Bizarre reverse trike/gokart/scooter thing WRFF

[Loki182]

I recently scooped this up from the trash and the more I try and research it the less solid information I seem to find. So far I have been able to determine that it is called a WRFF which stands for Walk Run Fly Faster and was built by a company called Salton. Also that they were sold about 10 years ago and apparently endorsed by Snoop Dogg. There were two versions and the one I have is the bigger version. There are also a couple of YouTube videos of people riding them around but other than that I haven't been able to find out much more.

I am seriously debating whether to use it for parts or try and get it back up an functioning. To get it ugly but working won't take much more than a new chain, a new rear 16" tire/tube, and a brake cable. It seems kind of dumb but I have this weird feeling that someday in the distant future this might actually be worth something just because it is so weird and rare. I can just imagine the American Picker's kids getting all excited dragging one of these out of a barn in 50 years. But it also seems that as it currently sits its parts are probably worth more than their sum. The huge chain ring alone is just cool it's like 52 tooth... I think, I ran out of fingers and toes while counting so I may be a few off.

I don't know though part of me kind of wants to tear it apart clean it up throw a cool paint job on it and get it working again just so I can use it to cruise the boardwalk at the beach. I don't know why but this distinctly reminds me of a poor man's Segway and it just seems prefect for cruising... the fact that it weighs like 50lbs probably also helps give it that cruising vibe. lol But I don't know what to do with it right now but I think at the very least I am going to get it working so I can play with it before I make a final decision on it's fate.

 

[Shackleford]

Make it into a drift trike.

 

[deven_science]

I bought one of those at a flea market! I used it as a front end to start a quad bike.

 

[Loki182]

I bought one of those at a flea market! I used it as a front end to start a quad bike.

That's actually a really cool idea. That quad looks like a lot of fun.

I have been thinking about building a cargo bike and this could make for a good starting point if I decide to do a reverse trike style.

Did you try and ride the thing before you tore it down? I am curious how it actually rides.

 

[deven_science]

That's actually a really cool idea. That quad looks like a lot of fun.

I have been thinking about building a cargo bike and this could make for a good starting point if I decide to do a reverse trike style.

Did you try and ride the thing before you tore it down? I am curious how it actually rides.

It had a flat front tire, so I never rode it.

 

[Loki182]

Gotcha. Yeah the front tires on this one are pretty weather checked but they seem to be holding air. I think I am going to try and put the bare minimum into this thing just to get it working and then decide what to do with it from there.

I'll be honest though I have been looking for a set of go kart tires for a radio flyer wagon project for a while now so there is a very good chance that the front wheels may actually end up being donated to that cause.

 

[rickpaulos]

I just got one. Minus the front wheels. The axles measure 17mm diameter x 70mm long with bolts on the end to hold the wheels on. Most dolly wheels are made to fit 5/8" axles (15.8mm) so I doubt they will fit. the thought of drilling out bearings doesn't appeal to me. Turning the axles down, well I don't have a machine lathe. It will be going to a special needs person at some point. Probably have to change out the seat to one with a back and seat belt. And a smaller sprocket which is pretty normal. Seat post measures 1 inch.
There are more utube vids now. "Drifting" doesn't seem to be an option with these so any approximate wheel size should work if it would fit the axle. Harbor Freight has wheels starting at $4. Guess I'll dismantle the steering and take an axle in to test fit.

wrff www prices are ranging from $25 to $300. Mostly under $100.

 

[Loki182]

Nice! I had forgotten all about this thread. I initially tried to get my WRFF working but gave up when the extremely rusty seat post snapped off and nearly impaled some sensitive body parts. So after fiddling around with a little more I ended up breaking it down for parts for my wagon project. I did end up using the front wheels as the back wheels on my wagon and I ended up using the front half of it for building the steering assembly but I also found that the original steering spindles were an odd size.

The way I mad it work was I found some smaller wheels for the front that had 3/4" bearings. Then in my pile of random scrap metal I was able to find some tubing with the correct ID to slip right over the original spindles and then I just used a angle grinder with a flap wheel to gradually reduce the outside diameter of the tubing until the front wheels were able to easily slip over it. Then I was able to mount the front wheels with my home made shims. They fit nice and tight and haven't given me any issues in the many years since I came up with this solution.

If you want I can get pictures of the tubing shims that I made. But here is a couple pictures of the rat rod wagon that I made out of that contraption.

