I've got a ton of leftover steel bar and a few sissy bars, and frame parts too. Maybe I could integrate a rear rack.
I found a piece of steel online, I won't need to cut it, just drill holes.
SWB0 Lazyboy
- Thread starter Wildcat
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
I found a piece of steel online, I won't need to cut it, just drill holes.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
Lol Wildcat love the artistic effort you put into the sparks show. I've followed the progression of your film career, like what I see.
Nothing to do until the new steel plate shows up, so I decided to trim the top of the fork tube. The new chinese 27" fork had a problem. No crown race would fit snugly. Usually the race needs to be pressed on to fit. It had a tiny bit of play on this fork, and no other race in my parts would fit snugly, they are all the same. That race supports the most stress on the whole bike. I used aluminum tape wrapped about 8 times to get a good fit. Now the fork is good to go. Duct tape would have been too soft. 
Hmm. I tried to do something similar with shims cut out of a soda can. I wasn’t satisfied with the results. Have you done this before?
No, I usually have to file the seat on the fork down a little to get the race on. I don't have a press, I use a bearing cap and big open end wrench and hammer them on. I'll post a pic of that in the tips and tricks thread.
It's only the newer Chinese made forks that are a slightly smaller size. If I get any play in the fork after riding, I'll try something else. The fork operation has to be perfect.
I dug out some spacers from motorcycle shocks I've had. They have a steel core so they don't really provide any flex. That gives about an inch of height. That clears the ubolts easily. I needed longer bolts, and the chair came with longer ones to bolt the wooden legs on. Just a dozen washers and I have all I need. I also made up a better template for the baseplate.
The steel plate is thicker and heavier than needed, but it's on there. I drilled the holes and bolted it on.
An old table frame came in handy, the seat bolted up easily.
To adjust it, it needs to come off. The u-bolts aren't accessible with the seat on, unless theres a long reach wrench.
The u-bolts hold it well, it doesn't need any side support. However, the seatback feels flimsy and will need some support. I may integrate a rear rack in the support. I think aluminum bar would work.
An old table frame came in handy, the seat bolted up easily.
To adjust it, it needs to come off. The u-bolts aren't accessible with the seat on, unless theres a long reach wrench.
The u-bolts hold it well, it doesn't need any side support. However, the seatback feels flimsy and will need some support. I may integrate a rear rack in the support. I think aluminum bar would work.
A faux road test. I set it up on the trainer and tested the drivetrain. It went smoothly and shifted fine. It's more comfortable than the Bike E I had some years ago. I adjusted the handlebars to where I can lean back in the seat. Then the seat moved slightly, so it may need more support.
It would be easy to have it welded, a local guy makes housecalls with his welder. I provide tools and everything else, along with lunch. That option is always open.
I wanted to keep the frame just as I found it, just in case it's something of value. That's why I made up the shims where the u-bolts attach, to save the frame tubing from indents.
I plan on making a couple of braces that go from the seatpan to the middle bar on the frame to provide the extra support, along with braces for the seat back which will extend from the rear dropouts to the seat, maybe a u shaped bracket. From there, maybe a rear rack. I'm looking for some aluminum flatbar.
This bike is looking pretty cool, and comfortable. There's some plans online for building a similar frame from junk bikes. I'm going to have to try that out at some point.
The only I see not comfortable is the slant of the headtube. A recumbent is a little harder to balance because you are sitting low and the steering will only make it harder.
Here's the frame it was copied from, an Easy Racer which is a pretty common recumbent. The angle of the headtube is more vertical on the Easy Racer, meaning less flop in the steering. Mine may take some getting used to.
http://recumbents.com/wisil/Plans/plans1.htm
Instead of getting some flatbar and doing a lot of measuring and drilling, I looked for some kind of braces already made. I found this and ordered ten of them. They are cheap, 6 bucks for the bunch, in gold of course. They didn't give an exact thickness, just said thick. I'll see if they are heavy enough for supports. I've never heard of motorcycle flatbar extensions.
Then I also wanted an exisiting rack to go on the rear and looked for heavy duty ones that might work. I ordered this one and plan to make it an integral part of the seat supports. I also have a seatpad and footrests for a passenger.
Here's the frame it was copied from, an Easy Racer which is a pretty common recumbent. The angle of the headtube is more vertical on the Easy Racer, meaning less flop in the steering. Mine may take some getting used to.
http://recumbents.com/wisil/Plans/plans1.htm
Instead of getting some flatbar and doing a lot of measuring and drilling, I looked for some kind of braces already made. I found this and ordered ten of them. They are cheap, 6 bucks for the bunch, in gold of course. They didn't give an exact thickness, just said thick. I'll see if they are heavy enough for supports. I've never heard of motorcycle flatbar extensions.
Then I also wanted an exisiting rack to go on the rear and looked for heavy duty ones that might work. I ordered this one and plan to make it an integral part of the seat supports. I also have a seatpad and footrests for a passenger.
That's a cool link, thanks for posting it.
The gold arrived!
I did some measuring and bending. I didn't have to do any cutting. All the holes lined up!
I'm attaching the struts to the rear axle. and using rivets on the seat bracket.
The rivets will keep the seat back smooth enough to lean up against.
I don't think I'll need more braces to keep the seat level, but if so, I'm going to have the seat plate welded. For adjustment, I can add holes to move the seat forward or back an a few inches. The struts can be adjusted along with it.
A whole bunch of brackets won't cut it. Incorporating the rear rack shouldn't need any braces. I noticed the struts (22 inches) bowing out slightly, so I'll add an extra piece over each side. The holes all line up for that also, and the rear rack will add support.
I did some measuring and bending. I didn't have to do any cutting. All the holes lined up!
I'm attaching the struts to the rear axle. and using rivets on the seat bracket.
The rivets will keep the seat back smooth enough to lean up against.
I don't think I'll need more braces to keep the seat level, but if so, I'm going to have the seat plate welded. For adjustment, I can add holes to move the seat forward or back an a few inches. The struts can be adjusted along with it.
A whole bunch of brackets won't cut it. Incorporating the rear rack shouldn't need any braces. I noticed the struts (22 inches) bowing out slightly, so I'll add an extra piece over each side. The holes all line up for that also, and the rear rack will add support.
I was trying to bolt an extra strut on each side, but with 10 of them, I doubled each side. That leaves just one extra. I took off the seat and tightened the u-bolts also. Now the seat is very solid.
I'm ready to take it for a ride, the challenge will be getting it up the stairs.
I'm ready to take it for a ride, the challenge will be getting it up the stairs.
The new rack wasn't heavy duty as advertised, it says it can carry 100k, (220 lbs). It won't go on this bike. I didn't like it.
The bike's ready to be dismantled, prepped and painted.
The bike's ready to be dismantled, prepped and painted.
The Renaissance Man
__CERTIFIED DIVER__ (Open Water & Open Dumpster)
Staff member
Moderator
Pro Member
Looking good!
All set for dirty work tomorrow.
"The bike looks good! Love that seat on there."
It's more comfortable then I thought it would be, but not as much as a real Lazyboy.
It's more comfortable then I thought it would be, but not as much as a real Lazyboy.
