Changing 'trees

[TopCatGr58]

Wow, really SHARP!

Hey Gene,

Well, I just went out and measured my Trail. I used a simple little lazer pointer for the steering neck position, and it turns out that I have only 2" of trail!! No wonder it's so flickable!

It would probably be perfect for a sidecar rig, but not solo!

I don't know if the Standard Set will be enough, if it's only going to give me 1" more inch, but then again, I DON'T want the heavy feeling of STOCK, which according to that article is supposed to be 5"!!?? So...perhaps 3" of trail would be a good compromise!?

So...after swapping out the entire TT set, IF it's not enough, then all I'll have to do is swap the Special Upper tree back on to push the bottom of the forks out a littler further!

I need to sell a few more SOFA's to help pay for that new front tire!
T.C.

[crazedfooter]

Ok, new to this whole rake and trail thing, i did some online research and i think i have a good start. heres my question for one of you more experienced than i. If i put standard forks on a special triple tree any idea how this would affect the trail? from what i read the rake is the same for the two triple trees i am wondering what this would do to the trail, and hense the handeling. any help is greatly appreciated.

thanks
nick

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Crazed,

The standard TT's position the fork tubes a bit further away from the centerline of the steering neck, and so this INCREASES the trail when used with a Special's forks, which will make the steering heavier, will be more stable, but will feel even harder to steer than your OEM setup!

Here's where combining parts from both trees is needed to reduce the trail to make the steering easier. You would want to use the Standard UPPER tree with the Special LOWER tree section, this will angle the fork tubes closer to the engine as you go lower from the steering neck, which will decrease the trail, and will make the steering easier...if that's what you're trying to do!?

Or you can do what I did, and hit a car at 25mph head on, I have a bent frame at the steering neck, and with my OEM special TT, I have only 2" of trail! I'll be putting on a Standard TT to increase my trail a little.....I like the easier steering, so I don't want to go all the way back to OEM amount of trail!
T.C.

[pggg]

Can't for the life of me see how the fork tubes are gonna align to 2 DIFFERENT clamp positions??? Either the tubes will end up like bananas or the clamps are gonna twist??? Something's gotta move right? If by brute force the tubes somehow slid in to both un-aligned clamps, there won't be a flush fit and cranking the bolts tight is gotta bend something???

[GNEPIG]

.. yes Patrick, i have said the same thing before, looks like i'm going out to the garage tomorrow to take some pics to show people what actualy happens.

[pggg]

Yep you can tweak the forks with a 6 ft crowbar down to a mm or so but I'd go for the bashing the hell out of the lower steel clamp with a sledgehammer fix for a more subtle approach, just saw someone mentioned trucks and wire ropes

[crazedfooter]

tc,
i'm not really trying to accomplish anything by doing this, these are just the parts i have available without buying more. i wondered if the combo would do anything i didn't want it to. after sleeping on it, it seams to me if the rake is the same on both the standard and the special, and standard TT just push the whole front end forward a bit to keep the axle in the same place then all i would be doing with a special TT and standard forks is shortening the wheelbase by an inch or so. rake and trail should stay the same - as you sorta said. if im way off go ahead and smack me with a fork

thanks
nick

[Pat Kelly]

A special TT and standard fork (lowers) will retain the same rake but you will have more trail. Steering will require more effort (sluggisher ). It would also be more stable at speed.

[GNEPIG]

myth busted

.. it would look like it was built by engineers from Africa but you can make these parts fit together.. you will ruin your bike and possibly your life... these parts were not made to be bent/flexed/warped/stressed in such a way for them to fit together. if you want more or less rake safely build the triple clamps from scratch but it would be easier to cut and weld the frame.
..i hope this helps to save someones life!

.. special lower tree/steeringstem with a standard top tree


.. special lower tree/stem with a standard top tree


.. standard lower tree/steeringstem with a special top tree


.. standard lower tree/stem with a special top tree

[John]

Those pics should put this topic to rest, heh?