Body Fit And Alignment - Motor Trike GL1800 SPYDER / 2+2 Service Manual

Body Fit and Alignment

General Construction Description
Motor Trike® fiberglass bodies are designed, and manufactured at the Motor Trike® plant in Troup, TX.
The fiberglass bodies are laid by hand, which is a very labor intensive manufacturing process. This
process produces the quality finish, and strength. Strength in a fiberglass body is in the mat.
Fiberglass mat is actually woven fiberglass material that is laminated into the mold. Hand laid
fiberglass mat also produces consistent material size through out a section, with superior strength,
while maintaining a reduced weight. All of this together, quality finish, consistency of material, superior
strength, and light weight, is what makes the Motor Trike® Body the quality product that it is.
Bad Body Alignment
Body alignment and fit are achieved during the installation of the Trike Kit. The body should sit center
on the frame, and the side panels should be aligned so that the gap is consistent from one end to the
other, approximately ¼ inch. An example of bad alignment is shown below. If the alignment is off as
depicted in the below photos, contact Motor Trike®, or your Installer for follow up. There is nothing
that can be done by an Owner - Operator for this situation. This is a rare occurrence, but you can see
that it does happen. The body can be readjusted to some degree by a competent installer by
remanufacturing the forward body mounting brackets. This will require near total disassembly of the
Trike to be accomplished. An out of align body in this fashion Does Not effect the ride or handling of
the Trike. It is just somewhat cosmetically displeasing.
The photos below show a body that was not properly supported, and aligned as per the installation
instructions during the initial Trike assembly. The front body mounts are about 3/4 to 1 inch to low. As
a result the side panel covers are not straight from top to bottom, and there are gaps between the body
and the seat that should not be there.