DR650 Hack.... Dual Sport.

[kliff]

Originally Posted by canoli

Lookin good Kliff. How many more weeks you think it is going to take?

This week, with the holiday etc, wil be kinda jumbled, so I'm hoping to roll 'er out around the 15th of Jan. Heck I've got 2 more KLR's to get finished before March! This thing started off as a "part time" project, and has turned into a full time nightmare....J/K.
But it has put me behind on getting those KLR's ready for sale, come Spring.

Hope to finish the exhaust system today, so I can install the final hand holds and rock sheild. Then it all cames apart for finish welding and paint...

[kliff]

Suspension update!

A single VW aftermarket, coil over shock, when used on a 2:1 ratio swing arm...is as limp as a wet noodle. BARELY capable of maintaining level with hack weight alone, when on highest pre-load and over 50% of levelling adjustment cranked in. Add a 30lb battery, and a few tools, and things start going downhill fast.

Tomorrow I'l be working the second such shock into the design, without quite as much mechanical advantage working against it. If that doesn'r work, I'm thinking air shock for the secondary...

[TouringDave]

Pics please Kliff.

[claude]

[QUOTE=kliff]Suspension update!

A single VW aftermarket, coil over shock, when used on a 2:1 ratio swing arm...is as limp as a wet noodle. BARELY capable of maintaining level with hack weight alone, when on highest pre-load and over 50% of levelling adjustment cranked in. Add a 30lb battery, and a few tools, and things start going downhill fast.

QUOTE]

Been there done that...leverage is a huge deal. Dummy me put a 140/170 progressive on a deal like that and it went to the floor. Jay (Dauntless) happened to have some really stiff shocks (270/320 or something) and I stuck one of them on....almost the same deal. On that rig (yes it was one of my personal rigs) we ended up hooking a torsion bar suspension up and all was well.
Mounting the shock with the top leaning slightly forward behind the sidecar axle works well if you want to fake out a weaker shock and make it think it is stiffer. It makes the shock move more than the actual suspension travel if you get the picture.
Doing the bell crank deal like you are doing can be tricky but is a great system once you have it worked out.

[claude]

Kliff,
I butchered some of your pics to give you some food for thought...here ya go

[kliff]

Thanks Claude! I appreciate your taking the time to work that out.....but...I just got in from the shop, and think I've got it worked out. But it did end up using both shocks, and one mounted very similar to your suggestion, near the axle on the S.A.

The original shock with pivot will allow a wide range of adjustablity, to level the hack, and the rear shock will work more for ride stiffness. Just about chucked the whole thing, and started from scratch, but thought I'd give this a try first. Next rig will either be torsion bar, or quarter elliptic leaf...

So here is where we are....ready to take apart, and do the finish welding, wiring, and paint....then we're back out on the trail! 2 more weeks, TOPS!

[claude]

Looks good Kliff!! You may end up playing with the shock angle.

[kliff]

Originally Posted by claude

Looks good Kliff!! You may end up playing with the shock angle.

No doubt!

[Bucho]

Other than looking awesome, is there a specific purpose to the exhuast being routed out infront of the hack? Was it in the way of the subframe?

[kliff]

Originally Posted by Bucho

Other than looking awesome, is there a specific purpose to the exhuast being routed out infront of the hack? Was it in the way of the subframe?

Yeah, I have a couple of reasons....which work for me, anyway,LOL.

Sub-frame interference being at the top of the list, as you surmised.

#2, if I have to carry the weight, let me put it on the hack side where it will do the most good.

#3...now for it's "ugliness...." I used the original mid pipe, and an extension off the shortenned header to mimic original length, for low end torque., And the John Deere tractor muffler is a copy of what some guys are using with great success on their KLR's over at http://klrworld.com/forums/index.ph

You really think it looks good? I thought it was uglier than sin! But by all expectations should work well. But "awesome...." Thanks, you made my day.

[claude]

Kliff wrote about his exhaust:
>>You really think it looks good? I thought it was uglier than sin! <<

Kliff,
there is 'cool ugly' and there is 'ugly ugly'. Your exhaust is 'cool ugly'

[Bucho]

Yeah, its not pretty. But I like it in a MadMax sort of way. Is it possilbe to make it look better? Yeah probably, but also probably not worth the effort or cost.

Its a dirtbike, pretty would be wasted on it.

[thisflatearth]

Looks good and with a little bit of body work and shrouding you could turn it into a radiator to keep your hack monkey or sandwiches toasty warm

[Get Back]

Originally Posted by kliff

I used the original mid pipe, and an extension off the shortenned header to mimic original length, for low end torque., And the John Deere tractor muffler is a copy of what some guys are using with great success
You really think it looks good? I thought it was uglier than sin! But by all expectations should work well. But "awesome...." Thanks, you made my day.

Awesome is right!..... but don't forget to review what I wrote about my original pipe in "Adventurig" thread about blowing small vehicles off the road...(Hacks, page 3, reply #60)..you might consider a downturn??
.............just speculatin' (great stuff, Kliff)

[Sabre]

Originally Posted by Bucho

Other than looking awesome, is there a specific purpose to the exhuast being routed out infront of the hack? Was it in the way of the subframe?

It's commonly seen on enduro or sidecarcross rigs. Imagine that it gives the monkey a lot more freedom to throw hisself around back there without *OUCH* burnin' hisself!