Rear Wheel, Final Drive, Driveshaft

[Gearhead]

Hi Y'all,

 

I'm changing my rear tire and have some questions. I've done the tire once before on this bike but don't remember noticing these things before.

 

First, the grease between the wheel and final drive spline is NASTY. Now, I'm sure I put some fresh grease in there last time, but I must not have bothered to clean the old stuff out. Now it all looks like old stuff. That doesn't happen on my Virago - it always comes apart looking pretty good in there. What is your experience?

 

Next, there is an oil seal in there in a strange place that's not in the parts diagram, and I think a PO fitted it. It's a standard, spring-backed double-lipped seal. If you have the wheel off and look into the female spline in the final drive (from the RH side), in the center there is a collar that protrudes 1/4" or so, maybe 3/4" in diameter. It's stationary (doesn't turn) and the axle comes thru it. The seal is fitted onto that collar. There is no bore for the OD of the seal to fit into. It appears the part of the rear wheel that houses the needle bearing sandwiches the seal against the backside of that female spline bore so that the seal turns with the wheel, and the seal surface rides on the stationary collar. What this would do (if it actually seals) is separate the grease in the needle bearing from the nasty grease in the spline area, which could be a good thing. Anybody else seen this in their bike?

 

Finally, I pulled the final drive to lube the spline ends of the driveshaft. As in my Virago, it came out with the driveshaft attached. The manual shows the driveshaft staying in the swingarm, and pulling it separately. It also shows greasing both ends. Since mine is assembled, I can only see the forward end splines. What's up with that?

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and for bearing with my long post.

 

Jeremy

[Gearhead]

I was just considering the parts I have and looked again at the pic posted here http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26657&highlight=jeremy by okscooter. The assembled pic on the right shows the seal driven into the bore where the needle bearing goes. Is that right? In which case, my needle bearing is not driven in far enough because it's pretty near the top of the bore. Can the needle bearing work its way out of there, or is that due to a PO not installing it properly?

 

Do the parts go in as shown on the left, with the Collar inserted big-end first? That's really all that makes sense given the assembled pic.

 

Thanks,

Jeremy

[lonestarmedic]

I just finished putting mine together. Replaced all bearings and seals front and rear. I did take pictures but haven't resized yet. On the drive side of the rear wheel the cylindrical bearing seats on a ridge inside the wheel. This ridge is like the ends of a castellated nut so you can drive it out from the other side. There is a seal in the end over the cyl. bearing. The sleeve that goes in the bearing has a small and large end. The small end goes in first. The seal rides on this sleeve. The end of the sleeve butts against the spacer. There is a large dust sleeve around the base of the drive hub. It rides against the face of the differential. Watch the washers and spacers on the right side. There is a spacer that rides inside the seal. It has a step on one side that rides against the bearing. Then there is a washer between the spacer and the swingarm. The axle end goes against it after it goes through the swingarm. Give me a PM if you want pictures. Resized they should be about 10mb or so. Write-up to come later.

 

JB