Wheels with stub axles?

[Laurentius]

Whilst I am familiar with the usual bicyle wheel set up, the wheels on my trike are new to me, being as they sit on stub axles not between forks, I need a guide to the basic maintenance of these, how they vary from the usual kind, and come apart. I can see they are held on by a recessed nut, which can be removed with a socket, but I am not willing to take one off until I have a better idea of the mechanics.

 

[TheDoctor]

Not sure there's any need to take them off.
The main thing I remove wheels for is to change tyres or tubes, and stub axles mean you can do both of those with the wheels still in place.
I think @mickle would be the man to ask, what he doesn't know about bike (and trike!) fettling isn't worth knowing.

I expect he'll be along in a bit - that @ mickle thing^^ flags the thread so he'll see it, FYI.

 

[raleighnut]

Depends what sort of drive the rear wheels have, single sided like mine or double drive (with diff) like a Kettwiesel.

Pictures would help.

 

[mickle]

Eh!?

 

[mickle]

Ah. So.

What make of trike have you? A tricycle can spend it's entire life without having its wheels removed. Because you can remove the tyre and tube from the rim without needing to remove the wheel from the tricycle. In our tricycle shop we usually only remove the actual wheel if there's a problem with the bearings - or with the diff (if it has one. Most trikes are one wheel drive).

 

[Laurentius]

It has a folding axle on the right side and a stub axle attached to a band brake on the other. I was just wondering how the bearings could be adjusted if need be.

 

[Laurentius]

Depends what sort of drive the rear wheels have, single sided like mine or double drive (with diff) like a Kettwiesel.

Pictures would help.

 

[mickle]

Aha, a DiBlastard, I know it well. It's a wonder of mechanical design and engineering. The rear wheel bearings are not an area which should give you any concern at all. They tend to last pretty well in these. Cartridge bearings if my memory serves, so fit and forget until they go wrong and replace or upgrade them at that point. I've never seen a DiBlasi need new rear wheel bearings.

However, I would advise very strongly that you keep a sharp eye on:

The rear drive UV joints - which are manufactured of cheese and have a rude habit of shearing under heavy pedalling loads. Though they're pretty easy to weld back up if/when they go.

The nuts and bolts which allow the trike to accomplish its fold. These are mostly affixed with locnuts. but they can come loose over time and threaten the structural intergrity of the trike. You really don't want it unravelling when in the saddle. if folding or unfolding it suddenly and inexplicably becomes more difficult and it doesn't want to all line up with itself it's because something is loosening off. Dont force it - find the fault.

The two rods which control the alignment of the rear wheels. These suckers have a habit of bending and/or breaking. You don't want one of those rear wheels to suddenly head off North if you're heading South.

The two tubes and their fixing hardware which make up the 'seat support structure'. Comes loose. Keep an eye.

The seat is a 'DiBlasi only' product, it can only be replaced with another seat from DiBlasi.

 

[raleighnut]

Gadzooks, that's a complex back end, is it cos of the fold.

My Kentex is much simpler although mine doesn't fold (not even in the middle) but I still have the same 'band' brake at the back. The 'band' brake will 'bed in' quite well and mine has enough effect to lock the wheel with only moderate pressure on the brake lever. A great feature of these brakes is in wet conditions though, it is still as effective (although a touch 'grabby' ) but the sound is awesome, just touching it lightly can result in a racket akin to a Foden 25-tonner/double decker bus braking behind people. Really useful on a 'shared route' path when the walkers insist on filling it, much better than the feeble 'ting-ting' of a bell.

 

[Tigerbiten]

They'll be sealed cartridge bearings, no adjustment possible.
Undo the nut and the whole wheel will just slide off the axle.
You may want to grease the axle so the wheel doesn't get stuck if you don't remove it for a year or so.
If they do go and the wheel starts to wobble, just knock the old ones out and press new ones in.

The old ones on my trailer where cheap ones and tended to die after around 5,000 miles.
I've since upgraded them to ones similar to the ones on my trike and they're still good after ~25,000 miles.

 

[Laurentius]

Thanks mickle, I had already considered to make regular checks on the nuts and bolts, as I don't want it coming apart unexpectedly. If the worst comes to the worst and the drive shears when I am out and about, at least I will be able to get it into a taxi to get me home. I managed a short ride, half of it offroad on a footpath too narrow for the wheels yesterday, I am surprised how well it coped considering the warnings I was given about losing grip, whilst it slipped some in wet grass, I was still able to make progress. I will chose my routes more carefully in future to take account of the extra width.

 

[Laurentius]

Aha, a DiBlastard, I know it well. It's a wonder of mechanical design and engineering. The rear wheel bearings are not an area which should give you any concern at all. They tend to last pretty well in these. Cartridge bearings if my memory serves, so fit and forget until they go wrong and replace or upgrade them at that point. I've never seen a DiBlasi need new rear wheel bearings.

However, I would advise very strongly that you keep a sharp eye on:

The rear drive UV joints - which are manufactured of cheese and have a rude habit of shearing under heavy pedalling loads. Though they're pretty easy to weld back up if/when they go.

The nuts and bolts which allow the trike to accomplish its fold. These are mostly affixed with locnuts. but they can come loose over time and threaten the structural intergrity of the trike. You really don't want it unravelling when in the saddle. if folding or unfolding it suddenly and inexplicably becomes more difficult and it doesn't want to all line up with itself it's because something is loosening off. Dont force it - find the fault.

The two rods which control the alignment of the rear wheels. These suckers have a habit of bending and/or breaking. You don't want one of those rear wheels to suddenly head off North if you're heading South.

The two tubes and their fixing hardware which make up the 'seat support structure'. Comes loose. Keep an eye.

The seat is a 'DiBlasi only' product, it can only be replaced with another seat from DiBlasi.

You are a prophet sir! I returned home after a ride today to discover that a bolt had sheared which connects the folding axle to the drive shaft. Easily replaced however, as fortunately I had one in the right size. I think it would not be a bad idea to include a few nuts and bolts with my repair kit.