BO15 WAHA-SEDB-3 (TRIKE-TOR...2nd Place)

[OddJob]

Thanks, do you still have them? If so they’ve possibly appreciated in value.
Nice tread...looked on eBay, there is one NOS “Tioga Farmer John’s Nephew” tire for $99. It is 1.195” in width, too narrow. Funny stuff, the whole rust-bucket bike originally cost $30. Can you say money pit?

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Oh no, the tires along with the bike are long gone. I did sell it to one of my brother's friends, not sure if he still has it or not. Like all things 'mtb vintage' those tires are like gold for the collector of that make and model.
I got my original Fisher Fattrax pair of tires for $100 when I did the resto on the Fisher CR7 a couple years ago. Rideable condition, and I was able to restore the sidewalls to preserve them as well.
How wide do you think you could go, Ed? CST, Kenda, and the like have some good choices from my favorite wholesaler JBI.bike, who you can get product from through your local bike shop.
Here's one I just found that is pretty 'gnarly' :

and the link to that page...
https://www.jbi.bike/site/product_details.php?part_number=59256
On the site go to 'Products' - 'Tires' - 'Clinchers' - '26' - then select from the left menu by size, manufacturer, etc.

 

[horsefarmer]

https://www.amazon.com/CST-BFT-Wire-Bead-Tire/dp/B00GPESTF8

Not a bad price either!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Well I switched some bolts around to get the pivot to work freely. And I double nutted the axle nuts.

I put the steering wheel back on and everything seemed good in driveway.

The pivot seemed to solve the leaning issue...then I bravely or stupidly went for a test ride on downward slope.


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[MazdaFlyer]

The steering is quick with the wooden wheel on a two wheel bike but doable. With the two front wheels the quickness is multiplied several times over. The oversteer correcting quickly created front wobble. Started out OK but as I gain a little speed the front wobble came into play. With feet on ground as outriggers to stay upright I got stopped and back to driveway.
Thinking I need some steering dampers or maybe a more rigid BMX type fork. Guess I might try using handlebars. I have one bike with a spring from fork to frame that holds the front wheel straight when parked. It uses a double leg kickstand. The spring also provides steering resistance. Anyway it does ride an the pivot helps with turning.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I was wondering about a return to center spring, and/or possibly installing a steering damper or two. Some of those small body dampers intended for smaller motorcycles or scooters can have the preload backed way out and be relatively easy to move

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Steering pivot point action


Vertical view


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[horsefarmer]

You may notice a tractor tricycle narrow front. tires tilt out at top.

"the reason for the positive camber is to attenuate the camber thrust that can occur when the tires encounter uneven terrain. This would tend to help the tractor track straighter, and require less steering input to maintain a straight course. That characteristic, along with the caster geometry, should make the tractor track straight naturally, rather than tending to turn more when either a steering input is made or some uneven terrain is encountered."

The old tricycle tractors with two front tires have an extreme situation with positive camber, and it only makes sense to me that it must be related to this type of thing (vehicle dynamics) rather than the bare required force to steer the tires.
"The amount of camber should be such that the center of the tire is aligned with the axis of the king pin. So, from wherever the steering pivots around on the axle, extend that line down toward the ground. It should intersect at or near the middle of the tire.
ref: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-6208.html

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I always thought that tractor wheels tilted in on the front to stay in the furrows and away from the plants.

 

[SpikeFC]

I always thought that tractor wheels tilted in on the front to stay in the furrows and away from the plants.

I always thought that they were used for imitating that cartoon-look of a broken car

 

[kingfish254]

I bet it would have been fun to watch a video of that first ride.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Springs ahead...I’m going to try a couple of stabilizer spring trailing arms back to the frame. Ka-Ching, ka-ching, the sound of money, keeping me busy at least. Helping the economy at least

The description all but says use it on rat rod projects...lol.

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[MazdaFlyer]

View attachment 119174

I always thought that they were used for imitating that cartoon-look of a broken car

To me the bug is the quintessential look of a rat rod. Opps...
Probably working on the cartoon look of a broken tractor bike.


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[Psychographic]

I always thought that tractor wheels tilted in on the front to stay in the furrows and away from the plants.

So did I.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Springs ahead...I’m going to try a couple of stabilizer spring trailing arms back to the frame. Ka-Ching, ka-ching, the sound of money, keeping me busy at least. Helping the economy at least

The description all but says use it on rat rod projects...lol.

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Very swing bike

 

[MazdaFlyer]

You may notice a tractor tricycle narrow front. tires tilt out at top.
View attachment 119155
"the reason for the positive camber is to attenuate the camber thrust that can occur when the tires encounter uneven terrain. This would tend to help the tractor track straighter, and require less steering input to maintain a straight course. That characteristic, along with the caster geometry, should make the tractor track straight naturally, rather than tending to turn more when either a steering input is made or some uneven terrain is encountered."

The old tricycle tractors with two front tires have an extreme situation with positive camber, and it only makes sense to me that it must be related to this type of thing (vehicle dynamics) rather than the bare required force to steer the tires.
"The amount of camber should be such that the center of the tire is aligned with the axis of the king pin. So, from wherever the steering pivots around on the axle, extend that line down toward the ground. It should intersect at or near the middle of the tire.
ref: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-6208.html

We lived on a farm until I was 8. Dad had a Case and a Massey Harris, the front wheels were spread apart. My uncle had a John Deere with the dual tilted tricycle wheels like you are describing. I think they were called a cultivator tractor.

I always thought that tractor wheels tilted in on the front to stay in the furrows and away from the plants.

When in high school I worked on a farm a couple of summers with Minneapolis Molines and John Deere’s. We used a tricycle John Deere for cultivating corn. The front wheels were like a row guide.

View attachment 119174

I always thought that they were used for imitating that cartoon-look of a broken car

The cartoon cars usually have negative camber?

So did I.

See above. There’s a wealth of information to be shared in these build off threads. That’s one of the interesting things about them, the side bar sharing of information and opinions.


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[MazdaFlyer]

I bet it would have been fun to watch a video of that first ride.

Guess I need a selfie stick attachment. Probably would have been potential “Worlds Funniest Video” material.


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[MazdaFlyer]

Very swing bike

Yep. Hope to corral the swing.


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[furyus]

Please try to keep the steering wheel. It’s as important as the hood to the project, in my less than humble opinion. We’re not even a week in; you can make it work!

furyus

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Please try to keep the steering wheel. It’s as important as the hood to the project, in my less than humble opinion. We’re not even a week in; you can make it work!

furyus

Funny thing is the stem could support bars and the steering wheel. The steering wheel is the goal. Time will tell, I’m hoping I can find the sweet spot with spring trailing arms. Thanks!

 

[KJV]