UJoint, Differntial

[DeerWrangler]

We were recently on a road trip down to Big Bend when our Lehman trike made a clunking noise. Before anything drastic happened I immediately stopped. To make a long story short we managed to haul the trike back home and find out what the problem was. At first thought it was the differential but in the end it was the FRONT universal. There are 2 Ujoints on trikes. One as it comes out of the transmission and the other where the drive shaft connects to the differential.
Seems that this trike and many - many others ( brands of kits) use the 40200-MZ0-A00, yoke. This is a unit that includes the ujoint. Unlike the rear Ujoint that is a Ford product and is car type heavy with a grease fitting the front universal is a much smaller unit. Due to its physical location it can have a problem and go completely un noticed until it breaks.
Now our ride only has 33K miles on it and there has never been any sign nor noise of a problem. And just before out trip I did a complete check and greased the rear Ujoint and checked for wobble or play in the drive shaft/ universal & there was absolutely no sign of anything.
I am bringing it to peoples attention as if this part is on your trike and it snaps it could easily do serious physical damage to the trike. You might want to find out what u joints you have on your trike ( get ahold of your conversion kit maker) and if you do have this part then I would consider dropping the drive shaft and giving that FRONT u joint a real close inspection... JUST food for thought.

 

[onevw]

Is your final drive unit in line with the output of the transmissions power exit shaft. Or does the drive shaft need to make a turn zigzag to connect to the final drive.
RICK

 

[grumpy]

That part, the 40200-MZ0-A00 yoke, is used in the Valkyrie & GL 1500 Gold Wing & possibly some others. It is NOT greaseable or replaceable. They were also out of production for more than a year, but I understand Honda is beginning to deliver some now. I have heard prices ranging up to $100. I saw an alternative on another forum that makes the u-joint replaceable and greaseable. I found a machinist who will do the work for $60 per unit if I bring him three or more at a time. (first four cost $80 each as he had to make a jig to hold the yoke during machining) In addition is the cost of the replacement joint, approximately $25, plus the shipping both ways to me. I am not making money on these, just facilitating the process. If anyone is interested, send me a PM & I will send you the details. Here is a link to the page where the modification is described/pictured if some one wants to find a shop closer to home to save shipping costs. http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,30570.0.html
Stan

 

[DeerWrangler]

Is your final drive unit in line with the output of the transmissions power exit shaft. Or does the drive shaft need to make a turn zigzag to connect to the final drive.
RICK

The trans seems to set a little higher than the rear diff ( pretty much just like in a car / truck)and thats why there is a need for a front Diff and a Rear diff. Just that the front one is more protected and may not get the dirt / moisture that the rear one does.