But I honestly still kind of wish I could have got it working because I still think it's a pretty interesting thing, but the steering handle and seat post were just too far gone on the one I found. Still if I ever come across another one I definitely won't hesitate to scoop it up.

 

[rickpaulos]

I would like to know the outer diameter of the original wrff front wheels. I'd like to keep the "stance".

Yes, the seat post is quite rusty but it measures 25.4mm (1 inch) and I have scores of that size. That's about the closest thing to a standard size on boxmart bikes.

 

[Loki182]

Yeah I'll take a look and measure the tires for you when I get home tonight. I want to say off the top of my head that they're somewhere around 8 to 10 inches tall and like 4 inches wide. They are definitely some type of go kart wheel and tire combo.

 

[Loki182]

My intuition was correct. The original tires are exactly 10 inches tall and 4 inches wide.

 

[rickpaulos]

I removed the axles today. I'll be taking those to shop for wheels, shims or possibly a visit to a machine shop to have the axles turned down to 5/8". And I found someone sawed off the seat post to lower it. Grrr. Of course it is a specially modified post.

 

[rickpaulos]

DONE with the rebuild.

this one came in missing the front wheels and a sawed off seat post and in need of an overhaul.

Wheels. You can get dolly wheels to fit 1/2" or 5/8" or 3/4", etc axles but I could not find any to fit the metric axles on the wrff. I got the Harbor Freight wheels that bolt together. Those are easy to push the bearings out of. The bearing size in the hubs is 1 & 3/8" which is 34.925mm. I had to do just a little filing to get the new bearings to fit.
$12/pr with coupon. included tires & tubes.

Bearing specs:
6003ZZNR W/Snap Ring Ball Bearing.
Inside Diameter (I.D.) 17mm
Outside Diameter (O.D.) 35mm
Width (W) 10mm
Enclosure Shielded
Lubed Grease
Bearing Rating Standard
$7.95 each x 4.

Seat.
NOS plain black vinyl banana seat from a closed up bikeshop auction. Cheap chinese make, steel pan.
$20.

Seat bracket.
24" height.
$20. ebay.

The seat tube on the frame actually leans forward. That puts the seat too far forward to pedal. To move the seat back farther, I used a mtb bar end, cut the curved bit off. The clamp size is the same, yeah handle bars are the same diameter as the top of a normal seat post. And the bar part of the grip is the same size too so the seat clamp fit.

Seat post. Someone had sawed off the original way short and the top has a flange welded on for the funky seat. But it is a 25.4mm (1 inch) so replacements are very common. (standard wallyworld size).
I started with a plain seat post but switched to a layback from a Mongoose bmx bike to move the seat back even more. And sorry to say, I had to cut it off to get the front of the seat low enough.

The handle bar support was turned 180 to move it back, closer to the rider.

Smaller chain ring. I found one in the parts bin that matched the rear trispoke wheel. Gets the gear ratio down to what kid can handle.

This bike will be going to some local kid with special needs. According to our contact, they have indoor play dates at gymnasiums where this could be used on a nice floor.

Total outlay is about $100.

bearing
bearing.6003ZZNR.front by rickpaulos, on Flickr

bearing.6003ZZNR.back by rickpaulos, on Flickr

Wrff (5) by rickpaulos, on Flickr

Wrff (8) by rickpaulos, on Flickr

 

[rickpaulos]

A couple more notes.

"Nobody ever accused Harbor Freight of selling quality". Yep. Those wheels are just okay. The main issue is the inner tube is a bit undersized so when you bolt the 2 halves of the wheel together, the tubes want to get pinched in between the wheel halves. It took many trys and some wrestling and prying to get it back together. I got the 2 wheels from the same shelf. Turns out they were different with different part numbers but the same specs and price. So don't count on consistency from HF.

After sitting on the WRFF and trying to pedal it, I can't, my legs are too long, I decided if I ever get another, it's getting a motor. 5hp horizontal shaft. Like off a snowblower.

 

[rickpaulos]

thread hijack wrap up. I had asked a local special needs coordinator to find a new owner for this. Well, nothing came of that. But a family visiting from North Carolina saw it this weekend and snapped it up asap. They have a kid with balance issues and it was perfect for him.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I remember those things. I used to want one but I questioned how they'd handle.

 

[rickpaulos]

There are some youtube vids. You can get an idea of how they work in the stock configuration. They are not intended to drift in any way or be propelled by swaying your kiester from side to side.