New Dune Cycle over

S

Segroves

New Member
#1
#1
Hey all!

Just came into a 1974 Dune Cycle. New pull rope and some starter fluid and fired right up. Needs new seat cushion + cover, some TLC, and tires.

it’s a 3 bolt, I believe 5 inch rim.

What size of tire should I be looking for on this thing?

Wanting to get it on the open road soon! This place has tons of knowledge.
 
S

Segroves

New Member
#3
#3
Having an awful time finding something that’ll fit this 5 inch rim. The hub seems to be a 2 13/16 inch with a 2 inch hole pattern.

And suggestions? Do I need to get a custom machine shop to get this done?
 
Triley41395

Triley41395

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Segroves said:
Having an awful time finding something that’ll fit this 5 inch rim. The hub seems to be a 2 13/16 inch with a 2 inch hole pattern.

And suggestions? Do I need to get a custom machine shop to get this done?
Click to expand...
Post up some pictures and someone will probably know what you need or need to do to get it going. You might place an add in the wanted section after you figure out what you need.
 
wildman

wildman

#9
#9
@Segroves...
Your rear tires appear to be the one-piece tire/rim (balloons) that were the same as used on my Sperry Rand 5hp Tricubs. These balloons were also common on amphibious 6x6 ATVs of the 70s/80s and the original Honda ATC trikes. The 6x6 versions were typically larger (63-65" inflated circumference) than the domestic trike wheels (58-59" inf. circ.). You can find the larger ones on eBay occasionally for upwards of $300 ea. and these are normally worn out and barely holding air. In 15+ years of looking, I have never seen any usable, smaller diam. balloons for sale at any price unless they were attached to a vehicle.

Anyway, the best solution I've found is to make adapters to mount conventional tires and wheels to your 3-bolt hubs. There are many options for tires and wheels, but I settled on 18x10.5-8 tires as being a close dimensional match to the original balloons. If you're making custom adapters, you can use just about any wheel that fits the tire as long as the center hole is large enough to fit around the bolt heads of the original hubs. I had a local laser shop cut out the adapter blanks and I inserted lug studs from a Polaris ATV. There are some commercially available hubs with common 4-bolt patterns, but these are for 1" axles and I've found nothing for 7/8" axles. I suppose a creative machinist could press in a sleeve and rebore to 7/8". That only leaves 1/16" sleeve wall so probably better to open up the hub bore to around 1-1/4" first.

Kenda MXR 18-10.5-8
IMG_20141211_140604941.jpg

Custom adapters with studs
0514111216-00.jpg

Original Tricub tire/rim balloon.
DSCN1822 (800x600).jpg
 
S

Segroves

New Member
#10
#10
This
wildman said:
@Segroves...
Your rear tires appear to be the one-piece tire/rim (balloons) that were the same as used on my Sperry Rand 5hp Tricubs. These balloons were also common on amphibious 6x6 ATVs of the 70s/80s and the original Honda ATC trikes. The 6x6 versions were typically larger (63-65" inflated circumference) than the domestic trike wheels (58-59" inf. circ.). You can find the larger ones on eBay occasionally for upwards of $300 ea. and these are normally worn out and barely holding air. In 15+ years of looking, I have never seen any usable, smaller diam. balloons for sale at any price unless they were attached to a vehicle.

Anyway, the best solution I've found is to make adapters to mount conventional tires and wheels to your 3-bolt hubs. There are many options for tires and wheels, but I settled on 18x10.5-8 tires as being a close dimensional match to the original balloons. If you're making custom adapters, you can use just about any wheel that fits the tire as long as the center hole is large enough to fit around the bolt heads of the original hubs. I had a local laser shop cut out the adapter blanks and I inserted lug studs from a Polaris ATV. There are some commercially available hubs with common 4-bolt patterns, but these are for 1" axles and I've found nothing for 7/8" axles. I suppose a creative machinist could press in a sleeve and rebore to 7/8". That only leaves 1/16" sleeve wall so probably better to open up the hub bore to around 1-1/4" first.

