DF150TKA front wheel alignment technique

[rbcoleman3]

Hello All.
I just wanted to share with you how I finally was able to align the front wheels on my trike.
For the longest time I was never able to get it aligned. Constantly had problems with wheel hopping or poor handling.
Finally, I figured out a way to do it easily and was able to get it right the first try.
I used two 4 foot construction levels, (could use anything that is absolutely straight), and strapped them to the front wheels with a majority of the level sticking out forward.Please see picture. Then I could measure the end closest to the wheels and then the ends farthest away. This allowed me to not only visually see which wheel was out but allow me to get a much more accurate measurement. Worked very well and was able to do it on the first try.
No more hopping at speed and handles much better. Much easier to ride.

I hope anyone having alignment issues can get some help from this post as I know how frustrating it is.
Thanks for reading.
Happy riding.

Attachments:

[cliftonc]

Very good RB; my method is very similar, but with adjustments for me being a fat guy ;D - I have my front shocks set for max preload. Makes the ride a bit abrupt in front, but I found that the suspension moving was changing the alignment just enough to affect it slightly over larger bumps, so I adjusted with my neighbor aboard the scoot (about the same weight) and to make everything move a bit easier, cut four 6" squares of wax paper, and put two pices under each wheel.
The alignment is the best-kept secret for these things!

[mnfitz]

I agree with cliftonc that having the actual weight on it makes a lot of difference. Rbcoleman3, it would be interesting for you to watch the change in angle of your alignment rig when you get on the trike.... then bounce up and down a little and watch the "bump-steer" toe-in change.

I'm pretty sure this is caused by the fact that the steering rods are not parallel to the wishbones... when the frame/wishbone/kingpin parallelogram changes, the tie rods don't play nice. I'm thinking they would be a lot closer if the outer ends were mounted higher or the inner ends were mounted lower.

I've got mine up for sale right now (I bought a 2007 Piaggio MP3) so I might not ever get around to trying it to see.

[cliftonc]

I have noticed it also - I don't know a great deal about the engineering, but I thought at the first that it looked odd - on all of my cars, the tie rods are parallel to the ground. I had noticed the change whn I got onto the thing, and that is what led me to set the shocks at max preload, to minimize the movement. I had the thought about changing the mounting/angle of the tie rods, but do not have the energy for the engineering...
Mine does handle well IMHO. It seems to require more lean than the typical two-wheeler for the same turn, and that kinda disturbs folk who are not used to it. I had noticed that in the Youtube vid before I bought this thing, the infamous vid with "fat guy" aboard, so I kinda expected it, but my first ride was a bit disarming. I am thoroughly used to it now, and don't even think twice any more - this one rides like this, the two-wheelers ride like this. It is automatic. The only wide-eye moment I have had lately is rolling into the BP station and getting a bit too close to the concrete pump island with a front wheel - missed it by THIS much... ;D