Hi all. Im about to build a jig of my own, so I dont have to worry about borrowing a nearby schools. Anywaz, Id like to build a trike with a small track (650mm ish) and a long wheelbase (1225mm me thinks). Ive never done something of these dimensions before and was wondering if anyone knows how I should set castor and camber angles up in this jig. The aforementioned dimensions are closet to a greenspeed GTR, altough a Greenspeed SLR was the inspiration for the wheelbase....thank god I had a tape measure on me . The trikes purpose will b for racing, thus Im sure the castor should b pretty extreme....but Im assuming nothing
So, is there anyone out there who owns a greenspeed jig, a greenspeed trike, or a trike of similar dimensions at that, who can give me some advice? Help would b nice, and a link even better.

Thanx, Michael

https://www.ihpva.org/com/PracticalIn...ons/index.html

Chip

Thanx for the link, it didnt help me one bit . I guess I'll take the inititive and work it out myself .

I race fully faired trikes for 24 continuous hours here in oz. I have just built a trike which i think handles better than the SLR. It is 600mm wide and 1300mm wheelbase. I set the castor of the kingpins to 8 degrees from vertical leaning back at the top and the kingpin iclination must point the kingpin directly to the centre of the tyre contact point. This varies depends on the hubs used. We find that the trike handles better with the wheels leaning in (negative camber) at about 1 degree. Hope this helps

Hey thanx redline! A very smart chap u are . If i had've known that 2 weeks ago I would've been set. Yet I did work it out and I completed my jig 3 days ago. Yay .
I have slightly different angles to your trike. Im running 12 degrees of castor, hoping that the large amount of castor will result in the kingpins (thus the entire trike) leaning under cornering.Thus I pray, the centre of gravity will lower going through corners. Its all unknown terrortory to me
My kingpin inclination is 16 degrees, which after looking at other trikes and their jigs, seems to be an angle that allows enough room to mount wheels, with minimal spacer usage. I dont wanna have drum-brake hubs and speedo magnets rubbing on the kingpin-housing.
Cool! Me too . Are u racing at Murry Bridge in September? I'll b there, hoping for a win....

Are you trike builders setting up an Ackerman linkage so the inside wheel in a turn turns a little farther than the outside wheel? The Ecodyne I got twenty three years ago has that. 0 degrees camber. Since the front wheels are supported on one side only I have no idea how I would figure the castor angle if it even has one.I know what Castor angle is thanks.

Thats it. Otherwise the wheels would tramp sideways. The inner-wheel needs to cover less distance then the outer, thus it must turn more. Ackerman's rule solves this. Ive never really checked castor angle from a trike (I'd usually look at the jig it was made from) but my best guess would b to place the trike on perfectly level ground, grab a protractor with an angle guage, stand the protractor on the ground (pointing front-rear) and align the angle guage flush agaisnt the kingpin housing. You'll know straight away. Then again, if ya just wanna know if you hav any castor (highly likely), just put your head level with the side of the trike, looking and level with the hub. Peer through the spokes and if your kingpin housing is angled (from this perspective) then u have castor. Hope that helps . If I was a bit vauge I can provide pics.