ProjectVF - August 28, 2007

Here's how the front suspension looks. I know my welds are pretty ugly but they're damn strong and should work fine for the prototype.

I used DOM tubing, race-quality rod ends, and ball joints from a Toyota pickup to fabricate the upper and lower control arms

Here's how it looks assembled. The hardware is grade-8 quality. The holes thru the rectangular tubing are sleeved and welded. Click here for a bigger view.

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Chopping the frame took a lot of time and double-checking. Even with that it still took some grinding and fitting to get everything snug.

With any luck I'll find the perfect coilover shock to fit between the control arm and what's left of the headstock.

 

 

 

 

 

The steering geometry research is finished. Using that data I was able to design and build control arms, and then attach them to the frame. I also began modifying the triple-clamps.

 

 

Back to the Construction Sequence page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another mechanical connection was needed for the removable part of the frame. I used 1/4" plates for brackets and grade-8 bolts to hold them together. When the motor gets pulled (again) I can do the inside welds.

 

 

With the front suspension in place, I needed to design the steering mechanism. I started with the upper triple-clamps, the existing handlebars  and a few pieces of scrap tubing. The handlebars make sense because it's already designed to hold the throttle, the clutch and the brake perfectly. All I need to do is mount it on a shaft and connect it to the forks using an articulated drag link. Sounds easy, doesn't it? I want to pull the motor out so I can finish welding the frame, but I can't pull the motor until I build the steering, so I guess I'm motivated. Click the pic to look closer.

 

 

 

 

 

I bought several VF750 fork and triple-clamp assemblies. One set is being modified to hold automotive ball joints.

I turned the upper triple-clamp around and added a narrow extension to offset the ball joint just the right amount. A steel "plug" needs to be machined with a tapered hole to match the ball joint's shank, then welded to the extension.

The lower triple-clamp needs a similar plug to match the lower ball joint's taper, then pressed into the existing hole and welded tightly.

I make the extension and tack welded it in place, but used a machine shop for the plugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friend voiced concern over the amount of steel being adding to ProjectVF, so I pulled out all the discarded parts I could find and weighed them. The pile of crap at left was a porky 61 pounds. Click on the photo to look closer. Not shown is the plastic bodywork, the fuel tank, the seat, the fenders, the fork springs and damper rods and oil, the mirrors, the blinkers, and the laughably small toolkit. Doing my best estimate, all of that weighed about 70 pounds. Combining the known and estimated gave a total of 131 lbs gone.

I weighed the new control arms and the Acura seat, and then measured to estimate the weight of the new steel. So far I've only added 68 lbs, but there's a lot more to follow.