97 rear wheel play

[lostparrot]

So, when I have my rear wheel off the ground and in gear, there is a considerable amount of forward and back movement. When I'm at highway speeds, I can feel a slight thump when I let off the gas, and when I get back on it. I put a new tyre on this spring and everything looked fine. I was wondering how much movement the rear wheel has when in gear?

[RonW]

Never heard of that much movement, but somebody else might have.

The "thump" when you let off the gas sounds like it's something with the kush drive's rubber dampers. But worn rubber dampers wouldn't cause that much movement you described with the wheel off the ground. Was tempted to say it's the propellor shaft or U-joint but since the rear axle pegs the left side of the rear wheel in place, I dunno. Swingarm bearings? Did you torque the rear axle to specs?

[Skinhead]

It is probably worn dampers.  I assume what you are describing, "a considerable amount of forward and back movement" is movement in the wheel.  This would not be swingarm bearings.

[RonW]

okay I'll go strike out swingarm bearings.

[Chrisj CMA]

If you serviced the pinion cup and those splines were good then that leaves dampeners or u-joint. Either way I would avoid hard acceleration until you get it sorted out.

[Avanti]

It is possible to pull the drive boot back and inspect the u-joint with the transmission in gear and rear wheel off the ground.

[indybobm]

When you say that there is a lot of fore and aft movement when the wheel is rotated, what are you comparing that too. There are a number of gears between the crankshaft and the u-joint, each with a small amount of gear clearance. it will never be 'tight'.

[Rio Wil]

As I remember, there is about 1 1/2 inch rotation play in first gear. The higher you go up in gears the less the play becomes, but it will not be completely play free.....to many gears in involved and then add whatever pla loose dampers might add.