Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

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indian22

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Steve treat the newer members with your favorite photo of what a real bike & sidecar should look like. I never tire of seeing this particular build reviewed!

You know I'm always up for refits on earlier builds.

Rick C.
 

indian22

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Thanks for sharing Steve. These two sidecar rigs are each so special, as are the two fabricators Silver bear & Fasteddy...along with Aannimoosh the wonder dog. I like to think that in the Ojibwa language this means "joyous friend" that little dogs photos always bring a smile to this Old guys face. A true friend that is much missed but never forgotten.

Cycle on!

Rick C.
 

indian22

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Since early this morning I've been searching for some answers to the questions asked by others and in the process I've recalled some answers that I was already aware of, but had not repurposed recently. So here goes my thoughts in general and then in specific as well.

In general as relates to the go cart style 3 position gear box. They feature forward, neutral & reverse. run 35 or 40 chain, cost $120.or so, select either a 5/8" or 3/4" bore to fit your motor & are 3/16" keyed & can handle up to 13 hp when coupled with the 30 series cvt. The gear box is a small package. Offers wide application universality with small 4 stroke engines of 3 hp up. Straight taper output shaft ready, can't accept a tapered output. These can also support the 3D clutch setup for single speed with reverse builds. Reverse speed internal gear reduction is double the forward reduction, and 2,800 rpm at the shaft. It is an oil filled lube system.

This box can also be easily coupled with an electric motor and standard controller to reverse the power output of the dc motor without controller modifications and provide the appropriate gear reduction, in the case, for neutral & reverse. Trucks, trikes, Velos and sidecars are all likely candidates for consideration of the gear box use. The heavier vehicles & those with greater turning radius are most likely applications.

My specific application would be to use the reverse gearbox on my sidecar build. To not only reverse the car wheel but also propel the rig for emergency situations and only at very modest speed. Run out of gas a few miles from help...no problem. Ever had a bike die at a stop light? It's dangerous as is being stopped on any highly traveled motorway. I feel compelled use this solution to power my sidecar rather than alter the controller: the reason being the appropriate gear reduction produced in the gearbox and the ability to run a smaller final drive sprocket as a result. I want to crawl in reverse and maintain a reliable 10 mph going forward and all this with the relatively small 48 volt 1000 watt motor.

The total cost is still way under that of a bike motor swap. It adds power redundancy for emergencies and I'll still have the added ballast for car balance. I'm having a hard time rejecting this as my best alternative for adding reverse to my sidecar and it's electric!

Rick C.
 
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fasteddy

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Since the run up to Black Friday anything I looked at over the past year and items remotely connected have been appearing as ads. I did see the gear box advertised and forgot to book mark it.

Thought if for some reason the clutch didn't work in the tri car it might be a saving grace. Perhaps the perfect solution for reverse in a side car.

Steve.
 

indian22

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Steve I really like the concept behind the 3-D clutch your working on for your project but I'd note a couple of things about the cart gear box...reverse is obvious, it's available in both 5/8" & 3/4" diameter bores Plus having the neutral position to aid with start up solutions. I'd think the 3-D engagement solution will be worked out in time, yet adding reverse to your project is a new twist that I don't recall being mentioned before.

Personally I have no choice but to add a reliable reverse to my sidecar rig, no matter the cost or it's a complete failure as anything other than driveway art.

I saw a distributor in Canada offering this type gear box on Ebay as well….save the duties of import!

Rick C.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Hi Rick,

I had a former employer years ago who said that watching my thought process work was like watching a drunk crawl up a dark alley in a snow storm.
What he didn't realize was the drunk always made it home and got into bed without waking up his wife.

Much of what I know was gained by watching people like yourself as they problem solve and adapting your knowledge to my benefit. We have the same situation but the wheels are in a different location. While the tri car will be lighter to move around, if the clutch doesn't work where it is, a transmission may well be the answer and improve the bike at the same time.

We'll know where the clutch is going tomorrow. My brother went to Home Depot and Rona, a Canadian home improvement store chain now owned by Lowe's. He picked up the hole saws for me but he decided to double down and bought 2 of everything. The bare 3/4" saws were $20 each. The 2-1/4" and the 2-5/8" should be equally impressive.

My wallet gently weeps.

Steve.
 
