Now mine....

[ataDude]

Stebel truck horn....

.... I must be slacking off. This week the only new goody is a Stebel air horn. It's approximately 6" cubed and is a heavy current draw... instructions say to use a 30 amp fuse... so I did.

I had several electrical problems with this install... probably because of the Spyder's CAN-BUS electrical system. So... I did a little more than one would usually do to hook up a horn. For example, one continuing problem that resulted from hooking it up to my accessory-switched add-on fuse box entailed the horn continuously honking after the 15-second delay ended for the switched power. Strange stuff from the CAN-BUS system.

I wound up leaving the the stock horn intact... so that the "system" would be dual tone. The Stebel states it is a 300 m/h horn... the stock is about 500-600 m/h. They sound good together.

The stock horn is negatively-switched (surprise). In order to overcome the Can-Bus gremlins, I tapped both the positive and negative connections at the stock horn and ran the new wires back to the relay (supplied with the Stebel). I also used a direct battery connection for a power supply instead of one of my open fuse circuits. Ground for the horn also comes directly from the battery.

The relay connections used were as follows:
#30 - positive directly from battery (fused at 30 amps)
#86 - positive from tapping into the existing horn
#85 - negative from tapping into the existing horn
#87 - positive to the Stebel's positive terminal

A separate ground wire from the battery was run to the negative Stebel horn terminal.

Mounting: only one hole needed to be drilled for mounting using the bolt/nut that came with the horn. See the second picture.

This is not one of the high-toned motorcycle-specific horns. It does sound like a car or truck. I like it!

BTW, I purchased it on eBay (with a spare) for about $45 each, shipped. Search "stebel truck" and you'll find it. I have used "Freeway Blasters" (non-air) on other bikes and they are about the same as this.

 

[bjt]

Dang. 30 amps for a horn. I'd invest in some good ear protection. :shocked::hun:

 

[ataDude]

I was surprised, too. It is loud but not that much louder than the "Freeway Blasters" from Pep Boys.

Dang. 30 amps for a horn. I'd invest in some good ear protection. :shocked::hun:

 

[ataDude]

High Temp Paint...

... I finally found a black, very high-temp paint/ceramic coating that works... that won't burn off of the exhaust elbow or Supertrapp muffler. O'Reilly Auto Parts has it in my area as well as Summit Racing online.

Update 3/2009: I found a better solution. Works well, applies evenly and produces a better result that lasts longer:

 

[bjt]

Glad you found that. I was going to post a similar product I saw in the Motosports catalog I just got. DEI silicone coating. Its listed as good for up to 1500 degrees.

 

[ataDude]

Forward pegs....

... I just installed "araneae"...Bryan's... highway peg mount. Very easy to install (15 minutes) and will serve it's purposes well. Contact "araneae" on this forum for his current price. The "stubs" that extend out to the side, BTW, were already threaded 1/2" x 20 tpi. Bryan does provide another metric threaded option, I think.

I spent an hour or so browsing the local Harley mega-dealership for options. I informed the parts guy what I was making and he was more than helpful to someone without a HD... great service!

These HD accessories are what I used for my pegs:

1. 34023-08 HD Black billet shift and brake lever SET, MSRP $129.95; and
2. 34690-08 HD Diamond Black Shifter Pegs, MSRP 16.95 each, times two.

As always, I wanted something just a little different and BLACK. Sooner or later, there will be NO silver on my tricycle.

I wouldn't want to stand on these but... for intermittent change of feet position, these work well... plus they look just downright cool.

As an added "plus", they are locked in place two ways... (1) 1/2"x20 jam nuts on the back sides and (2) pinch bolts built into the levers. I did have to tap the large HD lever holes to match Bryan's mounts... that's no big deal IF you have the 1/2"x20 tap.

My lower leg position is relatively straight-up (knees at a 90* angle) with my feet on the new pegs.

 

[ataDude]

Quieter exhaust...

... did you ever want to tone down your exhaust for trips?

