Little background info here. Have owned this trike for 12 yrs. It was originally sent to the 2002 Laughlin River Run as part of the Lehman exhibit. Some guy apparently put a down payment on it, but never followed thru with the payments, so it got repossessed by the bank and left for awhile at the Lehman dealership up in Vegas, then the bank put it on the auction block. An eBay buyer from AZ who dealt with high end cars and trucks from the Friday night auctions in Vegas saw the trike and decided to take a chance on it. I bought the trike off eBay for approx. $4K less than it normally would have cost and it had 72 original factory miles on it.
About a year ago, I removed the wheels and drums, cleaned off the parts with brake cleaner, removed the star adjusters and cleaned and lubed 'em. Didn't notice the flaw until tackling this current brake job.
With all of the brake parts off of the backing plates, was cleaning up the backing plates and noticed that the right side backing plate looks like it was hammered all the way around the perimeter.
With the amount of damage, can't imagine that the original drum hadn't gotten messed up and replaced.
Figured that it had ridden fine for these past 12 yrs., so wasn't overly concerned about it.
Installed brand new brake shoes and hardware and when snugging up the lug nuts while the trike was up on jack stands, the more I tightened the lugs, the less freely the wheel would turn.
Swapped drums from right to left and vice versa, and either drum turns just fine on the left side.
Then noticed a couple grooves being cut on the right side backing plate just above the 2 bosses that the brake shoes rest on. Removed all of the newly installed brake parts and used an angle grinder to remove the high spots and take out those grooves for better clearance. With brake parts still off, placed the drum on the hub and it turns fine. Placed the wheel on and it still turns freely. Reinstalled the brake parts, drum and wheel, tightened up lug nuts and it's alternately turning and binding!
Was thinking maybe a bad axle bearing, so grabbed the hub and checked for in and out movement.
From my understanding a "little" in and out movement is acceptable. There is none.
Also checked for side to side and up and down movement of the hub, which there should be none and there is none. There had been no bad bearing noises before starting in on this brake job, I see absolutely no axle bearing seal leakage.
Even tho' it doesn't turn entirely free while off the ground, I lowered it to tighten the lugs properly and the trike rolls O.K., no problem.
My only thought is that it might have something to do with the hammered up backing plate and wondering why it hadn't been replaced with a new one after the damage was incurred within those first 72 factory miles. Can't say for sure on who's watch it happened......while in Lehman's hands or while in the eBay seller's hands ???
I have no idea, so not pointing fingers.
I realize that in order to replace the backing plate, one would have to pull the axle shaft and I suspect that someone blew it off, possibly replaced a messed up drum only and called it good.
Any insights would be much appreciated as this job has been full of frustration and no fun at all :AGGHH:
About a year ago, I removed the wheels and drums, cleaned off the parts with brake cleaner, removed the star adjusters and cleaned and lubed 'em. Didn't notice the flaw until tackling this current brake job.
With all of the brake parts off of the backing plates, was cleaning up the backing plates and noticed that the right side backing plate looks like it was hammered all the way around the perimeter.
With the amount of damage, can't imagine that the original drum hadn't gotten messed up and replaced.
Figured that it had ridden fine for these past 12 yrs., so wasn't overly concerned about it.
Installed brand new brake shoes and hardware and when snugging up the lug nuts while the trike was up on jack stands, the more I tightened the lugs, the less freely the wheel would turn.
Swapped drums from right to left and vice versa, and either drum turns just fine on the left side.
Then noticed a couple grooves being cut on the right side backing plate just above the 2 bosses that the brake shoes rest on. Removed all of the newly installed brake parts and used an angle grinder to remove the high spots and take out those grooves for better clearance. With brake parts still off, placed the drum on the hub and it turns fine. Placed the wheel on and it still turns freely. Reinstalled the brake parts, drum and wheel, tightened up lug nuts and it's alternately turning and binding!
Was thinking maybe a bad axle bearing, so grabbed the hub and checked for in and out movement.
From my understanding a "little" in and out movement is acceptable. There is none.
Also checked for side to side and up and down movement of the hub, which there should be none and there is none. There had been no bad bearing noises before starting in on this brake job, I see absolutely no axle bearing seal leakage.
Even tho' it doesn't turn entirely free while off the ground, I lowered it to tighten the lugs properly and the trike rolls O.K., no problem.
My only thought is that it might have something to do with the hammered up backing plate and wondering why it hadn't been replaced with a new one after the damage was incurred within those first 72 factory miles. Can't say for sure on who's watch it happened......while in Lehman's hands or while in the eBay seller's hands ???
I have no idea, so not pointing fingers.
I realize that in order to replace the backing plate, one would have to pull the axle shaft and I suspect that someone blew it off, possibly replaced a messed up drum only and called it good.
Any insights would be much appreciated as this job has been full of frustration and no fun at all :AGGHH:
