articulated hub motor

Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
2,054
Location
Washington state
While waiting for wheels for the trike based on an up wrong bike frame ("hammer head") I have the issue of motorizing my wife's urban cart.
This is a Delta style trike with a hub motor on the front wheel. Well that design went out the door due to the fact there is not sufficient weight on the front wheel.
Wife said NO to buying a new motor kit for rear wheel drive (got to have reverse.)
On to plan B, designing an articulated hub drive wheel to mount on the rear of the cart. So then the hub motor will push the cart forward or pull in reverse.
It must be articulated to avoid the wheel scraping sideways while turning a corner.
So then we end up with 4 wheels one 26" in front, two 26" fat tires then a 20" rear hub motor wheel.
Its a solution IMO
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
Given the trike sits on it's three main wheels how will there be any weight on the motor wheel at the back? Could such a system cope with an uneven road? Three wheels always have contact, 4 wheels don't.
 
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
2,054
Location
Washington state
my proposed idea is to have the arm that attaches to the cart have the ability to move up and doen as well as sideways. Not sure if it will work but won't know unless I try.
I got the idea from a surry company that offers similar to make the surry Electric.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
2,384
Location
Wakefield, UK
If you use a rear suspension triangle and mount it to a vertical pivot with a lightweight suspension unit set so the drive wheel touches down an inch or so before the two main rear wheels do (if lowering it to the floor front wheel down first then drive wheel an inch or so before the main rears) it ought to have some weight on it. It'll take that weight off the rears though. Ironically it'll also add weight to the front wheel.
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
3,980
Location
South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
If the hub-motor you have on this Delta trike can work in FWD & Reverse then why not have pedal power on the RH rear wheel and e-motor power on the LH rear wheel (or vice-versa) and just standard front wheel on the front?
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
3,980
Location
South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
I suspect the hub motor is wide enough for a std wheel but not a fattie.
Good point. I had forgotten this was a wide-wheeled beastie.
 
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
2,054
Location
Washington state
been pondering this project but need to purchase some 1 inch box to fabricate the "powered wheelie bar".
A little bit of history on this project, when I first welded up the frame and wheels and seat installed my wife sat on it to confirm handle bar location. Well the trike decided to pop a wheelie and wife ended up on the ground on her back.
No injuries thank goodness. I cut the frame just in front of the rear wheels and re-positioned so it is about a 35 degree angle of the front section. This lowered the COG and told me the front end is light. See pics. Note the main boom WAS straight until I inserted an angle to lower the COG. Te pics show the hub motor installed on front wheel. The front end is too light, no real traction. Thinking of maybe using a suspension shock absorber to push on the "wheelie bar" for added traction in the rear.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
Messages
424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Just curious but what if you lengthened that main boom by say a foot and then moved the seat closer to the front by that foot. It would place your wifes weight ahead of the rear axle. Then suspend the batteries for the motor under that foot shield near as possible to the front.
 
Top