Motor kit for adult tricycle?

[Kingdusk]

My main want out of my motor is to get up hills more easily, as the meridian only has one speed, and the speed does not matter to me.

 

[crassius]

all the easy builds of these I've seen use an electric front hub

 

[Purple Haze]

Keep searching the forum archives, there have been many of these built in the past. A friend here in town has one he built with one of those $99 4-strokes from Harbor Freight.

 

[butterbean]

If your main objective is to get up hills and you want to pedal the rest of the time, the easiest way to do that is with a 2 stroke kit and a bigger rear sprocket. A 56t sprocket ought to pull you up hills just fine. You will need anything o be creative in mounting the motor, but it can be done.

 

[Slogger]

Kingdusk,
Looking at the trike I think it would be easiest to just put the electric wheel motor on it.
If you only want an occasinal boost up the hills you could go with a low output DC electric motor wheel, then use the cheapest 10 AH lead/acid lawn and garden batteries. 2 for 24V, 3 for 36V.. A box in the basket could hide em, and the cost would be a fraction of the 20 mile range, 20mph batteries from the electrobike catalogs.
Hopefully it won't drag when it's off and you're pedaling. If it's a low output you could get away without a speed controller, just use an on/off switch and a circuit breaker.
The low output motor won't j e r k too much or spin the tire. A nice assist for the hills and that's all.
If you aren't into long rides, going fast or continuous running it might just work.
Just a thought.
Good luck to you!

 

[amitparmar]

It sounds good. Yes, motor kit is best thing for tricycle. I have advice for you. IF you want a good motor kit for your tricycle. then please check it. Here, many option about that. I hope,you will find best.http://www.electricbikescootercar.co.uk

 

[KCvale]

Trikes are tricky machines.
20MPH is the safe top speed on a straight flat road.

Even though I am fan of electric mid mount electrics that use a trikes rear gears your bike has no gears or good brakes so I concur with a front wheel electric hub.

 

[K9Kruiser]

I am in the process of electrifying a Schwinn Meridian. I considered the hub motors but at the moment I am leaning towards a gear reduction motor.

 

[KCvale]

I am in the process of electrifying a Schwinn Meridian. I considered the hub motors but at the moment I am leaning towards a gear reduction motor.

SickBikeParts.com carries the electric systems I use for 2 and 3 wheels E-builds.
I don't know if your trike has gears or not, but if it does I found this system to work pretty well...

By making a box for the back I fit everything electric including the charger in it ;-}

 

[K9Kruiser]

Thanks for the info....do you have a shot from underneath, something that shows how you attached the motor, what gears and sprockets you used, etc? I have only a single speed bike, no gears. I have a spot on the axle I think I could squeeze a sprocket into, preferably a freewheel for the motor.