Change front wheel to quick release on Schwinn Meridian

[SimpTheChimp]

Has anyone replaced the front axle of the Schwinn Meridian trike with a quick release axle/hub? If so, any thoughts/instructions? I am looking at some of the 'replacement' kits on Amazon that are supposed to replace a through axle with a hollow axle that has the quick release skewer inside.... but I don't know anything about them or if they're safe? Or hard to replace?

If anyone has any experience with this please respond. Appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Typically, these are 3/8" hollow axles (quick release).

That's what you would want to search. I have a bunch of them just sitting around.

Check the thread pitch though on the one you have if you can. This can differ, and is usually 28tpi or 26tpi. If you take it to the hardware store or like Home Depot, you might be able to check the threads per inch there.

[ichitan]

(07-25-2023, 08:55 PM)SimpTheChimp Wrote:  Has anyone replaced the front axle of the Schwinn Meridian trike with a quick release axle/hub? If so, any thoughts/instructions? I am looking at some of the 'replacement' kits on Amazon that are supposed to replace a through axle with a hollow axle that has the quick release skewer inside.... but I don't know anything about them or if they're safe? Or hard to replace?

Why do you want to change it to a quick release? Do you want to take the wheel off, and put it back on, often?

Without a quick release, it does not take very long to take a wheel off, or put it back on.

[SimpTheChimp]

(07-26-2023, 08:24 AM)ichitan Wrote:  

(07-25-2023, 08:55 PM)SimpTheChimp Wrote:  Has anyone replaced the front axle of the Schwinn Meridian trike with a quick release axle/hub? If so, any thoughts/instructions? I am looking at some of the 'replacement' kits on Amazon that are supposed to replace a through axle with a hollow axle that has the quick release skewer inside.... but I don't know anything about them or if they're safe? Or hard to replace?

Why do you want to change it to a quick release? Do you want to take the wheel off, and put it back on, often?

Without a quick release, it does not take very long to take a wheel off, or put it back on.

Why? Well, mainly because I want to take the bike with me in the car to other places to ride. I've looked and looked for a hitch rack that would haul a Meridian; and short of paying $800+ for a custom built rack, I haven't been able to find one that I know would work (when I ask on Amazon if a certain rack would work for a Meridian trike, the answer seems to be always no). After checking and re-checking measurements, I think if I removed the front tire, lowered the handlebars and seat, I could JUST fit the trike in the back of our Kia Sportage. Hence, the question about the quick-release. Otherwise, screwing and unscrewing the nuts on the front axle would, I would think, possibly mess them up after even a short amount of time. That's why I thought a quick-release would be easier and better.

Now, if you or anyone else would know of a hitch rack that would take a Meridian (plus my wife's 'normal' 2-wheel mountain bike) and it's around $250-$350 (or less), I'd be all ears, so to speak!

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(07-25-2023, 11:04 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  Typically, these are 3/8" hollow axles (quick release).

That's what you would want to search. I have a bunch of them just sitting around.

Check the thread pitch though on the one you have if you can. This can differ, and is usually 28tpi or 26tpi. If you take it to the hardware store or like Home Depot, you might be able to check the threads per inch there.

Cool, OK I will try that. These quick-release conversion kits on Amazon seem to be rather inexpensive... So I could always try one (or two) and if they didn't fit right I could just return it. I just hope the axle in these kits will handle the Meridian - wouldn't want to put one in and then end up with a bent axle (or worse)!

Thanks for the tip!

[ichitan]

You do whatever you are happy doing.

If it was me, I would just use spanners to loosen the nuts, and take the wheel off. Then when putting the wheel back on, use spanners to tighten the nuts.

I like to try the easiest, simplest, and least expensive method first. Then only if I am not happy with it, try plan B.

[ichitan]

(07-25-2023, 11:04 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  Check the thread pitch though on the one you have if you can. This can differ, and is usually 28tpi or 26tpi.

Where do axles with different thread pitches come from? Are they made in some place like Europe?

[SimpTheChimp]

(07-26-2023, 03:38 PM)ichitan Wrote:  You do whatever you are happy doing.

If it was me, I would just use spanners to loosen the nuts, and take the wheel off. Then when putting the wheel back on, use spanners to tighten the nuts.

I like to try the easiest, simplest, and least expensive method first. Then only if I am not happy with it, try plan B.

Hey I'm game to trying anything else if it works better!

So what do you mean by 'spanners'? I Googled it and the closest I found was this:



Basically a special tire wrench.... Hmm, that would be cheaper with no modification to the trike.... So you think that screwing off and on those tire lug nuts, say once per week during riding season, isn't going to (in the long run) mess up the axle or the threads? If not, I just may take a good look at that idea and go for it. Thanks!

[ichitan]

(07-28-2023, 08:49 AM)SimpTheChimp Wrote:  what do you mean by 'spanners'?

You might call them a wrenches.

   

(07-28-2023, 08:49 AM)SimpTheChimp Wrote:  that would be cheaper with no modification to the trike.... So you think that screwing off and on those tire lug nuts, say once per week during riding season, isn't going to (in the long run) mess up the axle or the threads? If not, I just may take a good look at that idea and go for it. Thanks!

You should be able to loosen the nuts, and tighten them again, many times before having a problem with the threads. They should be good for years. If you do up the nuts extremely tight, the threads may fail sooner.

A quick release is likely to fail quicker, as it has a much smaller thread. The quick releases I have, have a plastic piece on the other side, which breaks off, so you need something like multi-grips or pliers to undo the quick release anyway.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

(07-28-2023, 08:49 AM)SimpTheChimp Wrote:  

(07-26-2023, 03:38 PM)ichitan Wrote:  You do whatever you are happy doing.

If it was me, I would just use spanners to loosen the nuts, and take the wheel off. Then when putting the wheel back on, use spanners to tighten the nuts.

I like to try the easiest, simplest, and least expensive method first. Then only if I am not happy with it, try plan B.

Hey I'm game to trying anything else if it works better!

So what do you mean by 'spanners'? I Googled it and the closest I found was this:



Basically a special tire wrench.... Hmm, that would be cheaper with no modification to the trike.... So you think that screwing off and on those tire lug nuts, say once per week during riding season, isn't going to (in the long run) mess up the axle or the threads? If not, I just may take a good look at that idea and go for it. Thanks!

Spanners are flat wrenches used especially in biking for tight spaces and specialty fasteners.

[ichitan]

In England and Australia, 'spanner' means the same as the word 'wrench' in America.

[GirishH]

So glad that I am not the only one who uses Spanner. I wish there was a universal language and standard for tools and dimensions..:-)

[ichitan]

(07-31-2023, 03:15 PM)GirishH Wrote:  So glad that I am not the only one who uses Spanner. I wish there was a universal language and standard for tools and dimensions..:-)

When you travel, you learn the words people use from different countries. If you are clever, when you meet somebody, you think which country they are from, and use words they use in their country. Sometimes you forget.

On this forum, there are more Americans than anyone else, so it is good to try to use American.

There is a standard for dimensions. used throughout the world, called the metric system. The only place where it is different, is America.