My terrain cycle

kayde

Well-Known Member
#1
Hello OldMiniBikes trikers,

Im a long time lurker here, only have access through my phone an it seems with OldMiniBikes changes finally let me join here.

I call myself a tinker.
One evening back in sept i saw this old 3 wheeler on cl i remembered these as a kid but havent seen one in person since.
I have kept a eye out for a heald trike to keep my bronc company but when i saw this one for the price it was close enough for me.
Anyway i havent done much to it yet except research and collect a few needed parts for it.


Pics are from the day i brought it home and just rolled it off my truck.

Im not a fan of the fender at all but i think the floor boards can stay for now.

I found absolutely no identification on it so im inquiring on how to find out what year it is.

My research on these machines online was very vague.
Practically any usefull info i found came from OldMiniBikes.
That other online site ive been a member on has not been as resourceful as here.
An besides im just up and out in the sticks from the warehouse so i feel local.
 

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kayde

Well-Known Member
#2
Hello OldMiniBikes trikers,

Im a long time lurker here, only have access through my phone an it seems with OldMiniBikes changes finally let me join here.

I call myself a tinker.
One evening back in sept i saw this old 3 wheeler on cl i remembered these as a kid but havent seen one in person since.
I have kept a eye out for a heald trike to keep my bronc company but when i saw this one for the price it was close enough for me.
Anyway i havent done much to it yet except research and collect a few needed parts for it.


Pics are from the day i brought it home and just rolled it off my truck.

Im not a fan of the fender at all but i think the floor boards can stay for now.

I found absolutely no identification on it so im inquiring on how to find out what year it is.

My research on these machines online was very vague.
Practically any usefull info i found came from OldMiniBikes.
That other online site ive been a member on has not been as resourceful as here.
An besides im just up and out in the sticks from the warehouse so i feel local.
 
#5
Nice find......! You have a trike made by Central States Tool and Die (CESTAD) around 1970 ish.
These were also sold by Montgomery Ward under their name. Mine is an MW version.

You have the desirable “fat” tire front end......it was also sold with a smaller, skinnier front wheel and tire.
There were two styles of frames, too. Mine is the straight tube version.
You have the curved, bolt together tube to allow for easier transport.

Pretty sure yours would have been equipped with a Tecumseh 8hp. HM80, with a lighting coil equipped fywheel to power the head and tailight that were originally on it. Mine was adult owned and still has original seat upholstery, front fender, and mudflap. I restored the original motor, but , decided to install a newer Tecumseh 11hp. motor with and on board electric starter. The flywheel from the 8hp. engine fit on the 11hp. engine, so I can power lights and charge the battery.

You have a really nice piece that is worthy of restoration!

EE6B82D7-421F-4CAB-8EC9-162226FD39F5.jpeg 5F12CBC1-136D-483E-82F2-BAC1976E1576.jpeg
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#6
All great info, i had read about the tool & die co. Making these trikes but i wasnt sure on how to know which ones were made where.

Anyways since last post i pulled apart the headset cleaned it up and back together with new bearings and my homebrew headlite from misc parts.
I have new cables,throttle,brake bands and levers ready to go so i figured i would go over the axle before hand
but dang i couldnt budge the hubs at all so i dropped out the complete axle.

Any tips from experience on getting these off without any damage.

Im no stranger to stuck parts but experience on the task at hand trumps all.
We all like pics so
Home brew headlite
The replacement 20181231_122729.jpg ohv briggs
And the axle.
 

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kayde

Well-Known Member
#9
well, mine came off ok, but maybe a slide hammer with a bunch of penetrant?

Thank you,
Im a believer in the acetone/atf penetrate concoction.
Ive sprayed one side down with it for 3 days now and will continue till i get some real time to work on it and try the slide hammer.

I hope i can getm off without heat now.
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#10
My wheel flanges had that perfect coating of rust to the point i never noticed the axles go clear through the hubs, my large gear puller pushed the hubs off far enough after that a pry bar wedged in the lugs gave me the leverage to be able to turn them on the axles after more lube an a few wacks i finally got them off.
I will say these axles are #4 on my most toughest part ever to remove without destruction list...they were seriously on there.

A press would've been ideal had i noticed they went straight through the hub i wouldve been rite up to use a friends press.

Surprisingly after that everything else was a breeze.
Figured i would fight with the bearing collers too but they loosened rite up an came off easy.
I attribute that too the atf/acetone mixture that i saturated everything with for a week.

After opening the peerless and finding the c clips both broke on the first attempt with the clip pliers.

The original c clips are alot thicker than the replacements i aquired from my local ace hardware so i got extras an figured I'll double them up.
They also had new bronze bushings since mine were just a bit worn.
Also had one diff bolt with a sheared off head and one with a worn groove in it.
I got new nylocs nuts and grade 8's to replace them with.

The housing an gears look ok nothing severly galled,cracked or overly worn.

Bentonite grease is next on the list to find. Oh an forgot to get some grades 8's to bolt the hubs to the axle.

Ive also decided to upgrade to a 40 series converter.
i can return the 30 series tav to my ez rider project that i stole it from.

As of now the tricycle sits with just a seat an headlite until the real fun starts.

