Outer Axle Bearings

[DK Custom Products]

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Bored yesterday morning so I decided that I would pull axles now instead of waiting for winter. Here is a picture of R/H retainer plate and bearing. This is at 24,800 miles. Obviously should have replaced the retainer plate with the DK version earlier. Pulling the axles was quite simple however getting the bearings off the axles has turned into quite a tug-of-war. I've got a 20-ton arbor press but it isn't budging these puppies. Going to take the axles over to the local John Deere dealer later today and see if they will be willing to give it a go with their shop presses. Order the new parts yesterday (Thursday) from DK and they are supposed to arrive next Tuesday. Looking forward to getting this fixed and back on the road.

Good photo showing how the OEM plates bow and let that bearing bang around in the housing.

I haven`t seen posts on any forum in reference to the axle bearings or retainer plates failing, except the posts by DK Customs.

I don`t doubt some trikes may have had issues, but if it were a widespread problem there would be a zillion posts about it.

We only personally know one person who's wheel (and axle) separated from the Trike. Fortunately it happened in a slow turn and she was not hurt.

We know of several dozen (still a small percentage) that have had the rear end grenade due to too much play in the axle from the bearing being loose.

What is far more common is the trike having a loose feeling, and some even hear the clicking or clunking, as the bearing shifts in the housing. This can also cause wandering, which many times is just the road surface, but other times is the rear wheels being slightly out of alignment due to loose rear bearings.

Many of them go down the same path I did, checking the heim joints in the panhard rod, checking the swingarm pivot, then checking the bearings before identifying that loose feeling of not tracking tightly.

Kevin

 

[DOKK]

I haven`t seen posts on any forum in reference to the axle bearings or retainer plates failing, except the posts by DK Customs.

I don`t doubt some trikes may have had issues, but if it were a widespread problem there would be a zillion posts about it.

This is why, in my 30+ year career in industrial maintenance following a couple years as a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force, I have performed a lot of preventative maintenance. IMO, one failure on a trike is one too many for me. It's enough for me to replace mine this winter as well. I have had the new plates since last year though but I do check them at each 5k service. I just haven't had time available due to work schedule, but that has changed now.

 

[dthorn]

I had to have entire hub assembly replaced

Hi all

About a month ago my 2021 Tri Glide with just 11,000 miles started having clunking noise on the right rear side. Also felt like acceleration was sluggish. I stop to look things over. I noticed that they were several steaks of grease on the rim like it had blown out from the bearings. So I nursed it home.

I made an appointment at my Harley dealer and dropped off. I was told that the outer hub assembly bearings were shot. After dealer sent pictures to the mothership they decided that the whole hub assembly needed to be replaced instead of just bearings. It must have been bad as all the work was covered in full by factory warranty.

I guess I am lucky that the back end didn’t explode at 75 mph on an interstate.

 

[Snohomish]

Hi all

About a month ago my 2021 Tri Glide with just 11,000 miles started having clunking noise on the right rear side. Also felt like acceleration was sluggish. I stop to look things over. I noticed that they were several steaks of grease on the rim like it had blown out from the bearings. So I nursed it home.

I made an appointment at my Harley dealer and dropped off. I was told that the outer hub assembly bearings were shot. After dealer sent pictures to the mothership they decided that the whole hub assembly needed to be replaced instead of just bearings. It must have been bad as all the work was covered in full by factory warranty.

I guess I am lucky that the back end didn’t explode at 75 mph on an interstate.

Glad you got it fixed before it came totally apart....I couldn't believe how bad my bearings & retainer plate looked when I checked mine. The inside of the hub had worn some too on both axles. I caught it before it got really bad like yours. I really think people would be surprised at what they find if they pull the axles and check.​

 

[David792]

All finished with the replacement. Real easy to do once the bearings & tone rings were pressed off. John Deere wanted nothing to do with pressing them off since it wasn’t a green color Took axles to an auto repair shop and they had a 50-ton press. Popped them right off. I pressed new bearings on and reused the same tone rings. DK plates are not going to warp.

I'm curious about why your 2019 trike has tone rings. Mine is a 2018 and according to the manual it also has tone rings. My 2018 does not have ABS. Does the 2019 have ABS? and why would it have tone rings is no ABS.

Thanks

 

[Old Road Dog]

PN# 83315-09 Retainer,Axle Shaft(2) has been replaced by 12200173, Ring, RETG,Tone. Also up to '23 that gear on the axles is not shown in the parts manual as it's shown in DK's video. What is it? Anti rollback?.Anti sway? Traction control?Coffee grinder?

 

[Notgrownup]

I have a warranty for 6 years so I will keep an eye on it and ride. If it starts to get loose I will let the warranty take care of it. I have the body off enough to inspect everything at least once a year. Pretty stout end plate though by DK.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I have a warranty for 6 years so I will keep an eye on it and ride. If it starts to get loose I will let the warranty take care of it. I have the body off enough to inspect everything at least once a year. Pretty stout end plate though by DK.

I have HD warranty and Jim Palmer Ins also so I am covered by both policies

 

[Snohomish]

I'm curious about why your 2019 trike has tone rings. Mine is a 2018 and according to the manual it also has tone rings. My 2018 does not have ABS. Does the 2019 have ABS? and why would it have tone rings is no ABS.

Thanks

Yep it has ABS.

 

[Jack Klarich]

@ DKCUSTOMS makes a jam up retainer plate

The OEM plates are stamped steel and are poor @ best

We have had trouble with them for years in our shop in Mn, Chrysler products were the worst of the bunch, they used a cheap lock pin that would shear and cause the axle shaft to back out and cause very bad JUJU for the rear end housing, I had to replace many housings and reset the ring and pinion lash.

A time consuming job, Flat rate pay, I made big money doing flat rate, I was ASE mater tech certified, and still have a few brand new patches in my drawer.

Best of luck and give Kevin a shout, I have posted the bearing numbers in this thread

 

[David792]

I pulled the axles and replaced the bearings and retainer plates. I thought of buying a shop press, but in lieu of a "one and done" use on a HF press, I took the axles to a local shop. The shop charged $150 ($100 less than the HF press). They also broke one of their bearing splitters doing the job. The shop owner expressed his opinion that the HF 20 ton press might not have been enough.



minor water intrusion and not enough to contaminate the bearing

 

[New Orleans Kevin]

Had someone do my axle bearings and swapped the plates to DK recently . Bike at 27,400 miles . We found sand and dirt in the axles and bearings as well as rust and proof of water intrusion . All parts were still serviceable but the old plates were worn from the bearings and or flexing . Bearings replaced and new DK plates with prong installed . Tech was happy with DK quality and my decision to replace . Money well spent as I push my TriGlide pretty hard!

 

[New Orleans Kevin]

Had someone do my axle bearings and swapped the plates to DK recently . Bike at 27,400 miles . We found sand and dirt in the axles and bearings as well as rust and proof of water intrusion . All parts were still serviceable but the old plates were worn from the bearings and or flexing . Bearings replaced and new DK plates with o ring installed . Tech was happy with DK quality and my decision to replace . Money well spent as I push my TriGlide pretty hard!

Also , the first set of new bearings I ordered at the HD dealership were the right part number in the right part package but the wrong size bearings . I took the old ones to a local bearing dealer and got the right ones.