Mk2 trike

[920shrek1]

Does anyone have a MK2 with a motor trike kit on it? I purchased a 86 that's supposed to have a motor trike kit on it, when I called motor trike with some questions about it there response was,,, Well we don't have anyone working here anymore that would have worked on the older models so they couldn't tell me any info it was looking for. I wanted to know what type of rear end was in it. Well I took it in to have new bearings and seals put in it to a specialty shop what they found was the rear end is from a earlier ford galexy about a 1974 model it has a 7 1/2" ring gear in it. They also told that the rear end is upside down, why would this be upside down??

[RDawson]

If flipped over the rotation would be reversed.

[Sylvester]

If flipped over the rotation would be reversed.

 

 

:think: If flipped end to end the rotation would be the same. But I would think the fill port would be on the high side then.

 

[RDawson]

:think: If flipped end to end the rotation would be the same. But I would think the fill port would be on the high side then.

 

Take a bottle and draw a rotational arrow on the end of it. Flip it end for end and look at the arrow. I used to see it with some machinery we had that had a gear box with universal mounts. When mounted upside down it would reverse. It is a head scratcher to think about. The input rotation is the same so the output changes.

Edited July 21, 2018 by RDawson

[M61A1MECH]

So here are two questions.

1) Does anyone know if the Venture motor drive shaft rotates clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from the rear of the bike?

2) Does anyone know if an older Ford drive shaft rotate clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from the rear of the vehicle?

 

If the Venture output direction is opposite the Ford output direction, then mounting the differential upside down may make sense; but how do you check the fluid level, drain it or refill it if needed when the differential is upside down?

[RDawson]

I'm not a Ford guy. Did the old Ford diffs have a vent on top? If so maybe that is plugged to be the drain????? I know Hannigan used Ford diffs for years that were machined to use in trikes. I don't know what all they changed in them but they made their own axles to fit them.

[Sylvester]

Take a bottle and draw a rotational arrow on the end of it. Flip it end for end and look at the arrow. I used to see it with some machinery we had that had a gear box with universal mounts. When mounted upside down it would reverse. It is a head scratcher to think about. The input rotation is the same so the output changes.

 

OK you got me. The rotaion is the same but the drive is opposite. :doh:

[Flyinfool]

When you flip the rear end you are effectively putting the ring gear on the other side of the pinion gear. with given input rotation one side of the pinion is moving up and the other side is moving down. When you flip the rear you are also effectively putting load on the rear end as if the car it came out of is running in reverse, the gears are not cut to be used in this manor, on a trike you can get away with it because there is so little weight and less rolling resistance compared to a car.

 

For the fluid you just need to figure out how much goes in there, and then just put that much in. You will NOT want to fill it up to the hole when it is upside down, that would be way to much oil. You do not need to check the oil, If there are no wet spots indicating a leak, then all the oil is still in there.

[RDawson]

OK you got me. The rotaion is the same but the drive is opposite. :doh:

Plumb cornfusing ain't it. Sorta like when I'm training new guys to use the jaws of life, we flip a car and tell them to open the drivers door, 9 out of 10 will go to the passenger side. (I did it too when I was new)

I called my brother that worked for Hannigan and all their diffs are installed upside down too.

[Pro procrastinator]

In theory could you use an explorer independent rear end?  Just kicking ideas around to pass the time. Would be a neat irs setup if you could do it