Okay, so I got this idea stuck in my head – build a three-wheel car. Something tough, kinda raw, like those raptor things, you know? Not for the highway, just for messing around, maybe hitting some dirt paths.
Getting the Ball Rolling
First thing, had to figure out the basics. One wheel or two at the front? Decided on one wheel upfront, like a big trike. Seemed simpler to get the steering sorted using old motorcycle parts I had lying around. Then, needed a frame. No kits for what I wanted, not really. So, time to break out the welder.
Gathering parts was the next headache. I needed:
- Steel tubing for the frame. Went with square tubing, easier to cut and join for a beginner like me.
- A front fork, wheel, and handlebars. Scavenged from an old dirt bike.
- Two rear wheels. Found some sturdy ATV wheels and tires cheap online.
- An engine. Grabbed a used generator engine, like 200cc or something. Simple, reliable enough.
- An axle for the rear. This was tricky. Ended up ordering a basic go-kart axle kit.
- Steering bits, throttle cable, brake parts, seat. More scavenging and online orders.
It felt like half the job was just finding stuff that might work together without costing a fortune.
Building the Beast
Started with the frame. Laid out the main sections on the garage floor. Cutting the steel wasn’t too bad with an angle grinder, but man, the noise and sparks! Welding was slow work. I’m no pro, so my welds ain’t pretty, but they seem strong enough. Lots of grinding to clean them up. Built a basic boxy frame, wider at the back for the two wheels, narrowing towards the front for the fork.
Mounting the engine came next. Had to build some sturdy brackets onto the frame. Lined it up with the rear axle sprocket as best I could. Chain alignment is a pain, always takes longer than you think. Got the fuel tank mounted above it, simple gravity feed.
Then the front end. Welded the head tube onto the frame, making sure the angle felt right. Slid in the dirt bike forks and bolted on the handlebars. Hooked up the throttle cable. Felt like progress.
Rear axle time. Bolted the axle hangers to the frame. Slid the axle in, put on the sprocket, brake disc, and wheels. Then spent ages getting the chain tension right. Too tight, it binds; too loose, it’ll jump off.
Brakes were essential. Used a hydraulic setup from the go-kart kit for the rear axle. Mounted the master cylinder near where my foot would be, ran the line back to the caliper on the disc. Bled the brakes, which is always messy.
Added a simple seat, basically just bolted some padding onto a piece of plywood fixed to the frame. Not comfy, but it works for now. Wired up a kill switch, super important.
First Ride & Fixes
Rolled it out of the garage. Looked kinda mean, low and wide at the back. Fired up the engine. Loud! Gave it some gas… and it actually moved! Steering felt weird at first, very direct with that single front wheel. The ride was rough, no suspension at the back, just tires.
First real test run, hit a bump, chain jumped off. Back to the garage, adjusted the tension again, added a chain guide. Went out again, brake felt spongy. Bled them again. The engine sputtered a bit, maybe needed the carb tweaked. It’s always like this, build it, test it, fix it, test it again. Little things kept popping up.
But yeah, it runs. It’s loud, rough, and probably not safe by any normal standard. But I built it. It’s my own little raptor three-wheeler. Still needs paint and probably a million other tweaks, but getting it moving was the big win.
