Building 400ex trike...need advice

[unclejemima]

I'm building this...
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/cornflakejoe/photo2-3.jpg
...and I need some advice.

I'm trying to find out what angle to weld the 400ex frame to the motorcycle frame.

Can someone throw a level on and let me know?

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/cornflakejoe/400exfrontend.jpg
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/cornflakejoe/400exside.jpg

Prefer a stock quad with stock tires, just so I can get a better baseline.

Thanks!!!

[250x_kyle]

not 100 precent sure what your asking here; althought, i do feel that there is no real answer for the information your looking for. since this would be a one off machine its something your more thne likely going to have to figure out on your own.

aarms being higher on one side or the other can all be based on how they are bent and manufactured as well. i belive most would be level across the top with teh suspention set up the way yours is, but i dont feel that a level is the correct tool to be using to figure you the information your looking for.

personally id buy some tube bend a custom back half of the frame to mount that swingarm and change it as needed to get it to work. not only that you would have to factor in rider sag to figure out wether the lower frame rail is truly lower or highter then the front or rear is that what your asking?

this could be an interesting build but im thinkign the only way to have the frame come out as true as your looking to get would be by building a fixture of some sort.

[rcatvrider]

The a-arms should be tilted back, thus giving you caster.

[JOHNDOE83]

My opinion?

You shoulda just put a xr400 swingarm on a 400ex chassis, I was gonna do the same thing and never did....lol.

You can cut the rear plastic like mine and it makes a dirtbike fender.

And for the front tires to be dot legal, just get 10x5 front rims and mount dot legal scooter tires on them.

[fitz]

for your a arms you either want them to be level (From your line) or with the back slightly lower.

The 2nd line shouldn't really matter, but I would keep it as level as I could. This won't effect your steering geometry like the a arm line will.

[unclejemima]

Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
My opinion?

You shoulda just put a xr400 swingarm on a 400ex chassis, I was gonna do the same thing and never did....lol.

I think that would be a lot of custom fab work to get the XR400 swing arm onto the 400ex frame, wouldn't it be?


Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
And for the front tires to be dot legal, just get 10x5 front rims and mount dot legal scooter tires on them.

Scooter tires have a small contact patch and would be tippy I think. Tires from a late 60's mini are for 10" rims and would have worked. Tirerack stocks them. I wanted the 14's to match the rear 14" rim for looks.

Where I live its impossible to get a 400EX frame registered for road use...no matter how many tires its missing. That's why I did what I did with the CRF230L frame being the donor: )

[unclejemima]

Originally posted by fitz
for your a arms you either want them to be level (From your line) or with the back slightly lower.

The 2nd line shouldn't really matter, but I would keep it as level as I could. This won't effect your steering geometry like the a arm line will.

FYI, I found a used 400ex to examine this weekend, and it turns out the bottom of the frame (under the motor) is near level, and then the a-arms will be tilted back a good amount (front of the a-arms higher) so I guess the a-arms are not supposed to be level. I figured it would be easiest to find a level frame geometry, and then everything else will fall in place (like the a-arm angle)

I did not think this would be the case, but my 250EX is the same way.

Thanks kindly,

[JOHNDOE83]

speaking of custom fab work being to much.

A xr400 and a 400ex are almost identical and have the same motors...basically.

Theres alot less fabbing to get the xr400 swingarm to fit a 400ex then there would be cutting up the frame and welding 2 together.

I use scooter tires all the time, they are stable enough, but I do like the larger tires, just think about weight issues, you wont be nearly as fast with the car tires.

DMVs are kinda dunb sometimes, you could use a xr400 swingarm and tell them its a custom xr400, just find a chassis that has a clear title and use the numbers off that, you can tell them its all motorcycle except for the fenders and front suspension.

I dunno, just some ideas for you.

Besides, I see a few issues with the pictures you posted, theres ALOT of work to get that thing to work right.

[beags86]

cool project man, that will be the cheapest sypder on the road, those are crazy pricey.

i can't wait til its done, and you get some pics posted