Shaft Drive question....

After solving my brushing problems I noticed that the final drive, mean by that the housing that is connected to the rear wheel, become hot in a shortly 15 mile ride. Checked the oil level, ok. I don't know exactly how much hotter or colder should be since is the first time I touched that housing....but in a 15 mile ride at 60mph I can hold my hand in that housing for about 7 secs..... Manual didn't say anything about how hot or cold should be, but oil is not that hot and in good condition... any thoughts? could that be normal this way? Thanks.

 

the final drive will get "warm" whilst in use, and depending on usage may get hot, i.e. heavy braking, hot country e.t.c.
but check your rear brake is not sticking, and transferring its heat to the "diff"
dose the rear wheel turn easily when turned by hand on the centre stand?
stu

 

Warm/hot is ok. Hot enough to cook a hot dog is bad.

 

Bensalf, that is one thing...in the center stand rear wheel will only turn once or twice by hand, so a couple month ago I pulled it apart but nothing was broken or wear down, not even grinded metal chips in the oil. In that process I changed the bearings on the wheel thinking that probably bearings could be the problem, but it was the same. Teeth of the shaft were damn pretty good for a 30 years old bike. I post on this problem back then, and there weren't much to do after I checked everything, so I left it like that, anyway shaftdrive is not something that broke one day to another it will tell you somehow since your are sitting on it...but not feeling any roughness or strange noises when I ride and since is my first driveshaft bike I'm not sure if the wheel should turn as much as a chain drive bike could turn...

 

on center stand and in gear, you will have only a little rotational play.

dave

 

Yep, I knew that. In neutral the wheel will spin once and a half or twice only.... even without the rear brake ouside the bike....

 

In neutral it should spin freely. I wonder if you have brake shoe delamination

 

Not at all...I took the rear break off the bike when I changed the bearings and before installing the brake back I turned the wheel and it was as before...turn only once and a half...

 

Pull the rear gear off completely, pull the driveshaft, and check your U-joint. I'd actually suspect it's ok. I'm just trying to narrow down the field.

Now here's a question......when you put things back together, are you CERTAIN that you put the spacer back inside the rear gear before putting the axle back in? If not, you can have the rear wheel on too tight............. that spacer (about 3 inches long) is crucial.

Dave F

 

Dave, I was thinking Rod was saying he would spin the rear wheel by hand and then let go while in neutral, and then it would only turn a rotation or two. That would be normal - unless my bike is hosed up also. If I give it a good effort spinning with the hand and then let go it only rotates another one and a half turns. I also have new brake shoes and assembled per the factory manual.

 

I was reading it to mean that it would only spin that far then jamb up. If it's just rotational drag, that's another thing. Rotate it and push on the brake lever a few times. Listen to see if the shoes are still contacting when the lever is released. There is inherently some drag because of the gearing, shaft, and tranny gears that rotate passively when in neutral. THAT is normal.

dave