Trike rear suspensions

[CanuckHoss]

I needed to replace the rear seals on the 57 502 trike so while the guys were at it I started thinking about the suspension on it and how to make it smoother...shocks are vertical (straight up and down)...set at lowest compression. This trike rides rougher than a few SB trikes that have been set this way with the only difference my low profile 20' tires. Ride is Ok for Gwen and I but I want better.

On quite a few trikes in the past 4 years I have taken the shocks and moved them from laying down to uprights, then adding the limiting straps with great success.

My gut told me to try something different on this 57 while wheels were off. We changed the shocks from vertical back to laying down like stock and set the shocks with about 6 threads showing below the locking collar. Got the wheels back on and watched as the trike settled but definitely not to the stops. For the first time ever with any trike I can apply pressure to the body on the rear fins and the suspension actually bounces. I can bounce the trike up and down. Thinking that it is too soft we set the trike to 8 threads showing and it still bounces fairly easily but not as easily. This is where it will stay until test and tune in the spring. I can't help but think how much better the ride will be. If we need to get it a bit stiffer it is easily done. It sucks I can't give a report tomorrow or the next day as we are 10 below and a blizzard yesterday with almost a foot of snow..don't say a word Bryan!!

[Butkicker]

Hey Barry sounds interesting hope it works out I never tried one with that setup first time on mine with air ride

My older 2wheel I put the 400 lb springs on an it was far better ride

[CanuckHoss]

The next 4 days are above freezing...Sunday 45 F...and the roads are damn near dry and salt free...I will get out for a bit anyways and double check my new / used Edelbrock and the suspension...

[CanuckHoss]

36F and went for a 20 minute highway ride.

The suspension / ride seems quite a bit better than the way I had it before other than I will need to stiffen it a bit as I was bottoming out on some bumps that I should not be. In the spring we will go one thread at a time and get it perfect. Riding longer than this short ride will tell better.

Edelbrock Carb works like a damn...I thought a couple weeks ago when I rode it without the tank that it was not close to the Holley in performance but when putting the tank on last week I noticed that the main feed hose to the carb had a major kink in it that must have been slowing fuel flow. I put a 90 in just at the carb to get rid of the kink and today it was running really, really good.

Now for some consistant spring weather...4 months wait...not a biggy.

[Iron Maiden]

Glad to hear that you are back on the road again - just curious - could the kink have been the issue all along?

[CanuckHoss]

Glad to hear that you are back on the road again- just curious- could the kink have been the issue all along?

No...the Holley was never short on gas...flooded outrageously...the kink was caused by the fact that the place the fuel line hooks to the carb was different on the Edelbrock than the Holley and we missed the kink when installing.

[CanuckHoss]

Had to stiffen he trikes shocks up by 3 turns tighter. Went out last week and it is almost perfect for me but with Gwen I think it may bottom a bit. So I will turn it one more turn tighter.

It rides better this way, actually surprises me a bit, than with the shocks upright and set to softest..

I believe that if there are any complaints on how a Boss Hoss trike rides with stock non-airride shocks then for sure the shocks are too tight. You should be able to press on the body and get a bit of suspension not feel like it is rock hard..a bit of experimenting is all that is required.

Also..this Edelbrock of Dennis's is so nice running...

[Ronald]

Canuck, can you post pictures of how the shocks are set up now on your trike?
Thanks

[CanuckHoss]

Canuck, can you post pictures of how the shocks are set up now on your trike?
Thanks

yes...I will get pictures today and post..thanks

I know that the upright rebounding shocks that were put on Boss Hoss make the trikes ride rougher...older trikes had one and newer ones had 2...when those are replaced with straps it alone makes a difference..then adjusting the shocks perfectly finishes the task

[CanuckHoss]

Here is a good picture of how far and how many threads I have the shock adjusted. I count 12 threads showing under the adjusting collar. I am adjusting one more thread up soon.

Each trike could be different due to rider weight, passenger weight, body style as obviously a 57 weighs more than a 32 and a Sierra weighs more than both.

From what I remember with a 32 I had before and sold this seems right in the ballpark for adjustment with shocks in the standard laid down position.

To adjust easily I lift the trike and set the frame on jacks that let the wheels just rest in the air...no weight on the shocks.

Only thing that would be better for this 57 trike of mine is to go to 18" rims and tires...then I run lower pressure for an even better ride. These 20s look so damn good though. I would not hesitate to go to 18s if that is what I needed to make it good for us but they are workable for now with the way the suspension is.

And Honestly , these trikes should ride almost like Cadillacs with the right settings. We have some really really rough roads and with my bad back and Gwen's issues we just roll over all the rough stuff.

I wish I was posting on the other Forum so I could share this as I feel it is important...but I will stick to my resolve. Anyone wanting to share this over there please go ahead..good with me. thanks