Schwinn Meridian Trike Rear Axle Fix - 1200 miles

[TricycleMichael]

It has been written on ES about the problems with the Schwinn Meridian tricycle rear axle. Noise, grinding sounds and bearing failure. If the four rear axle bearings are even slightly out of alignment the axle will not slip in perfectly and the pressure on the bearings will cause a failure. Also, the bearings spacer tubes can get out of adjustment and make noise.

Found a vintage Meridian that had this problem. Axle slips thru two bearings but hangs up on the third. One solution would be to align the axle tube, maybe bend it or weld a brace to maintain the alignment.

Forcing the axle that is just a tiny bit off can be done but caused a lumpiness on rotation and I’m sure would blow out the bearings. Maybe 200 miles. BTW replacement carriage is not available from Pacific Cycle (older design) and finding another would likely have the same problem.

The fix:
Removed the bearings and spacer tubes, replaced the bearings, cut the axle in half, slightly drilled the axle for the locking collar set screws to be sure they would be secure. Reassembled the whole thing and because each axle is only using two bearings they rotated perfectly smooth. Buttery smooth.

I ride vigorously and after 1200 miles everything works smoothly. I was concerned about horizontal pressure on the bearings because I left the bearing separator tubes out and the bearings are only held in place by the recess in the carriage axle tubes. The double nuts were tightened “finger tight” and showed no horizontal play after 1200 miles. Used Lotite blue 242 on the collar set screws and double nuts.



The trike was likely built in Chicago before 1968 or whenever things were moved out of country. Has the bulb frame. Like it so much I decided to make it cool. Kind of a hot rod. Replaced the geared motor with an old Crystalyte RoadRunner 4820 on a 24 inch fork. Very fussy about the front fork, inspected the dropout for stress - none - have a spare just in case. The patina is original and I blacked out cranks, fork, handle bars, and other stuff to make it unique.



It will go 25 mph with a 52v LiIon battery. Usually ride between 8 and 15 around town.

Original post two years ago search ES for: “Meridian Tricycle Axle Noise”

 

[Chalo]

The trike was likely built in Chicago before 1968 or whenever things were moved out of country.

No. Just no. Schwinn's Chicago plant shut down in 1981. Pacific Cycle (of department store BSO fame) bought the Schwinn name in 2001. The Meridian trike followed sometime after that. It has an aluminum frame, which wasn't a common thing for cheap crappy bikes in the second millennium. You definitely have a 21st Century trike.

It will go 25 mph with a 52v LiIon battery.

Eek.

Usually ride between 8 and 15 around town.

Better. If you want to go faster regularly, I recommend widening the trike's track with longer axles and preferably also switching to smaller diameter rear wheels if feasible. That would offer the opportunity to lace to more substantial, better quality rims that will hold up to real world conditions.

 

[TricycleMichael]

Thank you Chalo, I was thinking you would seriously flame me.
Would like to have had something other than the Meridian, but, as they used to say " work with what you got."
I was building bikes first, RWD then got a 24 inch FWD wheel and put it on a 24 inch trike which was too small. Picked up the first 26 inch Meridian for free (they are all over the place) and fitted it with the Crystalyte motor - lead batteries, switched to Lithium after the first four. Thought about it and put together 15 which were sold on Craigs list, was surprised the demand. Currently have two for personal use and after having a seizure (losing my driver license) was able to live life normally. Got the DL back after six months.
Good info about the history. At first Pacific Cycle was OK, however, not so much now. The market has changed, can't get $1800 for a build. Lectric seems to be cleaning up. Might like to put a 26 inch front wheel on one - differential and RWD might be worth trying.
My Worksman PAV is so cool, rugged and unique with exceptional cornering quality, great for exciting rides, the Meridian is a metro utility ride.
The DIY experience has been wonderful, many stories. Automobiles have so crowded my town, they parade around seemingly forever looking for parking, add the University population which increases the crowding. Trike - no problem, great bike lanes and creative parking anywhere and because I'm old seems to be privileged. Never park at a bike rack.
What does an 84 (85 counting womb time) say when riding 24 mph on a nice road? Wheeee !
So many stories, I could put everyone to sleep. Counting bikes I have built 23 electrics over 17 years.

 

[Chalo]

It's a little vexing, the assortment of things Schwinn did right with the Meridian (generous sizing, 26" wheels) against the things that they didn't get so right (weak wheels, appallingly cheap brakes and drive parts). But it means selectively upgrading the thing can yield a very satisfactory trike without costing a traumatizing amount.

Also, the model has been in production for a long time, and has sold very well for a trike, so there's unusually good replacement parts support. It occurred to me that you could get a spare axle and drive wheel to put on the left side in place of the free spinning wheel, and drive it with a motor for RWD or even 3WD. I haven't seen that kind of modification, but it came to mind as soon as I saw your cut axle.

I think it's about time that someone made an upright trike with a tapered steer tube for stiffness. Now that even bottom shelf MTBs are starting to come that way, it doesn't seem like it would add too much to production cost.

Also, there are now so many cheap fatbike and chopper bike products that tooling up to make wider trike hubs wouldn't be anything special or costly at all. Trike wheels that use all the available spacing to offer maximum spoke bracing angle would be stiffer and stronger without being significantly heavier or more expensive to manufacture.

One more feature I would add to a "people's trike" would be an eccentric adjusting bottom bracket, so the joint between front and rear subframes could be simplified because it wouldn't have to both hold the trike together and provide chain tension adjustment. That would prevent the subframes from being attached crookedly as is often the case with the current design.

 

[LewTwo]

It's a little vexing, the assortment of things Schwinn did right with the Meridian (generous sizing, 26" wheels) against the things that they didn't get so right (weak wheels, appallingly cheap brakes and drive parts). But it means selectively upgrading the thing can yield a very satisfactory trike without costing a traumatizing amount.
....
One more feature I would add to a "people's trike" would be an eccentric adjusting bottom bracket, so the joint between front and rear subframes could be simplified because it wouldn't have to both hold the trike together and provide chain tension adjustment. That would prevent the subframes from being attached crookedly as is often the case with the current design.

You sparked my curiosity, so I hobbled down to where I knew one of the SnowBirds had left her trike when she returned to the frozen north for the summer. I am surprised that you cast doubts on the quality of the Schwinn Meridian ... it even says quality on the trike's badge. But that does look like a rather jankey way to adjust the tension for the two chains.

 

[TricycleMichael]

Chalo, you are great! A second motor for another drive has me thinking. Hmmm "push to pass" has been used in racing, maybe I could ummmm...

BTW I appreciate your activity on this site. You are very informative and insightful. Thank you.