Building Electric-Powered Bicycle Camper (PART 4)

Part 1: • Building Electric-Powe...
Part 2: • Building Electric-Powe...
Part 3: • Building Electric-Powe...
Weight calculations, CG calculations, and costs will be updated here: docs.google.co...
I've moved into my parents' two-car garage for the winter to keep working. My little 10'x10' shop won't cut it anymore. I'm going to install an electric heater so that I can apply the body panels using 3m VHB tape at the minimum recommended temperature of 10 degrees Celsius / 50 Fahrenheit.
I've also decided to break my silence and talk through what you're seeing as well. Please let me know if I'm missing things you're interested in hearing about.
Again, the goal is to build a durable bicycle camper with its own electric motor in the front wheel working in tandem with my towing cargo bicycle for an all-wheel-drive economical world-travel machine.
Here I start welding the top body frame. I'm welding directly to the main frame bed for a monocoque design - should be quite strong! Maybe even keep a bear out long enough to reach the bear spray.
Next, it looks like I'll have to make my own stabilizer legs using aluminum stock square tubing and my local machine shop to get a nice tight fit between the two tubes telescoping within each other. I can't find anything after-market that isn't too heavy and overkill.
After the electric heater is installed, and stabilizer legs sorted, I'll sheath the entire thing with aluminum composite panels. I'll use a V-groove router bit specifically made to cut grooves in this material which allow you to bend it up to 45 degrees and have less seams overall = less points of potential leakage in the future and less trim work at the end.

[@thomashughes_teh]

The rail trail access restriction bollards in many places are 36 or 32 inches apart. I have a 31 inch total wide recumbent trike that barely fits some of them. If I were designing a future forward rail trail friendly trailer I'd limit the outside total width to 31 to any aspect less than 37 inches above grade. to clear the usual 36inch height.

[@Jerbrown]

Yes, for that purpose. But to sleep in if you’re my size, better to have the space I think and miss out on some trails. Depends on what you prioritize.

[@JoshuaPriceChannel]

I'm thinking of being a nomad. I want to be totally unplugged for every aspect of life.

[@Jerbrown]

Thinking of equipping this build with a Starlink satellite for internet on the road, in the mountains, in the desert.

[@JoshuaPriceChannel]

@@Jerbrown 5G is a weapon!!

[@JoshuaPriceChannel]

The 5G towers were found to have COVID 19 printed on circuit boards inside.

[@Jerbrown]

@@JoshuaPriceChannel 😅

[@nathanmciver6496]

Best!

[@Bicycle_Fungi]

Great to see the creative process unfolding. Very interesting.

[@andreassievers1715]

normally the power grips are used for large caravan tents

[@Jerbrown]

Power grips? Not sure what those are after googling. Have a link? Thanks

[@Jerbrown]

Oh I see what you mean: www.qualitycaravanawnings.com/products/walker-easy-power-grips?variant=42190083588

[@alexhofvander]

Just had to become a subscriber right away. This is very cool.

[@Jerbrown]

Thanks Alex, been enjoying your projects on the FB group too!

[@greggiovanni4788]

Other than that man this is brilliant I really like this

[@fuckyoutube420times]

Sometimes simple steps makes big progress. May Allah make you successful at your work.

[@Jerbrown]

Thanks!

[@greggiovanni4788]

Okay man I'm sorry I'll see you have the electric hub on the front

[@Jerbrown]

All good. I’m with you :)

[@AlphaChadBricks]

Right now I'm having a tough time planning how I will attach the axels to the frame. How much did you bike axles cost, and where did you find them? So far, I'm considering the Wike DIY bike trailer kit. That kit comes with 20" wheels, and I was hoping to find out if the size can be increased to 26". I'm having a bit of a tough time finding out info about bike trailer axles....

[@Jerbrown]

I highly recommend going with some kind of suspension. It makes a world of difference in stability. I used the flexiride torsion axles rated for 425 lbs/pair.

