Dans Chariot #9 - Tying up loose ends.

I've been chipping away here and there over the last couple of weeks, so here's an update.

Made the inner fender covers. They're a bit bigger so we can be sure that Dan can't get his fingers caught in the wheel.







Got it all fit up to the rest of the fender just to see how it was all going to work.





Getting the holes for the axle to align was a bit of a challenge...

Bought some thing plastic sheet off of ebay to extend the outside and top of the fenders. Cut it out and bent it up.



Removed the outer cover to punch a few more holes in the back,



and put it all together.







Back to some more framework- finishing up a few of the modifications. Cut a couple of chunks out of a lawnmower handlebar, welded them together, cut 'em down, and tacked them into place. This is the bar that their basket will mount to so they can carry misc. junk.



I've been going back and forth about how to do this next part for at least a month. It's go time. I decided to just use a standard bicycle head tube and handlebars for a couple of reasons- 1st, its pretty much built, and 2nd, it's very easy to adjust or change styles of handle bars. Simple is nice. Now the chariot can double as an ultra cool stroller!







Still have lots of cleanup to do, but you get the idea.

Even managed to start on the fender mounting brackets.





Once I get the axle in, I can match the holes I made in the fender, drill the brackets, bolt the fender on, and figure out where the upper bracket needs to go.

Getting closer... My list is getting shorter.

Dan's Chariot #7 - Modifications.

Started on some of the modifications. Took it all apart, took some measurements, and hacked the tongue off:



Took a big chunk out of the middle and tightened up the bend.



I will have to straighten the back end of it just a bit, but the theory is the tongue will plug into the trailer "stinger" style, but 90 degrees to the direction of travel, sorta like this:



Although it will be much shorter and have several gussets. Couldn't find a really tight fit for the square, so the tongue will have a gusset / spacer plate on the top and front where it plugs into the trailer to get a good fit. Holes drilled / pins installed so the tongue can be unplugged and eventually a castor wheel of some sort plugged in so they can use it as a stroller. We'll see where it goes from here!

FINALLY got my wife to stay home from school long enough that I could dedicate some time on this project. Crazy first year teachers... She gets home after 8:00 on average.

Cut the receiver down, drilled some holes, and cut some gussets out.



Start welding!



Tongue installed.



Made it a BUNCH shorter. Hope the curve is big enough to clear the tire!



Set it across two tables, and bounced my wussy 175 lbs up and down pretty good at the joint- it flexes a teensy through the tongue, but the receiver and back half of the trailer is RIGID.



While I was doing some welding, I cut the plastic sheet out and got it warming up to do some bending.







In between all of that, I made a few more brackets.







Whew. Makin progress. 

Boxed in the back of the tongue for some extra strength(?).



Stuck it back together...



The frame as it sits so far.



And with the seat and leg pan kinda sitting in place.



Plan on making some aluminum sides for the leg pan to match the fenders.

Left to do... Hmm. Finish the fenders, make some extensions out the back for them, sides for the leg pan, bolt it on, thread the new axle, get all the misc nuts and bolts I need for the seat belts, TEST IT OUT! and then paint. I think. Probably missing 3 or 4 steps still.

Well, now you're all caught up.  RREEALLLY need to get this thing done.  Lego League is going already, so that eats into a big chunk of my time and it seems like all the "extras" I get to participate in this year just because I'm a teacher are adding up quick.  It WILL be done.  Shall I make a goal? 

End of October.  Or else.

Dan's Chariot #5 - A "test" run!

I've been working on the bike trailer off and on over the summer, but have neglected to post much of it here so it's time for an update!

So I got kicked out of my shop for the summer so they could redo the floors. Over the last couple of weeks I've been working on pulling things back out and setting the shop back up.
 
The next step is seat mounting and seat belt mounting. I drilled a couple of holes for the seat and got it set in place. Did some measuring and bending and came up with this:



It goes around behind the seat and gives me a spot to mount 4 of the 5 points on the harness.

Marked some angles, cut it down, and tacked it on.



With the seat attached...



I would have liked it to be a little closer to the seat, but this should work great. Still need to finish weld, and I've got an idea for some gussets at the joint that can double as fender mounts.

I set it all up, climbed up and sat in it, then had my 9 year old try and lift the tongue- he lifted it easily. This is with me laying totally back. Dan's a bit lighter than me so I'm not sure how that will translate to tongue weight- almost think since theres less of him to counterbalance there might be MORE tongue weight. Guess we'll see.

I'm pretty happy that the balance seems to have worked out- that was one of my main concerns. So far the frame is still super light too. Have a few gussets to add and still need paint, leg holder, windshield (?), fenders, and a few other odds and ends but its starting to shape up.

Started going through the scraps I picked up at a local machine shop- scored a perfect chunk for a new axle so I began re-making it.

Makin' some HOT chips...



Also made some gussets for the seat belt frame out of more of the scraps.





And welded 'em on.








Spent the doing some "detail" work- little odds and ends that suck up the time.

Made another set of gusset plates for the frame.



Tacked 'em on,



And welded them solid. Will probably make one more set of gussets to go up on the sharp bend at the end of the big loop coming from the hitch.



Started figuring how to mount the seat belt.



What you don't really see here is I also made some brackets for the rear seat mounts and tacked them in place. 

Been hemming and hawing about how to attach the seat belts. At first I thought I would just drill some holes through the frame but decided that holes will probably weaken it, so I made up a few brackets.



Tacked 'em in,



Welded them and then cleaned everything up with the wire wheel.

.
 Test fitting the harness.





Yeah, I think that'll do nicely!




Did some figuring,



Laid it out,



and made a mock up of the foot pan.





Still thinking about options for this. Would be cool to build a framework and then lace it with straps, but I will probably build the pan out of aluminum and have some steel framework underneath for reinforcement.

Fender ideas...



Dan's coming over for a test fitting.  That will help me know where the leg pan needs to go, whether or not I need to shorten the tongue, and also if I need to bring the fenders down on the outside of the wheel to keep fingers out.

Hope they like it so far!