With the weather coming this weekend i just might find myself stranded out in the garage.
An if it looks fun enough out ill open the door my super bronc has been kicking at an let it rip up some snow.
 

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#11
Nice job getting her apart for rebuilding.!
We’re expecting 6-10 inches tomorrow night. These trikes are a blast in the snow!
But, it’s important that the individual rear brakes are working good and are adjusted for
good control in a slide!
keep up the updates, you have a real fun trike
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#12
Roadmaster,
Your ride is sweet, seriously wish i can find a original front fender.
I noticed on yours the headlite bracket is on the topside of the forks where as mine is on the bottom did that have something to do with a sticker?

Question for you,
Does yours have any sort of belt guard?


I have a few more questions too ask anyone who has experience with these frames.

Are any of these holes supposed to be there?
1. The two closer to the center near the flange look to be for the cables to pass through.
Yes/no

2. The two holes on top of that lower seat tube?
No idea what these couldve been for.
The two behind the seat seem to have the same spacing even though they are off set from the first set.

The big hole in the trip tree had a toggle thats ok.
3. How bout the others and are they factory?

4. Also on the seat frame towards the outer corner there is a dimpled hole?
Thinkin drain hole here, but on the side of the tube?

5.Just below the neck is a hole in the main tube that drilled in at a angle?
Im thinkin this hole was someones idea. Perhaps for wires?

6.What is the stud and flat bracket for in the back?

7. Also was there a purpose for the forward engine plate slots?

I dont wanna put this all back together and find out i welded up holes that are supposed to be there.

Any ideas or thoughts please.
 

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kayde

Well-Known Member
#14
Update,

Peerless back together and reinstalled.
I pulled the seals on the original bearings cleaned, regreased an resealed.
Jackshaft,chain,sprocket and 40 series driven installed.
Throttle, grips, levers installed.
My cables are half way as my new brake bands stationary eyelets need some minor tweaking too fit and grip the drums perfectly.
 

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kayde

Well-Known Member
#16
very nice work!
Bet you cant wait to ride it!

Absolutely...

Brakes are done... onto setting up the throttle.
Still gotta fab up a fitted exhaust pipe, run the wiring & make a battery tray/box and mount the engine.

Been thinking about a set of street friendly tires on extra rims so i can swap them out when i want.
A extra front tire an rim that looks and works correct is gonna be tough.

I still have a rupp scrambler project i wanna get too before spring.
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#17
Finally got to ride this trike.

I installed a 11 hp briggs with a 40 series.
Rebuilt the peerles differential,
new bearings in the neck and front wheel.

I made two easy going laps around our villige staying on the road.
On the street its a very smooth ride.

I couldnt keep the new throttle tight enough on the bars. I thought i had got it tight enough, but half way through my ride the top half of the brand new throttle broke off. Hopefully i can swap the original peice onto the new tube.

Even with that small problem and lots of work still to do it was still a freakin hoot too ride.
 

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#18
Congrats!

Just be careful with that big ole 11hp! When I get frisky with mine......feels like Im about to go over.
they are quite smooth going down the road, tho. Great job.
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#19
Having 11 hp on tap was nice for chugging through the deeper snow.

I found out how much frisky it takes to roll it over out on the street...it dont take much. lol

I started to make a exhaust with a homemade glass pack muffer to quite it down a bit from the open pipe i had clamped on it.
I had previously made a stepped exhaust manifold i can slide and clamp on either one of the setups.

Heres my tacked together idea.
The through pipe has about 100 cross drilled holes with glass matting wrapped around it.
Im thinkin on a solid mount that utilizes the unused engine slots.
Also still need too trim the tailpipe.

I gotta secure the pipe and go for a test ride before i fully stitch it up.
 

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kayde

Well-Known Member
#20
Figured its been awhile heres a bit of a update.

After building the exhaust i turned my attention too the electrics, since this motor don't have a charge coil i just used a nice gel battery with a tender mounted on it and made a secure hold down.
Ran wires for the headlite and leads for a wolf whistle that i can clip on/off the main tube.
Also ran wires for a brake light but thats bundled up as i figure some switches out.

A while back the new neck bearings started getting sloppy turns out the snap ring on the top bearing failed, put another of the same type in an its been good so far.

Ive put some time into this nikki carb and got it too perform outstandingly well. I like the nikki design over the original walbro even though there isnt much difference between the two.
I have a genuine mikuni to try out and install once i get a few questions answered about it.

Overall Im really amazed at the performance of this whole contraption, the two band brakes work outstandingly well. Them and the differential make gravel roads all the more fun.

I had it out on a 17 mi. Midnite ripp ride around our macadam and gravel back roads without a single glitch.
That nite i had a average of 36 mph and a top speed of 54 mph.

My previous attempt at top speed only netted 44 mph that was before i tinkered with the carb and on flat ground.

Of course i cheated this time and was going down a hill tucked low with it all twisted up till the valves floated.

I just had too see what it was capable of cause usually its just putted around the neighborhood.

Im not approveing of this type of behavior but DANG! That was a fun ride.

The best part was the trike and i survived the ride, and the though check over once back revealed nothing was over heated or even looked abused...

Except my seat looked too have a bit of tinkle on it.


Enjoy
 

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