Recumbent tadpole trike - rear engine mount?

GoldenMotor.com

Holz2010

New Member
Apr 26, 2010
4
0
0
USA
I am a newbee and I apologize if I am treading old ground. I have searched the forum (and other forums too) though and not found the type of engine mounting information I am looking for. If there is a thread on this though, any help in directing me there would be appreciated.

I have a Catrike Trail (receumbent tadpole trike) and also a Subaru Robin 33.5cc engine mounted to a Staton, Inc gear reduction box. I would like to mount the Subaru and gear box behind the rear wheel, relatively low down (about axle height), but I have never seen a mount like this. Staton has a system that will mount an engine above the wheel, like this and also an axle mount. But the above-the-wheel mount puts the engine right next to your head on a recumbent, and I cannot use the Staton axle mount for other reasons. So, ideally I would be able to triangulate back with something pretty solid to mount the engine. But I have never seen a kit for this.

If anyone has a suggestion for a kit, or even just parts that can be fitted together for a rack like I am describing (maybe parts from McMaster-Carr or someplace like that?), please let me know. I am open to any suggestion. Thanks.
 

vegaspaddy

New Member
Jul 24, 2008
34
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0
las vegas
you should be able to make it work, do you have the parts that came with the staton gearbox lying around.

First set of mounts from the dropouts onto the gearbox itself, then a second set attached to the rear legs about 2/3 way up just after the tube bend to keep the engine level and to deal with the torque....

Send some pics to Dave or better still call him and he will give you all the help you need, plus he will have all the parts you need to make this happen

GOODLUCK VP
 

Holz2010

New Member
Apr 26, 2010
4
0
0
USA
Thanks guys. Yeah, I would like find some sort of extension that would extend backward from the drop-outs, and then also, as you say, from the seatback supports (the rear legs). But no mounting parts came with the gearbox and Subaru. Dave's a nice guy, smart and he tries to be helpful. But to be honest I find him tough to communicate with about what I am looking for, even after sending pictures to explain it. He has some thumb-screws that I think are somehow supposed to mount to his "14-inch supports", but he doesn't have supports in different lengths, and it is not clear from his descriptions, how any of it would mount to a drop-out or extend for different lengths. So, any additional suggestions for mounting components that would be compatible with the Staton gearbox would be appreciated.
 

vegaspaddy

New Member
Jul 24, 2008
34
0
0
las vegas
Sounds like david (tough ....leather skin tough) but his work is top notch.

Scour threw the pics and see if you can come up with a list of parts, most of the mount should be the same except your attaching to the rear and not directly above the wheel. Maybe asking him just for the mounting peices (minus the front bracket that attachs below the seat post) as if you were doing a normal setup, would give you a good base to start with, and cause less confusion on statons end. The rest of the parts you should be able too find at the local hardware stores, although you will still have to order sproket, chains etc from a vendor.

If only you lived up the road and then you could drop it off but that would be all too easy.... besides its to much fun building and screwing up all by yourself, trust me i have had plenty of practice but the more mistakes we make the more we learn for the next time...

goodluck VP..
 

coln72

New Member
Mar 16, 2010
9
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0
Australia
Probably doesnt help, but I have a custom made trike currently running a 31cc Honda with a friction drive - skate board wheel - turning the rear wheel. The motor is mounted between the seat and the wheel and is mounted to a pivot to allow for pedalling without the motor.

Next up though is to mount an electric motor and do away with the pedals totally :)
 

Elmo

New Member
Sep 3, 2009
748
4
0
Mississippi
I am building a trike mostly from GreenSpeed plans and am going to try to mount a HF 79cc on it. I will be watching this thread for ideas.
 

corgi1

New Member
Aug 13, 2009
2,272
3
0
KCMO
I would think you would need the basic mount for the motor and gear box so they wouldn't break off from each other ,,,mount off one side of the wheel,if paniers,side bags are the/a concern then dedicate one side too the motor,the weight of the motor behind the wheel will excert a lot more side stress in the rear wheel than one mounted beside it and you can always jack-shaft to the other side if needed,,,possibly move the motor farther forward under the back of the seat for a little more wh.stress relief