Tryke this on for size

I am making a mental note to never work on a trike. I never have.

There have been others in this site with similar trike problems. I don’t recall if they were ever resolved.

I believe the rear wheels on trikes take a lot of sideways force. The rims are likely bent.

My thought is to remove the hubs, and re lace the wheels with new spokes and rims. Have you been able to remove the cotter pins? If not I have some ideas. In my opinion removing the cotter pins is the next step.

I just looked at the pictures in your other thread. Cool trike. Now I do want one!

Do you know the history of it? Look like someone built it out of an old mountain bike. Cool gear box.

How bad are the wheels? They didn’t look too bad in the pictures.

This is getting more and more interesting! I need more pics or even a video. It looked welded on to me. And how you changed from internally geared to a derailleur is of great interest. Is the rear end a kit? Any idea what it is called?

How out of true are the wheels? I’m wondering if they just need to be trued.

I have never worked on a trike, so please take my advice with a grain of salt. (Whatever that means!)

What is the diameter of the axle?

This rear trike wheel says it is for a 17mm axle with three notches. Do you have three notches?

https://www.huskybicycles.com/tricycle-wheel-24-x-2125-rear-for-17mm-axle-and-solid-tire.html

I also wonder if you could knock the bearing cups out of an old hub. That would probably allow enough room to fit them on the axle. Then somehow fasten it to the axle. Might be a ratty solution. Or if you have access to a machine shop, you could custom make something to help.

Really, I don’t know what I’m talking about. But I am interested.

Also, is the hub damaged? Why not re-use the hubs?

I found this on eBay.


Do you know the brand name of the trike kit?

Also, I believe smaller wheels are stronger than larger wheels. You may want to stick with 24in. I do see plenty of 20in rims with 28h. And you could probably put fat tires on the 20in rims.

Just some ideas.

I've owned many three wheelers and repaired many trikes for others. Most were abused and neglected. Abuse from treating them like stunt machines. They are not. Most were intended for, well, senior citizens in flat retirement communities. Riding off curbs, trying to drift, riding up on 2 wheels are all sure ways to ruin the rims. Many are left out for years to rust up solid. I still have 5 of my own that need various work and new homes.

That rear end looks like the Schwinn Town and Country with a differential. Differential version introduced in the early 1970s. Most trikes are 1 wheel drive including the 1960s Schwinns. Their differential was made from stamped sheet metal, both the gears and housing. Pretty feeble and there are zero parts for them. I've seen one other brand of trike from the 1960s/1970s that had a differential but it was the same unit used on some riding lawnmowers. It was considerably larger and stronger than the Schwinn. Personally I would not spend much effort on that diff. It could be trashed already. Designed by some engineer with no transmission experience. Car mechanics would be appalled by it's construction.

"Live Axles" are used on some other vehicles like every front wheel drive car. The slots in the axle and hub are for an "Axle Key". A square bit of metal that can take some force but designed to rip apart if torque is too much. Same as a flywheel key on a lawn mower. Available at hardware stores.

The first Schwinn dealer sold 3 wheelers were 24" girls cruisers with a "Ret Bar" kit added. After a while Schwinn bought the company and thus was born the Town & Country Tri Wheeler. All bits factory painted to match. The first few years were 1 wheel drive. They kept the too-short crank arms. A good upgrade is longer cranks so you can get started easier and actually go up hills. Rather wobbley overall and a rater un-ergonmic riding position. Both versions of the Schwinn's from the 1960/1970s were bolt on addons for regular bikes. No special frames. Easier to ship and no special manufacturing needed for trike frames. Let the dealer do much of the work assembling them.

Pretty much every manufacturer has it's own way of attaching wheels with it's unique hubs. The currently popular Schwinn Meridian is about the easiest to strip out, ever. Worksman is still in business making industrial duty trikes in various models.

Most trikes have 24" rear wheels. Commonly available in 28h. Schwinn being Schwinn used some off beat size so regular tires won't fit. There are endless 24" bsos that are good sources for 24" 28h rims and tires. I have a few dozen in the dungeon. (cedar rapids iowa) They will be slightly smaller bsd but not enough to matter.

Most 26" 28h rims are for very lightweight high end mountain bikes and are rather rare.

Bent hub flanges are a non-issue. Unless you try to straighten aluminum. Twink.

That bolt that is holding the wheel on. I'd replace it with a grade 8 cap head with a shoulder (far more sheer resistant) and a nylock nut so it doesn't rattle off.

The jack shaft assembly with the 7 speed freewheel appears to be home made. Schwinn used Sturmey Archer or Shimano 3 speed hubs depending on the model year.

yep, Schwinn rear end.

One technique for straightening the hub flanges is to use a small crescent wrench for leverage. I've done that for sprockets/chain rings. Easier if there aren't any spokes in the way.

Axle housing tube have replacable bearings in each end of the tubes. And I beleve the axles are 3/4" You can still get the differentials from Staton inc.
https://www.staton-inc.com/store/dr...series-3/4-od-x-39-7/16-long-100-007b-794652/
Always fun to see some one elce working on a trike............Curt