rbent Forum - Aligning Tad type trike front wheels

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Aligning Tad type trike front wheels
Apr 16^th, 2011, 8:16pm

I just traded my Zenetik for a TW Bent Artifice delta trike and was a little concerned about the alignment. the tires are suppose to be new but it looks like there is some premature wear. I measured the tow in and the front of the tire was 30" and the rear was 30 1/2" I have indirect steering so I got out the tape measure and started to check the length of the control rods to see if they were the same length but anyway I set the steering handle bars center and started to adjust the tow in so I have 30 1/8 front and 30 1/4 rear if any of you trike mechanics knows better about this stuff please let me know I have messed around with this stuff on some other trikes and it seamed to have worked I do not want to wear out these tires in the next 500 mi
Eddie Smiley

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jayg

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Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels
Reply #1 - Apr 16^th, 2011, 11:05pm

Quote from urbinrider on Apr 16^th, 2011, 8:16pm:

I just traded my Zenetik for a TW Bent Artifice delta trike and was a little concerned about the alignment. the tires are suppose to be new but it looks like there is some premature wear. I measured the tow in and the front of the tire was 30" and the rear was 30 1/2" I have indirect steering so I got out the tape measure and started to check the length of the control rods to see if they were the same length but anyway I set the steering handle bars center and started to adjust the tow in so I have 30 1/8 front and 30 1/4 rear if any of you trike mechanics knows better about this stuff please let me know I have messed around with this stuff on some other trikes and it seamed to have worked I do not want to wear out these tires in the next 500 mi
Eddie Smiley

Eddie, I have read posts on the ActionBent Forum from long-time owners of TW-Bents trikes recommending a 0 toe-in. TW-Bents manufactures the Artifice. Why don't you try that setting and see if the handling is OK? The first set of tires on my Catrike "Speed" only lasted 800 miles. The toe-in was greater than the specified 1/16".

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rmillay Five Star Member rbent member; go Clowns! Posts: 2201	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #2 - Apr 17^th, 2011, 9:33pm Toe-in is for steering wheels. Does your delta trike steer with the rear wheels?
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jayg Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 4192	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #3 - Apr 17^th, 2011, 9:57pm Quote from rmillay on Apr 17^th, 2011, 9:33pm: Toe-in is for steering wheels. Does your delta trike steer with the rear wheels? The Artifice is a tadpole trike. See: http://www.twbents.com.tw/HTM/artifice.htm
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rmillay Five Star Member rbent member; go Clowns! Posts: 2201	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #4 - Apr 18^th, 2011, 11:16am Oh. The description in your post was unclear. The Cat's have pretty minimal caster, so without a manufacturer's manual I'd start out with the 1/16 inch figure and adjust from there. Bob M.
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jayg

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Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels
Reply #5 - Apr 19^th, 2011, 6:29pm

Quote from rmillay on Apr 18^th, 2011, 11:16am:

Oh. The description in your post was unclear. The Cat's have pretty minimal caster, so without a manufacturer's manual I'd start out with the 1/16 inch figure and adjust from there. Bob M.

Toe-in disturbs me. When I ride my Catrike "Speed" I think: "This toe-in is slowing me down and scrubbing rubber off my expensive, classic Schwalbe Stelvio tires."

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aikigreg Moderator recumbent ninja Posts: 3685	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #6 - Apr 19^th, 2011, 8:15pm Jay, you can loan me that trike anytime you decide it's not speedy enough for you!
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jayg Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 4192	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #7 - Apr 19^th, 2011, 8:48pm Quote from aikigreg on Apr 19^th, 2011, 8:15pm: Jay, you can loan me that trike anytime you decide it's not speedy enough for you! Sorry, I need to keep it handy for super windy days. If I had wattage to spare, like you, I wouldn't think twice about toe-in.
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Urbinrider rbent member Posts: 184	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #8 - Apr 20^th, 2011, 6:06pm Quote from rmillay on Apr 17^th, 2011, 9:33pm: Toe-in is for steering wheels. Does your delta trike steer with the rear wheels? I meant Tadpole trike
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Urbinrider rbent member Posts: 184	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #9 - Apr 20^th, 2011, 6:09pm So right now I am at 301/8 front and 30 1/4 rear so maybe I will tweak it just a little less. thanks for all your replies.
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jman Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 644	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #10 - Apr 22^nd, 2011, 12:17pm Quote from urbinrider on Apr 20^th, 2011, 6:09pm: So right now I am at 301/8 front and 30 1/4 rear so maybe I will tweak it just a little less. thanks for all your replies. Eddie, congrats on acquiring the tadpole. Sounds like you have the adjustment real close to what ur looking for.
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Urbinrider rbent member Posts: 184	Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels Reply #11 - Apr 22^nd, 2011, 12:24pm Hay Jay Man Dianna and I will have to come out soon and take a trike ride out in your neck of the woods
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jman

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Re: Aligning Tad type trike front wheels
Reply #12 - Apr 22^nd, 2011, 12:39pm

Quote from urbinrider on Apr 22^nd, 2011, 12:24pm:

Hay Jay Man Dianna and I will have to come out soon and take a trike ride out in your neck of the woods

Yeah, with 3 of us, I can show u a route over to the trail only a few miles from here. I've worked out routes to the trail from 2 different directions, east and west. I have also scouted out going northward on S.Hulen under I-20 overpass.

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