Author Topic: Another trike rear axle question.  (Read 1780 times)

Zipperhead

  • The cyclist formerly known as Big Helga
Another trike rear axle question.
« on: 24 April, 2009, 02:48:16 pm »
But for my Longstaff this time.

I've got three grease nipples on mine, one on each shaft housing and one on the second freewheel in the baked bean tin.

I've got an idea (but I don't know why) that these should be oiled and not greased. Is that correct or am I being stupid?

I was trying to track down a squeak last night and after oiling the chain squirted a bit on the end of the bean tin, now it sounds horribly noisy when freewheeling - making me wonder if I should have used grease instead.
Won't somebody think of the hamsters!

Re: Another trike rear axle question.
« Reply #1 on: 24 April, 2009, 04:28:07 pm »
There is nothing to grease in the axle, unless you really  fancy pumping a pound of grease into each side for weight training.  Are you sure those on the axle are grease nipples and you are not confusing them with the small allen screws at each bearing housing?  The bearings themselves will be double shielded cartridge bearings, so need no grease in maintenance.  The axle shafts may be lightly greased to resist corrosion, so need no additional grease in maintenace anyway.

The grease nipple on the two wheel drive unit may be used to add a small amount of light oil in the hope it gets to the freewheel bearings, but the freewheels have some oil shields and of course 2 of the 4 bearings are internal and totally protected.  In a similar question a few months ago Tuggo also said there is no point in pumping oil in here because most will escape anyway.

I'd recommend replacing the heavy Sachs freewheel based TWD with a Trykit cassette based unit for two reasons.  Firstly, Sachs/Maillard sprockets are like hens teeth.  Secondly, it is a heck of a lot lighter.  Even George Longstaff himself noted that when he compared (about 6 years ago) his new cassette based system to the old one, the trike seemed to pick up more quickly with the new one.

The noise you heard is because you have added oil to one of the outer bearings, disturbing the rusty mess around the ball bearings.  This will fade.  The only way to grease these bearings, as with any freewheel, is a total strip which is beyond most people.

Zipperhead

  • The cyclist formerly known as Big Helga
Re: Another trike rear axle question.
« Reply #2 on: 24 April, 2009, 04:59:31 pm »
Thank you for that. You're right, I was confusing the allen screws with grease nipples (it was getting dark, and I didn't try and put my grease gun on them).

I had thought about a Trykit cassette conversion, and when my gears get worn it will be the way to go.
Won't somebody think of the hamsters!

mtrike

  • aka action barbie
Re: Another trike rear axle question.
« Reply #3 on: 24 April, 2009, 09:39:09 pm »

The grease nipple on the two wheel drive unit may be used to add a small amount of light oil in the hope it gets to the freewheel bearings, but the freewheels have some oil shields and of course 2 of the 4 bearings are internal and totally protected.  In a similar question a few months ago Tuggo also said there is no point in pumping oil in here because most will escape anyway.



I asked the question last time re the Yeti and did put some oil in.  It didn't come out again so I guess it lubed something.  However I actually took the nipple off to do this and then put it back aftrwards.