Drive Pumpkin is Cooked

[RedRider]

While removing my rear wheel to have a new tire put on, I decided to lube the drive shaft end that goes into the pumpkin. I have lubed the shaft end that went into the U-joint, but was never able to get the shaft out of the pumpkin end.

 

The oil seal was stuck. I slide a mechanics pick around the oil seal and it came right out.

 

However, I noticed the pinion was really loose. I could move it around - axially - by an 1/8 inch or so. Not good. Showed it to the mechanic at the local dealer and he agreed the nose bearing is likely shot.

 

I typically replace the rear drive fluid every time I change the oil. The last several changes I noticed a good sized ball of shavings on the magnetic plug. Now I know where these shavings are coming from.

 

Took the rear drive apart and the pinion nose bearing is shot. Unfortunately, the outer race is worn down so far there is not a shoulder to press against to remove it. Heated the race hosing with a butane torch and it tried to move it, but no go. The inner race on the pinion nose looks frosted (micro tearing of the metal, soon leading to full spalling).

 

OK, bottom line - I need a rear pumpkin. Anyone have one available they would like to sell?

 

Guess the KLR is going to see some additional miles over the next few weeks.

 

RR

[Newturer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-Venture-Royal-Star-XVZ1300-FINAL-DRIVE-SHAFT-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem563acd24c3QQitemZ370353710275QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

Good luck!

[RedRider]

Thank you. I searched Ebay earlier today and wasn't able to find any 2nd gen pumpkins.

 

If any of the members have one they would like to sell, I would be glad to take it off your hands before going the Pinwall route.

 

Anyone Trike their ride recently? Upgraded to a VMax rear end?

 

Let me know.

 

Good thing I didn't go to Potato Creek this weekend. Could have been trouble.

 

RR

[Carbon_One]

I've got the one I took out of my bike when I triked it. It had about 20k miles on it when I pulled it. Pm me an offer for it.

Larry

[Flyinfool]

With all of those shavings floating around in there, and the rear spline being lubed by the same oil that has all of those metal shavings, how are the splines on the back end of the drive shaft?

Edited July 11, 2010 by Flyinfool

[KiteSquid]

With all of those shavings floating around in there, and the rear spline being lubed by the same oil that has all of those metal shavings, how are the splines on the back end of the drive shaft?

 

I dont think the rear splines are lubricated by the final drive's gear oil, I believe that it is lubricated by the grease that you put on them.... I say this because when I took the final drive off of two diffrent bikes there was no gear oil on the splines, just grease.

[Flyinfool]

On my '88 the rear spline of the drive shaft is definitely lubed by the rear end oil.

When you pull the drive shaft out of the pumpkin you can dump all of the oil out through the drive shaft hole. That is also why there is an oil seal on the back of the drive shaft.

 

It could be different on the 2nd gens, that is why I brought it up. But it was my understanding that the pumpkins are interchangeable.

[kj5ix]

I have one also that I just took off. It to is off an 05 with around 18 to 20 K on it. It does not have the forward female coupling ( core part for the Trike kit ) .

[RedRider]

With all of those shavings floating around in there, and the rear spline being lubed by the same oil that has all of those metal shavings, how are the splines on the back end of the drive shaft?

 

Jeff,

 

The splines appear to be in pretty good shape. I don't see any damage at all to the teeth.

 

Interestingly, I keep hearing how this junction is only lubed by grease. But when I opened it up, there was oil in there.

 

However, I believe the rear bearing was damaged also (it was likely the first bearing to go leading to the needle bearing damage). If I recal correctly, it is a sealed bearing which would prevent oil from getting past it to the splines. There are two holes in the bottom of the spline cup that allowed the oil to come in.

 

From taking it apart and reviewing the pieces, it appears the splines are only grease lubed and are (supposed to be) isolated from the gear oil.

 

RR

[RedRider]

I have one also that I just took off. It to is off an 05 with around 18 to 20 K on it. It does not have the forward female coupling ( core part for the Trike kit ) .

 

I'm not sure what you mean by the forward female coupling. Is this the cup with the internal splines that bolts onto the rear of the pinion? The place where the pumpkin end of the drive shaft links?

 

RR

[kj5ix]

I'm not sure what you mean by the forward female coupling. Is this the cup with the internal splines that bolts onto the rear of the pinion? The place where the pumpkin end of the drive shaft links?

 

RR

 

Yes

That is a core part for the Hannigan as well as the drive shaft. you can move the one off the bad rear drive (pumpkin ) to it

[Flyinfool]

Jeff,

 

The splines appear to be in pretty good shape. I don't see any damage at all to the teeth.

