Atomic Zombie TimberWolf User manual

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BUILD THE TIMBERWOLF DELTA TRIKE
Another Atomic Zombie™ Extreme Machines Adventure

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BUILD THE TIMBERWOLF DELTA TRIKE.......................................................................................................1
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT TRIKE...........................................................................................4
REAR FRAME..............................................................................................................................................5
AXLE SUPPORT TUBES........................................................................................................................................6
CAPPING ENDS .................................................................................................................................................9
TUBING ALIGNMENT .......................................................................................................................................12
WELDING JOINTS ............................................................................................................................................15
MAIN REAR BOOM TUBE .................................................................................................................................19
AXLE MOUNTS AND PILLOW BLOCK BEARINGS ..................................................................................................... 22
REAR WHEEL HUBS......................................................................................................................................33
LACING AND TRUING WHEELS..................................................................................................................50
FREEHUB ADAPTER ..................................................................................................................................54
INSTALLING DISC BRAKES.........................................................................................................................61
WELDING THE FREEHUB ADAPTER ...........................................................................................................65
REAR SUSPENSION ...................................................................................................................................68
MOUNTING TABS ....................................................................................................................................... 72
PIVOT TUBE ................................................................................................................................................74
MAIN FRAME ...........................................................................................................................................86
INSEAM MEASUREMENT ........................................................................................................................... 87
FRAME TUBING ..........................................................................................................................................88
JOINING THE REAR ...................................................................................................................................96
FRONT HEAD TUBE.................................................................................................................................101
HEAD TUBE ANGLE ...................................................................................................................................104
FISH-MOUTH CUT ....................................................................................................................................111
SUSPENSION SYSTEM.............................................................................................................................118
MOUNTING TABS .....................................................................................................................................120

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SPRING INSTALLATION.............................................................................................................................124
MAKING THE SEAT .................................................................................................................................129
SEAT RISER ...............................................................................................................................................134
BACK REST SUPPORT ................................................................................................................................138
ADJUSTABLE BOTTOM BRACKET ............................................................................................................139
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................149
REAR DERAILLEUR ....................................................................................................................................150
CHAIN.......................................................................................................................................................153
STEERING SYSTEM..................................................................................................................................155
STEERING INSTALLATION .........................................................................................................................161
HANDLEBARS ...........................................................................................................................................163
CHAIN GUIDES .......................................................................................................................................169
STEERING LINKAGE ................................................................................................................................177
BRAKE STUDS.........................................................................................................................................184
DISC BRAKE MOUNT ..............................................................................................................................189
CARGO BOX ...........................................................................................................................................194
FINISHING TOUCHES ..............................................................................................................................200
PAINTING...............................................................................................................................................203
FINAL ASSEMBLY AND RIDE ...................................................................................................................206
LEVERS AND CABLES.................................................................................................................................210
JOIN THE ATOMIC ZOMBIE KREW ..........................................................................................................220

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE ABOUT
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ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT TRIKE
The TimberWolf combines the agile and speedy characteristics of a racing trike,
along with the comfort and practicality of a shopping trike to bring you the best of both
worlds. Having a seat height of around 16 inches gives the TimberWolf a good stance for
city traffic, yet allows for some very agile handling characteristics with the ability to take
corners at a much higher speed than what would be possible on an upright delta trike.
The TimberWolf also includes rear suspension with a cargo area behind the pilot’s seat,
so that the pilot can carry fragile objects safely.
Almost all of the components needed to build the TimberWolf can be purchased
as inexpensive common bicycle parts at just about any bike shop and the main frame is
made out of standard mild steel tubing. The rear wheels are also standard bicycle rims
laced around a set of easy-to-make hubs that cost only a few dollars to build, so you will
not need to spend a lot of money on specialized or difficult to find rear wheels or parts.
The completed TimberWolf’s rear wheels and axle sets are actually lighter and stronger
than what can normally be found on most of expensive production delta trikes. This
means that heavier loads can be carried without compromising stability.
This plan will take you through every step of the build process with detailed
photos, using methods of construction that allow for alternate parts or design ideas to
be used, according to individual preferences. However, please read the entire plan
before purchasing any materials so that you can decide if you want to modify the design,
or use alternative components you may already have on hand. There is no strict
“materials list” or “cut list” provided.
Once you read the plan over before starting your build, you will notice that all of
the materials and components needed are discussed throughout the document. But,
don’t be afraid to try your own design modifications as there is plenty of room to alter
the plan along the way. If you are unsure about an idea, drop by our Builder’s Forum and
toss out your idea for discussion.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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REAR FRAME
Drawing 1 – The rear of the TimberWolf frame
Most of the TimberWolf frame is made from 1.5 inch mild steel square tubing
with a 1/16 inch wall thickness. This tubing can be ordered from any steel supplier and is
very easy to cut and weld. Steel suppliers like to rate tubing wall thickness using a gauge
number, so 1/16 wall tubing will be called 16 gage tubing. Although there is a slight
difference between the two, your best bet is to tell them you want a length of 1.5 inch
square tubing with a wall thickness as close to .0625 inch (1/16) as you can get. If you are
a heavy rider (over 300 pounds), then you should ask for the next size after that, which
will most likely be 14 gage tubing, or .078 inch wall tubing. Round tubing should be
avoided for this project, as it will yield a very flexible frame which will most likely be out
of alignment after all the welding is completed. If you have not read the entire plan yet,
please do so before ordering any tubing as the process of building the frame will explain
the entire length of tubing needed, which can vary depending on your leg length and
possible design modifications. Tubing often comes in fairly long lengths, and it may
actually cost you less to purchase an entire 20 foot length, which will come in handy if
bike building is to be a long time hobby.

