- Update 11/04/03 -

Front Fork

Well here is where we left off last time with the steering column

My new tools, a Thermal Dynamics Plasma cutter and the Air Compressor to run it.

Next is one of the many injuries I have recieved during this project. Word of warning, be careful of any welding gloves or heat resistant gloves not covering enough of your forearm! Ironically, not more than a few weeks later I recieved an almost identical burn / cut on my other arm in almost the same place in a totally different manner. While healing I looked like I survived an attempted crucifixition.

For my front fork design I settled on a leading link suspension for various reasons which will be discussed later in a detailed technical section. These are the leading links.

Next up are the suspension mounts. 2 of them just cut (These were cut with the oxy-acetelene torch, I had not purchased the plasma cutter yet)

Here is all four of them, ground, then drilled.

The front suspension, here the bottom links were cut off and then the surface grounded, preparing them for the new links to be welded on. These suspension units are from the rear of my Honda 500.

Starting to make the ends of the forks. This is a 1-1/8" OD bit drilling into cold rolled 1-1/2" x 1/4" bar.

Here are some of the major components ready. The four pieces on the left the ones being drilled above now with bearings inside. In the bottom middle are the spacers, to the bottom right are the 'axles' for where the fork connects to the leading links. In the middle are the actual links.

Here are the pieces at the end of the forks assembled for review.

Here they are after being drilled and Welded.

Now welded to the fork tubes.

Here the assembly is clear, these bars will not tranverse the full lateral distance, with the exception of the spindle, the larger diameter rod at the top of the pic.

Here is the full fork bars, assembled. Note the upper part of the fork as well, these are simple "T"s, I will detail this part of the fork in the next update.

Here the suspension mounts are jigged, alinged, and ready for welding.

Suspension added.

The closer one welded. The white washers are Teflon and only temporary.

The full version 1 fork.

As is suggested in this update, I have more of this vehicle completed than what is shown on this web site. When I have time to work on it, I prefer to actually build it rather then update the site. I have seen some complaints on the web that my project is taking "soooooo" long. Hey, no kidding! No one is more aware of this than I. If you dont like it, send some money! That'll speed the project up!

Keep checking back for updates.

Next up is the rest of the front fork, then the wheel mounting, and then a front fork redesign.

Matus

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