Good stuff "T"
New Chopper build started today...
- Thread starter IronSpadeCycles
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Ok well an update was finally in order. I got the wheels laced and trued and the tires mounted. These things look sweet! I also got the seat finished. The frame and fork are coming along but aren't ready for pictures just yet. I should have them all jigged up sometime tomorrow. Will take more pictures then. Until then later T
Those wheels are perfect!! And the guys at Choppers US are very nice, but yeah, I couldn't afford to buy a set of wide rims from them. I hear Sturmey/Sunrace is close to opening a direct-order webstore, I'm sure I'll buy stuff from there when they do. Keep it up!
I also wanted to add, I had to make spokes for my bike too, I used a Sturmey 8-speed with a 24" MTB rim, with a mixed length pattern and I couldn't afford a spoke threader. I just cut 'em and threaded them with a 2-56 threaded die and the bike is rolling fine. One of these days I'll get a real spoke threader, but until then... rat rod is the rule!
I also wanted to add, I had to make spokes for my bike too, I used a Sturmey 8-speed with a 24" MTB rim, with a mixed length pattern and I couldn't afford a spoke threader. I just cut 'em and threaded them with a 2-56 threaded die and the bike is rolling fine. One of these days I'll get a real spoke threader, but until then... rat rod is the rule!
Funky, the threader I got was only $150 at Alfred E. Bike and once I had cut all 36 spokes with a bolt cutter the actual threading only took about 30-45 seconds each. It worked real smooth! Apearently Phil Woods makes a professional thread roller but it cost like $3400. I have no idea why its so expensive but it rolls the threads on and cuts the spoke to length all in one operation. Maybe if were building wheels all day long it would help but my fingers would hate me. They hurt quite a bit after truing only two wheels. I can't imagine how I built 20" BMX wheels back in the 80's. I don't remember my hands hurting this much.
Anyway I'm going to get the frame jigged up today and I should have some more pictures this evening. Later yall Travis
Anyway I'm going to get the frame jigged up today and I should have some more pictures this evening. Later yall Travis
Good job, Travis... I'm guessing you got the Hozan threader? I've seen those for $150 or so, they look like nice tools. One of these days I'll get one...
And I'm still drooling over those wheels, they're awesome!
And I'm still drooling over those wheels, they're awesome!
Keep up the good work Travis! Your're an inspiration to us all... :mrgreen:
Now I'm really going to blow all your minds with my steerer tube design I'm incorporating on this bike. Check it out, instead of the norm 1" or 1 1/8" tub with headset bearings combo I'm going to use Ballistic ball joints from off road desert race trucks. I know its total overkill and totally unnecessary but they just look so cool and beefy and that's what I'm after on this build! I want this bike to be like no other. Big and ultra strong, heck the guy I'm building it for is 6'4" and 275 on a good day. It really needs to be strong to take the abuse.
Two of these will be used in the frame and will allow 5/8" shafts to tie the two fork legs together. It's harder to explain without pictures but you'll all see once I get it all jigged up.
Pictures to follow soon. Later T
Two of these will be used in the frame and will allow 5/8" shafts to tie the two fork legs together. It's harder to explain without pictures but you'll all see once I get it all jigged up.
Pictures to follow soon. Later T
Hey, Travis nice build you got going on , those Ballistic ball joints rock , i used to use johnny joints for awhile on a bunch of friends trucks on 4-link bars ,but the ones your using i are alot better because you can thread in the sides ,the other ones they have clips on them after you press them together,so your big friend wont break them,but i have a idea where you going with this ,but i'll keep and i on this,havent been on here for awhile ,but i seen you have some other builds going on ,so going to check them out to ,nice work Travis .
I really dig the little skull! :mrgreen: But I have no freakin' idea how those work! :lol: I'm sure it'll be cool!
Alright well I got a couple of the frame sub assemblies finished up and mocked them up in the frame jig so that I could figure out a few more fixtures and how to hold everything tight and straight while welding. Maybe now you might be able to see what I'm talking about with the Ballistic ball joints. Right now just the ball joint shells are welded and the ball joints themselves will be installed at final assembly after paint. Its coming together nicely. What do you think?
I tell you one thing, my shop is a gigantic mess in need of a complete cleaning! I think I'm going to need to get organized and cleaned up before any more progress can occur.
Later Travis
I tell you one thing, my shop is a gigantic mess in need of a complete cleaning! I think I'm going to need to get organized and cleaned up before any more progress can occur.
Later Travis
What do I think!? I think that's freakin' SICK-A-DELLIC!!! :shock: :mrgreen:
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Looking great Travis! 8)
The front end should have a nice feel to it seeing as how you are able to adjust the pre-load on those ball joints. And I don’t think they are overkill at all . . . their size will look fine with the overall beefy look of the bike.
I don’t know why, but the thought of torsion bars up top crossed my mind. Imagine a springer front end with NO visible springs!
Looking forward to seeing the next progress photos . . . keep up the great work!
The front end should have a nice feel to it seeing as how you are able to adjust the pre-load on those ball joints. And I don’t think they are overkill at all . . . their size will look fine with the overall beefy look of the bike.
I don’t know why, but the thought of torsion bars up top crossed my mind. Imagine a springer front end with NO visible springs!
Looking forward to seeing the next progress photos . . . keep up the great work!
hey Travis , do you think there will be enough movement to steer,just asking because i know they only have 30 degree's of twist to them,and sence your using 2 of them you inline they can only move one direction, but enough said ,i'll give it up to you for a great idea on using those joints,now you give me some ideas on using them because i have like 10-12 of them here,leftover's ,awsome work keep the pics coming,
later Steve
later Steve
Yeah I did a test of one of my motorcycles with a steering dampener mounted and it only have 34 degrees of rotation lock to lock. I've seen off road buggies with the front spindles made with these joints in this configuration. This bike was never meant to be a racer with cat like reflexes.
I think it should work fine. I've decided the next one I build like this will have some 3/4" high misalignment heim joints. I'm calling it "Heimstein" cause all the pivot points will have giant heim joints. I designed that bike months ago but haven't started building just yet. I want to make the 5 spoke mag wheels after I figure out a jig to weld up a billet hub I've also designed. What do you think of this one?
I spent all last winter cooped up in my condo designing bikes in AutoCad. LOL I know I've got about 30 drawings I've yet to digitize. I've got some crazy ideas I want to build in the very near future.
Later T
I think it should work fine. I've decided the next one I build like this will have some 3/4" high misalignment heim joints. I'm calling it "Heimstein" cause all the pivot points will have giant heim joints. I designed that bike months ago but haven't started building just yet. I want to make the 5 spoke mag wheels after I figure out a jig to weld up a billet hub I've also designed. What do you think of this one?
I spent all last winter cooped up in my condo designing bikes in AutoCad. LOL I know I've got about 30 drawings I've yet to digitize. I've got some crazy ideas I want to build in the very near future.
Later T
cool right on Travis,your next bike looks killer ,you got greats idea's ,so keep welding and cutting.
that's a genius way to do a linkage fork! that should be plenty of steering, you don't really need all that much unless your mountain biking. as an added bonus, it should also provide a built in steering stop, which is really cool.
Madd Skilzz :!: :shock: :mrgreen:
