Champion Solid Axle Service Info

[geol]

I already have a copy of the Champion solid axle install guide but sent the following questions to Champion this AM. Looking forward to any tips from Champion owners on these questions!

1. If I buy a traiiler hitch, can it be installed without removing the body


2. Where are the rear jack points for removing rear tires?

3. How do you check the fluid in the differential? How is oil drained from differential?

4. How often should differential oil be changed and what weight oil was used?

5. What type brake pads are used in the rear? Manufacturer and P/N? What is the minimum thickness?

6. How is the driveshaft serviced and at what intervals?

Thanks in advance! Loving the new trike! wg

 

[Shimpy]

I already have a copy of the Champion solid axle install guide but sent the following questions to Champion this AM. Looking forward to any tips from Champion owners on these questions!

1. If I buy a traiiler hitch, can it be installed without removing the body


2. Where are the rear jack points for removing rear tires?

3. How do you check the fluid in the differential? How is oil drained from differential?

4. How often should differential oil be changed and what weight oil was used?

5. What type brake pads are used in the rear? Manufacturer and P/N? What is the minimum thickness?

6. How is the driveshaft serviced and at what intervals?

Thanks in advance! Loving the new trike! wg

View attachment 30773

1. Yes, no problem. It bolts right on.
3. remove filling plug on back end of differential and check that the fluid is just below the hole. The drain plug is on the very bottom of the differential. Champion calls for changing 30,000 miles. They use several different rear ends and you need to check with Champion as to what you have. Mine is a 2010 that is suppose to be Nisson.
5. Mine uses VW pads but again check with Champion.
6. My driveshaft has 2 zerk fittings that need grease every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. I believe some are supplied without fittings that never need lubed.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

 

[Ray55]

A couple years back I was told when touring Champion factory that they were using a Suzuki rear gear on the Honda's.

 

[geol]

Seems the info Shimpy provided is probably one of the reasons the Owner's Manual is no longer available. Seems Champion has changed vendors and the info relative to various components has changed enough they don't want to put out info that might be incorrect from one kit to another.

In order to help someone else who may have similar questions, Jason from Champion (their tech guy) got back to me with the following. This info is only relevant to my conversion (2008) and differs from the IRS conversions as well and differs from other solid axle conversion years:

Their owners manual for the solid axle conversion is no more. They took it offline.

1. If I buy a traiiler hitch, can it be installed without removing the body

Trailer hitch can be installed without removing trike body.

2. Where are the rear jack points for removing rear tires?

On solid axle conversion, jack on axle; in middle if both wheels need to come up and towards the axle end if only one needs to come up.

3. How do you check the fluid in the differential? How is oil drained from differential?

The fill on the Champion solid axle differential is on the top. Jason didn't feel it ever needed to be drained and fluid replaced and if it does suggested that the axle/differential be removed to gain access. He agreed a pump might work getting into the drain at the TOP since the axle/differential are installed upside down. There is another drain on the side that you use to determine the amount of oil because when you fill, and oil starts coming out, that is the necessary amount.

4. How often should differential oil be changed and what weight oil was used?

Already covered above and oil should be the same as used in a car differential.

5. What type brake pads are used in the rear? Manufacturer and P/N? What is the minimum thickness?

There is no thickness specification; Jason said just to check the pads (rear only) and if they look thin, to replace. You get new pads from Champion; they are in stock and ready to ship. He wouldn't say what the part numbers or brand were.

6. How is the driveshaft serviced and at what intervals?

Drive shafts will either have zirk fittings and require occassional lube OR not have zirk fittings and are supposed to be lubed for life.



Hope that helps someone else! wg

 

[pcombe]

I made my trailer hitch in the garage and bolted right onto the supplied holes in frame.

On my Harley solid axle there is no oil in the differential it is greased filled at the factory and doesn't need service unless their is a problem?

My brakes are manufactured by Volkswagen.
Check the install info on your kit, mine told me what brake pads etc. fit mine.

Hope that helps, as others have stated they do different things on different kits.
It wasn't until someone else told me that I discovered Honda kits ect. used oil instead of grease?

 

[cavie]

Brakes are D101 73-74 VW Karmen Gia About $24.00 to 39.00 at any auto supply. Just take yours off and go the supply house. Do not buy them from Champion. Auto 75-90 gear lube is just fine unless yours seeing leaks don't worry about it. When did you change the rear end lube in your car????? Changed mine in my truck at 117,000 because somebody else paid for it. Why they put VW breaks on a Suzuki rear is beyond me.

 

[Ozarkryder]

2004 GL1800 with (according to the tag on the swingarm) a 2006 Champion SA kit.

I jacked up the trike to remove the wheels by the axle and couldn't get the wheel out of the fender wells. The wheel/tire was too wide to pass between the axle and fender. I ended up running the trike up on my ramps, jacking it up just a bit more (had to put the floorjack on a platform for more height) and supported the frame, not the axle, with jackstands. Thus the wheel and axles hang down enough to maneuver the wheels to take them off.

