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Somewhere in Yunnan, China

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Somewhere in Yunnan, China

Making a three wheeler on your balcony

Kits

It started when I saw these kits for sale on line. The front kit is actually for a quad. You can buy the quad in one piece with various petrol engines. Or you can buy the rear, the engine, the frame etc. I only bought the front kit.

These kits are not expensive each is about a hundred Euro. The quality is not very high either and lots of adjustments had to be made like getting the brake calliper in line so it would fit the rear brake dish.

front
The kit for the front
rear
The kit for the rear

Mix & match

The kit for the rear is for a three wheeler with a petrol engine as well. I therefor had to adapt it to electric drive.

The rear kit came with a wheel. I bought the same wheels for the front. Wheels are actually the problem; most are too small or they come with extreme profiles for quads.

test rig
There are no drawings available so one has to figure things out for oneself. On the picture you see the wooden test rig I made to find out how large the box at the core of the front suspension should be and where to attach the wishbones and springs/dampers. The width of the box is determent by the steering box and steering arms.
1
The data coming out of the test rig
2
Creating the central box construction
3
Creating the central box construction
4
Overview of my workshop on the balcony
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5
Middle box and front box with the parts added to it.
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Several parts on the front are bolted and not welded in order to be able to alter them again if need be. Note that all is angel iron, I lack the skill to weld tube metal.
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The front box is bolted to the central box. In theory the thing could be separated into a central box, the front box and the rear wheel section. In reality the front and centre are nearly impossible to separate and join again. This shows the bolted connection between the front and middle.
8
The front wishbone wheel arms and suspension. All connection points to the body had to be figured out at the test rig.
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9
Setting up the steering with the springs replaced by wooden substitutes of a length expected with a normal load.
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The instructions on the motor control box
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Good I studied electronics for a year.
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Planning sheet and reality for the electrics at the dashboard.
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13
Figuring out how to make the required wiring harnesses.
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Front of the dashboard.
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Back of the dashboard.
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Complete dashboard and meter panel in the board under it.
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17
The data coming out of the test rig
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The principal wiring.
19
The real life wiring and connectors
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The wiring in place in the central battery compartment. The batteries are in baskets with straps so they easily can be taken out and carried up for charging. Not beautiful but it works.
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21
The central box with batteries and engine controller.
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The lit is the dashboard and the saddle.
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Installing the indicator lights
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Hydraulic break paddle and electronic accelerator paddle.
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25
The rear unit is a kit as well but was very badly made and needed a lot of adjustments. The electric engine is bolted to it in a specially made bracket.
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Overview of the rear assembly.
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Final assembly at the downstairs corridor. The first time that all three wheels are attached to it.
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Only the saddle is still missing
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29
To avoid problems with complaining neighbours I had to park it at our own parking space. Had to remove the bump bar in order to have enough space.
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Just fits!

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