Rear End Noise - Yamaha TSB

[Freebird]

This tech tip covers numerous possible solutions, including the proper alignment of the rear drive and simple greasing of parts of the final drive clutch hub.

 

One point of clarification to pay attention to when talking to your dealer is the difference between the final drive "clutch hub drive pins" (also called Clutch Pins in the figure on page 3 of the Tech Tip), and the clutch hub "drive splines."

 

The pins fit into damper bushings in the wheel assembly and are NOT visible until the hub is removed from the wheel. The drive splines are on the outside of the hub and mate to the final drive when the wheel is mounted to the bike. These splines are what you see on the left side of the wheel when you remove it from the bike. These are clearly labeled in the Tech Tip.

 

If you have had the shop try to fix this noise at least once without success, the noise you hear is probably coming from dry "clutch hub drive pins," not the drive splines. If you tell your shop to make sure the "splines" are greased, they are probably doing just that, and this does NOT solve your problem. If we all use the correct terminology when talking about this problem, we have a much better chance of getting all these Yamaha mechanics educated about the right fix. Thanx for listening,

Goose

 

BTW - although I do not know this for sure, I also suspect that the noise is probably caused much more from bushings not fully seated (as described in the bulletin) than just dry pins, so the wear marks on the drive pins should be closely examined as described in the Tech Tip. __________________

 

[rjmalizia]

Wow, thanks 'freebird'.

 

got my 97 RS home tonight and notice a creaking noise as I was pushing it in the garage. Sound like this thread is exactly what I need to follow up on.

 

I recently bought my bike (used) from someone that stated that the tires are very new...so my question is why would someone loosen the four Acorn nuts to the differential, just to change the tire...or can I 'assume' that, that someone took it off to grease the splines (i hope).

 

OK...so how do I fix it? should I go ahead and remove the rear tire and diff as stated above...or can I get way with simply loosening the four differential bolts and then retightening them as suggested in another thread of yours (see the ending of your thread titled 'rear wheel removal' 8/21/2006, 10:43 : thread# 515)

 

And the bigger question is: just how pressing is this issue? I was planning on a good 300+ mile ride next week. Do i need to address this now? or could I sit on it until after the ride? [i think I know the answer to this one...but I have to ask ]

 

Once again I'm in your debt...thanks all

and enjoy!

[Tartan Terror]

Naaa, wait till you have more time and maybe wait for winter. It is only noise. Nothing being hurt and if it hasnt been done its been that way for a long time with a 97. It is not gonna hurt anything.

Greasing the Rear Drive Splines and greasing the Hub Pins on the RSV

By Tartan Terror

 

First thing you will need to do is raise the bike on a lift and remove the rear tire. For these operations look for the instructions in other articles in this tech area. After you have the wheel removed lay your rear tire flat on the ground or on a surface that you can work on it with the spline side facing up (Looks like a gear).

  

I removed the dust shield (Rubber ring around the base of the gear) but it is not necessary unless you want to clean everything thoroughly. Wipe around the top edge of the gear clean and you will find a snap ring. Look carefully because it is hard to miss. Use a pair of snap ring pliers that open to remove the ring and lift it off or gently grab it with a pair of pliers being careful not to stretch the ring. If you do not remove this ring you will be unable to remove the pins from the hub (I know this Cuz this dummy tried to do it!) After you have removed the ring pull on the gear and the pins should slide out. 

  

Once you have removed the pins clean off any rust on the pins with a piece of scotch brite so that they are smooth. Generously apply grease to the pins. I used lithium based grease but any good water proof grease will do. 

 

Below you will see a picture showing the pins, Snap ring, scotch brite pad, and dust boot ring.

 

Reinsert the pins into the bushings and replace snap ring. Once again be careful not to stretch out the ring as it needs to fit tightly to keep it in the groove. If you removed the dust boot also replace that and make sure it is properly seated.

Apply grease to the splines on the hub.

 

And also on the splines in the differential. It will squeeze out any extra grease then you lift the wheel back up and slide the hub splines into the differential splines but here is where most of the noise is coming from.

 

It’s as easy as that. Like I said before refer to the other articles in this section to reinstall the rear wheel.

Now Get out and Ride it like you stole it!!!

[Freebird]

There is no reason for the acorn nuts to have been removed if all they did was change the tire. The lack of grease is a common problem so it may well have been removed to grease.

