New guy with a 2003 Suzuki Volusia Lehman Romani

[scootergmc]

Hello-

I recently acquired a 2003 Suzuki Volusia with a Lehman Romani trike conversion. I emailed Champion and they have no info/manuals for the early Suzuki conversions, information I also learned from this website afterwards. I have the Suzuki Volusia service manual, but nothing on the maintenance or specs of the trike conversion. I'd really like to have that information as the trike has very few miles (9k) given its age. I'd like to ensure it's in good health before I go gallivanting around America or decide to sell it. I know my way around a motorcycle but I like to have specs and stuff when doing work. U-joints probably require grease and I will check the shaft, and swingarm bearings, but I assume the drums are probably not self adjusting. It looks like an older Ford car rear end but I'd like to know the make/model of the brakes, before I just assume Ford as well. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Welcome to the Gang from Western Colorado.

 

[scootergmc]

Welcome to the Gang from Western Colorado.

Thanks. My mother's side is from your area. Delta/Collbran/Crawford areas.

 

[rhino 2]

Bob..........Welcome to Trike -Talk............:wave4:......

 

[Jack Klarich]

Hey Bob, :welcome:to Trike Talk

 

[Lee H. Mann]

Hello-

I recently acquired a 2003 Suzuki Volusia with a Lehman Romani trike conversion. I emailed Champion and they have no info/manuals for the early Suzuki conversions, information I also learned from this website afterwards. I have the Suzuki Volusia service manual, but nothing on the maintenance or specs of the trike conversion. I'd really like to have that information as the trike has very few miles (9k) given its age. I'd like to ensure it's in good health before I go gallivanting around America or decide to sell it. I know my way around a motorcycle but I like to have specs and stuff when doing work. U-joints probably require grease and I will check the shaft, and swingarm bearings, but I assume the drums are probably not self adjusting. It looks like an older Ford car rear end but I'd like to know the make/model of the brakes, before I just assume Ford as well. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Bob, welcome to Trike talk from West Virginia.:wave4:

The Suzuki Volusia Romani (Gypsy) and the later Boulevard C50 Tramp are very efficient trikes requiring less maintenance but a watchful eye. The only thing to keep an eye on is differential leaks. If yours has one or develops one, don't ignore it, get it fixed.

Grease the u-joint and beneath the swingarm there is also a zerk fitting for the suspension.

20 psi in the rear tires (hot) and 36 psi in the front (hot) .

 

[David357]

Hi Bob,:wave4:

:welcome: to our Trike Talk Family.:wave4::wave4:

 

[CrystalPistol]

Hello-

I recently acquired a 2003 Suzuki Volusia with a Lehman Romani trike conversion ... etc … but I assume the drums are probably not self adjusting. It looks like an older Ford car rear end but I'd like to know the make/model of the brakes, before I just assume Ford as well. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated ... etc …

If it's a Ford rear with drum brakes, likely Ford 6.75" ring gear rear with 9" diameter Ford drum brakes as used late '70s in Pintos, etc. I think mid 2000's they moved to some other rear.

My Lehman was built 1998, it for sure has the 6.75 Ford rear and 9" drums … the axles were shortened as were the axle tubes, and while everything I found on subject said no adjusters, mine does have adjusters still, but it takes a fast / hard rearward application of brakes to work them. Better to adjust manually every so often like Spring time. Bikes or trikes just don't get backed up fast enough or often enough to count on self adjusters that only adjust a click or two at a time if at all. I know that they used the same rear for a long time, with a move away as Champion parts started being used.

Those 9" drum brakes are very robust, they will last a long-long time.



https://mjtrikes.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=234

 

[scootergmc]

Bob, welcome to Trike talk from West Virginia.:wave4:

The Suzuki Volusia Romani (Gypsy) and the later Boulevard C50 Tramp are very efficient trikes requiring less maintenance but a watchful eye. The only thing to keep an eye on is differential leaks. If yours has one or develops one, don't ignore it, get it fixed.

Grease the u-joint and beneath the swingarm there is also a zerk fitting for the suspension.

20 psi in the rear tires (hot) and 36 psi in the front (hot) .

Thank you. So the Romani is identical to the Gypsy? I do have differential oil on the outside cover, but nothing dripping that I would classify as a leak. Thank you for the pressures.

 

[scootergmc]

If it's a Ford rear with drum brakes, likely Ford 6.75" ring gear rear with 9" diameter Ford drum brakes as used late '70s in Pintos, etc. I think mid 2000's they moved to some other rear.

My Lehman was built 1998, it for sure has the 6.75 Ford rear and 9" drums … the axles were shortened as were the axle tubes, and while everything I found on subject said no adjusters, mine does have adjusters still, but it takes a fast / hard rearward application of brakes to work them. Better to adjust manually every so often like Spring time. Bikes or trikes just don't get backed up fast enough or often enough to count on self adjusters that only adjust a click or two at a time if at all. I know that they used the same rear for a long time, with a move away as Champion parts started being used.

Those 9" drum brakes are very robust, they will last a long-long time.



https://mjtrikes.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=234

Thank you. I'm attaching a picture of my rear end for reference.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Thank you. I'm attaching a picture of my rear end for reference.

View attachment 71455

https://mjtrikes.com/shop/images/GG0650.jpg



Mine is not so greasy, check close at pinion seal area.

Yeah, I know …. could use a cleaning & wax, huh?

Mine also has a different cover look, but same number of bolts and internal parts same. Not sure why Ford changed cover shape though. To find mine here, I looked at a '79 Pinto at Rock Auto.

To find your gasket, I looked up a '75 model Pinto. I think Ford used them both as they came off the train maybe. You have Ford 9" drum brakes.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=127983&cc=1135246&jsn=543

here is yours

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=127938&cc=1135167&jsn=454

 

[scootergmc]

Thanks for that info. I appreciate it.

 

[Doug D.]

Hey Bob!

Welcome from Mid-Mo! By now you've figured out there's a host of folks on this forum more than willing to help out by sharing their wealth of experience, knowledge and information. Jim (Lee H. Mann) is the Lehman king and can tell you anything you need to know about your conversion.

This is a great forum and a great bunch of folks. I invite you to join the Gold Club, which supports the forum and gets you a ton of great benefits. Again, welcome aboard!

PEACE and ride safe! orag:

 

[CrystalPistol]

Can't edit my prior post here now, but I meant to also point out that one 6.75" Ford rear has a cover shape of essentially 8 sides …… while the other is like 4 sided square with round large radius corners.The gaskets show it well, so even if bolt pattern was same, there would not be a seal at corners. As far as I could ever find out, other components are same, seals, bearings, etc. Shafts were shortened with housings, and re-splined by Lehman or a contractor of thiers.

If you ever see leakage …. fix it asap to save those axles if possible.

I did discover that these axles were used in some early Ranger pickups and Bronco IIs as well as Pintos, Bobcats, maybe even 4 cyl Mustang IIs. I think more than adequate for our use.

Here's a better pic of mine without hitch parts in the way which is unlike yours in respect to cover shape/style. Pic from way back in 2004 when I bought it.

 

[scootergmc]

Thanks. I'm going to pick up a gasket this weekend and throw some fresh 75w-90 in there. The previous owner told me it has no more than 300 miles on a service, but I'm not sure it included the rear end. It'll get cleaned underneath too so I can see what's going on if something decides to get super leaky.