Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

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frederick
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Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:05 pm
Location: san jose

Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

Post by frederick » Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:21 pm

Not exactly custom, rather considering modifying a Kendon 2-rail fold-up.
KENDON TRIKE.jpg
But where to position the cradles for the front wheels depends on getting
the trike's CG over the centerline of the axle

Has anybody calculated the front/back balance point of a finished T4?

I thought there was some discussion on this but couldn't find it.

Crozier3
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Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:26 am
Location: Ayr Scotland

Re: Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

Post by Crozier3 » Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:31 pm

Frederick,
I went the route of "sook and see", I built my trailer with a long drawbar.
This allowed me to load my reverse trike and my trike( a Bond Bug) and decide what was the sweetest point for the Tow Ball coupling.
Having set that point I have trailed the two units all across Europe and the UK and not had a problem. I have also recovered other trikes following accidents and had little if no problems re balance.
If the trailer is for your use only, set it up to suit your aspirations and go for it. If you wish to be able to recover other trikes set it to suit your trike and allow space on the wheel points to accommodate the changes in track and wheelbase.
Go for it
Bill D

jtdesign
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Location: Peak District

Re: Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

Post by jtdesign » Sun Dec 22, 2019 4:18 pm

From the old forum, based on measurements that Mark (archie) and I took :-

"Based on the average weight of the factory Type 4 cars built to date the empty centre of gravity point is. 1261 mm Aft of datum. The datum point is the front chassis cross rail tube.
With an “ average “ weight driver of 90 kg and 25 litre of fuel it is 1422 mm aft of datum.
With an average driver and passenger of 90 kg each and 25 litre of fuel it is 1501 mm aft of datum."

John.

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frederick
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Re: Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

Post by frederick » Sun Dec 22, 2019 7:40 pm

Perfect, thank you.

There should be a statue of you somewhere...every rocky part of my build you’ve smoothed for me. :-)

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frederick
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Location: san jose

Re: Triking CG/balance point for custom trailer

Post by frederick » Sun Dec 22, 2019 11:24 pm

Turns out my guesstimate was close...here is a revised sketch:
KENDON T4.jpg
Note I'm adapting an early rectangular tube fold-up model, later fold-up versions are round tube and expanded steel mesh deck: https://www.kendonusa.com/ so your mileage may very.

Kendon's specs list the 2-rail trailer's tongue weight 10-15% of the total loaded weight...so assuming the trike CG is over the trailer axle CG, tongue weight when loaded should be (400lbs trailer + 900-ish lbs trike = 1300lbs) 130-195lbs.

I do have two loading/tie-down questions...first: what is the height from the ground to the very rearmost underside of the tailpiece (to clear a bump-stop/wheel chock)?

Second: where on the T4 chassis rear underside left and right are the beefiest places to fasten permanent tiedown eyebolts?

thanks in advance!

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