fat delta

Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jeffstuff yes I intend to enclose it. I've put about 125 km,s on it without a body so any issue's could be identified and addressed. Fortunately no real pressing issues came up. One thing though, the donor bikes were CHEAP and so all 3 wheels have been taken to a local bike shop to get lubed, adjusted and have the spokes properly tensioned. I have already got the lexan for the front and back windows and pretty much settled on a body style. Nothing too fancy, just a variation of the organic elf style. I,ve tried yellow and white coroplast this time I'm thinking maybe blue.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I used to buy it from Rona, but they got bought out by Lowes who don't carry in at least at the nearest store to my place. Home Depot also sold it the last time I looked but they were a bit more expensive than the Rona store which was roughly $30 per 4' by 8' sheet.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
It's $50 a sheet at my local Home Depot. Only problem is the only color is white. But there are still 2 Rona stores in my city, they have white, red and yellow and it's $33 a sheet. Based on my last coro bodies I think 3 sheets of 4 by 8 should do it with some to spare. Not only do I need 2 sides and a roof but also need to make an inner rear fender storage area.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
The bike shop had my wheels back to me the very next day. They reported there was a bit of a runout on each rim where the seam was that was not possible to repair but was also not critical. They adjusted/tensioned all the spokes properly and they adjusted and lubed the wheel bearings. It was noted the bearing cones were already showing a bit of wear but it was within acceptable limits. Hopefully the spoke noise I could detect earlier will be gone when I next ride it. That's what you get when going cheap. Next step is to design some type of body for it. Should be fun.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Reinstalled my wheels, all the previous spoke related noises are gone. Plus the 2 rear wheels were swapped side to side because with the first set up the cassette was wobbly. No big deal, a google search indicated that there can be machining errors when the threads are cut on the hubs where the freewheels thread on. Either way now that is not happening anymore with the wheels being swapped. Took the trike for another test ride and all is good, it now has been ridden for 165 km's. Also got a 42 tooth motor sprocket in the mail and installed that, it really helped. The bafang motor needs a pedal start before it kick's in with assist and therefore gearing is super important, you want gearing low enough to be able to pedal this monster. A bit more fiddling with the gears and then start the framework for the coro body. A friend suggested just putting a windshield on it but in the fall months it get's rainy and really cold here so I'm sticking with the plan. The next time a picture will be put up most of the framework should be done, hopefully in a week or so.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I now have 90% of the framework for the coro panels completed and as well have picked up the panels at a hardware store yesterday. This one will be blue, I've previously built a yellow body then a white one for the Warrior. Anyway regarding the structure it is made up up 1/2" 16 gauge square tubing, all that's left to do is a 2nd curved roof piece and the door. Then finish weld and grind, paint and start fastening panels and windows. I was having trouble drawing a nice arc for the roof curve then remembered the trammel that was purchased to make the curves for a HO scale model railroad. That tool made short work of the drawing. Once the basic framework is done a picture will get posted, should be in a day or two. I limit the welding to a few hour's, winter has come early here, snow is on the ground and prob will be staying till around April. If I can get it ready before it get's too cold a good test ride will be in order.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
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869
Location
Axedale, Victoria, Australia
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axerail.coffeecup.com
Hugh: Did you happen to put it on the scales before putting the framework on it? Might have been an interesting statistic. I must put my now-heavily-modified Warrior on the scales one day. Might get a shock as slowly applied extra weight mounts up.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Today the door was fabbed up and it works great. It still needs some paint and tonight the first 4 x 8 sheet of blue coro will be put in the garage to thaw out so the first panels can be cut and fitted. First up will be enclosing the rear battery/cargo area. Only one sheet at a time because the little shop is getting quite full.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Here are 2 picture's showing the development of the body work. In the 2nd the roof has just been test fitted so I can mark out some final trimming and put some silicone in the leading edge to keep water out.

 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
If you look closely at the last picture you can see small bolts. The frame for the panels is 1/2" square tube in 16 gauge, the coro is 1/4" thick so I bought small Robertson head 1/8" bolts 1" long used with finish washers, all purchased at Home Depot.The washers provide a larger surface area on the panel which is good to prevent the plastic from tearing. A few places will use blue colored zip ties. One of those places is the 2 bottom middle spots on the windshield, the angles were wrong for a bolt and you must be careful to not overtighten anything through the lexan windshield. All holes through the windshield are close to its edges and I was careful not to crack the lexan by over tightening . All bolt holes in the windshield were made with a soldering iron while the protective plastic was still in place and a box cutter was used to carefully remove the melted waste around the holes. I did not want to drill any holes in the extreme front tubes in an effort to keep water out of the tubes so zip ties will be used there as well. All holes through the coro were located by an ice pick through from the inside then again with the pick on the outside, this allowed the hole to be close to the bolt size, so much so that the bolts actually are threaded into the coro and then through the tube. Each panel goes on twice, first time for the initial hole marking and bolt installation and to mark any final trimming then the 2nd time to finish. I will run a small bead of silicone along the top inside edge of the windshield to keep water out, the bottom edge I don't care as much so no sealing. The side windows are some protective face shields I got on ebay a couple years ago, they are mounted on the outside of the body and are upside down so the curved edges are on top. The soldering iron was used for the bolt holes in them as well.
 
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