
Agony Aunt - You have a car problem? Speak to Ken
Joined: March 6th, 2009, 1:40 am
Posts: 3675
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Re: Using front arms backwards... Put yer glasses on, Norman. Those photograph were taken in 1995, not 1955...  Norman wrote: A young looking Ken there !!!
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| December 23rd, 2010, 1:42 am |
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Sean
Firing on two.
Joined: April 22nd, 2009, 11:06 pm
Posts: 3684
Location: Ecosse
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Re: Using front arms backwards... surely a case of "if you can work it out for your self, dont bother" as its probably the least of your worries
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Kissing the Lash
"Any advice of a technical nature is given on the understanding that I've actually done this shit, not just read about it in D*lly club mag some time ago.
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| December 23rd, 2010, 1:54 am |
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