DK Custom's New Report on Trike Rear Axle Bearing Retainer Plates!

[DK Custom Products]

There's an All New Report on Trike Rear Axle Bearing Retainer Plates on our website!

Here's a few photos taken from the report-







Take a look at the full report HERE! It is Full of photos and need-to-know info!

[Jack Klarich]

Very good info Kevin

I have seen the weak bearing retainer plates many times in automotive apps and similar damages to bearings, axles and spider gears

[headheaded]

The trikers of America all owe you a beer for this fix ! Another great product from DK Customs ! Did you have to replace your swingarm rubber bushings ?

You always seem to have our backs.

[DK Custom Products]

Very good info Kevin

I have seen the weak bearing retainer plates many times in automotive apps and similar damages to bearings, axles and spider gears

Thanks Jack! Yes, I was quite surprised to see the damage that had occurred to my TG from the weak factory plates.

The trikers of America all owe you a beer for this fix ! Another great product from DK Customs ! Did you have to replace your swingarm rubber bushings ?

You always seem to have our backs.

Thanks man! No, my swingarm rubber bushings did not seem to have excessive wear, so I did not replace them.

Kevin

[PosseRider]

Curious as to the mileage on your trike that this occurred . Then I can determine how soon I need to do this before it happens.

[DK Custom Products]

Curious as to the mileage on your trike that this occurred . Then I can determine how soon I need to do this before it happens. TIA

I believe it was around 44k miles when we discovered it. Don't know how long it had been going on.

Since then we have looked at several other Trikes.

1 at 5k miles had no signs of the plates deforming or the bearings knocking around in the housing.

Another at only 3k miles had deformed plates, banged up bearings, but very little wear on the splines.

Another at 52k miles, all aspects looked worse than mine did at 44k miles.

The last one I saw had 30k miles and looked about the same as mine.

Kevin

[PosseRider]

Well when I return from Kerrville, I guess I need to check. Will be around 35k at that time. What caused you to check this (what was trike doing ) TIA

[MDO]

I believe it was around 44k miles when we discovered it. Don't know how long it had been going on.

Since then we have looked at several other Trikes.

1 at 5k miles had no signs of the plates deforming or the bearings knocking around in the housing.

Another at only 3k miles had deformed plates, banged up bearings, but very little wear on the splines.

Another at 52k miles, all aspects looked worse than mine did at 44k miles.

The last one I saw had 30k miles and looked about the same as mine.

Kevin

Thanks for the info Kevin.

I want to make sure I understand. Your saying this is a problem on the Freewheeler also?

[DK Custom Products]

Well when I return from Kerrville, I guess I need to check. Will be around 35k at that time. What caused you to check this (what was trike doing ) TIA

I was going thru the Trike, getting it ready for our big summer trip, and one of the things I did was grab hold of one the the rear tires and shake/push the bike back and forth sideways to see if all was tight. I felt a little slop. Thought it was the heim joints on the panhard rod.

So I replaced those, and adjusted the panhard rod per the FSM. Still had that little clicking when push/pulling the rear tire sideways. (Could not hear the clicking/movement, but I felt it).

So I started taking stuff apart to see where it was coming from. You can imagine my surprise when I saw the chintzy factory retainer plates that were bowed out...and even more surprise when I saw the beat up bearings, axle housings and worn splines.

Thanks for the info Kevin.

I want to make sure I understand. Your saying this is a problem on the Freewheeler also?

Yes, all those parts are exactly the same on the Freewheeler as the Tri-Glide.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

AXLE BEARING RETAINER PLATES For HD TRIKE MODELS



With the DK Axle Bearing Retainer Plates installed, the bearings are held firmly in place, resulting in the axles being held in true.

[MDO]

So do some trikes do this, or do they ALL do this?

[Jack Klarich]

So do some trikes do this, or do they ALL do this?

All HD Trikes, the axle retainer plate is a thin stamped type, similar to what Chrysler used in the 70-80s

[DK Custom Products]

So do some trikes do this, or do they ALL do this?

I don't know...impossible to know without pulling a wheel and looking.

Everyone I've seen has done it to varying degrees....but I have only laid my eyes on about a dozen of them.

Some not as bad as mine, others worse that mine.

I ride mine pretty hard, and thought that may be the reason mine was so bad. But then I saw one on a trike that was not ridden nearly as aggressively as mine, and it was worse.

So, I think it is what Jack said, it is a really thin stamped piece of metal and it could start off loose (not completely flat), brand new.

Kevin

[Tucci]

Oil migration -- Cheap axle bearing plates-- Battery problems-- Reverse motor problems etc. $40,000 plus . Yet we keep buying. Isn't there a saying... Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity

[Trampas]

Oil migration -- Cheap axle bearing plates-- Battery problems-- Reverse motor problems etc. $40,000 plus . Yet we keep buying. Isn't there a saying... Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity

I have been told many times I'm crazy so I guess I'm insane, I also have a baseball style hat that says 100% crazy, faded pretty good but still can make it out, not sure where it went, haven't seen it in a long time, I think the girl friend hid it or got rid of it, she didn't like it for some reason, LOL

All for now Trampas

P.S. I would assume if you have warranty this would be covered under warranty at least I hope so, I have 7 years of it, if my go out some day will keep these in mind

[DK Custom Products]

I have been told many times I'm crazy so I guess I'm insane, I also have a baseball style hat that says 100% crazy, faded pretty good but still can make it out, not sure where it went, haven't seen it in a long time, I think the girl friend hid it or got rid of it, she didn't like it for some reason, LOL

All for now Trampas

P.S. I would assume if you have warranty this would be covered under warranty at least I hope so, I have 7 years of it, if my go out some day will keep these in mind

Yes, it would be covered under warranty. I know of two where the end result was the differential getting chewed up and needing to be replaced. Cost is $3-$4k, but covered under warranty.

I still have a warranty on mine and could have gotten it all covered. I seriously considered it, but we were leaving on a big trip and I just did not trust replacing the OEM weak plates with another set of the same.

I like to go fast in the curves, and after seeing those plates it scared the crap out of me that mine and Mary's life were, literally, riding on them.

That said, I have never heard of a rear axle actually coming out of the housing (and I don't think they would), so my concern was not really logical...it just blew my mind how weak they were and I decided to permanently fix it.

Kevin

[Jack Klarich]

That said, I have never heard of a rear axle actually coming out of the housing (and I don't think they would), so my concern was not really logical...it just blew my mind how weak they were and I decided to permanently fix it.

Kevin

The ever changing end play with the cheap axle retainer plates will beat the hell out of the axle housing and eventually ruin the splines IMO

BIG Kudos to D K Customs on this new and improved axle retainer, something IMO the MOCO slacked on

[DK Custom Products]

DK Custom Trike Axle Bearing Retainer Plates

Replace the OEM support plates with our 2.5X thicker plates!

Go HERE to See Why!

[DK Custom Products]

The Axle Bearing Retainer Plates have been the solution to many that have the RJ Originals Disc Covers.

Many have found that after they installed the wheel discs they would hear clicking noises. At first many thought it was the wheel discs making the noise.

It was discovered that the noise is there when the OEM plates have deformed, but it is not heard while riding....UNTIL installing the wheel discs. The wheel discs give the noise something to echo off of, alerting the rider that their rear bearing are clanking around in the axle housing!

Kevin

[Wmitz]

Kevin, I’m a little late to the thread, do you need to replace the bearings if they are low mileage? My concern is that pressing them off and on again will create issues with the wear pattern established. Thanks.