Kenda MXR 18-10.5-8
View attachment 302328

Custom adapters with studs
View attachment 302329

Original Tricub tire/rim balloon.
View attachment 302327
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I needed to see. Yeah the original tires and all isn’t as concern. I simply needed a way, visually, to see what adapters would look like.

Where did you get these made? Do you have dimensions? Thanks for the reply here!
 
wildman

wildman

#11
#11
Segroves said:
This

This is exactly what I needed to see. Yeah the original tires and all isn’t as concern. I simply needed a way, visually, to see what adapters would look like.

Where did you get these made? Do you have dimensions? Thanks for the reply here!
Click to expand...
Oh wait... I forgot that a friend with a 6x6 ATV bought these adapters to convert his balloon tires to regular tires and wheels.
https://www.mfgsupply.com/gomini/gominihubs/az2283.html
These adapters weren't available back when I made mine. These should work on your application as long as you find a suitable tire/wheel package with compatible bolt pattern. All the balloon tire bolt patterns were the same on 6x6 ATVs, Honda ATCs and all the domestic trikes that I've come across... 3 on 2" bolt circle. The only difference is that some used 5/16" lug bolts and others used 3/8", so the hole diam. could be a little different. I presume it could be 8mm or 10mm hardware on the Hondas. I believe the linked adapter's description has slight error showing 1-3/4" bolt circle, but actual bolt circle is 2" with 1-3/4" center distance between bolts.
Screenshot 2022-08-19 074805.jpg
 
S

Segroves

New Member
#12
#12
wildman said:
Oh wait... I forgot that a friend with a 6x6 ATV bought these adapters to convert his balloon tires to regular tires and wheels.
https://www.mfgsupply.com/gomini/gominihubs/az2283.html
These adapters weren't available back when I made mine. These should work on your application as long as you find a suitable tire/wheel package with compatible bolt pattern. All the balloon tire bolt patterns were the same on 6x6 ATVs, Honda ATCs and all the domestic trikes that I've come across... 3 on 2" bolt circle. The only difference is that some used 5/16" lug bolts and others used 3/8", so the hole diam. could be a little different. I presume it could be 8mm or 10mm hardware on the Hondas. I believe the linked adapter's description has slight error showing 1-3/4" bolt circle, but actual bolt circle is 2" with 1-3/4" center distance between bolts.
View attachment 302333
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. You’re saving me a ton of time and effort with that link. In theory, those adapters should work and I SHOULD be able to find a suitable tire/rim combo?

again thank you!
 
wildman

wildman

#13
#13
Segroves said:
Thanks for this. You’re saving me a ton of time and effort with that link. In theory, those adapters should work and I SHOULD be able to find a suitable tire/rim combo?

again thank you!
Click to expand...
Wheels should be easy to find and available at many sources. I'm not sure how much offset your application can stand... I used centered dish wheels on my Tricubs. These are not the exact wheels that I used but very similar.
https://www.midwesttraction.com/sto...-8x7-solid-white-centered-44-golf-cart-wheel/
https://www.buggiesunlimited.com/golf-cart/centered-steel-white-wheel-8x7-inch/10990
As long as the wheel matches the 4x4 bolt pattern of the adapter, it will fit. Most 8" tires will fit these 8x7 rims as long as width is appropriate. You'll need to do some research for tires that you like. I've not found any modern tires with similar chevron tread pattern and dimensions of the original balloon tires, but there are many of knobby-type options and I've also seen turf tires used as replacements.
 
Cuda54

Cuda54

Active Member
#20
#20
Add carb and injector cleaner to all of your small engines gas. Mowers blowers minis all need it with the gas we get now a days. Add some to your gas and run at least a full tank through to empty. Then fill it up again one tank full clean out a lot of it but if you can make a day out of it. And run a few tanks the engine can clean even more out. You will have faster starts and smoother running engines from then on. And when you park them for the year drain all of the gas out of the tank and carbs.
 
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