My team currently have a 4 wheel car with the front wheels only steering, and we want to change it to a tricycle. But I've been reading tricycles are unstable unless balanced correctly. Most of the cars weight is in the back, we use 6 batteries, each about 10 pounds, and they are all in the center of the wheels. Would this be stable enough? Most of the courses here in Florida are short ovals with tight turns. Thanks for your help
From what we have found out, the main thing to get right on a tricycle is the front angle for the 'headstock' (bike) or pivot points for the front wheel. If a line through the center of the headstock was extended to the ground, it needs to hit the ground directly under the axle of the front wheel. If it is ahead or behind by as much as 1/2" this they tend to 'plow' and not corner well. You need to have enough weight on the front wheel to make it grab as well. So if the driver is slid forward so that their legs are beside the front wheel and their bottom is near the back of the wheel this may be enough weight. I your driver needs to add ballast you may want it near the front. You don't want too much weight on the front either as most front wheel drive/steering cars have so much stress on the front wheel in turning that they tend to break spokes etc. So the front to back weight it very important. We have had four good tricycles and six others not so good over the last 21 years, as nearly all of our 300 + cars have been and are Tri-cars.
I see exactly what I mean, now I know why my bike shocks are a little offset, so if I used a rigid bike front fork I couldn't just put it on straight (wheel directly to driver) but up and attach a tiller, like on a sailboat rudder and use that to steer it?
-- Edited by Nitoragro on Monday 23rd of February 2015 01:12:33 AM
