My Leafer Build

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gww25
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SELF INTRODUCTION: I'm just an old chopper builders who still dabbles in the craft and I hope that I can contribute something to the discussions as time goes by. Most of you already know that I started the Chopper Builders Handbook site so you're probably already familiar with my philosophy on choppers and chopper work.
Location: Murphy, Texas
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Re: My Leafer Build

Post by gww25 »

Don't use those online calculators. I've never found one yet that is accurate for springers, leafers or girders. One guy at another site used the good one and it said he had 3" or trail but his full-sized mockup proved that he had 6.5" in reality.
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yona
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Re: My Leafer Build

Post by yona »

You will have a lot of neg trail with the axle out front.....
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Jeff L
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SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

Last night I did a full size drawing.The trail number I came up with using a 2 1/2" rocker ahead of the girdr forks was 4".Im drawing up 0 offset trees & hope to have another mock up with a different shape leg maybe tonight.
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
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yona
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SELF INTRODUCTION: Automotive weldor and fabricator for 45 years, like to dip in to both pools............make hand-tooled leather covered seats and bags.................jack of all trades........................63 years old......live in Baja Georgia, on the coast...former military
Location: Baja Georgia - St Johns River Inlet
Contact:

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by yona »

I am thinking of a Diamond/prism tank so I can may be have neg offset trees , also you can mount the pusher(in this case) forks on the axle, outside the wheel. You will most likely have to fab it all yourself and make the axle....the string stack will be above the lead spring... !
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Jeff L
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Posts: 687
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

I had thought about trees with negative offset.I mocked up a set with 0 offset & came up with a fork design that Im happy with.Started on the steel trees today.
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
Jeff L
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Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

Got the trees made up & the legs in.Now I just need to add a little bend in the legs & weld.
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krymis
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SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey dan it chris (krymis) from the CBH board. thanks for opening this back up. hope to have a project to show the build here. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH and so on and so forth. The book of revolations and worlds ends and shit like that.....

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by krymis »

looks good.
Jeff L
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Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

Thanks...I hope theres enough progress to take some more pics by end of weekend...Ill be partying hard by tomorrow afternoon, so its not lookin good.
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
Jeff L
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Posts: 687
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

I got the legs bent &set up.Now to make a set of rockers.I also need to mount the leaf spring & make up the rod that connects the spring to the axle.Oh I will need to make a new axle cause this front end is a little wider &the original axle isnt threaded.
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Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
krymis
Conventioneer
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:46 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey dan it chris (krymis) from the CBH board. thanks for opening this back up. hope to have a project to show the build here. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH and so on and so forth. The book of revolations and worlds ends and shit like that.....

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by krymis »

good job jeff. keep up. if you got any q's just ask. i think you got this nipped.
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gww25
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Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:45 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: I'm just an old chopper builders who still dabbles in the craft and I hope that I can contribute something to the discussions as time goes by. Most of you already know that I started the Chopper Builders Handbook site so you're probably already familiar with my philosophy on choppers and chopper work.
Location: Murphy, Texas
Contact:

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by gww25 »

I hate to say this but I think you cut your forks way to short for what you want to do. I'm sure you remembered to allow 1.5 to 2-inches for the weight of the bike on the spring and the angle of the rocker you're going to use. Pictures can be deceiving so I'm thinking that you already thought this out during your mockups.
Jeff L
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Posts: 687
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

You're right they are short.In order to get a desirable bend with running the rockers out front & have the trail number still come in,I will be welding a plate under & a little back from the end of the tube to mount the rockers from.So the pivot will be another 1 1/2" lower.Also I figured if I needed a little more, that I can Make a slight reverse rocker.If I read the article right, if the axle happens to fall below the pivot slightly it will give more trail?
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
Jeff L
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Posts: 687
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

I got a little more done today.I got the spring & the tabs where the rockers will mount on.We'll see if I can get it welded up tomorrow.I'll start on the rockers after that.
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Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
Jeff L
Contributor
Posts: 687
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
Location: South Jersey

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by Jeff L »

If I were to press sealed bearing into my rockers, will they hold up to the side loads when the bike leans in corners?
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
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gww25
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Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:45 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: I'm just an old chopper builders who still dabbles in the craft and I hope that I can contribute something to the discussions as time goes by. Most of you already know that I started the Chopper Builders Handbook site so you're probably already familiar with my philosophy on choppers and chopper work.
Location: Murphy, Texas
Contact:

Re: My Leafer Build

Post by gww25 »

Bushings work better than bearings on forks so I'd stay with regular ol bushings.
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