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Thread: Xt550 trike conversion build thread

  1. #1
    plevib's Avatar
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    Xt550 trike conversion build thread

    OK I started a project last year that never got too far off the ground. The goal was to use my heavily modified 1982 xt550 with 2003 yz450 suspension and this pile of things to add a 3rd wheel! With inspiration from kasey's conversions I collected a 04 yzf swing arm, some vtx triples, and a 200x hub and wheel. But alas, the lathe at work died and I couldn't go any further than a quick mock up in the rear. So I put the bike back on 2 wheels for the summer. I picked up a wr500 and my dad has basically claimed the 550 so I'd feel bad turning it into a trike on him haha.... I'd pretty much abandoned the project as others fell in my lap


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    Last edited by plevib; 11-06-2017 at 11:08 PM.
    Atc 500x for the win! (Hopefully.... one day)

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    But thanks to these two screaming deals this project is back on the roster! I picked up this lathe for 500. Then low and behold, the next weekend a 1982 xt550 popped up for 300 bucks! I ended up giving him 200 due to a damaged case and broken shift shaft. The bike was wrecked, plastics are shot, rear wheel is bent, handlebars, kickstand ect... but she is complete and looks like she'll run without too much effort!



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    Front setup plan:
    I have 02 yz450 forks on order and vtx triples prepped for the forks. I'm going to play with a yfz front hub to see about using that as the front setup. Reason being it will be easier to make work, brake parts are cheap and plentiful, and most of all it will allow me to use a stock yfz front wheel (and rear because of swing arm choice). This means cheap wheels and plentiful tire choices! Yfz front caliper with custom caliper bracket. However, if I don't think it'll work well or be strong enough then I'll have to fall back on modifying the 200x hub and brake setup.
    Probably tri z front fender and headlight shroud with led lights (handily this bike has a DC lighting coil already so I won't even have to touch the wiring)
    I do have a question here, should I try to turn the forks and make them trailing front axle instead of leading? I have a fuzzy grasp of how it'll affect handling and it seems that trikes are trailing so I expect it is the way to go

    Rear setup plan:
    2004 yfz rear swing arm, linkage and shock, brakes ect. I know this is a reasonable easy swap as I have already done this on the other bike. Major obstacle is frame modification. But again this allows Me to buy a set of wheels and tires for a yfz and bolt them on without issue.

    Frame mods required:
    First of all I'll have to make an adapter for the frame with the new shock. I've done this on the black bike (http://advrider.com/index.php?thread...rades.1088470/) with great success! Been beating on it for 3 years without any issues and great performance. I will probably make a few shock mounting points so I can play with rake angles and ride height and stuff. I know nothing about proper frame geometry so I'll try to copy my 84r to get it close and I'll dial it in from there. Pointers are welcome!

    Have to drill out the swing arm bolt and make custom mounts for foot pegs. Again I'll use yfz foot pegs (and possibly heel guards or nerf bars) for parts availability and price.
    I will build a custom sub frame so the 84r fender and seat that I'm using fits properly and gives me a ride height that I'm happy with. I will also likely put the seat on a hinge as the rear kick on the starter would mean I'd have to take the seat off to start it (which is annoying. Biggest irritation of my 500x build haha)

    Name:
    I don't know what I should call this. I'm not a yamaha trike guy so I don't really know their designations well. I would guess 550dx. At 38 hp stock and disc brakes and great suspension it'll be able to get around a track or the woods fairly fast. But it's 4 stroke and won't exactly be a racing model so tri-z doesn't seem right. Although the dx seemed more like Hondas sx line, ie more trail/work not meant for high speed or airtime. The name is clearly a crucial part of the build.

    anyways forks will be in by the weekend so I'll probably start playing with the front setup. Winter is setting in pretty good so I've got around 6 months here in ND to get it built. But hopefully progress will be fairly steady



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    Last edited by plevib; 11-21-2017 at 09:02 PM.
    Atc 500x for the win! (Hopefully.... one day)

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    I liked your 84 atc500 project and am looking forward to this one now. Maybe call it a Tri-XT550?

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    plevib's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 350for350 View Post
    I liked your 84 atc500 project and am looking forward to this one now. Maybe call it a Tri-XT550?
    Thanks! I've the the 500x torn apart right now for a little reworking and lots of engine upgrades. Should be a monster when it's done! http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?t=177712

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    So what are you doing to upgrade the engine? I'm curious since I have a XR500 plus an extra XR500 engine that came with it. The spare is SLOWLY being built with an EdCo 600 kit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 350for350 View Post
    So what are you doing to upgrade the engine? I'm curious since I have a XR500 plus an extra XR500 engine that came with it. The spare is SLOWLY being built with an EdCo 600 kit.
    It's all at the end of that build thread I posted. Still 500cc for mine, 12:1 wiseco, full port for 42mm carb and 28mm header tubes, clutch springs, oil cooler, remove counter balancer, xr flywheel, ect.... should be a beast haha. Got a build thread for yours?

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    No. As of right now, I'm planning on keeping it in the bike. I will have the stocker going so I can ride it next summer. After the big bore is built and installed on the bike, who knows?

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    Woohoo! Moving right along! Got my forks in and on the triples. I turned 1mm off the end of a xs1100 rear axle to make it fit the clamps. And I used a 04 yfz front hub. On the hub the inner bearing is 20mm i.d. but the outer is 15mm i.d. I pulled it to test fit on the axle. The bearing I removed is 15 i.d. 35 o.d. 11 width. Some cross references and googling and I found that blaster inner bearings are 20 i.d. 37 o.d. 9 width. So I'm gonna turn 1mm off the hub to make it fit. ("What if you, being inexperienced on a lathe, wreck said hub," you may be asking. Ah, see I bought two for just that reason!) Prime shipping so it should be here Wednesday

    I have a front wheel on order as well as some 20mm i.d. tubing. The tubing is coming from China so..... I'll probably just use some random pipe to make temporary spacers.

    Rear shock is also on order. I will start tearing the bike down as soon as I button up the dang sled taking up all the room in my garage haha

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  10. #10
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    Lathes and mills are a handy thing to have around when cross breeding parts lol
    If its on the internet its got to be true they can't put any lie's on the internet

  11. #11
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    Pretty!

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    Some pictures of the donor bike. There is a hole in the case by the shifter shaft (knub...) which is a big reason why the bike was 200 bucks haha. Also milled the hub to use a blaster bearing. Time to bolt the front on for a mock up!

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    Your cranking right along with this project....Excellent!

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    My first yamaha big wheel! Haha... Now I'm getting freaking excited! This thing is gonna be a monster! A tall monster haha..... I'm 6 4 and 240 so that's not such a bad thing though

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  15. #15
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    Continued the bike tear down. Found a little redneck engineering as well as a very nice surprise! Every fellow xt550 owner will tell you the stock carbs are utter garbage. Cable primary and vacuum secondary (which didn't even work from the factory). The bike would bog after half throttle no matter what you did. So on my first 550 I tried two vm28's, which worked very well but was very hard to fit and caused a heavy twist. My suspension modifications allowed me too use a grizzly intake and a 38mm mikuni which is perfect! Easy to tune, light twist, again hard to make fit but ultimately it a REALLY woke my old thumper up! I was planning on doing that same setup on this trike conversion, until I noticed that someone has already swapped out for a dual keihin! (I have no idea what machine they are from) so that saves me like 150 bucks and I'm fairly confident that I can get these carbs working great on this bike. This setup even retains the handle bar choke, which is a nice addition!

    Should have the rear swinger mocked up very soon!

    I'm tempted to plug the hole in the case just to see if this beast will run....

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