I am currently experiencing rear brake issues with my freewheeler. Bike is at shop.

[missedem]

I am currently experiencing rear brake issues with my freewheeler. Bike is at shop.

I am currently experiencing rear brake issues with my freewheeler. Bike is up at the dealers to be fixed .
They have tried everything and when using the rear brake (which is linked to the front) the back right rear wheel locks up badly and pulls the bike to the right.
Technically since the front and rear brakes are linked via the rear brake pedal they should not do this. Also locks up enough to smoke the rear tire. The demo model that they had just started doing it as it got more miles on it but not nearly as severely. Apparently mine locks up pretty badly compared to most.
The tech people were called and ideas were exchanged . So far a solution has not been found. Was told the main HD corporate head trike tech guy retired recently. My question is:
Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so .

How did your local shop or dealership fix it.

?? Thanks for your time.
__________________

 

[Springman2007]

I am currently experiencing rear brake issues with my freewheeler. Bike is up at the dealers to be fixed .
They have tried everything and when using the rear brake (which is linked to the front) the back right rear wheel locks up badly and pulls the bike to the right.
Technically since the front and rear brakes are linked via the rear brake pedal they should not do this. Also locks up enough to smoke the rear tire. The demo model that they had just started doing it as it got more miles on it but not nearly as severely. Apparently mine locks up pretty badly compared to most.
The tech people were called and ideas were exchanged . So far a solution has not been found. Was told the main HD corporate head trike tech guy retired recently. My question is:
Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so .

How did your local shop or dealership fix it.

?? Thanks for your time.
__________________

Well, I have a 2015 Freewheeler and I am glad to report that I have not had this experience. However, if I do, you will hear about it, I promise.


I have limited experience on my FLRT, still under 2K miles on it; but, I have learned that when I do break, I always apply the rear first and then the front - totally opposite of the way a was generally breaking on two wheels - so, I understand your dilemma.


I hope you can get this resolved and quickly.


Springman

 

[missedem]

Well, I have a 2015 Freewheeler and I am glad to report that I have not had this experience. However, if I do, you will hear about it, I promise.


I have limited experience on my FLRT, still under 2K miles on it; but, I have learned that when I do break, I always apply the rear first and then the front - totally opposite of the way a was generally breaking on two wheels - so, I understand your dilemma.


I hope you can get this resolved and quickly.


Springman

thanks I appreciate it very much. I posted here and also on another forum , talked with one of the best mechanics I know, got a couple of other responses and I have a few ideas I'm going to throw at the local HD mechanic. If they have not already tried these things it might work. Ill keep everyone posted. Malfunctioning brakes are nothing to ignore.

 

[missedem]

Brakes fixed: here was the problem.

Apparently the freewheeler is so new some dealers are selling them out the door with out doing a brake adjustment.
On the freewheeler trike there is an adjustment that dictates how much front and rear brake come on with the linked brake set up. On my bike this was way out of adjustment because the factory expected the dealer to set up this adjustment. Cudos to Grizzly Harley Davidson in missoula, montana for fixing this issue especially since I did not purchase my bike there. Turns out the brake adjustment is also a service item and is supposed to be adjusted so often at the proper service. So if your linked brakes start locking up badly and pull your bike/trike one way or the other take it in and tell them the brakes need adjusting. Bike is fixed and ill be going to get in on thursday. Thanks everyone for ideas and encouragement. I will be calling the dealer where I bought the bike and telling them they screwed up royal on my trike setup.

 

[Chappy KC]

I am currently experiencing rear brake issues with my freewheeler. Bike is up at the dealers to be fixed .
They have tried everything and when using the rear brake (which is linked to the front) the back right rear wheel locks up badly and pulls the bike to the right.
Technically since the front and rear brakes are linked via the rear brake pedal they should not do this. Also locks up enough to smoke the rear tire. The demo model that they had just started doing it as it got more miles on it but not nearly as severely. Apparently mine locks up pretty badly compared to most.
The tech people were called and ideas were exchanged . So far a solution has not been found. Was told the main HD corporate head trike tech guy retired recently. My question is:
Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so .

How did your local shop or dealership fix it.

?? Thanks for your time.
__________________

Sounds like a lame excuse to me.

 

[missedem]

Trike was fixed but the tech that fixed it had to go to a seminar for mechanics on the newer bike models before anyone knew how to fix the problem. HD went out of there way to fix it but HD corporate at least at the time did not have a head tech guy for trikes. He did in fact retire. Hopefully this has been resolved and HD corporate has hired someone new.

 

[Bill G]

I read everything in my Trike service Manuel today concerning the linked brakes. It said nothing about a special adjustment as mentioned. It did however go into detail about a specific way the linked brake system is suppose to be bled and serviced compaired to the regular hydronic brake system. If not done correctly there could be issues or if there is a plugged or blocked bleed back valve on the front there could be braking issues. There were several symptoms mentioned which included dragging or locking brakes.

The rear brake peddle activates the middle pistons in the front brake calipers when applied along with the rear brakes. The front brake applies the rest of the pistons in the front calipers when applied. The outside line to each front caliper is from the rear brake peddle. The front brake by it self only operates the front brakes.

Ride Safe All,
Bill G

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I read everything in my Trike service Manuel today concerning the linked brakes. It said nothing about a special adjustment as mentioned. It did however go into detail about a specific way the linked brake system is suppose to be bled and serviced compaired to the regular hydronic brake system. If not done correctly there could be issues or if there is a plugged or blocked bleed back valve on the front there could be braking issues. There were several symptoms mentioned which included dragging or locking brakes.

The rear brake peddle activates the middle pistons in the front brake calipers when applied along with the rear brakes. The front brake applies the rest of the pistons in the front calipers when applied. The outside line to each front caliper is from the rear brake peddle. The front brake by it self only operates the front brakes.

Ride Safe All,
Bill G

I got to watch the tech bleed the brakes on my tri after the rear master cylinder recall. I gets hooked up to the computer just like doing an ABS bleed.

 

[Springman2007]

I read everything in my Trike service Manuel today concerning the linked brakes. It said nothing about a special adjustment as mentioned. It did however go into detail about a specific way the linked brake system is suppose to be bled and serviced compaired to the regular hydronic brake system. If not done correctly there could be issues or if there is a plugged or blocked bleed back valve on the front there could be braking issues. There were several symptoms mentioned which included dragging or locking brakes.

The rear brake peddle activates the middle pistons in the front brake calipers when applied along with the rear brakes. The front brake applies the rest of the pistons in the front calipers when applied. The outside line to each front caliper is from the rear brake peddle. The front brake by it self only operates the front brakes.

Ride Safe All,
Bill G

Bill, This a good and simple explanation of the Freewheeler's linked braking system. I think you should compose it in another post all by itself and then ask Bazooka to make it a sticky in the Freewheeler forum.......

THANKS!

Springman