A week ago, I ground down a shower drain cap (see below) to fit (forcefully) between the 90* Hindle pipe and the stock head pipe. If you buy a 3" drain ($3-$4 at your hardware store), grinding is minimal to match the required 2.875" needed for a force fit.

End result? A slightly more subdued exhaust note (-3-5 db) at cruising speed but it still retains the "bark" with some throttle. There was no noticeable decrease in performance or engine heat.

UPDATE: Use a thick steel version. I burned the brass one totally out on a three-day trip.

 

[Bimjo]

Now there's some pegs I could imagine using. Unlike most you see that make it look like you're riding a 55 gallon drum.

 

[ataDude]

Now there's some pegs I could imagine using. Unlike most you see that make it look like you're riding a 55 gallon drum.

That's why I liked Bryan's mount... legs are not spread wide apart.

.

 

[bjt]

Now there's some pegs I could imagine using. Unlike most you see that make it look like you're riding a 55 gallon drum.

:agree:

 

[retread]

grip puppies

When I put Grip Puppies on, I use a long, thin screwdriver, and slide it around the inside of the Puppie as I slide it on. Both Puppies go on in less than 5 minutes. 'Course, that's with the soapy water. In fact, the right hand one went on far enough that it would act like a cruise control for a few seconds.

 

[ataDude]

Midnight Warrior Exhaust...

... Well, I said I liked black exhausts better.

This one is from a Yahama/Star "Midnight" Warrior... all black. It was easier (and probably cheaper) to buy than to try to ceramic coat the chrome one.

 

[ataDude]

Well, I said...

... I'd probably never buy another Corbin product... I should have listened to myself. See this post for background: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=43044&postcount=38

This is the Corbin rear fender available for $229 + shipping. I was going to make one but... instead I bought.

The gelcoat finish is excellent as well as the "semi-frenched" in license plate and LED plate lights. The pearlized yellow color matches the factory paint exactly.

The LED license frame comes chrome from Corbin... I painted it black to match the bike. It does light the license plate very well.

On-line order to receipt at my house was seven days. They've improved their delivery!

But, the fit is not particularly good and the install is a bear.

Install: Corbin opted to mold in the mounting bolts instead of having "through" bolts like the stock fender. While the look is better, the install is a bugger if you have normal (or large) sized hands. I had to first secure the mounting washers with long needle-nose pliers and RTV, then play with the mounting nuts for a couple of hours (there's only four!) to get the thing mounted. An easier and less time consuming / frustrating install probably involves the removal of the side brackets from the bike first -or- removing the rear wheel. Either option is also time consuming.

Fit: Note the gap on the second picture (red arrow). This is not an installation problem... the fender mold is too thick at the front mounting bolts to allow a flush... or even close-to-flush fit. Because the mounting bolts are molded in, there's no easy way to grind the inside of the fender down to make a better fit. At least the gap is the same on both sides. The next time I tinker, I will place a few washers between the rear/lower fender mounts and the fender, itself, to make the gap the same as the top/upper.

Wiring: The LED wiring goes through the fender and exits within 1/2" of the tire. Some extra work is required to secure it out of the way... I used RTV to "cement" the wires out of the way of the tire. However, the shrink-wrapped wire does appear to be subject to probable destruction with a little mud or a few rocks. Again, the next time I tinker and have this off, I will make a cover of some sort for the wiring to help prevent damage.

Style: Although an optical illusion, the lower tip seems to flair out instead of staying in sync with the curve of the tire. Weird. Overall, I'll keep it... particularly as Corbin doesn't allow for refunds. See the above embedded post.

Instructions: Although this is a relatively simple (but time-consuming) install, there were NO instructions regarding whether or not to use the inner fender panel (I didn't... I didn't want to cut it)... or anything, for that matter. Nada, none, zip.

More troubles here: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=63725&postcount=110

 

[ataDude]

Twin Supertrapps...

