Trike is busted!

[bayoudave]

Headed home from my two legs of Run for the Wall last night when the trike started making a noise when I let off the throttle. Sounded like I was running on the rumble strips only with a metal ting to it. Stopped and did an inspection and found that the front u-joint was bad. Parked the trike and got a ride with another biker and picked up truck and trailer and went back and picked up the trike. Got home at 4:00 this morning, got a few hours of sleep and headed out to take the trike to the shop and then returned the borrowed truck and trailer. Just glad I caught it before major damage was done. I have read on here about major damage and just last week thought that I should change them but didn't. Wish I had done that now. That will be a regular maintenance for me. At 50,000 miles new u-joints.

 

[Calgary]

Sorry to hear that bayoudave - fortunately you didn't end up with more damage!

Does the MotorTrike maintenance manual suggest changing the u joint out at a certain mileage or does it just have a lube schedule?

 

[Leathel]

Sounds like you caught it in time..... ignoring knocks and rattles is never good, If you hadn't stopped may have been sooo so different

 

[bigbuck]

Motor Trike makes a u-joint with grease zert in it. Replaced Honda u-joint with this on my wifes Valkyrie trike.

 

[Gold Rush]

I'm glad you caught it before that sucker exploded Dave! The new Motor Trike driveshaft is a home run. I was told by the tech folks that it fits all kits. I think the cost is $143. Yup, that's a lot but you'll get U-Joints that can be greased....<img src="images/smilies/poof.gif" border="0" alt="" title="poof" class="inlineimg" /><img src="images/smilies/poof.gif" border="0" alt="" title="poof" class="inlineimg" />

 

[bayoudave]

They did have zerts and were lubed just before I left for RFW (had less than a 1000 miles).<br />
Don't know if they suggest changing but I will. Much less cost and problems. I have been looking at this problem for a while and most were 60000+ miles when failure happened.

 

[skuuter]

Mine destroyed itself, and many, many more Trike Parts with virtually no warning at 39,000 miles.....Motor Trike promptly took care of Everything though...ThumbUp..

 

[pcombe]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Wheels</strong>
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<div class="message">Dave, had about 176,000 miles on my '01' Solid Axle MT and that was about right. About every 60,000 I needed to replace the front U-Joint. II know that sound and what you felt very well. Mine were not the new set up. Sorry to hear about your trip, but glad to see that you were able to work things out with minor expense and no major problems.</div>

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</div> WHEEEEEEELS! A Honda actually had the audacity to need maintenance just like a Harley?<img src="images/smilies/laugh.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Laugh" class="inlineimg" /> What's this world coming too?<a href="http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=20264&d=1400709338" title="Name: smiles your%20kiilin%20me.gif
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[3W-lonerider]

the front u-joint in my motortriked Valkyrie has 100,000 miles on it.
I remove the drive shaft every 10,000 miles and inspect the u-joints and grease the splined shafts.
so far everything is good. I carry a spare u-joint in the trunk.
but I do have a question?
I had sent a set of yokes to a machine shop and had them machine the yokes and install a greasable u-joint in the Honda yokes.
installed it in a friends motortrike and the u-joint only lasted 3000 miles before it grenaded
is motortrike making their own u-joints that they are getting them correct or how are they doing it.
we had a gentleman on the valk board that decided to machine Honda yokes and install greasable joints.
only problem was he could not find a u-joint that fit properly, the joint fit and looked fine but when he mic'ed the hole and the joint cap it didn't match.

 

[skuuter]

.....is motortrike making their own u-joints that they are getting them correct or how are they doing it.

They are using Larger Automotive-Type U-joint with a grease fitting in the cup.....ThumbUp

 

[pcombe]

Im doing better wheels now that the weather warmed up. I got a 100o miles on the new engine and am ready to head for the high lonesome as soon as the rainy season gets over its self.ThumbUp