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Drawing 1 shows what I will refer to as the rear of the TimberWolf frame. It is
made from the same 1.5 inch square, 16 gage (or 1/16 inch wall thickness) tubing that
will make up the entire main frame. This part of the frame will determine the overall
width of the final trike, and it can be widened for larger riders, if necessary. As you can
see, the overall width of the rear frame is 24 inches, which will be fine for most riders. If
you are a larger rider and plan to hit corners at full speed or add a powerful hubmotor,
you may want to consider making your frame a little wider for stability. A 24 inch wide
trike handles very well, does not “hog” the bike path, and can easily be moved through
doorways, but a larger width may be difficult to move through a doorway or up stairs
kind. The wheels and hubs will add approximately 8 inches to the width of your
completed trike, so a frame width of 24 inches means that the widest part of the trike
will be 32 inches as measured across the end faces of each rear hub.
AXLE SUPPORT TUBES
Figure 1 – Cutting tubing for the rear frame

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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The two outside tubes (refer back to Drawing 1) will carry the pillow block
bearings and take most of the loading from the rear wheels. The tubes are called “axle
support tubes”, and are cut to a total length of 7 inches, with a 45 degree cut at one end.
Joining tubing at 45 degrees makes the joint stronger and also takes care of filling up any
open tubing ends. If you make the 45 degree cut as shown in Figure 1, then you only
need to make one 45 degree cut to get both of the outer axle support tubes. In other
words, cut a 14 inch long tube in half using a 45 degree cut, and both tubes will be the
same.
Figure 2 – Using a square to transfer the line around the tubing
A square with a 45 degree side as shown in Figure 2 is a necessary part of your
toolbox. Once you have one line drawn, the other three lines around the tube can be
easily drawn using a thin point black marker. I cut all of my tubing using a cutoff disc (zip
disc) in my angle grinder, so it is important draw a line all the way around the tube. Using
a hand held grinder can actually make more accurate angle cuts than a low budget cut-
off saw if you take your time. Of course, there is certainly nothing wrong with a hacksaw,
and if you take your time, handmade cuts can be extremely accurate.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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Figure 3 – Three axle support tubes cut
The third small axle support tube (shown on the left in Figure 3) is cut to a length
of 5.5 inches, which is 1.5 inches less than the outer axle support tubes. This tube is not
cut at 45 degrees, since it will be welded directly to the face of the rear frame tubing,
which is why it is 1.5 inches shorter than the other tubes. The fourth axle support tube
will actually be the main boom, and will be shown later in the plan.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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CAPPING ENDS
Figure 4 – Cutting end caps for the open tubes
There will be three open ended tubes at the rear of the frame that need to be
capped. Capping off an open ended tube not only keeps moisture and critters out of the
tubing, but gives the tubing greater strength and eliminates dangerous sharp edges. The
axle support tubes will later have bolts through them, and the capped ends will help
prevent the tubing from collapsing as the bolts are tightened. End caps can be made
from any similar thickness flat bar or cut directly from some scrap 1.5 inch tubing. Figure
4 shows the three end caps I made from some scrap 1.5 inch tubing.

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Figure 5 – Welding the end caps
The end caps are welded all the way around the joints as shown in Figure 5. It is
much easier to weld on the end caps before the axle support tubes are welded to the
frame, as you can easily work with the parts on your workbench. Use a generous bead of
weld to seal the entire joint, and turn down your amps a little to avoid a burn through.
These welds are mainly cosmetic and will be completely ground smooth later.

