SIDECAR

WHERE IVAN KEEPS HIS TOOLS, VODKA AND EVERYTHING ELSE

GENERAL SIDECAR INFORMATION

The sidecar body is attached to the sidecar frame front tube by use of two clamps with rubber pads.  The rear portion of the body is secured to two rubber springs fastened to the brackets of the frame rear tube.

   To reduce body vibrations, a stop bar with a rubber buffer is fitted in the frame rear portion.

   To protect the shock absorber against very strong impacts during movement with a full load over poor roads, a shock absorber travel limiter with a rubber buffer taking up impacts during extreme downward deviation of the wheel carrier lever is mounted on the right-hand longitudinal tube of the sidecar frame. 

   The sidecar is attached to the motorcycle at four points.  The two lower attaching points are essentially collet hinges embracing the ball brackets of the motorcycle frame.  The rear collet hinge is mounted in a bracket secured to the sidecar frame by two coupling bolts.  When the bolts are slackened, the bracket can be turned or moved out of the sidecar frame tube.

   The upper attachment consists of two tie-rods adjustable as to length.  The tie-rods are articulately connected to the sidecar frame ears and motorcycle frame brackets. 

   The sidecar wheel is mounted as a cantilever on the axle.  With two wheel drive the reduction gear is hinged to the frame.  The vertical forces exerted on the wheel are suppressed by the spring-hydraulic shock absorber installed on the frame arc and in the reduction gear bracket with the use of rubber hinges-bushings similar to bushings used in motorcycle rear wheel suspension.

   The motorcycle with a properly mounted sidecar is easily steer able and does not deviate from the selected travel direction.  Since some motorcycles have two driving wheels (sidecar and rear wheels), when installing the sidecar with respect to the motorcycle, try to ensure such a position at which the sidecar wheel is parallel to the motorcycle wheels and all the wheels are perpendicular to the horizontal plane of a road.  Checking for correct positioning of the sidecar with respect to the motorcycle is to be carried out in the process of operation when moving at a slow speed over an even horizontal road section, with the handlebar released.  The motorcycle must not wander to one side or the other.

   Should it be necessary to adjust the wheels for parallelism, loosen the coupling bolts clamping brackets and move the latter in or out of the rear tube until the correct relative position of the wheels is achieved.  This position can be checked with the aid of two straight bars to be applied to the wheels at 90 to 100 mm above the ground.

   Perpendicularity of the wheels with respect to the road is attained by increasing or reducing the length of the adjustable tie-rods.

   When performing adjustments it is advised that you coat all the hinges with a light coating of synthetic disk brake wheel bearing grease.

DETACHING THE SIDECAR

   First of all you need to get the motorcycle up onto the support.  This is probably the hardest part of the whole operation.  Disconnect all the wiring to the sidecar electrics. 

   Remove the nuts and bolts which attach the sidecar frame ties to the motorcycle itself.  Unlock the bolts of the lower collets which attach the sidecar to the motorcycle and back them off about 12-15mm or more if necessary.  Now you disconnect the sidecar wheel brake cable if you have one.  Uncouple the collets attaching them to the motorcycle frame link pins, front one first, then the rear one.  You simply push them away from the link pins.  If they do not clear the link pins, loosen the lower collets a bit more until they do.  Now you can push, pull or drag the sidecar away from the motorcycle.  If you do not have any problem with the sidecar camber, be sure not to alter the settings on the frame ties.

REMOVING THE SIDECAR BODY

   Undo the nuts (3 pieces) which lock the body rear suspension bars to the frame rear tube.  To do this you must first remove the seat pad and back.  Now remove the mat by undoing the nuts which attach the sidecar body to the frame on the front.  Now you can detach the brackets and cushions of the suspension.  Now you just lift the sidecar body up off of the frame.

   In order to remove the sidecar wheel shock absorber you must place a support under the frame to lift the wheel off of the ground so that you can remove it.  Pull the cotter pin, and back off the nut.  Now you can remove the wheel.  To remove the shock, simply remove the upper and lower bolts. 

   In order to remove the wheel suspension lever, if you have one, from the frame, unscrew and remove the two coupling bolts of the lever axle.  Next you unscrew and remove the bolts arranged on the axle faces that tighten up the lever rubber bushes.  Remove the pin from the lever axle.  Now you can screw out the lever in order to detach the L.H. pin from the frame joint.  The parts are now ready to be cleaned and inspected for wear and damage.

   Now is the time to do any body work and/or painting that needs to be done to the sidecar body.  Inspect the frame for defects, replacing any worn or defective parts.  If there are any cracks in the frame they should be welded using reinforcing strips or plates.

REATTACHING THE SIDECAR

   Put a thin coat of grease onto the collet attachment link pins.  If you have two wheel drive, the reduction gear cardan shaft spline part will need a thin coat of grease as well.  Move the sidecar into place with the collet attachments directly below the motorcycle frame link pins.  Pull the front collet as far as possible from its pocket.  Lift the sidecar frame front end and put the collet onto the front link pin and screw it enough to prevent it from slipping, but do not tighten.  If you have a two wheel drive rig, this is done at the same time as you fit the reduction gear cardan shaft into the differential fork hole.  Now pull the rear collet from its pocket and slip it over the rear link pin and screw it tight enough to prevent it from slipping out.  If the rear collet attachment does not properly align with the rear frame link pin, unscrew the bolts of the steering knuckle attachment and align the collet with the link pin by turning the knuckle to either side.  Bolt the sidecar fastening links to the motorcycle and tighten up the nuts onto the bolts using blue Loctite. 

   If you are replacing the sidecar everything should line up properly, however if this is a new sidecar, or one from another rig, you may need to do some aligning.  If the holes in the link forks do not align with the motorcycle frame bracket holes, unlock the link forks and adjust them for length by turning the posts in the appropriate direction until the holes do line up.  Now tighten up the collets and cotter pin them.  You can now remove the motorcycle fro the support and check the wheels for camber and toe. 

   To check your adjustment you can run the motorcycle at low speed on a smooth flat road, and take your hands off of the handlebars.  The motorcycle should run in a straight line.