Drift trikes aren’t new, they were called Big Wheels or Green Machines in the 1970s and featured mechanical tricks you might recognize on modern drift cars like “stick shift” brake handles and absurd steering angles. Fuzzy wristbands, Keds, and sliding sideways on a Big Wheel made for serious street cred in 1976.
The drift trike faded away as the punks coming up preferred folding Razor scooters and adults starting buying Segways. Then, a few years ago, we starting seeing drift trikes return in the form of metal-framed renditions of the classics with dirt-cheap price tags. They were designed as simple tricycles with slick wheels that drifted with a little pedaling, but let’s face it, someone took one on a high-speed downhill run as soon as it was out of the box on Christmas day.
In the decades between Big Wheels and modern drift trikes, Harbor Freight began selling the Predator 212cc 7hp engine for about $100. When technologies converge, the universe demands action. Get ready for a $500 motorized drift trike you can build in the garage.
Wear boots. We warned you.We started with a DXT Drift trike from Razor because it was inexpensive, has a hand brake and a welded steel main frame with a removable rear subframe.The engine is a pull-start four-stroke Predator from Harbor Freight. It is 212cc, makes 7 hp and runs on 87 octane unleaded pump gas. The bore is 77mm with a 55mm stroke and has 8.5:1 compression.The output shaft is designed for a ¾-inch bore centrifugal clutch using ¼-inch key stock.We measured the center-to-center distance between the sprocket and the clutch hub before we built the engine subframe. This is a 45T (tooth) sprocket with a 1-inch bore that uses a #40 chain. A 420 chain won’t work with this sprocket so be sure double check both the clutch and chain you buy. The larger 60T sprockets will drag on the ground.We tacked together a basic frame using both 1 ¾ and 1-inch mild steel tube and some fabrication tabs. It mimics the original rear subframe where it connects to the main downtube on the trike. The tabs line up with the mounting holes on the Predator engine and were tacked in place based on the sprocket and clutch hub measurement we made earlier. A 1-inch bearing kit was used to mount the axel to the frame, it comes with mild steel bearing hangars, bearings, and flanges to keep the bearings in place.The axel is from a go kart. It has a 1-inch diameter and is 40 inches long with a ¼-inch keyway. This one is splined for a single axel nut that keeps the key and the wheel itself from working its way out.The 1-inch bore lightened aluminum wheel hub slides over the axel and mounts the wheel with ¼-inch bolts. Make sure the hub matches the bore and bolt circle of the wheel. This hub has a 2 ½-inch bolt circle and a 1-3/4 bore (also called outside shoulder diameter or overall width).The wheel is 5-inches in diameter, and 3.25-inches wide with 1.625-inches backspacing. The tire is 10-inches tall with a 3.60-inch width designed for a 5-inch diameter wheel.To build a true drift trike, you need to use 10-inch PVC sleeves and that means you’ll need a 10-inch tire as well. Beware of drift trike “kits” that sell you a 13-inch rim and tire. You won’t be able to find 13-inch PVC that fits.The axel is keyed to the sprocket and the clutch hub is keyed to the output shaft on the Predator. To keep things from moving laterally, we used a set of four, 1-inch locking collars; one on each side of the sprocket, and one for the backside of each wheel.We clocked the drift trike at 37 mph, but it will do more. Next up will have to be a disk brake system so we can live to drift another day. Drift trike parts are available everywhere, and there are kits that are priced close to, or less than, the cost of buying the parts separately, saving you money on shipping. Do your homework and get the best deal.
Parts
Description
Source
PN
Price
Razor DXT Drift Trike
Amazon
N/A
$99.99*
Predator 212cc Horizontal Engine
Harbor Freight
69727
119.99
Rear Sprocket #40/45T/1-inch Bore
BMI Karts
400227
28.95
Polished Aluminum Wheel 5-inch
BMI Karts
675005
59.90 (pair)
Aluminum Wheel Rear Hub
BMI Karts
K600230
19.9
Unilli Racing Slick 5-inch
BMI Karts
UN-503103605
31.90 (pair)
10-inch PCV Replacement Sleeves
Flatout
N/A
15.99
1-inch Bearing Kit w/Hangars
BMI Karts
400400
18.5
1-inch Steel Live Axel
BMI Karts
400050
27
Go Kart Minibike Centrifugal ClutcheBay
10T/#40 ¾ bore
16.54
1-inch split locking collar
BMI Karts
400110K
16.00 (4)
1-inch Nylock w/washer
Hardware
N/A
2.50(2)
3-ft #40 Roller Chain
Amazon
N/A
14.29
7/8 Twist Grip Throttle
Amazon
N/A
32.95
¼-inch Key Stock
Amazon
N/A
8.00 (12)
1-3/4 Steel Round Tube
M&K Metals
N/A
24.12
1-inch Steel Round Tube
M&K Metals
N/A
9.95 (REM)
*Prices do not include shipping and are subject to change.