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Figure 6 – Cleaning up the end cap joints
The completed end caps are shown in Figure 6 after cleaning up the joints with a
sanding disc (flap disc). A flap disc is a special grinder disc containing multiple flaps of
sandpaper, and it does wonders for cleaning up welded joints, bicycle frame stickers, and
even paint. Work the bulk of the weld metal away with a standard grinder disc and then
finish the final cleanup using the sanding disc to end up with that smooth seamless look
shown in Figure 6. When grinding a weld flush, ensure that you don’t grind lower than
the original metal or the joint will be weakened. For the end caps, this is not much of a
concern as they are not under stress.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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TUBING ALIGNMENT
Figure 7 – The rear frame tube and two axle support tubes
Referring back to Drawing 1, the rear frame tube is a 24 inch long piece of 1.5
inch square tubing cut at 45 degrees on both ends to form a 90 degree joint with the two
outer axle support tubes. Figure 7 shows how these three parts will fit together. When
laying out tubing for welding, place all tubes on a perfectly flat surface so that they will
stay in alignment when being tack welded. If you do not have a good flat surface to work
on, a piece of ¾ inch thick plywood would even work, just make sure it is not warped.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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Figure 8 – Using a square to align the tubing
As shown in Figure 8, the 90 degree square is again used to ensure that the angle
between the axle support tubes and rear frame tube is good while applying a solid tack
weld in the center of the joint. A small bit of distortion will occur when welding the
frame joints, but this has been accounted for and addressed later in the plan, but do
your best to get the 90 degree angles as close as you can when tack welding the parts
together.

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Figure 9 – Setting the 90 degree angles
With only a single tack weld holding the tubing together as shown in Figure 9, it is
very easy to tap the parts with a hammer if the angles need to be “coaxed” into
alignment. When you have the 90 degree angles set perfectly, add a few more tack welds
at the corners of the joint to secure the parts in place. Re-check and repeat, if necessary.
Break the joint and try again if you find the alignment to be obviously skewed after tack
welding.

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WELDING JOINTS
Figure 10 – Welding order is important here
When welding a joint, it is important to think ahead and complete the welding in
the order that will help reduce distortion between the two parts. When a welded area
cools, there is a very strong contraction force that can easily pull the parts out of
alignment if they are not held securely. A frame jig is often used when many parts will be
made, but for a single frame, the cost of such a rig would be not worth the effort and
probably take more time to build then the entire trike! There are however, a few simple
tricks you can use to keep heat distortion to an absolute minimum.
The inside corner of a joint should always be done last, as it will cause the most
distortion. An outside corner will cause the least amount of distortion, and the top of a
joint will generally not cause much distortion. Knowing this, it is easy to conclude that
the outside corner of the joint between the axle support tubes and rear tube should be
done first, followed by the top and bottom of the joint. Figure 10 shows the welding

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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completed by first welding the outside corner and then the top and bottom side of the
joint.
Figure 11 – Weld the inside corner last
The inside corners of the joint (Figure 11) are done last with as light a bead as you
can lay down to keep heat distortion to a minimum. There will be a bit of distortion and
warping along the rear tube, but don’t worry, this will not affect the rear axle alignment,
due to the way things will be done later. In other words, a slight bowing of the frame
here will not affect the parallel tracking of the wheels due to the way this project will
progress from here.

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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Figure 12 – Installing the last small tube
The last small axle support tube is welded in place as shown in Figure 12 so that
there is a 4.5 inch distance between it and the outer axle support tube. This small axle
tube will be on the right side of the frame, and it carries the non drive wheel (right side
wheel and axle). Again, keep in mind the order of welding operations to minimize heat
distortion.
Figure 13 – Checking alignment

TIMBERWOLF RECUMBENT DELTA TRIKE REAR FRAME
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There may be a very slight amount of misalignment between all of the axle
support tubes as viewed from the end (Figure 13), but it will be very minimal, as long as
the surface you were welding on was flat. Misalignments here will cause slight leaning of
your rear wheels, but will not have any effect on handling, and will not be noticeable
unless the frame is badly warped.
Figure 14 – The inside joints are done last
The inside joints of the small axle support tube will be the last to be done,
following the usual order of welding operations. Figure 14 shows the three axle support
tubes welded to the rear frame tube, completing most of the rear frame assembly.

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MAIN REAR BOOM TUBE
Figure 15 – Installing the main rear boom tube
The main rear boom tube connects the rear frame to suspension pivot point and
it will become the fourth axle support tube. The rear main boom tube is welded directly
to the center of the rear frame as shown in Figure 15 so that it forms a 90 degree angle
between it and the rear frame tube.
The length of this tube will be 14.5 inches, and it is cut at 90 degrees on both
ends. Later on in the build process, the open end of the 14.5 inch long main rear boom
tube will be fish-mouthed to allow for installation of the suspension pivot tube, but at
this point we need to create the rest of the rear, including the wheels so that the front of
the trike can be built based on your choice of rims and tires.

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Figure 16 – Welding the main boom
When welding the main rear boom tube to the rear frame tubing, remember that
the welds on the underside of the rear frame tubing will prevent you from placing the
boom on the same flat surface as the rear frame parts. You will need to place a small
object or cardboard under the main boom tube to bring it up to the height of the rear
frame assemble so it can be tack welded in place. When installed, all four tubes should
be perfectly in line when viewed from the side as shown back in Figure 13. Figure 16
shows the top of the main rear boom welded after checking for the 90 degree angle
between it and the rear frame tube.