Repair and servicing Schwinn Town & Country trike rear axle

Today I will tell and show you about the construction of the rear axle of the Schwinn Town & County Tricycle

I would like to notice right away that the design is very similar to other versions of “adult” tricycles, which means that it is very likely that the essence of the rear axle design of your bike is approximately the same. So let’s go!

The winter seemed cold and wet, so it was somehow impossible to follow the bike. Therefore, the bicycle was not particularly cleaned of snow and by the end of winter it began to slowly become covered with rust. There came a moment when I realized that it was impossible to drag on like this and it had to be cleaned. At first, the bridge was not planned to be dismantled, but as a result, noticing the swaying star, he came to the conclusion that it was “time”. I climbed into this mechanism for the first time in two years and this is what it consisted of:

The main part of the bridge is the body. Despite the fact that the bike is made of aluminum, this element is made of steel, which is indicated by its rather large weight and the magnet that stuck to it. The construction is very reliable due to the many arches, and the attachment of the basket generally allows you to make it to your taste (on wife’s Mifa, for example, this is difficult to implement due to the non-standard attachment of the basket and wings).

Here at the bridge, again, it is complete, because the drive is implemented on only one wheel. As I read today, bicycles with a two-wheel drive are quite rare in nature, because they imply the presence of a differential, which I previously wrote about. Everything is simpler here.

On the one hand, the shaft is designed to mount a standard through bushing on bearings, which can be found on the front wheels of a regular bicycle. On both sides, the sleeve is fixed with two nuts, which can be seen near the bearing.

There is a spacer between the bushings. I never understood its purpose, but I assume that it should be a kind of corrosion protection for the main axis. As you can see, it does not cope with this function. Some oil seal would certainly not interfere here. Next comes another bearing and more axle mounts, which allow it to be clearly fixed in one position, so that the star fixed on the axle is always fixed parallel to the star of the planetarium.

Coupling between the axis and the star is achieved due to the presence of a groove and a metal spacer. The star is welded to the mount, so in the event of failure, you will have to buy something from the collective farm. However, the omnipresent Ebay is the head of everything, and therefore:

Star can be bought. The Town & Country and its more budget-friendly sibling, the Schwinn Meridian, were production models, so the parts just had to be there (not to mention the Chinese bikes in our market).

On the other side, there is a saw on the axle, which is a hitch for the drive wheel. Although this hook is located on the right, the axis can most likely be turned over and then the main wheel will be the left, but this is unlikely to help. Also, if you wish and paid a little money (by buying a bushing and making a sleeper on the other side of the axle), you can make a four-wheel drive bike, but with this implementation of the main axle, there is an assumption that it will ride well only in a straight line and will not turn at all. Is it worth it? I think not particularly…

Like other parts of the bridge, the bearings are completely rusted in some places. My bike has bearings of a similar model to those that Sasha had in the German Mifa, i.e. 6003RS. You can find them in our stores, although not in every other.

Unfortunately, there was also rust inside the axle housing, but with the help of a dremel or anti-corrosion liquid, it is quite possible to remove it.

The left wheel has a bearing. Pay attention – everything on the bike is branded, even the spokes – they are marked with the letter “S”.

In the right sleeve, instead of a bearing, a washer with a notch under the axle notch is welded on both sides. It is difficult to find such a bushing, therefore, if a locksmith is available, it is easier to make it yourself. Or buy a complete wheel at a store like this at a cosmic price .

As for the root cause, it was hidden in the retaining ring of the star, which somehow slipped off, thereby causing the backlash of the star. It is difficult to say how long I drove in this condition, but with a high probability it could soon end very sadly, especially considering the fact that it is winter and winter is very snowy.

The design is very simple, although in places it looks more complicated than the one with a differential. Nevertheless, disassembly for maintenance is very simple and it is enough to remove one wheel so that the axle is free to come out of its place. The bearings turned out to be more than alive, so after cleaning from rust, they will return to their places. The hub will be cleaned of dirt, a new chain will be installed on the bike.