Idle thoughts from an idle mind.

[Tanstaafl]

While waiting on Honda GX35 rear mount kit from Staton, decided to take a good look at the Walmart assembled Schwinn Meridian trike which came in. Frame is of a two piece bolt together construction, the front section is aluminum and the rear portion is steel, as are the front forks. Doesn't look as if the rear section is lacking for strength.

From research reading, some have written front steered trikes with non-canted rear wheels and only one of them driving, raises problems. On a crowned road, such trikes pull off to the low right side, and also have a tendency to suddenly follow roadway dips and curvatures.

Have any trike riders here observed such problems?

 

[Tanstaafl]

Been doing little more thinking about reported drift problems with certain powered trikes and possibility of powering both rear wheels to maybe alleviate the problem a little.

So will throw this out for pro/con peer review. Don't hold back negative cons, I have my flame proof Nomex suit at the ready.


So, would two driven rear wheels maybe somewhat help with drift problems?

If so, would think it possible to make up a plate mounted single engine drive unit. Using chain/sprockets, or, v-belt/pulleys, to power a single cross shaft to friction drive both tires simultaneously. The cross shaft could be mounted in pillow block bearings rated for high speed and radial loads with all components mounted on a tilting plate to preload friction drivers to tires .

The most apparent problem with such a solid shaft set up, would be in making turns, where the old bugaboo of outside wheel turning faster than inside one. If problem was great, instead of the more efficient chain/sprockets, use v-belt/pulleys with a too loose v-belt and incorporate a quick release locking lever operated (via cable) idler pulley on v-belt slack side to load/unload the v-belt.

 

[Tanstaafl]

If this differential from Staton can withstand high speed, it would eliminate the inside wheel problem.

http://www.staton-inc.com/store/products/Differential_3_4_OD_x_38_Long_100_007B_794652-184-0.html