Splat Rat

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I don't have the right size bolts and everything, but I used what I had to mock it up. The first placement of the rockers seems to be just right. I only put a little tension on the springs and they hold up well. I bounced all my weight on the front end and only had them compress an inch or so. Nowhere close to bottoming out. And it doesn't have any wobble or flex in the wheel. I'm surprised. The angle of the front wheel seems good too. I'll have to get the right washers, bolts and locknuts and give it a try. I'll post up some closeups to show how I mount the rockers.

I ordered a new seat post, 28.6 , gold in color. It might be ready for a road test when that shows up.

splat mock 1.jpg
 
I went with a green base and splatted on brown, yellow and silver. I had just a little clear left, so it needs one more coat.
base coat.jpg


finish paint.jpg


I'm still waiting for some nuts and bolts for the springer, then it's ready to go together.
 
I started assembling the bike. This shows how the springer goes together. It's pretty simple and can be transferred to another bike. I use the standard fork and just add the extra fork with springs. The top bracket is the the most important part. I just got lucky that it was just the right size and shape. It had been in my toolbox for years. It was made for truss rods. It was made by someone here at RRB that I bought it from, it's been about 10 years ago. I can't remember who.
assembly5.jpg


If I have a problem with it bottoming out, I can thread a couple of locknuts down the bolts about 2 inches. They will serve as stops as the springer moves upward and they contact the upper bracket.

assembly4.jpg


I use two extra top nuts to make sure it won't come loose. It's solid where it attaches.
assembly2.jpg



assembly1.jpg
 
Wheels on just to see if there were any bugs that needed worked out. Almost ready for the road, needs a brake cable and the right nuts and bolts. The center stand bolted right up in the slot like it was made for it.
mockup 28 Nov 21.jpg
 
Wildcat said:
Wheels on just to see if there were any bugs that needed worked out. Almost ready for the road, needs a brake cable and the right nuts and bolts. The center stand bolted right up in the slot like it was made for it.
View attachment 179405
Click to expand...
I've never run with a drop stand like that. How well do they stay up over the bumps?
 
I haven't tried one off road, but it has a pretty strong return spring, it needs a good push with your foot to drop it. it will spring back up if it gets pushed down. I was concerned with ground clearance, but the housing hangs only as low as the chain wheel. The legs may drag on the ground, I'll have to see how that works out. I might be able to modify it to raise the legs higher.

Center Stand.jpg
 
I went to a 48 tooth chain wheel crankset that matched in color, the chain was either too loose or too tight with the 47 tooth chain wheel. I have a caliper brake to use, but the v-brake bosses are in the way, so V-brake it is. More stopping power than the caliper. I then added a band brake so there are 2 brakes in the rear. Everything is set and ready to ride except for the rockers on the springer.

band brake1.jpg
 
I could have ground off 1/4" from the bottom of the calipers to make them clear the bosses, but the v-brake has more stopping power.

I may not get the bolts I ordered so I may make these work, and later cut off the ends to size. I ran into a couple problems, as I thought might happen. The rockers where I had them were at 70mm, and the spring bolts didn't line up perfectly with the top bracket where they slide up and down. So I checked the other options and the 60mm was just right for alignment. I measured the top of the bolts and the center of the fork tube. It also gave a little more clearance to the spokes and put the front axle father out, giving a little height and wheel base.
30 Nov alignment.jpg


30 Nov rocker change.jpg



The width of the rockers was too wide for the front axle, so I ditched the idea of locknuts keeping the rocker bolts secure to the drops.
30 Nov too wide.jpg


I'm using 8 of those little tabbed washers to secure them to the forks. Then 2 nylon washers, one on each side of the rocker to allow motion, held on by locknuts. If I cut the bolts, they will be topped off with chrome cap nuts. The rockers were still wide, the front still needs a couple washers on each side, of which I am out. So I used some nylon washers just to put it together.

30 Nov change1.jpg



30 Nov stance.jpg
 
Is that the longest axle you have? I dug through my axle collection and will be using one designed for a rear wheel.
 
I have another front wheel I made up with a rear hub that would work, but these wheels are the best I've got, the only set with pressed in bearings. So I can't change out the axle. This only needs a washer or two on either side so I think I'm good to go.
 
ah, pressed in bearings, oh well.

I have never worked on a bike with such bearings, I am such a cheapskate..
 
I used the 4 springs because I was thinking I needed all the height. But looking at the setup, I tried the original bigger but shorter springs. They look better and work fine, I still have plenty of travel room for the wheel. I'll need to trim the bolts an inch or two but this looks like the setup I'll wind up with. To me it looks less home made.

big springs 2 DEC 21.jpg
 
I finished up the springs using a hacksaw to shorten the 2 bolts. I get less than two inches of travel when I jump on the bike, so no stops are needed, plenty of space. The springs are compressed about an inch as it is set up, so they don't move left or right. Even if they shift a little, the stability is unaffected, the bolts keep it aligned.

springer 03 Dec.jpg
 

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