 

Interestingly, I keep hearing how this junction is only lubed by grease. But when I opened it up, there was oil in there.

 

However, I believe the rear bearing was damaged also (it was likely the first bearing to go leading to the needle bearing damage). If I recal correctly, it is a sealed bearing which would prevent oil from getting past it to the splines. There are two holes in the bottom of the spline cup that allowed the oil to come in.

 

From taking it apart and reviewing the pieces, it appears the splines are only grease lubed and are (supposed to be) isolated from the gear oil.

 

RR

 

Now you have me worried.

Mine is definitely lubed by the oil.

At least it was full of oil in the spline area.

There were no metal shavings on the drain plug magnet at the last change about a month ago.

[RedRider]

Now you have me worried.

Mine is definitely lubed by the oil.

At least it was full of oil in the spline area.

There were no metal shavings on the drain plug magnet at the last change about a month ago.

 

Jeff,

 

I don't know how the first gen was set up. You may want to check with some of the others on that.

 

RR

[Flyinfool]

I was going by my observation and this http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1393.

If you look just past step 17 at drive shaft removal.

 

From the way it is worded I may very well be that the 1st gens are lubed with the oil and the 2nd gens are not.

No wonder the 1st gens are faster.....

 

Sorry to confuse everyone.

[Sleeperhawk]

I was going by my observation and this http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1393.

If you look just past step 17 at drive shaft removal.

 

From the way it is worded I may very well be that the 1st gens are lubed with the oil and the 2nd gens are not.

No wonder the 1st gens are faster.....

 

Sorry to confuse everyone.

 

Well, the next time I take the drive shaft out to grease the U-joint end, I will take a look at the pumpkin end. I know on the 05 for sure there was oil on that end, and on the 08 I have not bothered taken it out. Now I am curious because I do not want to have grease and oil in the rear end.

[KiteSquid]

Now you have me worried.

Mine is definitely lubed by the oil.

At least it was full of oil in the spline area.

There were no metal shavings on the drain plug magnet at the last change about a month ago.

 

Did you drain the gear oil BEFORE removing the final drive from the motorcycle? If not, when you removed it, you may have tipped it in such an angle that the gear oil got onto the rear splines.

[RedRider]

I was able to get a pumpkin from CarbonOne. He will ship it to me once he gets back from Potato Creek.

 

Thanks for the help everybody. Hope to be on the road early next week.

 

RR

[99silver]

Speaking of Potato Creek, we missed you this year but Sarge46 and family was there and just a couple of others from the first meet. I did get to meet Scooter Bob from up in your neck of the woods. Hope you get back on the road soon.

[Carbon_One]

I was able to get a pumpkin from CarbonOne. He will ship it to me once he gets back from Potato Creek.

 

Thanks for the help everybody. Hope to be on the road early next week.

 

RR

It's getting shipped out in the am so hopefully you'll be on the road soon

Larry

[frankd]

When I asked the question about my '89 on this site, I was told by some that it was lubed by oil, others said that it was greased like the 83-85's, but had a grease seal. I decided I'd better pull mine apart and see for myself. It only had grease on the splines. However, there is a vent hole that could allow rear end lube to get on the coupling if you tilted it. I believe this is identical to the 2nd gen setup.

 

Frank D.

[RedRider]

Speaking of Potato Creek, we missed you this year but Sarge46 and family was there and just a couple of others from the first meet. I did get to meet Scooter Bob from up in your neck of the woods. Hope you get back on the road soon.

 

 

I really would have liked to have been there. I rode past the area the previous weekend going to visit the folks. With this lousy economy I have to be really careful with taking vacation days.

 

However, at least I wasn't disappointed by being all fired up to go and then having the bike break down.

 

RR

[RedRider]

It's getting shipped out in the am so hopefully you'll be on the road soon

Larry

 

 

Woohooo!!! Thanks Larry.

 

RR

[BradT]

Red You never mentioned how many miles you have on the bike ?

 

During some of those long rides you take, I would imagine it got hot back there. Glad you will be going again soon

 

BRad

[RedRider]

Red You never mentioned how many miles you have on the bike ?

 

During some of those long rides you take, I would imagine it got hot back there. Glad you will be going again soon

 

BRad

 

Right at 85,000 miles. I've been changing the rear end oil almost every oil change (~4000 miles) and have been noticing extra shavings showing up on the plug for about a year. I finally inspected it a little closer and saw it was time to retire the old rear end before it left me stranded in the middle of North Dakota, or Utah, or Labrador, or .....

 

I'm itching to ride.

 

RR

[RedRider]

Got the new (to me) rear drive from CarbonOne installed and on the road. It is amazing how quiet the bike is with a functioning rear end and OEM pipes. I like it.

 

RR