Had great luck with 2 sx front axle bolts

[tri again]

Heard long ago that the front axle bolts can seize into the aluminum
and be absurd or complete destruction to get out.

So about once a month I'd walk around everything with some liq wrench
and hit all the bolts I may need to get to someday.

Nice 1/2" breaker bar and 6 point socket....NOthing.
so I set the 1/2" air gun on super low rattle, which I was almost able to hold with bare hands
and let it rattle on and off for a couple minutes.

Back to the breaker bar and they both rolled right off.
Threads intact and a prayer to the trike gods.

The brake shoes on one were separated and the other had no shoes at all.

Still feeling very lucky.
Thanks for all the advice and warnings.

[atc007]

Wow! Sometimes we get lucky! However,sounds like you DID have some tight one,and two at that. I have broke Craftsman and Mac sockets before with extensions and had them never budge..

[Dirtcrasher]

Clean it and smother it in waterproof grease.

Never seize on the threads.

They get stuck on the brake drum holder very often......

[tri again]

One other concern was with preloading the bearings.
Seems like the axle wants to be just snug, torquewise, into the aluminum
so it doesn't preload the roller bearings too much, if that's really what's in there.

And then that is all locked down by the 4 little bolts with the 10mm heads
on that clamp thing?

It's coming back apart when I find some brake shoes anyway.

Where do we want to slather the waterproof grease?

[Dirtcrasher]

NO, don't let the other side/threaded side axle crap fool you.

That axle gets BURIED into the other side, then the 4 -10mm bolts get tightened.

That cap should also have and "up or down" or an arrow.

Tighten the axle, push down on the front end a few times, then tighten those 4-10mm nuts.

[Dirtcrasher]

One other concern was with preloading the bearings.
Seems like the axle wants to be just snug, torquewise, into the aluminum
so it doesn't preload the roller bearings too much, if that's really what's in there.

And then that is all locked down by the 4 little bolts with the 10mm heads
on that clamp thing?

It's coming back apart when I find some brake shoes anyway.

Where do we want to slather the waterproof grease?

There is no "preloading" the bearings. There is a spacer between them in your hub.

Normally you get it a bit threaded in the fork, then swing it in the clamp side with the 4 10MM nuts and loosely install it. Thats when you tighten it to 40ft pounds or whatever and then tighten the 4 nuts.

Grease any inside surface where water gets and corrosion happens. A dab on the threads too. No need to grease the clamp because it comes apart.......

[tri again]

Really appreciate it DC.

I had that one in the air when a missing child call came in.
2 other trikes and a fatcat disappeared so I just buzzed this one back together and joined the hunt.

I'll get some shoes and take it all apart again, clean the brake cams so they rotate
and do it all right.
Just superglad to know it will actually come apart again within a few minutes.

Yupp, spacers and non-tapered bearings so the axle bolt wants to be tight like a lug nut.

I wonder if marine fogging oil wouldn't be a bad idea inside the drum if I keep it off the shoe linings.
Cool stuff and probably on sale this time of year.
Sprays out like shaving cream and melts down and coats whatever it touches.

Side note"
Also notice they have a (water) drain plug on the rear brake drum.
Part of our commute is through a creek, between 4 inches and a foot deep
so I guess it's time to do stuff right.