So I hadn't sat in my bug for a while and did so yesterday. I got to thinking that it would be nicer if there were some more back support. I was thinking that if a u-shaped frame was made to attach to the side rails of the bug then a mesh or cloth back could be made to stretch around it but not sure if that would just become a hazard in the event of OBE. I also think that this fall I'm gonna have to invest in a bigfoot upgrade to the bug as I'm limited to one suitable field at the time that is okay for the standard barrows, but that's for another time. Anyone got any back support ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Shaggs

coolbreeze can you take a picture of your U-Shaped backrest.

also some have bought stadium chair and they fit nicely into the PL seat : http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efo...

for a BF conversion, you can get away with just the longer rear axle / downtube / front fork ... extended side rails are optional.

Here is a cad drawing for the backrest I had made for acampbell on his PL bigfoot. This belongs to tridude now. I would recommend putting a little recline in it since it sits vertical on the PL siderails. It needs to be made from something strong like rigid conduit if you mount it with the Kee Klamps.

I made this backrest from pvc... It all slide over the tubes and no gluing required... I heated the part that your back goes against to curve it to my liking...

Put some foam over it and it works great..... Adjustable forward and back just by lengthening or shortening one piece....


It doesn't interfere w/ the take apart either... Makes a good handle for attaching the siderails to the axle........

Just what I'm thinking of guys!!!!! I have access to rigid steel and aluminum electrical conduit at work and a rigid pipe bender gonna see what I can come up with this week and post some pics once I get er built. Thinking that I'll get some mesh or other material to cover it up and them wrap the pipe with foam and look into making a blue cloth cover to match the side rails on the rest of the bug. This helped lots.

As for the big foot upgrade that will have to wait for a bit. Never realized how much it would run to do a full upgrade. But rest assured that it will happen sooner or later standard barrows really limit my riding space.

Thanks
Shaggs

Quote:

Originally posted by shaggs2riches Just what I'm thinking of guys!!!!! I have access to rigid steel and aluminum electrical conduit at work and a rigid pipe bender gonna see what I can come up with this week and post some pics once I get er built. Thinking that I'll get some mesh or other material to cover it up and them wrap the pipe with foam and look into making a blue cloth cover to match the side rails on the rest of the bug. This helped lots. As for the big foot upgrade that will have to wait for a bit. Never realized how much it would run to do a full upgrade. But rest assured that it will happen sooner or later standard barrows really limit my riding space. Thanks Shaggs

you can get a pool noodle, and i have a spare side rail cover in blue too. u2u sent

That PVC is great idea. I think I will try that for the The Kidds buggy.

Shaggs did you ever make the backrest...? Any pics...?

I started making one out of rigid aluminum conduit. Basically made that u-shape. I couldn't get my hands on the Kee-clamps to mount it. I just got my hands on some 1"OD Stainless instrument air tubing that really shines. Once our work shop is all cleaned at work I'm pulling the bender out again and gonna bend it again, this time I'm bending the two ends backwards and flattening them in a vice. I will be attaching it with 2-4 stainless hose clamps. Then everything is getting covered with the blue side rail cover that rip sent me. My adventures didn't take me far on the project before but will definitely be finished in the pending future. Sorry I have no pics but will post some when finished.

So I made myself a prototype backrest at the end of the work day today. Its made out of aluminum but the official one will be made out of Stainless Steel Tubing. I have about 15 feet of that so if I screw up one I have enough to make another, but want to get it right the first time. Should I make it shorter? More tilted backwards??

http://picasaweb.google.com/shaggs2riches/BuggyBackrest#

Basically my plan is to anchor it down with two pipe clamps on each side. The ends will be flattened by sticking them in a vice. I will then round them off by straddling them over a solid pipe and beating it with a hammer of some sort. They will be clamped under the side rail covers. The rest of the back rest will be padded with the same foam on side rails and then, the blue rail cover (Thinking I will have to purchase another). I also want to make a mesh filler to stretch in the middle some how any ideas for that ???

Sorry it took so long and thanks in advance for any ideas how to make it better. I will post more pics when I get the final one complete, which might not be till in the new year.

shaggs

I dont' think you need it that high. Using Kee Klamps will be a more secure and "done with it" mounting technique. I ordered my first set online and then bought my upgrade set at a WW Grainger store locally. I have a set here that I don't need anymore that I'll part with if you're interested.

shaggs,
if you want back support you'll need my Libre Supertruck:P

Quote:

Originally posted by revpaul shaggs, if you want back support you'll need my Libre Supertruck:P

I Wish that I could justify that bug, but with my limited 8 hours of time riding the bug, the best I will allow myself is to build the backrest, possibly a front fender and hope that there isn't as much rain next summer so that I can use it at the beach with the standard barrows.

@BB yeah I too kinda thought that it was high. If those Kee Klamps will work with the PL XR+ bug then I might be able to take them off your hands U2U sent

When I made the backrests for myself, Pokitetrash, and acampbell, I used the same brackets on all 3 buggies. Angus had a PL bigfoot that has the same side rail diameter as an XR+ so my brackets or 10-5 Kee Klamps from any vendor will have you perfect.