wheel falls off ? ? ? ?

[67wizard]

Had a friend send this to me. ( I have never heard of this before)

I found this on the Road King Riders Delphi forum.

On Monday, a good friend was killed when one of the rear wheels on his tri-glide detached from the rear end. The trike crashed and he died several hours later in a hospital. Having investigated many mechanical failures as an engineer, I am frequently in search why failures occur. Someone at the memorial service showed me an email where it was written that these trikes have a problem with the left wheel coming loose and falling off. Supposedly, the motor company recommends retorquing wheels every 500 to 1000 miles and it is a known problem with these machines. I accepted this as true at the time. However, I came home and have not been able to find anything about this issue on the internet. Does anyone know anything about this problem? Initially, I assumed it was a maintenance problem, ie someone failed to properly mount the wheel.

 

[Sloufoot]

On all aluminum wheels, on all vehicles you need to re-torque the wheels to specs after they have been loosened & tightened. There have been a few people loose the left wheel, or come close to loosing it but caught the loose wheel before it came off.

On the TriGlide 90ft lbs-100ft lbs torque, then at about 100 miles re-torque to specs & you won't have problems. Or none I have heard of.

But this procedure goes for any aluminum wheel. On any vehicle.

 

[ISP-FL]

To me this is something else to consider when deciding to let a dealership do all your maintenance, part of your maintenance, or none of it.

Checking the rear lugs for proper torque is probably a listed item a dealer would do at the 1,000 mile service. So would you trust them to actually do it, or are you better off doing it yourself?

 

[dmillsr3]

To me this is something else to consider when deciding to let a dealership do all your maintenance, part of your maintenance, or none of it. Checking the rear lugs for proper torque is probably a listed item a dealer would do at the 1,000 mile service. So would you trust them to actually do it, or are you better off doing it yourself?

You are better off doing it yourself, if you do it properly and IF you do it.

 

[DK Custom Products]

I believe Keystone, a moderator here, had one of his rear wheels come off his Tri-Glide while riding it...this was a few years back. I'm sure he'll correct me if I am mis-remembering.

I NEVER trust the dealer to torque them down correctly.

I always retorque mine after 50 miles....I think the manual says after 100 miles.

I also check them periodically. Just did it yesterday morning before leaving on our trip.

Kevin

 

[Keystone]

I might know a thing or two about that....

It's not a Harley issue as in the MoCo. This happens to cars/trucks too. If they are not properly torqued they can come off anywhere from a few miles to 1k miles later. This happened to me 6 years ago. That dealership hasn't received any business from us since.

 

[Fearless]

I do my own

I have had the wheels off our Trike several times and have had no problems. If you have any thoughts or even think something doesn't feel right or sound right riding you got to check. Alum. wheels squeak at low speeds when loose, Years ago I ruined a Classic M/T wheel and I heard it squeak my fault. Sorry to hear someone lost their life. ride safely Fred

 

[Trampas]

I will be checking mine today just on the safe side, think I will check the truck as well since I rotated them awhile back.

All for now Trampas

 

[Texan]

I always have checked my tire pressure and torqued the lug nuts before any ride....long or short. You can loose a pound of air every month so good idea a check pressure monthly .

8~\o

 

[dmillsr3]

I always have checked my tire pressure and torqued the lug nuts before any ride....long or short. You can loose a pound of air every month so good idea a check pressure monthly . 8~\o

I am going on a long ride from DFW to Grand Canyon on back in a few weeks. I will probably not carry the torque wrendch, but I will carry the lug wrench and check at end of each full day.

 

[Freewheeling Ron]

Thanks for posting. I checked mine after reading this. Dealer did a 1,000 service the middle of April and I've put 3k on it since then. I just had the dealer do a full fluid change and ask them to check it over good. My left lug nuts were not 90 lbs, but probably higher than 80. Right lugs were all good except 1 that was close.

 

[Side by side]

I ran into this problem years ago, Aluminum wheels after time start to corrode, when removing wheel for what ever reason there is always aluminum corrosion on the steel mounting surface mostly in the center hub area, if you don't clean this white powder/corrosion and just remount and torque the wheel, this corrosion breaks up and now you have the start of a loose wheel, re torquing will help, but cleaning the corrosion will solve the main problem before installing the wheel. I ran into this problem with Ford SUV's. But any Aluminum mounted to steel will cause this corrosion.

 

[Bubba49]

I'm checking mine today.....

Bubba

 

[Fearless]

I always have checked my tire pressure and torqued the lug nuts before any ride....long or short. You can loose a pound of air every month so good idea a check pressure monthly .

