Now the rear has a metallic click...click...click. By shally (Read 817 times)

[shally]

Im sure this has been dealt with already on this forum, but I can't find it. What I have now is when I roll the trike, I hear a uniform click. If I am sitting on it while rolling, the click gets much louder. I appears to be the same weather it rolls straight or in a turn. The fact that it gets much louder with extra weight on it tells me that it is probably a wheel bearing. Before I tear the axles out, could someone confirm my theory?
I had the rear-end up on stands and there didn't appear to be any wheel looseness or play and I can't duplicate the sound just turning the wheels. I could have had this problem for a while but couldn't hear it over the engine.
Alley, I'm still trying to get pictures of the brake assembly, but I can't seem to get a clear shot. That is how I found the clicking; by trying to find better lighting.
Shally

[rapidjim]

With the rear up, check the trueness of your rear discs. The sound you are hearing may be coming from the caliper rocking back and forth.

Jim

[shally]

Thanks Jim,
I checked the caliper and it is rock solid. The click gets much louder when there is weight on the back. It is more like a loud pop or snap and occurs 4 to 5 times per revolution. Doesn't matter in which direction or if the trike is going straight or turning. I put about 40 lbs in the trunk and the snap was loud enough for me to hear it from behind. It appears to be comming from the left wheel. I can't be positive but am pretty sure. Any suggestions?

[rapidjim]

It might be a bearing, how is the chanin adjustment?

Jim

[kz1000st]

If there's a chain, has it, can it, be oiled? Chain drive bikes with dry chains make some terrible noises.

[Alleyoop]

Check the chain alignment, if it is not aligned one side of the chain will ride on the edge of the teeth and the clicking sound is as it slip over the teeth of the sprocket as it turns. So get behind and put a straight edge on the front sprocket flat against it and see if it also lays flat on the rear sprocket.

If the straight edge shows a little space on the back end of the Sprocket the Right side of the axle has to be moved IN a little Or the left side of the axle has to be moved OUT a little.

If the straight edge shows a little space on the front part of the Sprocket the Left side of the axle has to be moved IN a little OR the right side of the axle has to be moved OUT a little.

Or it could be a bad bearing. One other thing is if there is a CHAIN GUARD under the chain check that first. Mine came with a chain guard and the weld on the bracket broke and made clicking noise when a load was on it. I had it welded but the metal is so cheap it broke on the front bracket so I just took the whole thing off.

Or it could be a bad bearing.
Alleyoop

[shally]

Thank all for your help but the chain is good, straight, and well lubed, and there is no guard. With the wheels up off the floor, there is no clicks at all. The chain would make noises either way. All this is without the engine running. Strictly free-wheeling. I am going to try "wacking" the axle first and if that don't help, I'll replace the bearings. That is unless someone has a better idea! I am open for suggestions!
Shally

[shally]

I was so totally convinced it was the wheel bearing that I had it jacked up with the wheel and hub off and was preparing to remove the axle. Then something came up and I had to move the trike out of the way. so I gave the axle a good but gentle WACK, as I read from one of Alleyoops posts, reinstalled the wheel, and pushed it back to its parking spot. Then I realized the noise was gone. Took it for a ride, and it sounded great. I had very little wheel movement before the wack and I couldn't detect any difference after. I guess the shock was just enough to seat everything. Needless to say, Alleyoop knew what he was shoveling.
Shally

[shally]

I guess that puts me somewhere between "a fool and a clever man"? We wont discuss which way I lean.
Shally

[Alleyoop]

HAHAHA, I went through it Shally, that is why I know all this stuff and found what the problem was.
Now here is another trick that I did to stop the axle from moving out a little on you:
After you take the Dust Cover off you will see a BIG "C" clip that fits in a grove around inside the Axle TUBE. But between that "C" clip and the BEARING there is space and that space is what the axle will move out to. Actually if you do not have the ugraded axle tube which you just mentioned to me you do not. That little bit of movement from the axle out will cause the HUB TO ROCK on the outside of the axle and will ruin your hub.

So to help the axle from moving out Take the DUST COVER and take it to the hardware store and GET BIG WASHERS which are almost as big in Diamter as the DUST COVER. Then Take a Dremel tool and cut out the WASHER leaving only about 1/4 or a 1/8 edge all around and add that BETWEEN the BEARING and the "C" clip. NOw the OUTSIDE metal part of the BEARING will be against the Washer which will be against the "C" clip and it will hold the axle nice and tight in there.
Hope you understand what I am saying.
Alleyoop

[scooterbob]

You might also do what I did to get rid of the what I called a bonking noise . I tighten the axle nut with my impact wrench. To the next cotter pin hole.

[Alleyoop]

Here is what the Washer looks like, now they have different sizes also different thickness as well.

You can tighten it all you want, the problem is the ENTIRE AXLE moves out from the WITHIN the WORM GEAR in the DIFFERENTAL. And since the end of the AXLE is a little tapered where the grove on the end of FITS INTO A KEY BUILT into the SLEEVE of the WORM GEAR now the axle has movement inside the WORM SLEEVE because the axle is no longer nice and TIGHT holding onto the KEY that turns the axle. There again things can go bad, the key inside the SLEEVE can get damaged or the AXLE will now start to ride outside the KEY and it will eat at the end of the axle when it starts to slip inside the Worm Sleeve.
Alleyoop

[shally]

Yes, i understand, what I am thinking is maybe a large C ring might do as well. It would be a harder metal and a tighter fit.. TSC has them in all sizes.

[Alleyoop]

Sure that will also work, all you want to do is take up the space between the bearing and the "C" clip that fits in a grove inside the tube that actually stops the axle from completely coming out.
The outer diameter of the bearing should not rotate it is the center that rotates along with the axle.
Alleyoop

[leenark]

Ok I'm back in this Alleyoop...I know long time no hear from. Hey fella's you can pretty much take what Al gives you as the gospel. He is definitely a scoot guru. PS did the HoRrod power tour this year and I'm now a guinness world record holder. Sorry to hijack the thread but just wanted to say hey!!!!