Servicable U-Joints for our Valks Mission Accomplished!!!!!

[WynneBear]

I have solved the Ujoint problem.  No longer do you need to wait for the eternal back order from Mother Honda. We have  successfully taken the stock yolks and machined them properly to accept a larger Spicer U joint with internal snap ring clips.  This U joint is not only larger diameter caps but also a wider cross to take advantage of the full thickness of the ears.  This is also a grease-able unit. I have been testing this is my Interstate for the last 2500 miles.  It is smooth as glass at 110 mph. (didn't go any higher)

After converting your yokes all that is needed when a u joint replacement is needed is a off the shelf U joint available at many sources.  Pop the snap rings, press out the old press in the new.

These are machined to properly locate the ujoint with the splines of the yolks thus assuring smooth operation.  The yolks are also milled to accept the snap rings to complete the user serviceable set up.

I am sure alot of us have a spare assy.  You can ship it to me and I will convert it to serviceable and you can tell Mother Honda to pound sand and not worry about being down.

The initial cost is more expensive but after the conversion you will spend less on a replacement

If you are interested email me @ wynnebear@gmail.com  or call, 970-222-5035  Rob  

[Kymbo]

Well done, I new it would happen sooner or later 

[designer]

Cost and timing please.

[slider]

U the man!!Turn around time??

[WynneBear]

I will need at least 4 units at a time to be able to justify machine setup.  Once I receive your assy and have 4 units to machine the turn around time will be 5 business days.  The cost to VRCC members will be $260.00 shipped to lower 48.  An extra ujoint for the saddle bag will be $40.00.

Rob 

[Rio Wil]

Where are the internal snap rings(not sure how that works) if the caps are larger in diameter, does that weaken the 'ears' too much.....the ears don't adequately support the stock ujoint caps now......IMHO

[WynneBear]

They are internal snap rings. They are the brass colored things in the pics. Most u joints are internal or external. The hondas wer staked making the hole unusable when pressed out and preventing service.  Designed to cause you to go back to Honda for a new assy.  We all know haow that has panned out.  I do machine some of the ear out to accommodate the larger ujoint.  But if you look at a stock one the u joint caps are sunk in the ears and do not utilize the full amount of the ear.  Mine are all the way out to the edge of the ears.  We believe that the extra surface area there combined with a larger joint (read stronger U joint) we should have a stronger unit than stock.  Alot of the broken ears seen in driveshafts in general are caused by the joint itself failing thus creating a failure of the ears.

[Rio Wil]

After looking at a stock one, I see where you are gaining cap support even with cutting a larger hole for the cap.  Looks pretty good!

[WynneBear]

Thanks for posting those pics Rio.  Your right you can see how much space is wasted in those ears.  Designed to fail..........

[Gear Jammer]

Capitalism at its best    Good job and a great looking product.  The grease zerk is a major feature improvement, as well as the replaceable joint.  I'm good for one.

[fast black]

good job

[WynneBear]

Interesting story.  You how you rarely notice that your shocks are wearing out on your car because they do so over many miles of driving.  After I installed my new converted ujoint in my valk, it was remarkably smoother through out the rpm and speed range.  I guess I had just became used to a slight vibration in my big girl.

[Brad]

Now that you have accomplished that task I would now like to see a constant velocity joint fabricated to work on the Valk.  Up for the challenge?   

[Gunslinger]

Looked at exactly the same thing and determined that no one would pay enough to break even much less make it worth while to do. Happy to see someone feel it worthwhile.

[Bobbo]

Now that you have accomplished that task I would now like to see a constant velocity joint fabricated to work on the Valk.  Up for the challenge?   

I don't think the angle and amount of travel in the swingarm is enough to warrant a CV joint.

[Willow]

I will need at least 4 units at a time to be able to justify machine setup.  Once I receive your assy and have 4 units to machine the turn around time will be 5 business days.  The cost to VRCC members will be $260.00 shipped to lower 48.  An extra ujoint for the saddle bag will be $40.00.

Rob 

Rob, While I'm impressed you were able to accomplish this, the Honda U-joints are shipping now and will soon be readily available.  If the Honda price is between $65 and $80, which I expect, you can buy three or four of Honda's for one of these.  Are they that much better?  My Honda U-joint is currently on 163,000 miles, although I do think it'll need to be replaced very soon.

On a related-to-the-price issue, if you're producing these as a favor to the membership we are in a very grey area concerning advertising on the VRCC boards.  If you're making a profit, which at that price I strongly suspect, we are well over the line.

[3W-lonerider]

you would'nt devulge the spicer number for that joint would ya ?

[rodeo1]

my honda guy tells me just about everything but small maintainace items are going to be discontinued by honda in the very near future. many already have. i think its a lifesaver when someone figures this stuff out for us. the bike only had a 12 year run, they have been discontinued now for what ? 12 years. you had to know they would drop all the parts and just handle the oil filters and polish.

if i wasn't triking mine i would be first in line to get one of these just so i could get my u-joints from o'reillys.

i can understand willows point too, but when something like this comes up i think we need to know, otherwise when i design a giddy gapper that makes a valk get 50 mpg i'm gonna keep it to myself.

[John U.]

my honda guy tells me just about everything but small maintainace items are going to be discontinued by honda in the very near future. many already have. i think its a lifesaver when someone figures this stuff out for us. the bike only had a 12 year run, they have been discontinued now for what ? 12 years.

Make that a 7 year run and out of production 8 years, but you point is well taken. We better all stock up.

[WynneBear]

Willow,  I by no means want to cross the line in any way.  If it poses a problem I will gladly remove my post.  

I started this as a favor to myself, to continue being able to count on my own scoot working well.  In the process it became clear there would be fair amount of expense on my part to accomplish this.  With purchasing a drive shaft from Big Mike (thank you again sir).  Finding and buying a transmission I could take an output shaft out of.  Paying my machinist to build a jig to properly place the yolks for machining.  As far as profit, I will need to do a fair amount of these to actually see a profit. I am completely willing to decrease the price as I recoop my expenses.   My thought was to help my fellow Valk riders with a sustainable solution to an ugly problem.  

Please contact me with your wishes.  It is your house that I am a guest in.  Thank you for all you do to keep this great venue for us all to gather.

Rob

[longrider]

Wynnebear

I commend you on taking the time and effort to make this part available.  Just because Honda is apparently going to supply doesn't mean it will necesarily work out.  I don't believe you were advertising.  Just helping us all out.  I have been reading this forum daily for years.  Lets not go where other forums have gone.

warren

[MP]

Thank you for working out the ujoint solution.

As far as ujoints, we have far more than just a few years of Valkyries that use that joint.  MANY more 1000's of GW's do too.

MP