Meanderer trike universal-joint constructed

Continuing the Meanderer trike DIY project, previous blog post:

• Meanderer trike tilt-arm install — May 18, 2025

The turning and tilting linkages for the Meanderer trike project require a universal-joint. I had previously posted a design for it:

• Universal-joint for Meanderer trike — March 03, 2025

...mentioned in that page, bought a universal-joint but found it to be too sloppy. Got it from here (model 10mm-10mm):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006439187397.html

I have now constructed as per the design shown in the earlier blog post. Here it is:

I'm not to good at precision drilling and cutting, but it works reasonably well. I think it has enough flexibility for my requirement.

I didn't stop looking online, and bought two more. Firstly, this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007354593468.html

...don't know how it happened, but I bought the wrong size, for 8mm diameter shaft; need 10mm. This is very well made, no sloppiness. Yes, this would do the job. I've ordered the correct one, model 1G-D20L42-10.

Another that I bought, I thought might make a good shock-absorber-coupler (another thing needed for the steering/tilting mechanism), is this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008772539021.html

...I found that it is no good as a shock-absorber; however, it does make a very good universal-joint. Not as much degrees of movement as the previous one, but perhaps an advantage that it wants to spring back to straight -- which I think is desirable for the trike linkage.

Very interesting, now have a choice of three universal-joints. Right now, thinking the spring-coupling looks good, but will wait for the previous one correct-size to arrive then decide. One reason I'm thinking of using a ready-made coupling is for simplicity; because this is a DIY project that I am publishing for others to follow, and my home-made universal-joint was very fiddly and awkward to construct.    

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