ChefChristian
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 07:44 PM |
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FWD - Help me find an engine
I need help in finding the best engine for my trike. I am building a trike with ONE wheel in the front. It needs to be FWD with the engine placed
between the front wheel and the driver. I already know that this is a crazy setup so knock it down all you want I have already heard it as there is a
method to my madness.
I need a bike engine that is air-cooled, has a small footprint (2-Cyl?), chain or prop, has a minimum of 50hp and can be converted to a FWD setup as
described above.
Please reply with specific bike engines or models.
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Simon
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 08:24 PM |
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Look at the Z Cars web site - they do bike engines in Minis.
They use a chain driven diff, and the engine is mounted forward of the axleline, and of course bike engines, by their very nature are tiny anyway.
Like they'll probably fit inside a V8 airfilter
ATB
Simon
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Catpuss
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 08:29 PM |
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Should be interesting. How do you plan to steer it? Rear wheel steer?
I've heard of hydraulic feeds to power front wheel drive for experimental two wheel drive motorcycles.
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novacaine
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 08:49 PM |
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i would imagine that a fwd/front wheel steer trike would be a huge engineering acomplishment in itself but i would imagine that it would spin the
front wheel with very little effort because the weight distribuiton would be to the rear axle, also what rear axle were you planning on running? IRS
or dead rear axle?
the hydraulic idea would work well, have a look at those roller thingys they use to tarmac roads. they have hydraulic drive i think, the only problem
would be is that it would be hugely innefficient, like an autobox, but worse.
what ive said above is no attempt to discourage you from doing a fwd trike, quite the opposite realy, a fwd trike would be pretty cool, as for
engines, have you considered a classic beetle aircooled flat 4? light, lots of aftermarket goodies and *fairly* reliable, i could get my hands on a
beetle engine and gearbox on the cheap if you wanted, U2U me if interested. could also be used in RWD format, i belive quite a few trike builders use
a beetle engine and box.
sounds like a cool project idea you've got there, be sure to keep us all up to date on progress 
cheers
Matt
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but its sinking, Racing around to come up behind you again, the sun is the same in a relative way but
your older, shorter of breath and one day closer to death
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novacaine
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 09:13 PM |
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ooops, just read where you live, perhaps the engine and gearbox is no good to you then, 5000 mile transport would cost an arm and a leg, but still the
beetle idea could be a good one,
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but its sinking, Racing around to come up behind you again, the sun is the same in a relative way but
your older, shorter of breath and one day closer to death
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ChefChristian
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| posted on 12/2/07 at 09:27 PM |
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The rear axle will only used to steer and will have drum brakes. The entire length of the trike will be under 8 foot so the footprint of the engine
must be very small. Bike engine is the only thing that is small enough even though vw parts can easily be sourced. this is to be a very light weight
machine.
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