got a free complete trike

2door said:

You might get better response if you tell us what trike you have and maybe a photo or two.
It's a little difficult to offer suggestions unless we know what you're working with.

Tom

Click to expand...

Exactly, there are a LOT of different types of trikes.
Besides the whole trike from a couple of angles, pictures of the drive train from the back and bottom are crucial.

Interesting trike. Would you be trying to keep the cargo box? Electric might be a good option unless it is too expensive. I'm trying to get a feel for what room is available under the seat... hard to tell from the photos. A 79cc harbor freight 4 stroke would be nice... easy pull start.
You mention wanting it to be able to keep up with your bike. Keep in mind that a trike is usually run a little slower than a two wheeler, especially at corners.
Nice find!
SB

Almost looks like the Royal-enfield that I have, but the rear end looks home made. The rear has a solid axel and most have a split rear axel, you could split the rear and put a sprocket on the opeset side of the pedal sprocket, but would need another pillow block bearing if you do. That is a super nice find,maybe go to Atomic Zombie a and look at some of there plans for some ideas. Looks to me you could put a engine right behind the seat post like SB says!but you need a large rear sprocket and don't think it will clear the box that's on the back. All depens on how much machining skills you have,and welding ability..........Curt

If it would fit behind the seat post the 79cc Predator engine from Harbor Freight would be a nice choice... lot's of grunt and real easy to start... go forever once you have it set up. You might have room to leave the stock exhaust and gas tank on the motor, simplifying things even more.
Yeah, I was thinking that's a solid axle, too. Might be as well to change the axle over to one from a riding mower with a differential or one from Northern Tool. Then you'd have a really nice setup. The Predator engine is less than a hundred bucks if you watch for a sale. Then you'd need an automatic clutch. About any kind would work so long as the shaft diameter is the same. Since the bike was free it would still be a low cost, high fun build. You want it to be easy to use and safe if your wife is going to enjoy riding.
Does that have a front brake?
SB

tinnes2 said:

yes it has a front drum brake and rear coaster brakes the coaster brake hub is mounted in the frame I don't actually have the bike yet he's waiting for me to finish his build I agree with the safety that's why I plan on taking most of the rest of the year to rebuild this entire bike before even starting on the motor project

Click to expand...

Good thinking.
Nice pics, thanks.



Looks like just a single speed coaster brake hub in the middle and a solid axle, I'll assume only the right wheel is driven and the left freewheels on the axle because you wouldn't be able to turn if both wheels were driven.

Top safe speed on a Trike like that is only ~20MPH and that's going straight so you don't need a lot of power.

As mentioned above you can't go gas with a direct connect to a sprocket on the axle, it would need to be a huge sprocket and there is no room.

With a home made gear reduction a little 3HP Briggs & Stratton or 50cc HS 142F 4-stroke would be plenty.

If you wanted to keep the box (or any cargo container) on the back you should consider going electric.
An electric can produce full power at extremely low RPM's.

You could mount an electric motor under the seat and put the battery, charger and controller in the box and drop a false bottom on top of it.







Just carry an extension cord in the cargo box and you can charge it anywhere you find an outlet.

With just another sprocket as big as would fit mounted on the axle for the electric drive, or a second small sprocket on the back drive part of the center hub, you could direct drive it and the center hub would pedal sprocket would provide the freewheel for your pedals.

Or if you don't want to mess with the back axle or welding sporockets at all you could get fancy and change out that single speed hub for a 3 (or more)-speed internal shifter for gears with the motor but you'd need to freewheel the pedals.

My examples are 7-speed derailleur electric shifters but it's the same mechanics.

Just more ideas to think about while you restore the trike.

looks like the box is about 6" above the rear axel my be room for a big sproket............Curt

tinnes2 said:

how long is the run time if I go electric and would I run a normal 12 volt DC motor and then what battery should I use Dc Electric with batteries not something that I know all that much about

Click to expand...

How far you can go depends on how big your 'tank' is, in battery terms it's Ah Capacitance.

The bigger and more efficient you start with, the farther it will take you before it needs a charge.

12V is way too wimpy, think your cars 12V LA battery and starter motor, you have maybe 8 minutes of continuous cranking before the battery is dead.

36 and 48V are pretty common voltages that controllers and BLDC (Brusless DC) motors like.

I like Lithium Ion based battery packs, they are still expensive but they are a really big 'tank' of power for the size.

I used these custom made 36V 1000 Whrs battery packs for my 3 shifting e-trike builds.
102 4.2V 2C NCM Cells packed 12 parallel rows of 10 series cells. 40A continuous.



Batteries are even better for the same price since then.

The trick is to pick a motor and controller that will take a range and fit where you want to put to it to attach it to the drive train and how you tie it in.

After that with enough room you can pack in a bunch of car batteries like electric golf carts use in various Serial and Parallel configurations to any number of compact configurations with better cells.

By 'cells' I mean the small voltage and storage a given thing can hold.
A 'D' flashlight battery size is a good example.

It is 1.5V like every other common flashlight battery and when you put a few in something to make it go you are creating a Pack of cells.
A D may only have the voltage and current limits as a AAA battery, it just holds a lot more of it because of the size so it lasts longer.

LI cells are just a bit bigger than AA or about the size of a C but carry ~3.7V and can hold way more capacitance than a dry cell.
Pack a bunch together and your set.

tinnes2 said:

thanks that's great information
we're a couple of hippies
still an electric bike would probably sit real well with my wife
what do you think it would cost for the full set up roughly

Click to expand...

Anywhere from ~$800 to $1200 for parts (Battery, charger, BMS, motor, controller, throttle, drive system and mount parts) unless you can fab things yourself, which means cutting, welding and mechanical skills.

For hobbyists fabing stuff yourself is a great way to save money.
You can spend countless hours on it for free having fun.

In the MB business world however every man hour is precious and just not worth $350 in lost time to save $50 on a build.

I went with the $400 36V SBP E-kit for my e-trike builds.
http://www.sickbikeparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=180

If you want to fab your mounts and drive you could knock ~$50 off that but good parts have a price.

As mentioned, get the drive right first, the control system next, and the battery last.

Or just do it all at once like I typically do now, but then I've built a few electrics and pretty much know what works well together so I can build an e-Whatever shifter in about the same man hours as a simple 2-stroke direct drive which is pretty much a snooze fest these days.