The Small Town Mechanic Hero

[1550vt]

This is just a story I need to tell and make a couple of points.

Know what you are riding, how it is built and what parts you need if something fails. Since I performed my own conversion, I knew and it came in real handy in a little Utah town named Milford. No regular bike shop (no matter what brand) can fix your trike and you will be a U-Haul case to find a dealer, or just come home.

Those small town local mechanics are getting real scarce, but I just happened to break down in front of Arron's Chevron station in Milford, Utah. I had a rear wheel bearing fail and the folks inside the station told me they had a mechanic and I think....sure...I bet they do and figured I had to go talk to a grease-monkey. Arron told me to roll the trike into his garage and loaned me a floor jack. As he watched me pull off the wheel, then yank out the axle, he knew right away what to do. I did too, but had no idea what was about to unfold over the next 2-hours. This guy took me all over town and called various parts houses miles away trying to find a bearing to no avail. He had one more chance. The Ace Hardware (Yes...I said Ace Hardware) had a little auto parts section and they actually had the bearing I needed. That was a shocker, but what came next is the real story. We had to find a press to remove the old bearing and retainer and press-on the new bearing. He located an older retired gentleman he used to work for that had closed his machine shop years ago. We get the key, drive out to this old shop (in Arron's truck), dust off the machinery, made a jig to press the old bearing off and and the new bearing on. This hydraulic press had not been used in years, but he managed to beat on stuff and rewire some electrical's to get her hummin'.

I was back on the road in less than 3-hours at a cost of $144.00. A few of those good guys are still out there and I contrast this to a Harley Dealership that told a riding buddy that it was a 4-hour job to change a tire. We found a Honda Shop 3-minutes down the road that replaced the tire in 45-minutes. I won't mention that particular dealership by name but the city is Durango, Colorado.

Just a story....but if you are ever in Milford, Utah...tell Arron how much all us trikers appreciate people like him.

[tfdeputydawg]

Which brings up a good point-this is available on another forum-not my idea but,
Start a Thread on which people can register by state their contact info plus what kind of assistance can be rendered for anyone traveling thru that has a problem. Just like the Gold Book issued by GWRRA.

[Cruisinthe34]

I cooked a rear wheel bearing on my '34 Chevy in Knoxville a couple years back. Actually torched/cut the old one off due to not having a press, then used a length of iron pipe about 2 1/2 wide to seat the new bearing by sleeving it over the axle and pounding the bearing on. Still running that same bearing.

Not really recommended but in a pinch.......

[Nana]

Which brings up a good point-this is available on another forum-not my idea but,
Start a Thread on which people can register by state their contact info plus what kind of assistance can be rendered for anyone traveling thru that has a problem. Just like the Gold Book issued by GWRRA.

Actually we already have this in process:
Please -- to everyone who is interested in participating and being part of our TrikeTalk support system list -- PM your contact information to tmigala, who is putting the data base together for us. Include your forum name, real name, phone number, and the city you live in.

[1550vt]

34.....been there and done that too and my particular Lehman kit uses the large Ford bearing. You would think it's a common bearing, but not in some places....apparently. I have "roasted" a couple of axle bearings off myself and that would have been my next move. My main problem was finding the bearing and of all places....at an Ace Hardware.

I think Arron would have hung with me as long as it took and no matter how far we had to go. Just a he!!-of-a-nice guy. The $144.00 was parts-n-all.

[Cruisinthe34]

Sweet Deal ! I had problems finding the 'right' bearing in my situation, I knew it was a ford 8" rearend but I think the Granada that year could have been one of three different ones. You were fortunate to find a local guy that knew the options on where to look.

[Gorilla]

nana you won't believe but I only have had about 15 responses so far for the data base

[1550vt]

tmigala....I guess some of us are just lazy. I have helped many a biker and triker right out here in my garage more than once. Sometimes.....just to get in out of the rain. I found a herd of Harleys in my front yard a couple of weeks ago when I came up out of my man-cave (basement) and the riders were standing on my front porch during a Noah class downpour. I got the biggest porch around...I guess, but we had a great time while the rain lasted. I will PM you later with some information.