The Sketchy Cart. Made From Previous Projects.

I had a few old projects collecting dust and decided to make a 4 wheel cart. Using two of my old e-bike projects i constructed the "Sketchy Cart" for riding around the backyard and possibly taking it to Burning Man for transportation around the festival.

Step 1: Parts!

1. The rear end of a trike.

2. 12v battery

3. Solar panel and charge controller (optional)

4. PWM to control electric motor

5. Electric wheelchair motor.

6. Various bicycle parts.

7. 1inx1in box steel and a 4ft stick of 2inx2in steel.

8. Second hand Gaming chair or something nice to sit on.

9. Second hand Ice Chest or something to hold the battery.

10. Wire and connectors.

Step 2: The Front End.

I made the front end on my YouTube channel last year. Instead of using the long bolts to hold the wheels i decided to go with the axle shafts on the mountain bike wheels. These two videos show how the front end is set up. Using a hacksaw i removed the front pedals to make more legroom and install a nice chair.

Step 3: Mounting the Drive Motor.

Using an old electric wheelchair motor mounted to the frame and a few bike parts i was able to adapt the motor to the old trike drive. The motor is rated at 24v but i am using a 12v configuration to keep the overall speed down.

Step 4: Battery Box and Solar Charging.

I found a small cooler that worked perfect for a battery box. contains enough space to store a bit of cargo too!

Using a small solar panel and charge controller should help keep the battery topped up and make it ready to ride whenever i want. The panel used is only 10 watts so i will take about a week to charge it from 0% charge. Larger panels (maybe a solar roof?) would make the system work better.

I added some bits of water noodle to the front so i don't bash my legs on the metal while riding.

Step 5: Seating, Speed Controller, and Steering Tiller Setup.

A friend donated his old gaming chair for the project and it was PERFECT! I added a tiller to the original steering setup because i could not comfortably use the original handlebars.

The speed controller (PWM) for the motor was placed under the seat but can be moved to the battery box.

Step 6: Hey Neighbor! Wanna Ride a Sketchy Cart?..... U Know. for Science?

We have found that leaving the front tires off actually makes the vehicle handle better in the dirt. My neighbor was a good sport and rode the cart around the yard so i could make a video.

Since i Have nowhere to put this cart in my new home i decided the best place for it was with him in the large back yard. There will be follow up videos of this project on my YouTube channel. I hope they take it to Burning Man in 2018. Thanks for checking out my instructable.