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View Full Version : couple questions for the more experienced



gizmo_22
12-30-2009, 07:41 PM
Hey guys been pondering this for a little while now, has anyone ever thought of casting their own tripples for the dirtbike conversions or inverts on a stock trike? Ive been doing a lot of reading on backyard aluminum casting and it seems like it would make for a simpler solution then working with solid billet. My main concern is would it be strong enough for the abuse that trikes see? Anyways thanks for taking the time to look.

oldskool83
12-30-2009, 08:26 PM
i dont trust it, im a mechanicl drafter that specified grades of metal to be machined for dif things all day long...stay with billet, just have someone machine what you need. i hate cast alum...very much!

jeffatc250r
12-30-2009, 10:37 PM
i dont trust it, im a mechanicl drafter that specified grades of metal to be machined for dif things all day long...stay with billet, just have someone machine what you need. i hate cast alum...very much!

My 250r, 350x and basically every single other bike ive ever had never came with billet machined out tripples and have never had a problem?????????????

cr480r
12-31-2009, 06:16 AM
My 250r, 350x and basically every single other bike ive ever had never came with billet machined out tripples and have never had a problem?????????????

i dont see a problem with cast tripples either...however i do see a problem with cast aluminum tripples that are made in someones backyard... How would a guy go about testing his homemade tripples? ride until he breaks his neck? Or should he quit after he merely knocks all his teeth out? IMO a backyard engineer should aways use overkill materials.. and overkill designs... If I rode my trike hard enough to need inverts, i would want the peace of mind that comes with knowning that my billet clamps were stronger than my frame...

gizmo_22
12-31-2009, 07:28 AM
well as far as testing, if i do go through with casting a set or two would be using a hydraulic press to compare the psi rating at which they bend and or crack and then comparing that to a stock cast piece to see the differences. But again if i do try it i plan on going the overkill route with the design, but like i said earlier i was just kicking around the idea as it would substantially reduce the amount of machining to make a custom set. But thanks for the different opinions guys!

tw05tr0k35
12-31-2009, 08:04 AM
The hardest part of it that I can see is selecting a proper material. I would want to be sure before I started heating and pouring metal that it was going to be right, as Oldskool said there are many different types of aluminum for casting, using the wrong type would be bad. If you did your homework I don't see why it wouldn't work. Not sure that the cost of materials needed to build a mold and heat material would offset the cost of having one or two sets machined, but if you were goanna make a bunch of them it might get cheaper. The stress test is a real good idea too. BTW if your thinking about melting previously cast items known to be made of a specific alloy I would check to make sure re-casting is possible without changing the metal's properties.

oldskool83
12-31-2009, 09:43 AM
My 250r, 350x and basically every single other bike ive ever had never came with billet machined out tripples and have never had a problem?????????????


im fine with stock stuff, it was designed that way for a reason, for homegrown stuff i would not trust it. thats what im trying to say.