Harley fiberglass car mount to the frame.

[Buster]

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1/2" clearance

[ryan]

Thanks for the information Buster. I set my bike at 2° past vertical away from sidecar with an angle finder which looks more like 10°, I am going to chase down a digital machinist level to set the angle. My sidecar is level both pitch and roll right now.
I like that brake hose clamp. I had a few of the original brake hose made that were pretty cheap. I also need to clamp the steel brake line to the sidecar tubing, I am just going to wrap the tubing with 1/4" rubber line and hose clamp it.
Boy, my front electric panel is very busy, I just cannot believe how many wires are connected to it. It almost needs two panels. Lol

[Buster]

My starting point was about 3 degrees lean out on bike and sidecar with 1 inch toe in. I found out there is a lot of movement in a Harley sidecar frame when riding. I then rode bike and adjusted totally to feel and handling. Took 4 or 5 refinements in adjustment. Don't know where it is at now, but it goes straight.

[ryan]

My starting point was about 3 degrees lean out on bike and sidecar with 1 inch toe in. I found out there is a lot of movement in a Harley sidecar frame when riding. I then rode bike and adjusted totally to feel and handling. Took 4 or 5 refinements in adjustment. Don't know where it is at now, but it goes straight.

What kind of a straight edge did you use to check your tow end? Was one washer enough on the rear mount?
Thanks

[Buster]

I tried to be too high tech and used small lasers like you hang pictures with on a wall. I kept getting inconsistent readings and then used two straight eight foot long 2 x 4s. The 2 x 4s worked best since this is ONLY a starting point before you start riding and adjusting. Ride it and see which way it pulls. If you get too much toe in on sidecar, sidecar will try to not go around right turn. If too little toe in, sidecar will pull to right. It is a compromise between toe in and lean out. You need just enough lean out to have the least toe in. It took me part of a day of riding around with wrenches in my pocket, changing rear mount spacers (washers), and adjusting leanout. For some reason, with no spacers at rear swingarm mount my sidecar had one inch toe out, I had to weld a permanent spacer on my rear swingarm mount and then make small final toe in adjustment with two more thin washers. I probably had to spaceout my rear swing arm mount about 3/4" past stock. Then had to adjust sidecar brake, so bike would go straight when rear and sidecar brake used. The time spent riding and adjusting by seat of pants adjustments is well spent. It will go straight and turn correctly when set right. I forgot to say earlier that I did replace the stock triple tree with the correct Harley adjustable sidecar tree.

[ryan]

Buster,
I have the correct adjustable triple tree. I set my bike up today with the different angle finder, it is now at 2° as it was at 5°. I looked at a 1968 flh with sidecar and he had his crashbar mounted, but I noticed that his tie rod was rotated up and not seated against the flat, not sure how he did that. I measured his mounts and they were 10.5" where mine are 10.75".

[Buster]

The tie bar should be horizonal. SOunds like he angled it to avoid interference with crash bar. Tie bar needs to fit snugly into flats. relocating tie bar up and down on down tubes also slightly changes toe in of sidecar due to slope in down tubes, so tie bar needs to be permanently located prior to initial adjustment of toe in. Put tie bar where it needs to be for sidecar body to be as level as possible. I see so many with nose of sidecar pointing up into air. It would be interesting to hear what your initial toe in or toe out is with sidecar frame connected with no spacers at rear swing arm mount.

[ryan]

I will check my toe and give you my numbers with the one washer. I am having a hell of a time in this heat with my artificial leg, it is time for a new one which should be done in a week, and this one does not fit very well and kepts wanting to pop off and rotate around, point simply being, I am not getting as much done as I want fighting with it plus it is in the mid 90s.

I talked to the owner of the 1968 and he said it really beat him up and wore his arms out while riding the outfit. I told him he should have a steering dampner, he kept telling me that he could not run one because of "special triple tree" he had on his bike, I showed him where it went and explained how it worked, but he just did not grasp the concept. He also had one home sheet metal tab on his triple tree to hold the rake out before he tightened his bolt, I also tried to tell him about the factory tabs, but he kept saying it was an aftermarket triple tree and did not grasp that as well. I was really worried for him really on the way his outfit was set up.

[ryan]

All the stock crashbars and sidecars were compatible. No special parts needed. Is your bar aftermarket or tweaked in some way? Even the '79 Classics w/sc had the same mounts as earlier and a 1-1/4 crashbar.

I got the lean correct on the bike and the front crashbar bolted right into place, I guess this is a pretty good indicator that you have something off a couple degrees.

[Buster]

Sounds good. Most people I have talked to that have sidecars talk about how bad they handle. It takes some effort. They really will handle decent if you have the correct parts and keep adjusting as you ride them.