... Chapter Six, Exhaust Fetish. :clap:

I just finished with the twin Supertrapp system... I'll call it the "One Brother Exhaust" -or- the sideways Y factor... >-

There's approximately 25-30 hours of my labor involved in making/welding/grinding/painting the junction, heat shield and 1/8" thick x 1" wide mild steel hangers and muffler "joiners".

I used a 2-1 exhaust junction (2.25 OD x 2 and 2.5" OD) from SummitRacing.com along with another welded-in 2.5" ID x 2.25 ID reducer. The manufacturer's (Dynamax) welding was as crappy looking as mine so a heat-shield was needed to cover the welding. BTW, the correct junction with all of the right sizes was not available... at least that I could find.

The formed heat shield with my desired curved edges represented the biggest challenge. McMaster-Carr (internet) was the supplier of the perforated aluminum (.050" thick with 1/16" holes) along with the threaded heat-shield stand-offs which were then welded onto the junction. Service was fast... two days from order to receipt.

The shield was formed by using a rubber mallet; and 2", 2.5" and 3" PVC pipe as the "anvil". The shield covers all of the welds plus the three band clamps. I'll need to make a trip to the local specialty hardware store this coming week for some black oxide hardware and some stainless acorn nuts. I used what I had for now to put it together.

In the future, I may have another try at a slightly different design in the heat shield.

Finally, only three disks were used per pipe... to keep the sound down. The results? It sounds a lot like the Hindle. See the other Supertrapp post in this thread for how the sound is affected by these disks.

.

 

[bjt]

Pretty slick. I'm not sure what kind of welder you have but a decent MIG welder and a grinder should allow you to produce nice looking weld joints and clean up a production piece's welds. I'm only saying this because I would like to see this setup without the heatshield.

 

[ataDude]

Pretty slick. I'm not sure what kind of welder you have but a decent MIG welder and a grinder should allow you to produce nice looking weld joints and clean up a production piece's welds. I'm only saying this because I would like to see this setup without the heatshield.

Hey, Brian. I have a 110V Lincoln .035 wire welder... it's MIG capable but not equipped.

I would never let anyone see this junction without the cover... unless its from 50 feet away. No binoculars allowed.

I have an idea for the next version that will keep welding to a minimum... just one "all-the-way-around" weld instead of three. I am getting better, though, at welding. I've never had a problem with structural soundness... only appearance.

It did make me feel a little better that the factory's weld was just as crappy as mine. In fact, I had to repair a hole in theirs.

When I re-did the Valk, I was brand new to welding... in fact, that's why I bought the Lincoln... sheet metal only. That job was 100% sheet metal so I could weld, then grind flat and "erase" the crappy weld. I would think on exhaust seams that the weld should remain for structural purposes.

 

[Roaddog2]

... Chapter Six, Exhaust Fetish. :clap:

I just finished with the twin Supertrapp system... I'll call it the "One Brother Exhaust" -or- the sideways Y factor... >-

There's approximately 25-30 hours of my labor involved in making/welding/grinding/painting the junction, heat shield and 1/8" thick x 1" wide mild steel hangers and muffler "joiners".

I used a 2-1 exhaust junction (2.25 OD x 2 and 2.5" OD) from SummitRacing.com along with another welded-in 2.5" ID x 2.25 ID reducer. The manufacturer's (Dynamax) welding was as crappy looking as mine so a heat-shield was needed to cover the welding. BTW, the correct junction with all of the right sizes was not available... at least that I could find.

The formed heat shield with my desired curved edges represented the biggest challenge. McMaster-Carr (internet) was the supplier of the perforated aluminum (.050" thick with 1/16" holes) along with the threaded heat-shield stand-offs which were then welded onto the junction. Service was fast... two days from order to receipt.

The shield was formed by using a rubber mallet; and 2", 2.5" and 3" PVC pipe as the "anvil". The shield covers all of the welds plus the three band clamps. I'll need to make a trip to the local specialty hardware store this coming week for some black oxide hardware and some stainless acorn nuts. I used what I had for now to put it together.

In the future, I may have another try at a slightly different design in the heat shield.

