82 maxim 1100xj rear wheel locked up at highway speed...why?

Thanks for the correct info Mlew, I was not aware the XJ 1100 was so different from the other XJ's

 

It shows that you don't know the bike either, as the 1100 has got discs, not drum brakes

Excuse me???? What exactly gives you the right or authority to make a statement like that, especially to someone asking for help and is new on here, remember, we ALL had to, and have to learn things about these bikes. How do we learn??? most of the time either by reading up or asking for help.

It was totally uncalled for.

 

Has anybody even considered seized wheel bearings?

 

That was my guess also smurf667, I was just reading the post and thought the same thing. Put the bike on the center stand, remove the rear brake shoes and try rotating the wheel. The go from there, checking everything back towards the motor/transmission.

 

im going with the u-joint also. i find it very hard to believe if the caliper locked up it would instantly and completely lock up that wheel. so you would have some pretty nice scars in the rotor. probabkly can rule out wheel bearings too since the axle would still spin even if the beared colapsed or locked up.

throw thing up on the center stand, grab a beer, a manual, and turn a wrench. should be pretty simple to figure out the problem. even if you have never seen the inside, you should be able to tell what went wrong. and its far simpler than you would think.

 

Re: 82 maxim 1100xj rear wheel locked up at highway speed...

Wow bit overwhelmed with the possibilities but excited to get my hand back in working condition...
(apart from some minor scrapes, a severely sprained wrist/hand was all that I got--i am very happy to be alive as it really should have been much worse) ...to get all these different things taken apart and Looked at. I will take Pics and when I do should I just post them under this topic heading? I'm sure it will be at least 2 week before this happens. And thank you for the encouragement and advice, you've no idea what that means to me--or maybe some of you do

 

Kinda off topic, but did you have on any riding gear when you went down?

 

Re: 82 maxim 1100xj rear wheel locked up at highway speed...

I had actually made the trip to pick up gear, went up in too big riding jacket and jeans to pick up a set of riding pants and jacket that were waterproof and padded, actually my size etc. lucky i wore them home and i will never ride without proper gear again after that scare. It saved my literal hide. Didn't even get wrecked just tore at the seam on the one arm where the big area of padding is...but it should be easily repairable. I'm still not sure how I actually landed. My bike is scuffed on the left (tank, windshield, pedal, front turn signal) my right arm has scrapes up it and that arm of the jacket was the one that tore and my left wrist and hand is sprained....and my left glove (not a proper set if riding gloves) has some scuffing on the palm. Wish someone had caught it on video!! Apparently the car behind me did some creative driving to avoid me.

 

Scuffed on left

 

I honestly don't know if the engine siezed....I remember trying to gear down and keep the bike upright not sure of anything else

 

If the engine is seized the rear wheel should turn when the clutch is pulled. That will be the first thing to check.

I'm assuming you pulled the clutch when you attempted to downshift. If the engine was seized and you did that it probably resulted in a high side crash. If so, you're extremely lucky not to have severe injuries.

I think if the bearings seized the axle would break. Catastrophic U-join failure or coming loose from the middle gear flange could sure do it.

 

He will have to get it up on the center stand and we can go from there.

MN

 

No offense my good friend, but 180,000 PSI strength VS a 500 LB load at the tire ?? The axle would not snap. The bearings would make noise before failure.

I'll be the odd-man-out and guess some debris jammed-up the tranny gears, as all the other good guesses are taken.

A driveshaft failure (including "U" joint) is a good guess.

jssepatterson - mend well and ride safe !!

 

Well! I think we have exhausted all the possibilities. How about this one... A big-rig is carrying fence poles and makes a sudden stop just as our poor rider is going by, and one of the poles slides off the truck and just happens to go right into the rear wheel...I'm glad to hear that you are ok, we just need to lighten up a bit. Please get back to us on what the problem turns out to be.

 

No offense taken. Your challenge did cause me to do the math. Looks like at most a seized bearing would put under 500 ft-lbs. torque on the axle. Probably not enough to break it. :cry:

Apparently failing bearings aren't always heard. There was a guy on the STAR Touring forum that had the swingarm on his V-STAR 950 snap when a wheel bearing seized. The tail of that swingarm is cast aluminum though. Somehow he managed to keep it upright to a stop.

 

Re: 82 maxim 1100xj rear wheel locked up at highway speed...

Glad to hear your still around to figure out what happened. I wish you a quick recovery and look forward to hearing the final verdict on what happened.

 

Re: 82 maxim 1100xj rear wheel locked up at highway speed...

X2. Glad you're okay!! It will be interesting to see what the culprit was!

 

[quoted from "Coldndead" from "The Bunny" thread - -]

. . .my friend died because he had tied a coat on the back and a sleave,yes only the sleave came loose and found the spokes of his rear tire. at 65mph ...well....you can figure out the rest. . .

WOW - just takes a jacket sleeve to stop a rear tire - - Ride Safe !!

jssepaterson - so what happened anyway ?? We got bets going :lol:

 

Sorry I am away from home at a family reunion so no bike work yet but I will post results and pics when I start! i can't wait to find out myself. Thanks again for the suggestions I now have an idea what things to look for