I See Springers...

I did actually see a Pyrimid springer on eBay that was black.(paintable) And it was tempting. But still finding something with "the look" for a 1900's project.
The Rollfast comes closer than anything. And yes, I've seen those old Schwinn "Bee Hive" springers I liked too.

I've shopped for alot of "eye candy" on eBay of late. Coach Lamps and the like that could lend itself to the appearance I'd like to come up with.

I checked out that Felt Chief and it has the look I'd like to get close to. I'm imagining a stretched frame, springer front like the Rollfast, and I like the look of those Russian engines, but the 50cc BikeBerry sells would do. Perhaps there are motor cycle junk yards that may have something viable from an earlier time. Perhaps made by Benelli or Galara. But there is no sense of urgency here. Just something to tinker with in the winter months.

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So, here's the sketch of what I'd like to come up with. (or something like it)
 

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HEY, I think I'm on a roll:pI finally found my tiddler shock arms. I suspect they are early Honda or Yamaha 50 units out of a tin fork housing.
The spring/shock units are 8-1/2" eye-to-eye, 1" dia., and the links are 2-3/4" from anchor point to spring connection and then 2" more to front axle hole. If I turn just about any fork backward and attach the link, it protrudes enough in front of the fork to just about maintain the rake angle perfectly. Since it has a rather thick hole for the axle (1/2") I selected a heavy front axle that had Huffey front axle pegs on it. That makes it long enough to get nuts fully on.
The fork slot can be drilled to receive the pivot point bolts, that are close to 3/8" in metric, and that means they won't escape the fork slot. Additionally, I can add the washers with dogs to secure to the holes for them above. The top spring eye will bolt to a blade bracket welded to the front of the fork. It can be as long as I want it to be for security. A failure wouldn't be catastrophic, It would just cause tire drag on one fork leg. I can pitch the arms down enough that the tire won't ever touch the fender. I may have to make some tubular stainless fender braces to be able to mount on the fork,which is
4-3/4" behind the axle.:crash: Keith (trackfodder) Williams By the way, your idea looks great-go for it....
 
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Re: I See Springers...(AN UPDATE)

I just ran out of steam in the shop but have almost completed the easiest spring fork you can imagine. The spacing on the leading links couldn't have been better. I welded plates on the outside of the hollow fork legs with 3 holes to anchor the links to give me some tuning adjustment. The fork I selected is one of those with 3 plates at the top with a chrome cover to keep rain out of the legs. It was on a balloon tired bike apparently, although it has a horizontal bolt hole for a caliper. I gas welded the plates on and got to use my newly built Scotch Brite 2" belt buffer to round off and smooth the weld beads Went to the wire wheel and stripped everything and primed and painted it. Tomorrow it will be dry so I can assemble it and try it out. I think, since the hole is there in the fork neck for a caliper I can't use on a rim that goes up and down, I will slide a plate in there with a 1/4" bolt welded to it to go forward 2" to mount the fender on so it is centered on the wheel. I can wing it with some tubular struts of 1/4" stainless to get back to the fork. This has been a fun project to keep me alert. God knows the country needs more lertsrotfl
 
Re: I See Springers...(AN UPDATE)

