For a while now I was plagued with an induced oscillation in my front
wheels. This all started after I changed my Comet tires for Scorcher TR
tires. The Comet Kevlar were 406/1.35 and the Scorcher TR are 406/1.50,
and the oscillation started the day I installed the Scorcher TR tires. I
thought that it was caused by me going to the wider Scorcher tires. So
for months I was unable to remove my hands from the steering, or the
front end would do a dance. I went through the usual steps, checked the
alignment, checked if the wheels were true, but nothing was wrong that I
saw. While doing routine maintenance I noticed that the two bronze
bushings that I installed to eliminate binding in the steering of the
trike had become deformed and cracked. A fellow recumbent rider had also
done the modification but he used cones from an old front wheel. I dug
up an old wheel from my garage and installed the cones on my front end.
Well I have done two test rides today and to my pleasure the
oscillation is gone. I have been taught a valuable lesson, regarding
trike or bike maintenance, that is check and recheck everything. Some
recumbent friends recommended I check the alignment, so I did and that
was fine, but it didn't hurt to do the check over again. If it wasn't
for me checking the alignment and removing the ball end of the tie-rod I
would have never found it until it totally failed and possibly I would
have been hurt.
Joel