Rear brake problems

[Dragonrider]

On a recent ride my '09 Tri Glide started to jerk and wobble when I would hit the rear brake pedal. I usually use more front brake because that's what I did on my 2 wheeler. Anyway, I've only had this trike about 800 miles, so i figured it probably was time for new pads...I was guessing the dealer I bought it from maybe missed them, or didn't check em. Of course I didn't look either that well.

After reading a lot, I wasn't surprised when the shop told me I needed new rotors too. OK, might as well, good insurance I was thinking.

After waiting a week for Harley to get some rotors in the shop informed me today that the left caliper was shot, not much of it left. I was like..."WTF?" The mechanic said you musta heard the metal grinding....No I tell him, never heard anything and the first sign of anything wrong was the grabbing and then I just used my front brake till I got it to the shop. So, another week or more to get a caliper in.

I'm wondering if anyone has come across this, or am I just brain dead all of a sudden, or is this shop, which I completely trusted till now (they work on the wife's bike and do good work) trying to make a little extra?

[bustedwing]

I guess I have a hard time understanding your story;you had wobble in the rear brakes as a 2 wheeler, so converted to 3 wheels it does the same thing so you used front brakes, now you have a rotor shot and caliper too.I think it is possible to happen and a bad caliper is harder to spot then a bad rotor.But if you had one bad brake before the conversion then when you step on the brake pedel you make it wobble anyway, I think you may have had a bad brake for a long time and it finally caught up with you.

[Dragonrider]

It's always been a 3 wheeler, it just has bad rear brakes, rotors, and calipers now. Never heard of everything going bad at once like that.

[Gorilla]

the rear brakes on the "09" are a very weak issue. If you have read up you probably know that. Did I read that HD had an upgrade system for sale? If not then Performance Machine does make one. It's expensive but I installed one on a "10" and it works well. Just a thought.

[msocko3]

Periodic inspection of the brake pads is basic maintenance. If you paid a mechanic to service your trike they should have been inspecting the wear on the brake pads each and every service. I don't know how you could have damaged a caliper unless you have been running with no material on the brake pad and the metal backer had worn away until there was nothing left of that. If something like this took place you should have have heard the metal grinding when you applied the brakes.

[trikermutha]

Periodic inspection of the brake pads is basic maintenance. If you paid a mechanic to service your trike they should have been inspecting the wear on the brake pads each and every service. I don't know how you could have damaged a caliper unless you have been running with no material on the brake pad and the metal backer had worn away until there was nothing left of that. If something like this took place you should have have heard the metal grinding when you applied the brakes.

Yes that is correct...I would have them show you all the old parts..It really does not make sense about the brake caliper ..The pads and rotors yes..I would check the brakes at least every 4k miles..I think the max is 8 k..More braking more pad wear..

[John Luciano]

Wow really, only 10K out of the rear brakes. I just changed my single brake pad on my GW DFT after 43,000 miles. Also having a hard time understanding the 800 miles so you fig it needed rear brakes. I think you are saying you bought a used 09 with xx,xxx miles on it. I have never ruined a caliper other than breaking a bolt or ripping a boot and having it seize up. if you wore through the pads and through the backing plate and after only 800 miles , I think you have cause to contact DMV . Or at least mention it to the dealer that you should. Then plan on finding a new service place. That trike was unsafe for sale.

[trikermutha]

Most Harley Dealers will say 7k on there pads are normal..

[Keystone]

I think the issue is this, and they are not telling you.

MoCo changed the rear break rotors, calipers and pads in 2010. They then stopped making the replacement pads for the 2009. That forced everyone that did not have an extra set of pads on hand to swap out the rotors and calipers also. When the local dealer here tried to charge me for all of that I refused to pay. Not sure who did pay for it (them or MoCo), but it was not me.

I am still confused as to how MoCo can do stuff like this and get away with it. Same type of issue came up on my wreck last year. Had to replace allot more parts due to the fact that MoCo no longer made body parts that were a mate to the original 2009 parts. They no longer made the body the same way so instead of just one fender and the body they had to change both side pannels, both fenders, bumper bolts, sub frame etc.

[trikermutha]

I think it was the 2011 models that had the changes to the brakes,and rear body..

[JohnC]

Keep in mind that the 2009 trikes were not made by Harley, they were made by Lehman Trikes. It wasn't until 2010 that Harley took over production of the trikes. It wouldn't surprise me if they made some changes to the build components during that transition, i.e., using stuff they had on the shelf (such as calipers and rotors) versus using whatever proprietary components that Lehman was using.

[msocko3]

I think it was the 2011 models that had the changes to the brakes,and rear body..

You are correct, the pads and rotors where changed in 2011. The only other brake change was 2010 when they made a master cylinder change, no other changes have taken place. The calipers are still the same caliper they started with in 2009. The pads they came out with in 2011 will retrofit with nothing more than simply bolting them on.

FWIW I pulled the pads off my dads 09 when it had around 15,000 miles on them, they could have gone longer with no problem. I pulled the pads on the 2010 I had when they had 10,000 miles on them and they could have gone another 10. Pad life depends on how much rear brake a person uses and the type of riding. Someone who just putts around town doing stop n go and is heavy on the rear brake will eat pads like a fat kit goes for an all you can eat candy buffet.

[Dragonrider]

Yeah bought it used with 16,400 miles on it. I've only put 800 on it and I believed the place I bought it from when they said they checked it out, stupid me lol.

heavy on the rear brake will eat pads like a fat kit goes for an all you can eat candy buffet.

I figured thats what the previous owner did, gonna check the parts because I still can't believe I never heard any noise. I'll check into the upgrade systems Gorilla, thanks.

[trikeridergl1500]

Iam tring to post a question on a problem on a 1999 honda goldsmith trike can you help

[Nana]

Iam tring to post a question on a problem on a 1999 honda goldsmith trike can you help

I am sending you a private message with instructions

[Dragonrider]

Thank you Nana

[Lakeman]

I have an 05 Ultra/Lehman and the trike dealer told that there was not one part that is interchangeable with the Harley built Tri Glide. He said the pads I have never wear out, 30,000 so far and fine.

[msocko3]

I have an 05 Ultra/Lehman and the trike dealer told that there was not one part that is interchangeable with the Harley built Tri Glide. He said the pads I have never wear out, 30,000 so far and fine.

Lehman just lent engineering advice and assembly expertise when HD started laying the ground work for a trike. The parts on the Triglide are HD specific and as you said not interchangeable.

[Dragonrider]

Saw the brake parts today, the pads were shot, rotors too. The left pad was completely gone, the metal backing was pretty torn up and covered in metal. The piston in the caliper had fully extended and was stuck and worn away.

Harley really put some skimpy braking on the 09's at least. I'll be looking into some upgrades.

[msocko3]

Saw the brake parts today, the pads were shot, rotors too. The left pad was completely gone, the metal backing was pretty torn up and covered in metal. The piston in the caliper had fully extended and was stuck and worn away.

Harley really put some skimpy braking on the 09's at least. I'll be looking into some upgrades.

I'd hold off for a spell on the Performance Machine brake kit if your leaning that direction. Right now their redesigning the front master cylinder because the one they use now is to close to the front head pipe which over heats the brake fluid and causes the pedal to get spongy. They also have an issue with the one section of brake line that comes down by the head pipe, the shrink tubing they are using can be melted by the exhaust. This is that line which had the heat shrink melted on my trike.