I have a 99 Ultra Lehman conversion that started making a rubbing sound on hard left turns, adjusting suspension and tire pressure helped, changed speed drive, lubed cable and greased bearings. it went away but came back a little. Right turns are fine. Any ideas?
Front end noise on left turn
- Thread starter ratdaddy
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- #2
ratdaddy you greased the bearing but did they need replacing? The grease would hide the noise for awhile. Those bearings I believe should be replaced more often then the sealed newer bearings. How many miles on the bearings?
- Thread starter
- #3
Don't know, only had it since August. It started shaking all over after a hard left so i took it to local trike shop to be gone over.
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- #4
If they have not been replaced I would suggest. Bearing are relatively cheap.
not sure but could you have wheel bearing problems??
ratdaddy' check front motor mount,rubber could be broken, replaced 2 on my 99 roadking.
I realize that you think you have it pinned-down to a front end noise and from what I gather...it's at a shop. I have heard, but can only offer some positive information on mine, the rear wheel bearings do not hold-up well on the early Lehman kits. All I can base this on is my personal experience with having one fail in northern Utah some 2,000 miles from home last year. The kit had around 24,000 miles on it when the bearing went. They use a 207 ford sealed bearing, but the grease will leak out after a while. When I got my failed one replaced and got home, I went ahead and changed the inner and outer bearings. The other outer bearing that had not failed was dry and about to.
While you have it in the shop, it would not hurt to have those replaced, or at least checked. It is not something you can do along the road-side. The better 207's have a metal seal and Lehman used those on the inner end of the axle over the differential housing. They used the plastic seals (cheaper bearing) out in the axle flange. If an outer fails....it will also ruin an inner if it runs very long.
While you have it in the shop, it would not hurt to have those replaced, or at least checked. It is not something you can do along the road-side. The better 207's have a metal seal and Lehman used those on the inner end of the axle over the differential housing. They used the plastic seals (cheaper bearing) out in the axle flange. If an outer fails....it will also ruin an inner if it runs very long.
- Thread starter
- #8
You may be right Tour Master, when I took it in is seemed more like it was originating in the rear. I'll have them check them, thanks.
Could be LOTS of things. I have had bolts work loose on the swing-arm to axle connections, bolts back-out and work loose that hold the differential-halves together, etc. It needs a good nut-n-bolt tightening routine at least once a year.
Mine would scare the hair off your head (not that I had that much to spare anyway) in a right-hand turn. I beat on the problem for months until I eventually solved most of it by raking the front end and the rest of it by replacing the cleaveblocks in the swing-arm with Stabo Bushings. The 99 was the last year for the cleaveblocks and those can make the curves very mushy. If you have handling issues...these are the places to start fixing.
Mine would scare the hair off your head (not that I had that much to spare anyway) in a right-hand turn. I beat on the problem for months until I eventually solved most of it by raking the front end and the rest of it by replacing the cleaveblocks in the swing-arm with Stabo Bushings. The 99 was the last year for the cleaveblocks and those can make the curves very mushy. If you have handling issues...these are the places to start fixing.
ratdaddy....just another mention on the rear bearings. Not that I think that's what it is for sure, but there is a easy way to do a rough check. They can jack-up each side independently and see how much they can "shake" the wheel....as in fore-n-aft, or up-n-down. It should have very little if any play. If one is suspected, they can crank it up, put it in gear and see if she wobbles, or makes any noise.
For someone to actually put eyeballs on the bearings....the axles have to be pulled, which is no large task but at $100/hour plus-minus....it could save you some $ and if the wheels don't shake, you're likely okay.
For someone to actually put eyeballs on the bearings....the axles have to be pulled, which is no large task but at $100/hour plus-minus....it could save you some $ and if the wheels don't shake, you're likely okay.
Check the sides of your front tire. Its possible the sidewall of the tire is slightly rubbing the inside of your fender. I put a rear tire on my trike ( reversed the rotation ) and found it would rub the inside of the fender slightly on hard right turns. I pulled the side of the fender out a little and it no longers rubs
ratdaddy.....any word on your problem yet?
Lee H. Mann
Gone But Not Forgotten
Curious to see what was discovered:Spying:
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