I have greased the driveshaft with the zerks, but haven't had to worry about the rest yet. I'll be interested to see the answers the wiredgeorge's questions

BTW nice trike! Glad you had a good trip home.

 

[geol]

Brakes are D101 73-74 VW Karmen Gia About $24.00 to 39.00 at any auto supply. Just take yours off and go the supply house. Do not buy them from Champion. Auto 75-90 gear lube is just fine unless yours seeing leaks don't worry about it. When did you change the rear end lube in your car????? Changed mine in my truck at 117,000 because somebody else paid for it. Why they put VW breaks on a Suzuki rear is beyond me.

Why the comment regarding not buying from Champion? I don't need brakes right now but knowing more info never hurts.

 

[Solidbob]

For you Champion Solid Axle guys that use the 2-pin VW Calipers they are the same calipers the Roadsmith uses and I have lots of friends that have now used the EBC #DP-4105R Yellow Stuff Brake Pads for much improved braking. So if your brakes are weak, glazed or just worn this is the cure. Just follow the breakin procedures for worn rotors and de-glaze your rotors with some sand cloth for a fresh start..if their grooved get them slightly turned. Enjoy the now squealing brake sound you can make, but follow breakin / very important. Cheapest Place is here:
http://www.autohance.com/ebc-brakes...-series.html?gclid=CNyhpIOn0cgCFQRrfgodQeoIEQ

Easy to change, remove the two pin clips in exploded view and remove / skuff rotors / reassemble about 45 minutes for both once wheels are off.. alow them to hang to gain most access... use jack on pumpkin and support frame with jack stands...



other alternatives: VW - #311-698-151B
Bendix - #DB-15
Federated - #D30A


Calipers : VW - #311-615-107 & 108
: Beck - #0770229S
: Cardone - #19-230 & 231
: Raybestos - #FRC3081 & 3082

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

I have a Toyota solid rear axle in my 06 Champion.
I was told this-
They did change to a Suzuki a year or so later.
Then changed to another brand for a while.
I believe they are using Champion again.
I would check to see which you have installed on your kits after 06.

 

[Baldy_54]

I think I have the Champion of All Squealers

The Champion Squealer is my My 05 Lehman Monarch II. After 10 years it is squealing right along, as good as when it was new. Even though Champion had nothing to do with Lehman at that time.

 

[Baldy_54]

Baldy_54 ..... enlighten us / Champion Squealer Monarch II.... you run over a pig or what! Champion & Lehman are both different animals and I don't think most stuff interchanges... all has been moved to the Champion facality in California, Lehman is no longer in Spearfish.... FYI

Bob, no kidding, tell me something I don't know. Squealing brakes were mentioned and I responded, "I think my brakes would win the Championship". No pigs were involved just poor product.

 

[Solidbob]

Well what I really meant was if you had a Champion that used the VW Calipers that I referenced and they were really crappy brakes and barely stopped you if you changed to the EBC Brake Pads Yellow Stuff and got them broke in correctly you could now lock those brakes up if need be IE: Squeal them, not run over Gary's foot.... inside joke....

 

[Baldy_54]

Well what I really meant was if you had a Champion that used the VW Calipers that I referenced and they were really crappy brakes and barely stopped you if you changed to the EBC Brake Pads Yellow Stuff and got them broke in correctly you could now lock those brakes up if need be IE: Squeal them, not run over Gary's foot.... inside joke....

How about his head? Gotcha, he loves me too.

 

[cavie]

Why the comment regarding not buying from Champion? I don't need brakes right now but knowing more info never hurts.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Ozarkryder]

I have a Toyota solid rear axle in my 06 Champion.
I was told this-
They did change to a Suzuki a year or so later.
Then changed to another brand for a while.
I believe they are using Champion again.
I would check to see which you have installed on your kits after 06.

I had thought someone told me our Champion kitted in '06 has a Toyota rear axle.
So do they still take the VW calipers the later Suzuki or whatever they used after '06 used? Are there markings on the calipers to ID them?

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

I don't know about the Champions before 06, but my 06 has a Toyota rear end.
Then in late 07 -early 08, they used Suzuki. I also was told by Pete, they used another brand after the Suzuki until they went back to Toyota.
I cann't contact my dealer any more as Pete Hatfield Motors in Muscatine, Iowa closed his doors.

 

[Marc H]

I'm pretty sure my 13 kit has a yota axle with VW calipers just the early 70's style.

 

[Comanche]

I too have a 2006 SA Champion. Install manual says its a Totoya build. This is now important as I seized a bearing in the worst possible place this weekend. It required two tows, but trike is now in repair shop. I live in really small town, but we have a Champion trike shop here. Took my son and me about 7 minutes today to load it on a trailer and take it to the shop.