[@stevep4713]

I. LIKE YOUR WORK OR WAY OF DOING THINGS WELL IN THE END I MET THIS GUY THAT BUILT A FULL SIZE AUTO. HE STARTS FROM SCRACH A PIES OF METAL THE SIZE OF YOUR HAND HAMERD AND SHAPED TO ATACH TO SOME OTHER PIESES ON A DOLLIE 2 YEARS LATTER HE HAD SLIDIING WINDOW DOORS TO GET HIS CAR OUT OF THE LIVING ROOM.. ❤WHAT YOU DOING NO NEED TO EXPLAIN YOUR SELF EVER.

[@Jerbrown]

Interesting!

[@kentjefferies723]

Hi Jeremiah. love your project! I'm interested in what type of hub motor you are using & the associated accessories that go with it?

[@Jerbrown]

Hi Kent, thanks! I’m using Grin All-Axle hubs, cycle analyst, and phaserunner controllers. You can buy complete kits from them: ebikes.ca

[@kentjefferies723]

@@Jerbrown can you please elaborate on the specifics of your axle, & the benefits of using it? are you currently touring with your rig? thanks

[@Jerbrown]

@@kentjefferies723 I'm using torsion half axles (by Flexiride). I consider them absolutely crucial to the stability of the camper, not to mention the smoother ride over rough streets/terrain. They are silent, which was another key consideration for me. I love silence. Silent hub motor/controller combos, silent suspension, silence, silence, silence! I am currently in the testing phase - many short trips of 20 km or less. So far, everything is working as I hoped for. New video coming soon. Cheers!

[@kentjefferies723]

@@Jerbrown this is totally new territory! I ventured onto the flexiride website. Their half axel promo involved trailers for automotive use with a min of 425Ibs. Specifically what alterations did you carry out on the bicycle wheels to fit them to the axel? What particular model torsion half axles model to you purchase to suit this application &/or what modifications took place so everything would fit? thanks

[@Jerbrown]

@@kentjefferies723 Hi Kent, I had them machined down to 20mm spindles to fit bicycle thru axle standard. Yes, I went with the 425 lb version

[@greggiovanni4788]

Hey man I just come across this and looks pretty cool I really like to build something like this but let me ask you have you ever thought about using the electric hub drives for your wheels running them all and sequence so they work together I did it on a trike. Should probably work on this

[@Jerbrown]

I have, but I want to keep it simple for this one. My tests found that one motor in each of the bike and trailer is plenty for my purposes.

[@greggiovanni4788]

@@Jerbrown that is really cool man I was building electric chopper bikes and motorized chopper bikes before these two storms took my shop out here in lake Charles Louisiana I saw your video and thought that is really cool man I was designing something like that for a chiropractor I put electric hub on his trailer for his bite is electric bike so when they go deer hunting they can get to their stands without making noise I even put a little light pulley thing on it so he can lift his stuff up to his blind with his wheel lol. Anyway have a good day man keep up the great work you need any help holler I'm bored living in a FEMA trailer lol

[@Jerbrown]

@@greggiovanni4788 Will do! Thanks for the offer :) Maybe I'll pass through your neighborhood in future and you can check it out in person :)

[@greggiovanni4788]

@@Jerbrown that would be killer

[@GCamp23]

Top 👍

[@Jerbrown]

Thanks!

[@kentjefferies723]

what cad program to you use for you trailer design? thanks

[@Jerbrown]

Sketch up

[@normandgallant8106]

More bad news ...Einstein quote " no mistakes no learning " 1. Introduction There is growing interest in the structural use of aluminium alloys, for such applications as automotive and railway vehicles, bridges, offshore structure topsides and high-speed ships. In all cases, welding is the primary joining method and fatigue is a major design criterion. However, as is well known, welded joints can exhibit poor fatigue properties. Thus, clear design guidelines are needed to ensure that fatigue failures are avoided in welded aluminium alloy structures. Apart from basic design of new structures, there is also increasing interest in methods for assessing the remaining fatigue lives of existing structures.

[@Jerbrown]

I used 6061-t6. Should be plenty strong.

[@normandgallant8106]

@@Jerbrown I used 7075 for all my drop outs Another group of high-strength aerospace alloys. These alloys are mostly unweldable due to their susceptibility to hot-cracking and stress-corrosion. 7075 is particularly vulnerable

[@normandgallant8106]

@@Jerbrown Ya man plenty strong , you did well with the design , lots of fillets and braces . You be to go .