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indian22

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Hi Rick,

I had a former employer years ago who said that watching my thought process work was like watching a drunk crawl up a dark alley in a snow storm.
What he didn't realize was the drunk always made it home and got into bed without waking up his wife.

Much of what I know was gained by watching people like yourself as they problem solve and adapting your knowledge to my benefit. We have the same situation but the wheels are in a different location. While the tri car will be lighter to move around, if the clutch doesn't work where it is, a transmission may well be the answer and improve the bike at the same time.

We'll know where the clutch is going tomorrow. My brother went to Home Depot and Rona, a Canadian home improvement store chain now owned by Lowe's. He picked up the hole saws for me but he decided to double down and bought 2 of everything. The bare 3/4" saws were $20 each. The 2-1/4" and the 2-5/8" should be equally impressive.

My wallet gently weeps.

Steve.
Keep after the proper solution Steve though it be elusive prey think how tasty the victory will be!

On my current quest to reverse the sidecar rig I'm the drunk no doubt. This is my first sidecar experience and my first attempt to utilize electric power to propel any type of bike. So it's actually one step forward and two in reverse, a pun perhaps, but appropriate.My attempts are ludicrous at times. I also learn from you guys as well and get input as I go and make evaluations and adjustments as a result. I'm nowhere near figuring everything out on any subject.

A few hours after my last post a vendor I greatly respect and who has great experience building electric vehicles of many types; told me that though he liked my solution to the perceived problems in reversing the sidecar etc., he felt I've overcomplicated the solution and added extra cost and labor to the project. His solution: go with a 48 volt. 1800 watt brushless with forward, neutral & reverse switch controller. He feels the extra grunt will offset any need for gear reduction beyond the two sprockets providing a 4 to 1 reduction ratio. He shamed me for acting like a novice rider not knowing how to control the throttle while backing a vehicle, lol at myself! I took his advice and changed my order accordingly. One step forward and two steps back. I just hope the Old guy is learning as he goes.

Rick C.
 
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curtisfox

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I had a former employer years ago who said that watching my thought process work was like watching a drunk crawl up a dark alley in a snow storm.
What he didn't realize was the drunk always made it home and got into bed without waking up his wife.

You can't stumble that way, but getting in bed without the wife waking? impossible. LOL. ...........Curt

Been said if you grind the teeth off flush with the outside of a hole saw., you can get a true hole size with hole saws.
 

Ludwig II

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The mistake with wives is trying to be quiet. Thunder into the house with a bunch of flowers and tell her you're ready for some affection. I promise, she'll keep her eyes tight shut.
 

fasteddy

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Hi Curt,
Emailed my old pal after I wrote that and reminded him of it. We had a lot of laughs about it over the years. Very true. When your at that level you don't need to worry about falling down.

My first wife could teach a possum lessons about playing possum when it was needed. My second wife not so much but then when we were together I didn't need to drink.

I have some work to do in the future that will need a smooth, proper sized hole and I'll use that method. Thank you.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

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Ludwig,
That is perfect advice. One time my first wife gave me the usual, I don't feel like it, so I got up and started getting dressed. When she asked just where I thought I was going, I simply said I was going out to find someone who did.

Fortunately I heal quickly.

Steve.
 
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indian22

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Tom,
That's is the perfect solution. Just looked up the three position controller and it will work on the Monark and sidecar.

Steve.
Yes Steve I think my vendor a very reputable source of information and has saved me much bother in the past with various tips on bike building in general and I'm thinking this 3 position controller is going to work well with the sidecar. Many of the solutions to our specific problems have been worked out long ago for use on other platforms be they go carts, electric mobility chairs, golf carts, ATV's etc., but we overlook these because they aren't marked as tri car or sidecar approved devices. I spend way too much time fabricating inside the box of my own making & ignore too often the proven solutions at hand...reinventing the wheel is pointless and hard work to boot!

Old guy
 
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indian22

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I received the leaf spring for the side car yesterday and another 100 cc Lifan vertical 4 stroke....my second one. A hundred bucks shipped I just couldn't pass it up. I don't know what I'll use them on, but am thinking I'll retire one of my China girl engines and replace with the 4 stroke...might use the 3 D clutch on it with a 5/8" to 3/4" bushing.

Rick C.