Champion: Is there actually a problem

[garyallenbrown]

I have an 02 GL 1800, converted in 05 (solid axel), 25,000 total miles.

A friend rode behind me for 80 miles at Hwy speeds 70+ here in AZ. He said it appeared that my right rear wheel was tilting out slightly at the top (out of camber).

I called Champion, they said because I had a straight axel, which has no camber adjustment the wheel could not tilt outwards. If the axel had broken allowing the wheel to tilt, the trike would have been unridable. Also with the trike body fitting very close to the tire, it would have rubbed on the body which it did not. I had my mechanic put the trike on a lift and check everything. They checked all the possible stress points for cracks and found nothing. They have a machine that measures camber and each rear wheel was 1/2 degree off camber, well within original specs. The tires have about 5000 miles and are wearing evenly.

I was on another ride Saturday and more people noticed the same thing with the right rear wheel. I run the tires at 22psi, the trikes tracks straight and runs smoothly at speeds up to 85 (I don't ride any faster).

Has anyone elso experience anything like this...................Gary

[ben721364]

From your description, I wonder if the body is tilted or mounted toward one side or the other. I would park it on a level place and take measurements, loaded and unloaded.

[garyallenbrown]

When the trike was at D&D cycles in Tempe, AZ, it was level and they measured everything they could. They even re-torqued the wheels just to make sure.....Gary

[Papa Zook]

Gary,
The Champion "zero-flex" swingarm setup utilizes a rigid, cross-member swingarm design which does not operate as a "semi-independent" (for lack of a better term) like for an example the Motor Trike setup does, wherein the entire axle housing rotates up or down slightly via the use of heim joints and ladder bars. With an automotive straight axle setup like the Champion, there is really no way the wheel can run anything but a true 90 degrees vertical in relation to the axle and the bike itself, so a negative camber is not what they are seeing. Take some pics of the trike on flat concrete surface and also running down the road from behind if possible and post it here.

[Ozarkryder]

Interestin.....I too have a Champion, '06 kit on an '04 GL1800. Haven't had anyone say anything about the camber of the rear. As it measures and rides right, I am wondering if it is an optical thing. The wheel could not be sticking out of the fender at the top, so they must be seeing the wheel below the fender to the road. They may be seeing the wheel (and the whole trike) leaning at an angle due to the crown in the road.

As 'Zook said - pictures would be most interesting!

[Tony T of I V E]

If you lean your head the other way , you'll never notice it .. just sayin

Tony T of I V E

[garyallenbrown]

Interestin.....I too have a Champion, '06 kit on an '04 GL1800. Haven't had anyone say anything about the camber of the rear. As it measures and rides right, I am wondering if it is an optical thing. The wheel could not be sticking out of the fender at the top, so they must be seeing the wheel below the fender to the road. They may be seeing the wheel (and the whole trike) leaning at an angle due to the crown in the road.

As 'Zook said - pictures would be most interesting!

I have better than pictures. One of the other riders took at least 15 minutes of video at my request. When they post it on youtube, I'll put a link here. I suspect your theory may be correct. This was a ride north from Phoenix to Payson (up in the mountains). There is practically no flat or straight road on the 90 mile trip. My mechanic said "tell your friends to stop looking at you wheels and watch the scenery".

Gary

[Teal]

also measure the body height on each side
if its higher at the right wheel you can get an illusion that its camber.

if the flange was welded off position to the diff for ex-- the bearing /axle will not go in and or not last long if it does go in the housing- as mentioned by zook- not any way to function. if you remove the rotor and bearing retainer you can see the bearing should be square in the housing (most have abt 1/16" of bearing showing.

[skuuter]

Also, a Body mounted "not quite square" with the Rearend will give this illusion also........ Mounting Bodies Crooked on race Cars with "Rear Steer and/or Camber" in the Rearend will square up the "Visuals" in Divisions that aren't allowed to use this........or at least I was told this.....

[Shimpy]

I was told the same thing from someone behind me and was asked if my tire was wearing evenly. I visually checked the alignment in my garage and it looked perfect and the tires look great without any visual wear after 14,000 miles. Handles great and I have no complaints.

[Shimpy]

I rode behind a Champion today that had the same look of the right tire leaning out at the top. Think about it, the trike has a straight axle coming from the differential. On the end it has a flange which the wheel is mounted to. If it was out of square or perpendicular by say .500 inch at the top then it would wobble and be running out 1.000" total. (TIR) It would be very noticeable.

[meredog]

ride at the end of the group / problem solved lol