I've posted some stuff here about various Worksman trikes I've worked on - here's my wife's newest one with the latest mods still in progress but probably 90-95% done. This was our first new Worksman factory direct - she wanted black. I added an Ebikekits trike motor and controller, and she's put many miles on it. She kept her old favorite old timey bell and mirror that look like they are early 60s or late 50s. We once loaded up an e trike for an excursion to Ding Darling Nature Reserve on Sanibel, and it was a real handful lifting the trike into the truck. So I "got to thinkin'..." It would be much easier if the trike broke down instead of folding. So I modified the wiring harness to make the connection point between the battery and controller just behind the crank. I mounted the controller under the front half of the frame, and shortened the motor cable so it just reached the wheel connection.
After splicing up the 3 big motor wires and 6 tiny sensor wires in the motor cable, I didn't want to mod the throttle and control panel wiring, so I bundled them on top of the controller and created a black bag to conceal them. I ordered a very high quality 15/32" pin to replace the factory hinge pin that screws in place. One of my last tasks is to drill the replacement pin for a cotter and to slightly taper the tip so it is easier to start back into the hinge.
I also need to trim down the steering tube. I wanted her to have vee brakes instead of the crappy calipers that came on the trike, since this is the only brake. Combined rolling weight with motor, battery, and other accessories probably close to 80 pounds. It goes over ten mph, and with the additional rider weight... let's just say one bad brakes is NOT enough. The motor wheel has a disc mount, but the clearance is too thin for the hydraulic brake I bought. The vee brake works so good - almost too good, like scary how hard you can stop this thing - I might take off the disc and leave it. I'm waiting for some shims to come in so I can try spacing it to see if I can get the hydraulic brake to fit without the disc rubbing the frame.
I had a coaster brake on one of her earlier trikes, but one thing you don't want for a less technical minded rider is that tiny little loop of chain from the axle to the brake. If it starts to go out of alignment, you can suddenly pop that chain, leaving you without drive or brakes. So, I opted for a freewheel on the axle so there is only one chain line, far more forgiving than that extra short chain line from coaster brake to axle.
So - it remains to be seen what happens with the disc. I could install a mechanical disc brake, shim the disc and make the hydraulic work, or I could just abandon the disc altogether. It's entirely rideable as a everyday machine now - the machining of the pin and shortening of the steer tube and just finer finishing points.
After splicing up the 3 big motor wires and 6 tiny sensor wires in the motor cable, I didn't want to mod the throttle and control panel wiring, so I bundled them on top of the controller and created a black bag to conceal them. I ordered a very high quality 15/32" pin to replace the factory hinge pin that screws in place. One of my last tasks is to drill the replacement pin for a cotter and to slightly taper the tip so it is easier to start back into the hinge.
I also need to trim down the steering tube. I wanted her to have vee brakes instead of the crappy calipers that came on the trike, since this is the only brake. Combined rolling weight with motor, battery, and other accessories probably close to 80 pounds. It goes over ten mph, and with the additional rider weight... let's just say one bad brakes is NOT enough. The motor wheel has a disc mount, but the clearance is too thin for the hydraulic brake I bought. The vee brake works so good - almost too good, like scary how hard you can stop this thing - I might take off the disc and leave it. I'm waiting for some shims to come in so I can try spacing it to see if I can get the hydraulic brake to fit without the disc rubbing the frame.
I had a coaster brake on one of her earlier trikes, but one thing you don't want for a less technical minded rider is that tiny little loop of chain from the axle to the brake. If it starts to go out of alignment, you can suddenly pop that chain, leaving you without drive or brakes. So, I opted for a freewheel on the axle so there is only one chain line, far more forgiving than that extra short chain line from coaster brake to axle.
So - it remains to be seen what happens with the disc. I could install a mechanical disc brake, shim the disc and make the hydraulic work, or I could just abandon the disc altogether. It's entirely rideable as a everyday machine now - the machining of the pin and shortening of the steer tube and just finer finishing points.
YEP! I'm sure most of us here know that problem!
