The "money where my mouth is" sidecar design/build thread

[Moooools]

So my old man and I were tricked into taking a sidecar out by Henk and Rick, and as such the project to get one on track for ourselves has properly begun.
I figured given I go on about all sorts of engineering rubbish I would document my process semi-properly up here so you can all talk shit about it or something.

Firstly, the plan:

Long Chair
FXR 150 Engine
Kart Wheels
Carbon Fiber Monocoque
Live Axle rear end
5 Link front end with virtual king pin through wheel center line.

Aiming for sub 80kg to make up for the extra ballast I will be carrying to my left.



Over the weekend we found ourselves a kart rolling chassis and this morning I have been working on the geometry and layout of the front end.

You will have to use your imagination a bit as this is just a morning's work. All arms will have ball joints on each end. Each pair of arms (two top, two bottom) when extended out meet at a point. The axis that extents between these two points is the king pin, and is what the front wheel steers about. I know this will work at very low steering angles, but I am yet to work out if it will have a bad time at high steering angles as the king pin will move to some extent.
The idea behind it is to enable hub center steering without having to run arms to the hub center, which is damn near impossible to package on a 5" kart wheel. There are two arms missing from this still, one which controls the vertical motion and one which controls the steering.

The brake rotor is the item off of the kart, as will be the caliper. A part of the standard rear axle will support the whole lot and an upright will connect that to the linkage arms.

(Re reading this it isn't very clear but I am in a rush sorry.) More to follow in a couple of day's time.

[koba]

Whats the Dyno graph about?

[Henk]

Any sort of projected end date for this? Looks like a couple of years work at least.

[Moooools]

Whats the Dyno graph about?

What? Where? I cant see it.

[Moooools]

Any sort of projected end date for this? Looks like a couple of years work at least.

End of feb 2014. I am on uni holiday from now until then. Everything apart from the front end is going to be manufacture friendly, using processes that I am familiar with.
But the idea is to have it all designed first (Should be designed in 2 weeks.) and then just pump through parts as I get time. Should speed things up in the long run, as should a healthy dose of outsourcing. Might be making call to sketchy for the front upright.

Was going to go basic as but for the extra week or two it will take me to do it right and take 30kg out of it. Also the want to have the ability to take wheels on and off quickly so we can run wets. Which is a bit of extra fucking around but will be worth it when things get competitive down the line.

[seymour14]

Great to hear about another rig, go forth and multiply...

[mr bucketracer]

me and dad are looking at doing the same , very simlier type of sidecar , seen he is to old and past sollo bikes, diffient engine

[mr bucketracer]

don't know why but can't see the pics

[Moooools]

don't know why but can't see the pics

Must be your end. I can see them fine.

[racer40]

Sounds good , another sidecar on the way, just one question. I dont think wets are allowed....

[Gazzza]

Really, you can make something that complex that quickly? It sounds like an amazing project, I would like nothing more than to see something that well thought out streaking around the track. We have a couple of bench marks to aim for, a sub 35 second lap on a rig is pretty much as quick as the current designs will go, mind you I have tinkered with ours and think I have something that will give us a slight edge and potentionally drop our time a wee bit...
Make sure to keep the progress pics up and running.
Quick count, Me and Andrew, Henk and Rick, Chris, Carl, Des, Scooter rig, Mel and Brian and Richie (?) up and running, and in the build ring Mooools, gentleman in Hamilton who was sourcing a RV rim from Carl to finish one, my RV short rig, Cully, errrrrrrr anyone else?
Might get to the point were it would be the effort for worth out of towners to come up for a full grid of chairs
Look forward to next years racing.

[Henk]

Not coming on the Saturday of the two hour for the sidecar endurance race Brenton?

[Moooools]

Really, you can make something that complex that quickly?

Yeah it is all bout project management... at least I hope so. Pretty simple systems compared to the stuff that goes on the racecar. The front end is pushing it but it should be alright.

[Moooools]

Sounds good , another sidecar on the way, just one question. I dont think wets are allowed....

Well the rules seem to think otherwise. Actually when I say that I mean the rules don't say anything. haha
Perhaps it is a local/club rule? Dunno really. Anyone else have insight?

[Henk]

Chris is keen on nobody running wets to keep things even and limit the arms race. We've all stood by it to now but the rules don't say anything about them, sliding around on slicks in the wet is that much fun I'd be keen to keep things the way they are.