Tri Hub eliminating?

[sledheadgeorge]

Has anyone done the 3 wheel mod for the tri hub? Thinking of changing the hub for a 3 wheel setup at the rear.

 

[Turboflash]

Has anyone done the 3 wheel mod for the tri hub? Thinking of changing the hub for a 3 wheel setup at the rear.

What are pros and cons (if any) for doing this? What are "issues" with the tri-hub? When I serviced mine last week, the bearings were like new and it spun without runout, very concentric. Why do guys want to get rid of it?

 

[74Nitro]

What are pros and cons (if any) for doing this? What are "issues" with the tri-hub? When I serviced mine last week, the bearings were like new and it spun without runout, very concentric. Why do guys want to get rid of it?

I agree, the tri-hub seems get crucified on this site. I think what happens is the bearings fail(due to lack of maintenance of course), and then the tri-hub gets the blame, instead of the fact that the owner didn't maintain it, or have someone else do it. I have never personally seen anything wrong with the tri-hub.

 

[yamadoo]

Early trihubs had non replaceable bearings, when the bearings failed at best sled was not able to be driven at worst the rails and skid were bent and sled crashed.

I replaced with a trihub with replaceable bearings and 4 wheel kit when it felt rough when rolling.

It all comes down to the bearings, if they’re good your good. I have not read of the trihub failing other than a bearing failure. The performance is fine.

 

[Turboflash]

Ok thanks. The trihub replacement products are considerably heavier than trihub. Lighter is better in un-sprung weight for sure. So, as Yamadoo says, if one does proper maintenance on bearings, they're fine. If yours doesn't spin/rotate concentrically, you can even loosen the 3 small bolts that hold it together, and tweak the alignment, and then re-tighten so it does spin concentrically. It works, I've done it.

 

[Motorhead]

Has anyone done the 3 wheel mod for the tri hub? Thinking of changing the hub for a 3 wheel setup at the rear.

3 wheel mod, what does that consist of and who makes that?

Tri hub failure, I saw one. A riding/racing buddy of mine bought a used 17 RTX-LE with some miles on it. Noticed that the left tri hub wheel was not centered on the axle one day once on the trail. Looked like it was losing a bearing. Limped it back to his garage and upon inspection and dismantling it we found that the axle had snapped.

I put the JT Big wheel kit on my 17 LTX-LE when I first purchased it, after hearing too many negatives concerning the older Viper tri hub(3000 miles and done). We now hear that because of the newer Winder style tri hub with bigger replaceable bearings, it is not as much of an issue as it was in past.

So I had my hardly used 8” trihub just sitting around and whereas we wanted to ride, we installed it on his RTX. The RTX tri hub is 7.5” !

So we installed it on his and were back on the trail in a couple of hours. Since then he has installed the Yamaha 4th wheel kit. One could say he now has a Yamaha 4 Big Wheel kit.

If you knew him, you would say that he will be putting it to the test, so to speak!
Over 1K on it so far for sure.

 

[DMCTurbo]

Change your bearings regularly and you won’t have an issue.

 

[GoFast4me]

Changed it out on mine. Put in a Larson 4 wheel kit. Billet, solid, race enduro proven. Does everyone need it? Probably not. Am I likely to break the Larson kit? Unlikely ever.

Will the OEM ever strand you on the trail and ruin a trip or worse? Decide for yourself. Evidently, not a universal problem.

I have had to many powersports trips where money and time has been wasted by a broken part.

 

[ClutchMaster]

Change your bearings regularly and you won’t have an issue.

When mine “failed” the bearings were fine. The cheap junk hollow plastic wheel broke.

 

[DMCTurbo]

When mine “failed” the bearings were fine. The cheap junk hollow plastic wheel broke.

Everything can fail I suppose. Where do you draw the line is the question I guess.

 

[lilrez]

My 12 failed and required a tow. 1 bearing failed early, not sure why and without 4wheel kit it track was loose and undriveable.
Since then, run outer wheels to help get me home incase it failed again. It gets messy when a bearing fails on a trihub assembly as compared to a single wheel.
As everone installs a 4 wheel kit in the trihub its lighter to run 3 wheels right?
Ill be swapping to the new 3 wheel setup this summer ..same used in the 19s.

 

[Motorhead]

So the stock 2019’s utilize a 3 wheel set up. Now I know.
Do they use a stronger axle with that 3 wheel? Shall have to check that out online!

 

[74Nitro]

So the stock 2019’s utilize a 3 wheel set up. Now I know.
Do they use a stronger axle with that 3 wheel? Shall have to check that out online!

20mm one piece. The slots in the rails are obviously bigger to accommodate.

 

[Motorhead]

20mm one piece. The slots in the rails are obviously bigger to accommodate.

Just looked online at the difference between the 17 and 19 wheel and axle design. Quite different and not interchangeable, because as you stated, rail slots have changed to accommodate the difference.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

The 19's with new 3 wheel design I have seen with lots of miles and studs(plastic wheel no rubber) all look decent and seem to be holding up well.

This is a case of Cat deciding to upgrade a poor design(finally since 2012)

Now if they would do the same for upper gear bushing and drive axle bearing design, we would be on our way to true reliability.

Dan