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Ballast

 
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bmcsheehy



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 991
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:03 pm    Post subject: Ballast Reply with quote

I like to use about 50 lbs of ballast when my sidecar is empty. I remove it when someone or something is in it. I had been using a bag of sand, that got a hole in it and made a huge mess. Anyone have any Ideas of things to use for ballast. I was thinking some divers weights. Neat and clean and doesn’t take up a lot of space, Maybe a container or water that could be filled or emptied easily?
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Bill
High Performance Sidecaring... ...There is nothing "HACKED" about it.
2006 ZX-14 / HANNIGAN HP.
2011 Concourse / California Friendship III.
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docmike



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 630
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been using shot gun lead shot, comes in 25 pound bags at the sporting goods store. I wrapped the bags in duct (gaffer, missile, 100 mph) tape so they would hold up better. I put the bags into cheap tool bags so they are easier to pick up. When I don't have human ballast I keep two on the seat and two in the trunk.
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93 BMW K1100RS / EML Speed 2000
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JayBoy



Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 234
Location: Lexington, KY

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was thinking of a blow up Judy doll with some lead in her seat. Laughing
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bmcsheehy



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 991
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another I Idea I had along that line was a Crash Test Dummie. Can't find one.
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Bill
High Performance Sidecaring... ...There is nothing "HACKED" about it.
2006 ZX-14 / HANNIGAN HP.
2011 Concourse / California Friendship III.
2016 Suzuki Bandit 1250s
1936 Ford Fordoor Humpback
www.Yankee-Engineering.com
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zentime



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 837
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JayBoy wrote:
I was thinking of a blow up Judy doll with some lead in her seat. Laughing


I wonder how that would go over at home! Laughing Oh, I just realized, She'd probably stay with Ralph! Smile

Buddies
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Tub Maxson



Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 42
Location: Cincinnati, OH

PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a friend who is into casting his own bullets, pour some old lead he had into to 5/8x12x12 cake tins. This then made two lead plates this size, each weighing about 30#. The pans melted away and the lead sheets were left. They fit under the seat, almost directly over the axle, and are easy to remove, being in two pieces. No leaks, and no test dummy, except the driver. Although I do carry a 4 foot tall stuffed witch during Halloween season.

Tub
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Tub Maxson
Cincinnati, OH

I took the road less traveled.
Now where the Hell am I?

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legalr



Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 163
Location: Wallingford, Vermont

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:38 pm    Post subject: Ballast Reply with quote

I use quite a bit more than 50# ballast when riding solo with my RX-5. My Summit has an integral fuel cell built into the sidecar frame so I have never needed any ballast at all. I purchased SCUBA divers weight bags and keep them in the smallest tool bag I could find at Sears or Home Depot. I put the tool bag over my sidecar wheel and it stays put. I can remove the ballast easily without any fuss. It really is a good system. Wish I had thought of it earlier. Idea

Larry


Last edited by legalr on Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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GaryG



Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 6
Location: Sweetwater, TN

PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use a cat litter tub, lays flat on the floorboard and if I have to take it out and leave it somewhere....its just a tub of cat litter
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Sweetwater, TN
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Sidecarmaniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2005
Posts: 13
Location: The Netherlands

PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Ballast Reply with quote

bmcsheehy wrote:
I like to use about 50 lbs of ballast when my sidecar is empty. I remove it when someone or something is in it. I had been using a bag of sand, that got a hole in it and made a huge mess. Anyone have any Ideas of things to use for ballast. I was thinking some divers weights. Neat and clean and doesn’t take up a lot of space, Maybe a container or water that could be filled or emptied easily?

In the MZ-Superelastik I use a jerrycan filled with sand and little stones in the trunk.
In the MegaComete trunk I use lead, kind of plastic and sulphuric acid, together called a huge battery.
Removed the originally battery in the bike. So that lowered and bring backwards the center of gravity on my outfit.


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Powersl@ve



Joined: 31 Jan 2005
Posts: 40
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the beginning when I had no sidecar experience I had 25 kg of lead plates on the bodom of the trunk.

Later I let a handy german build an extra fueltank under the rig, 28 liters.
This worked perfect and the various amount off fuel / ballast was very challenging to drive...

In the new rig EML builds in a 17 liter fueltank, the rig itself is allready heavier than the Speed2000 so I hope to have the same effect.
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