Finally, only three disks were used per pipe... to keep the sound down. The results? It sounds a lot like the Hindle. See the other Supertrapp post in this thread for how the sound is affected by these disks.

.

:2thumbs:

 

[bjt]

Hey, Brian. I have a 110V Lincoln .035 wire welder... it's MIG capable but not equipped.

I would never let anyone see this junction without the cover... unless its from 50 feet away. No binoculars allowed.

I have an idea for the next version that will keep welding to a minimum... just one "all-the-way-around" weld instead of three. I am getting better, though, at welding. I've never had a problem with structural soundness... only appearance.

It did make me feel a little better that the factory's weld was just as crappy as mine. In fact, I had to repair a hole in theirs.

When I re-did the Valk, I was brand new to welding... in fact, that's why I bought the Lincoln... sheet metal only. That job was 100% sheet metal so I could weld, then grind flat and "erase" the crappy weld. I would think on exhaust seams that the weld should remain for structural purposes.

I tried using one of those 110volt wire welders before and I couldn't weld very good with it either. I don't think it had enough oomph to weld the metal I was trying to join together. I'm not sure if it would have worked any better setup as a MIG welder or not. Most of the MIG welders I've used were in a welding business / factory. They ran off of 240volts and probably cost at least a few thousand dollars. Those ones can do a very nice job on thin metal or pipe. At my home, I have one of those old Lincoln 225 stick welders. I'm not sure how well it would work on exhaust pipe butt welds but it works good on heavier metal, pipe and tubing.

I wonder if brazing would be strong enough for exhaust pipe?

 

[ataDude]

I tried using one of those 110volt wire welders before and I couldn't weld very good with it either. I don't think it had enough oomph to weld the metal I was trying to join together. I'm not sure if it would have worked any better setup as a MIG welder or not. Most of the MIG welders I've used were in a welding business / factory. They ran off of 240volts and probably cost at least a few thousand dollars. Those ones can do a very nice job on thin metal or pipe. At my home, I have one of those old Lincoln 225 stick welders. I'm not sure how well it would work on exhaust pipe butt welds but it works good on heavier metal, pipe and tubing.

I wonder if brazing would be strong enough for exhaust pipe?

I have an idea for version 2 which would reduce welding to one joint (maybe two) and dramatically reduce the size of the heat shield... if it's even needed.

Stay tuned... have already ordered the raw parts. :yes::yes::yes:

Regarding ooomp... it seems to have plenty... have welded the grinder stand post to the base... worked well. Also 1/4" thick steel... no problem as long as the edges are beveled.

I just love this stuff. I used to be a mid-level exec in a Fortune 50 company... but this stuff... this is fun!

.

 

[NancysToy]

I tried using one of those 110volt wire welders before and I couldn't weld very good with it either. I don't think it had enough oomph to weld the metal I was trying to join together. I'm not sure if it would have worked any better setup as a MIG welder or not. Most of the MIG welders I've used were in a welding business / factory. They ran off of 240volts and probably cost at least a few thousand dollars. Those ones can do a very nice job on thin metal or pipe. At my home, I have one of those old Lincoln 225 stick welders. I'm not sure how well it would work on exhaust pipe butt welds but it works good on heavier metal, pipe and tubing.

I wonder if brazing would be strong enough for exhaust pipe?

My wire welder is 110V, too. OK for small stuff, but not as controllable as the more expensive jobs. Big difference if you use it on clean metal as a MIG welder with inert gas, instead of using flux-cored wire. Wish I could afford a TIG. Handy as a shirt pocket, though. I also have a Lincoln buzz-box, and that is difficult on small stuff, although with practice it will do heavy stainless sheet metal. Easy to blow a hole. Old-fashioned gas welding suits me the best, but I am horribly out of practice. Those welds hammer down so nicely. No need to grind. I have torches, too, and have brazed exhausts, but they don't hold up, even with lap welds. The braze eventually cracks from the different expansion rates and the vibration. In the end, it is like the clarinet, you have to practice a lot to be good. I take mine to someone who welds daily if it needs to be pretty.
-Scotty