 

I would recommend checking it for grease the next time you pull the rear wheel for a tire change or whatever but for now, if you have a lift, I would just put it on the lift and follow the tightening instructions as outlined above.

[rjmalizia]

Thanks!

 

I was hoping that's answers I was going to get.

 

After I sent the original message last night, I decided to check the 'acorn' nuts and low and behold, one of them was...well not as tight as the other three. I was able to turn it a couple of degrees without much effort. where as the other three didn't move. so...I do have access to a cycle lift. I think along with changing the oil, I'll try to re-align.

 

Stay tuned....

 

 

(thanks again all)

[Tartan Terror]

when you get it ready to put it up on the lift make sure you check the threads on the lift adapters here. You cant just use the flat lift without adapters and make your own, its much cheaper

[rjmalizia]

Well I gave it a try anyway..

 

This is what I did…I lifted her up and spun the wheel. There was a slight clunking noise very time the wheel rotated to the same general location (valve stem at 3 O’clock).

 

So…I proceeded to loosen the four nuts, spun the wheel, gave the rear wheel and differential a couple of good soft palm smacks and tightened her back up. Gave the wheel of fortune another good spin…Noise still there.

 

So lets do it again. This time I also loosened the rear axle pinch bolt too and placed a bottle jack under the shaft/differential joint and applied some gentle pressure. Repeated the same process, even unknowingly threw in a quick rain dance. Anyway…same soft clunking noise. It was very late, so I called it a night. … next morning, woke up early, eager to take the bike on the road to test her out: only to find out that it was now RAINING!

 

Needless to say, I got Trigger off of the lift and rolled her around the garage only to discover that the rear end noise was still there. I guess at some point this winter I’ll have to pull the rear tire off and go through the rear end as the above thread suggests.

 

More rear end noise: (continued)

 

In the past, while riding without the saddle bags (both before and after the above procedure) there is an awful rattle coming from the rear end. Sounds like I’m dragging a piece of flat bar, that or my non-stock, exhaust falling apart. I’ve tried numerous times to locate the rattle, but I can’t find it. Could that noise be coming from the differential? While I had her lifted, I took the time to change the rear end oil…The oil looked good to me. I couldn’t see anything nasty in it. No shiny flakes, no tiny chunks. I still think it’s the exhaust, but now I’m just a little paranoid. FYI: Trigger only has 7000 miles.

 

Other events of the weekend:

 

Tightened the heads set: Handles so much better now. Tip: used a bicycle spanner wrench to tighten the head set nut…it was just thin enough to slip in between the head set cover and the tank; it worked great.

 

Cut and inch and a half off of my wind screen. Tip: went cutting, cut from the back side of the shield. It will be much easier to hold down, reducing the vibration while cutting. Turned out good.

 

Oil change (from Hell) – please don’t laugh.

Where to begin…Friday went to the local Yamaha shop, asked for an oil filter for a 97 RS and I grabbed 4 quarts of SAE 10-40 yamalube off of the shelf…31$ bucks later I’m heading home. The next day, Saturday, I proceed to drain off the old stuff, pull the old filter and one, two, three…wait a minute the fine print on the oil jug says “for water craft and out board motors” that dirty rotten [beep beep beep] sold me the wrong oil [Yes it’s my fault…I grabbed the wrong stuff] Anyway called them back, but of course they are now closed, until Tuesday. Called the next nearest Yamaha shop. They suggested draining it immediately, flushing the engine with different oil, drain that off and then refill the engine with the correct stuff. But they close in 15 minutes and are 45 minutes away. With my last chance, I called Paulsen’s in Olympia, turns out they are open for another hour, just enough time for me to drive the 40 miles to get the oil. [Thank you again Paulsen’s] So drained the bad oil. Went for a drive and back. Flushed the engine with some other motor oil. Let that drain for a couple of hours. Moved the oil pan grabbed the oil filter (with my oily hands) and proceeded to drop the oil filter in the dirty bucket of oil. @#$%! That’s how the day was going. Needless to say, Sunday morning I was at Walmart buying a Fram oil filter. Please don’t chastise me, but I’m desperate at this point. I leave early Tuesday morning for my ride and none of the shops around here are open on Monday…please forgive me.

 

So…the saga continues.

 

Thanks all and sorry for the long, winded message. Just thought someone out there might get a smile from it and a 'been there, done that'.

 

Later.

 

 

{have photos...but no url to save them too, sorry can't add them here. I guess I'll try to add them to my photo gallery.}