Hello from the UK

[Strangelymade]

Hi all, just joined and I'm liking what I read so far.
But to introduce me self, I'm currently rebuilding my VW trike, 1600DP engine, raised and stiffened rear suspension, with susuki dr250 front forks. At the moment I'm researching AMR500 superchargers to fit on it, also possibly doing way with the torsion bars and going coil over and wishbones on the rear. and I'll be running it with My Baja club and also doing a bit of greenlaning along with possibly some Mud plugging and Pay and Play sites over here in the UK

Got 14 years experience of trike riding under my belt and have a couple Britain's best trike builders helping me, along with several of the countries best vehicle builders.


Here's a pic form a few months ago, roughly mocked up to check some details and measurements, with push around bars fitted.

[Marc]

Welcome to StF, the best forum on the planet for ACVW discussions.

Not everyone here comes across as an opinionated A-hole, but it's something I happen to specialize in. So if any of the following should offend you, please don't hold it against the whole group. I've got big shoulders and can take the blame all by m'self. Believe it or don't, I have your best interests at heart.

Now that the pleasantries and disclaimers are out of the way, here we go:

Swingaxle, rear-engine? A friggin' disaster if you ask me. Needs at least 100lbs of lead up front just to control unintended wheelstands with a stock engine - the last thing it needs is more power...and as for handling it's a death-wish come true (good that you have experience, you'll need it).
The horrid suspension geometry inherent in the swingaxle design cannot be cured by spring or control-arm changes. The rear roll center is at the pinion centerline and always will be, no matter what modifications you make. You'd be better off with NO rear suspension. If you value your life at all, at minimum you'll need to install limiting straps to prevent the rear from going into positive camber and set the initial ride height for 1-1½° negative camber. By raising it, you've forced it positive and made matters worse - it's closer to the dreaded "swingaxle-tuck" (see diagram below) from the get-go.
Even stock IRS ("4-joint") would be better; personally I think a DeDion arrangement works best on a trike, if you can pull it off without too much unsprung weight - but that too requires an IRS trans.
If you haven't yet heard any of this from "Britain's best", they must have it in for you. Have you been sleeping with their wives?




Cheers!

[Strangelymade]

Hi Marc, cheers for the reply.

Yep, swing axle, rear engine. Nope, doesn't need 100Ib of lead at the front, they handle quite nicely as is. Might put a pair a trolley wheels on the engine cage, just for when I want to wheelie. And, there is no such thing a Too much power , hell, we've put turbo'd V8s on VW transaxle trikes just because we know they can handle it.

I'm not bothered about curing the swing axle problems, but coilovers and wishbones, would look damn good on a trike, don't you think. Good tip about the limiting straps, cheers.


I best not mention the idea we've been throwing around of turboing it as well and fitting fiddle brakes for playing in the mud.

[Marc]

You do appear to have an abundance of....pluck? - yes, I believe that's the proper polite Brit term. Good luck to you then. I've nothing else to offer. I shall, however, reserve the right to say "I told you so".

[Strangelymade]

Yep, I'm a plucky little bugger me

Have you got any pics of trikes you've built or ridden?, so's I can see the style you're talking about.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

You used to see VW powered trikes a lot around here but it seems not as much as you used to. With manufactures making two in front or two in the rear the rear. building of them doesn't seem to be done as much but then I am not around that crowd. Since 4-joint IRS may be more available here than in other parts of the world. The ability to keep the rear wheels more vertical through suspension travel and hard acceleration or hard stopping, the 4-joint IRS is more often done than two-joint IRS. Oh yeah, I've had a couple of Harleys (both for a short time) but no trikes. I also worked with guys who were into that stuff though (most of them didn't live long for any of many reasons).

Lee