8~\o

+1 Got to pay attention I just checked mine 10 minutes ago. Easy to do expensive to ignore Torque and air pressure. good reminder for everyone. I trust no one with my safety and equipment. :skull: travel safely Fred

 

[Sully]

Ok, So whats the setting :Shrug: 80 or 100 ft lb :Shrug: for a TriGlide

Thanks,

 

[Strohkr]

100 lbs

Ok, So whats the setting :Shrug: 80 or 100 ft lb :Shrug: for a TriGlide

I set mine at 100 lbs and check them a couple of times during the riding season.

Last summer we went on a 3000 mile ride and when I got back the left wheel had a couple down to 90 lbs.

Rode the rest of the summer and when I checked them this spring they were all at 100 lbs (give or take a few lbs).

I always check mine before a long ride and then again when I get back. I think if you set them at 100 lbs to start with you should be good to go for most of the main northern riding season unless, of course, you put on a bazillion miles!

 

[Freewheeling Kathy]

I am going on a long ride from DFW to Grand Canyon on back in a few weeks. I will probably not carry the torque wrendch, but I will carry the lug wrench and check at end of each full day.

I think I would also carry a pump for the shocks too. I am going to check my wheel torque when I get home tonight and pack a torque wrench.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

This post couldn't have come at a better time.I normally check after 100 miles if I have the wheels off,But since reading this post i will pack a 3/4 socket,extension and a torque wrench on longer rides.Leaving in the morning to Ohio bike week in Sandusky. So I added a couple of items to the trunk.

 

[Trampas]

My manual says 90 to 100 ft lbs, I do mine at 90, aluminum shouldn't be over tighten from a mechanic friend of mine and I trust him.

All for now Trampas

 

[Phu Cat]

​WOW, this is a great heads-up and a darned shame it has to come at the expense of someones life. I had no idea this was a problem with aluminum wheels as I've had several sets on cars over the years. But wrote a note to retorque ours in the AM.

PC

 

[gerald martin]

wheels

Just remember over torqueing is bad also. It can stretch the threads and the studs could break. I always take my bike to Kal Tire they will torque them for free and they calibrate their torque wrenches every morning. Also you will be watching them do it

 

[ISP-FL]

Having owned numerous cargo trailers and traveling in 5th wheels over the years, torquing lug nuts is normal maintenance, especially when new. Never really thought about it on TG but I certainly will now. I agree that it probably isn't something you want to trust to a busy Harley dealership tech.

 

[hddocfl]

Thanks for the heads up, I installed the lift kit and forgot to re check the lugs, All good Thanks Doc

 

[trikermutha]

I might know a thing or two about that....

It's not a Harley issue as in the MoCo. This happens to cars/trucks too. If they are not properly torqued they can come off anywhere from a few miles to 1k miles later. This happened to me 6 years ago. That dealership hasn't received any business from us since.

Man I remember this when it was posted years ago..That was scary :afraid:

 

[RickDeVon]

I don't torque wheels on the trike or my cars and trucks...I service them all at 5ooo miles...rotate the cars and trucks wheel and use a 4 way lug wrench to tighten them...check the trike at each service....been doing this since I was 16 and never a problem...

 

[Burnerboy]

Thanks for the heads up...........I'm going out to the garage now!

Doing the tail of the dragon in two weeks..........thank you! :clapping:

Ronnie

 

[Trailridr]

I drive a big truck and every time I have a tire removed and replaced I have to sign a form stating I understand lugs must be retorted at between 100 and 500 miles. It's not Harley thing. It's across the board on everything.

 

[470004]

I always check the torque (95 ft lbs) and air pressure each time before a ride. It only take a few minutes.

 

[Avenger61]

Thanks for the heads up, I installed the lift kit and forgot to re check the lugs, All good Thanks Doc

Yup same here. I'll be checking mine tonight too. It's very sad that this subject comes up when someone died from it, but very good that it comes up and so many of us realize that we've neglected to check our own. Your friend obviously did not die in vain. God bless those who have gone before us to keep us safer.

 

[427dave]

I believe Keystone, a moderator here, had one of his rear wheels come off his Tri-Glide while riding it...this was a few years back. I'm sure he'll correct me if I am mis-remembering.

I NEVER trust the dealer to torque them down correctly.

I always retorque mine after 50 miles....I think the manual says after 100 miles.

I also check them periodically. Just did it yesterday morning before leaving on our trip.

Kevin

I retorque mine when it comes back from the dealer everytime. They have been loose one time. Anytime I remove a rear wheel I will retorque it after 0-100 miles. Good practice. I had heard of a wheel coming off on a Triglide around Tampa quite a few years ago and the passenger died.