I have to get rid of this trike... [Archive]

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mike1979

10-26-2009, 09:50 PM

Everything I do on this trike takes 10 times longer than it should. I got my rear brake pads yesterday and the damn caliper wont slide all the way down on the rotor. I could have done three complete brake jobs on a car for all the time I have spent trying to figure out what was going on the this trike.

It is a 350x, i put in a new carrier and brake pads. for some reason the top allen bolt that holds the caliper to the bracket it hitting the top of the rotor when I try to install it. Do any of you guys know, is there a trick to getting it back together. I didnt pay much attention when I took it apart bucause it looked so straight forward.

Dirtcrasher

10-26-2009, 10:08 PM

The problem is you have something that wasn't taken care of. It's tough to get them back up to snuff once they heave been neglected.

Many 3WW members have 25yo trikes that are better maintained than brand new machines. And many of us plan on keeping them until we DIE!! :D

tanks350x

10-26-2009, 10:14 PM

. And many of us plan on keeping them until we DIE!! :D

So very true:naughty: :naughty:

mike1979

10-26-2009, 10:29 PM

Well, I am in the process of making her like new but it is extremely tiresome. The carrier the guy sent was an 86 and my trike is an 85. It is wider on the sprocket side which is slighlty offsetting everything. I am thinking I can get an 86 brake rotor hub and maybe it will sit just a tad closer to the swingarm.

tanks350x

10-26-2009, 10:36 PM

just so you know, I ran into the same problem, I ordered the wrong carrier, just like you did... I got the Lonestar one for an 86.. All I had to do was hog out the sprocket on one side and get some different sprocket bolts and nuts. As far as it offsetting everything, I personally didn't have any issues with the opposite side
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll124/tankispmaximus/Frameswappicsthebeginning087.jpg

mike1979

10-26-2009, 10:40 PM

Well that is helpful... I just cant figure out why the caliper arm is riding right on the rotor. Maybe I will sleep on it and go back at it tomorrow.

tanks350x

10-26-2009, 10:49 PM

Maybe the rotor hub isn't pushed into the carrier/swinger all the way? I would check that first

Dirtcrasher

10-26-2009, 10:54 PM

It is because the 2 caliper slide pins/bolts are seized in the caliper housing.

That is NOT easy to fix most of the time, it gets use to riding in that one area and locks itself in place with rust instead of grease......

I can unfreeze them, but it's very difficult for most people and they usually end up with bloody knuckles and smash marks all over the caliper and the seized bolts/pins.

Take the caliper off and see what you can do.... and post up for some more help :beer

I have a couple tricks to get the pins free'd up (NOT heat, NOT lube), but you will need new pins and hopefully the caliper bore where the pins ride is still good. Sometimes the steel sleeve Honda presses in the caliper comes out with the pins. Other times, NOTHING comes out :(

Edit - You mentioned that you work on cars? It's the same principal, pads themselves only do so much. Sometimes one side is fixed (like your caliper) and one piston does it all and other times 2 pistons work with one another or even 4 pistons.... But, most all of them have to allow the caliper to "float" otherwise only one pad would wear because the rotor is fixed on a car and on your trike. Hope that makes sense of it.

mike1979

10-27-2009, 06:21 AM

The pins actually came off with little effort, I have them greased up and back in. Here is the wierd part, Even with everything loose I still cant get the rotor to fit in the caliper right. It is almost like the pads are too thick. I can get it back together if I use 1 of my old pads,but it is almost down to metal.

200xman

10-27-2009, 06:51 AM

Make sure you back off the e brake adjustment if it still has it. If that is turned in it wont let the caliper compress all the way.

Dirtcrasher

10-27-2009, 12:20 PM

Well, at least you did some preventative maintenance :D

The only other thing I can imagine is what Todd said, if your running the parking brake. Just loosen the 8mm locking nut and back out the 8mm bolt and it allows the piston to fully retract.

It tells you all about it in the service manual - hint hint wink wink :)

mike1979

10-27-2009, 06:52 PM

Well, I looked it over real well and determined that I will need to shim the caliper slightly to the right. I am going to get some bolts that are a 1/4" longer to go throught the bracket and a thick washer behind the bolt for the arm.

The other solution would be to take it all back apart and try to get the sprocket hub to move to the left a 1/4".

What do you guys think. Every little thing I do seems to be a major project on this trike. I am thinking that one I get it all pretty and full operational, I might sell it on ebay. I only have about $450 into it right now.

Dirtcrasher

10-27-2009, 09:24 PM

Something isn't right.....

A few pictures would help ALLOT! If all the parts are correct, the caliper pins aren't seized and the E brake bolt is backed off, something doesn't fit right....

It should all go together easy at this point.

Nothing should be shimmed, we just need to figure out whats going on.

mike1979

10-28-2009, 06:02 AM