VW Trike Mudguard Set-up

[triker_gal]

It does exactly what it says on the tin.

Ok, independant suspension, mudguards come off this so move with the wheels, welded brackets keep breaking at the weld. So has anyone got or know anyone who has a diagram of a good setup to fix the mudguards on ??

cheers in advance ;)

[Blackjack]

If it keeps breaking at the weld then it would suggest that the weld was crap.

If on the other hand it keeps breaking NEAR the weld then your problem is possibly vibration, which can usually be solved by the simple addition of a gusset.

Without looking at a failed example its a little hard to come up with a definite solution.

[triker_gal]

this may sound like i'm thick, but i am anyway lol, but whats a gusset ?

[guydewdney]

triangular (usually) flat bit of metal joining two tubes.

have a look at a steel tubular frame near the headstock - theres usually two flat plates joining the top tube to the headstock and the down tube(s) - this is a gusset.

spreads the load.


or triangulate it. (put a third tube in)

a good example parts x1 and x2:-
http://www.carcentric.com/cx500trikebmw.gif

[triker_gal]

Cheers for that, but its the back mudguards i'm having the problem with,sorry :o I should have said that

[Blackjack]

Bit difficult to be more helpful as there are quite a few ways your rear mudguards could be mounted. And please note how I studiously avoided any innuendo about "mounting at the rear".

So are they attached to the suspension or the chassis? I'd presumed they were attached to the wheel and went up and down with the suspension, which is the kind that usually give trouble.

Perhaps a picture of you rear end (maybe one of the trike too, f'narr, f'narr).

[triker_gal]

I'd presumed they were attached to the wheel and went up and down with the suspension, which is the kind that usually give trouble.

Perhaps a picture of you rear end (maybe one of the trike too, f'narr, f'narr).
Yep thats exactly how they are mounted, can't get a piccy now cos Shaggy has ground them off. We're looking at maybe welding a descent size plate on and then bolting on two tubular struts onto it, hope this works this time. Oh and cutting the size down of the mudguards - they were full mudguards originally but now we're going to take a good quarter off. Was thinking of getting shot of the muguards altogether but wouldn't that be an MOT failure ?

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

VW rear mudguards have always been a pain due to the fact that they need to move along with the wheel / suspension. The best way to overcome this is to mount them fixed to the chassis, with enough clearance for the wheel's movement. Keep the mudguards as light as possible.
Phoenix overcame this by making the 'three seater body' which incorporated mudguards into the design.
There's a couple of piccies HERE (http://www.moonshiners.freeserve.co.uk/gearbox.html) that show how I've mounted mine.
Happy welding now.