I did a good thingy. Test rode the reversed fork with the Honda 50 spring links and couldn't have asked for a smoother ride:crash:I went down a rough asphalt street that formerly made my eyeballs jiggle and it was really smooth.
I get ~2" of deflection when romping on the bars. It is rock-stable as regards side-slop like I was afraid of. I strongly recommend my design to be safe,quick,cheap,and aesthetically pleasing as well as the bottom line--a good ride. All that is necessary is any balloon fork, I suspect mine is Flying O, JC Higgins, Hawthorne, or maybe even Schwinn after they cheaped off and dropped the solid blade fork, a pair of Honda 50 front shock links and two pieces of 1/8" steel, rectangular, corners rounded, 2"X2-1/2"and (3)5/16"
holes (for adjustment ) evenly spaced on the long dimension. They weld to the outside of the fork legs about half-way up facing frontwards. The position is determined by the link being horizontal with the fork at the head angle of ~20deg. with the top of the strut in the middle hole. Put 2 washers behind the strut eye to clear the springs. the front axle needs to be 3/8" and long like a trick bike footpeg axle so it will extend through the 1/2" axle boss and take a full nut. If the fork slot won't accept 3/8" drill it out but use security washers anyway. If the security washers won't accept 3/8" as mine didn't, DONT drill them, drive a tapered punch or likesuch in to expand the hole. The fender mount could be difficult. My fork has a 1/4" horizontal hole for a caliper so I will weld a bolt to a piece of 1/8" X 3/4" steel and take it foreward and down to bolt the fender to 2" in front of the fork. The reason being the fork legs are 2" behind where they would nomally be. The leading links preserve the rake angle. The struts will probably be 1/4" stainless tubing bent in a long "O" shape with straight sides mounted ~horizontally to the welded on tabs with perhaps silver-soldered ears replacing one of the washers and laying on top of the fender with
brackets_,_/\_,_holding it to the fender. A stainless wall switch plate is a lovely source of stock. That's about all the news from Lake Woebegone(^)
Trackfodder
 
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Let me help this along for Trackfodder. He was nice enough to email me some
photos which I edited for him and this one is what this thread is waiting for.

I was impressed with it and can imagine building a fork like it for something vintage. It reminds me of something the old BMW's used once.
 

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So.....those spring dampers and arms

They look a lot like something off a mid sixties 50 cc step thru Honda or Yamaha.

Do you remember what kind of bike they came off of ?
 
I was looking at Rollfast pages and came across the cutest little "Harley Davidson", until I realized it had reflectors in the peddles and on closer examination realized it is a Whizzer engine and then ran onto your thread about the Monark front fork, and THERE IT WAS. Darn shame I can't do thumbnails or I would send a picture. If anyone is curious or wants to stick it in here send me an email address.,
to [email protected]rotfl
 
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The Harley toy I mentioned is just about what you are wanting to build., That fork is only $119 Contact me offline and I will send the picture to you KW
 
hey uncle kudzu
you can build a fork no problem
feel frree to email me or call
hey did you see the new project?
a choped up mountain bike full suspension
with a Puch E50 :-)
take care
JAK
 
Time to resurrect this thread!

eDJ I'm curious, did you make the rollfast springer fork copy? It seemed like a good idea, just wondered if you or someone else had tried it. Also curious about the cutouts in the bottom plate, would the axle nuts 'bottom out' against the top of the slot, or is the spring strong enough to prevent this?
Cheers,
Dave (springer noob)
 
I am a bit confused as to what you are referring to. Was it De's work (eDJ) or mine where I reversed a fork and mounted Honda 50 shock-spring/links on it. (trackfodder) i WOULD OFFER THIS: The thing tides softly but the tire works laterally touching the fork occasionally. .bf. The fix would/will be a very light fork with a stem sliding through a guide plate in front of the steering ass'y. I really rather prefer another one I cooked up with a 2nd fork connected to the usual one with links and valve springs on the stem of the front one acting against a plate mounted against the top bearing, This is somewhat like the 1910 Pierce 4-cylinder . I would change it out except the stem is too short. intended for use on a "Flying O" I started to make a rear suspension on and went back to building my Lotus Se7en.
By the way, has anybody heard from eDJ? (Dee Jsaan) I fear something has happened to him.:-||
 
I say go for it man! I too take the risk of road rash, by welding up my own stuff! in fact my ride that I been workin on for months now, has actually broke while riding it! I've been lucky that it hasn't broke at 35mph, but but what I've noticed is that, well the way mine was set up the chains seemed to have kept everything hangin on until I slowed down. I have now scrapped my first frame. All the trial n error I think paid off though! not only did I learn what not to do, I learned what to do. So now I'm on my 2nd Suspension Stingray, except this 1 is not only suspension, but stretched and raked as well! Here's some pics of my danger! I dunno what's up, but had the picture download box open and 1 pic downloaded n some how clicked out of it, now can't get it to come back up?
 
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