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jimmytee
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« on: April 13, 2014, 05:01:16 PM » |
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  Last Sunday I took my bike out for a test ride after having ,rebuilt the forks and polished them, replaced the steering head bearings and polished the trees and replaced the rear shocks. I got the fairing back and saddle bags back on Friday. Saturday went for a poker run. All is well Today my wife and I ride up to Salem ,IN and meet my parents for a meal who had come down from Indpls,IN. On the way up,I took the scenic route and I noticed that there seemed to be an odd sensation or vibration when accelerating and even maybe more so between coming off the gas and back on. I said to my wife then I wasn't sure if I was imagining it or maybe my u-joint was making noise. On the way back I noticed it more,turning down the stereo, I actually could hear it . Either a transmission issue or the u-joint. I'm betting the u-joint. It sounds like it's coming from that area. I'm approaching 76K on the odometer. Damn, just got it back together. I have not looked into replacing it yet Can anyone tell me do I have to pull the Swingarm?
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« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 05:07:34 PM by jimmytee »
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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R J
Member
Posts: 13380
DS-0009 ...... # 173
Des Moines, IA
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« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2014, 05:11:55 PM » |
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NO you do not have to pull the swing arm.
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44 Harley ServiCar   |
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Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
Member
Posts: 13834
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Beautiful east Tennessee ( GOD'S Country )
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« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2014, 05:13:28 PM » |
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Take a look at the pinion cup and left rear bearing while you have the wheel off... My left rear bearing went and I thought it was a u-joint . I rode it about 2 miles home and could not get over 5 mph. The bearing for lack of a better word just came unglued it was trash... I have double roll on all my bikes now.... If you pull the u-joint keep in mind the boot is a bitch and for less than $ 15.00 you can get a new one that will go on " somewhat better " . ( I hate that u-joint boot ) .
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« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 05:16:10 PM by Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 »
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 I've seen alot of people that thought they were cool , but then again Lord I've seen alot of fools. |
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jimmytee
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« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2014, 05:29:00 PM » |
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Take a look at the pinion cup and left rear bearing while you have the wheel off... My left rear bearing went and I thought it was a u-joint . I rode it about 2 miles home and could not get over 5 mph. The bearing for lack of a better word just came unglued it was trash... I have double roll on all my bikes now.... If you pull the u-joint keep in mind the boot is a bitch and for less than $ 15.00 you can get a new one that will go on " somewhat better " . ( I hate that u-joint boot ) .
I appreciate the replies. I just had the rear wheel off a week ago or so. I had it off to check my swing arm bearings. At that time my wheel bearings felt fine. I checked the pinion cup before riding season last year,all looked great. I priced the u-joint at Partzilla for $118. Not too bad, I guess. I seem to remember them being more money before. It's more about having to take it apart again. Damn. I guess I should be grateful it happened this way and not further out on the road somewhere. |
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« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 05:30:54 PM by jimmytee »
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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wiggydotcom
Member
Posts: 3387
Do Your Best and Miss the Rest!
Yorkville, Illinois
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« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 05:59:56 PM » |
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As Joe said, if it's the Ujoint, get a new boot also. There are several methods to getting the blasted boot back on. I fought it for over an hour with no success. Walked away a few times and would try again. I couldn't get it to go, it just kept spinning.
What finally worked is I folded the boot back onto itself, just like rolling a pair of socks.
After starting the output end, I then unfolded the back portion onto the swing arm lip. Did it on the first try. Keep this in mind if you try other methods first without success.
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VRCC #10177 VRCCDS #239  |
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hoosier jaybird
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« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 06:00:40 PM » |
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Swingarm stays in. Unbolt the rear brake fluid reservoir and move it to the side for access to the boot/u-joint. Remove the rear wheel,final drive and driveshaft. Slide the front part of the boot rearward, slide the u-joint rearward, slide the boot forward and out and the u-joint forward and out. Takes a little wiggling. Reverse order means the boot is a pistol to get back on properly. One hand over the swingarm and one underneath. Maybe rubbing alcohol on the boot lips may help?
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jimmytee
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« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2014, 06:13:03 PM » |
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Well, I just ordered a new u-joint ,boot, and a couple of other odds and ends. Total is $149 after $11 something for shipping. Hope it comes quickly. What sucks also is that I had toyed with the idea of replacing the u-joint for the sake of peace of mind, but decided not to mess with it. I thought 75K miles, I should be fine. Wrong. I won't be sure til I start taking her apart, but given that I had just inspected and serviced the pinion cup, checked the wheel bearings, I'm guessing that the u-joint is the culprit .
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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hoosier jaybird
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« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2014, 06:50:04 PM » |
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Correction jimmytee, One hand over the rear brake master cyl/ muffler, one hand under for the boot replacement. I pulled my u-joint at the last spline maintenance to check it's condition. It was fine but the transmission out put shaft splines were less than pristine with the corners of the splines rolled a little. With all the concern for the drive shaft splines, that u-joint and driveshaft are nothing compared to the transmission output shaft as far as expense and labor are concerned. I will continue to pull my u-joint at each spline lube. I have only 26k on my interstate so I hope at 70+ k yours are ok.
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uturn
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« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2014, 07:07:32 PM » |
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the boot is a piece of cake. fold the big end over, like putting a sock on a kid...then put one tab toward the bottom while slipping it past your new ujoint, pop the sock in place starting with the bottom tab. use your left hand to hold the top part of the boot in place. one at a time, snap the tabs unrolling the "sock" on the swingarm thing. presto, youre done. two minutes, tops and works every time.
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2014, 08:08:25 PM » |
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This is helpful. (clicking the pics, enlarges them, with additional notes) http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/ujoint.htmlI've lost a Ujoint, and a left rear wheel bearing. Symptoms are similar... clunk, grind (felt thumps in the pegs before I heard anything). If you ride out in your neighborhood and just roll on and off in low gear (not too hard) to tweak available drive train slop (from a bad Ujoint) what you hear and feel should be a bit different than a wheel bearing, which may not be affected by rolling on and off at low speed, but grinds worse at certain speeds than others. I lost my Ujoint close to home, it came out in pieces. I ordered the pinion cup, shaft and Ujoint (before teardown), but only needed the Ujoint (should have got a new boot). I lost the bearing in Bumf Egypt, and found my lowest-grinding-noise-speed at 32mph, and limped 17 miles to a dealer. The next rear tire, I did the double row left bearing mod, on both bikes. In taking apart and reassembly of Ujoint/cup/shaft, the swingarm needs to be straight (lined up with the trans output), not hanging down with the wheel off and the bike up on the jack. The boot sucks a big one. A child with small hands might be helpful. |
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« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 08:18:50 PM by Jess from VA »
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jimmytee
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« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2014, 02:57:13 AM » |
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Thanks uturn, Hoosier Bird and Jess. I've had the drive shaft out before for inspection/service. I hope all is well with that output shaft Jess. Sure don't want to get into that,especially not this time of year. ??? I have just never pulled a u-joint on one of these. I was pretty sure I didn't have to pull the swing arm, but looking at the parts break down last night had me questioning.  I had read what a PITA that boot was. I ordered a new one and will use the techniques suggested . After finally hearing the noise during my outing yesterday, I'm fairly sure the u-joint is where my problem is. I've never has a u-joint go bad in one of my bikes, but the symptoms were just like they'd be in a car. I tried in several gears, more pronounced at a higher speed. The noise also was more pronounced when cycling the throttle on and off from applying torque to the driveline and releasing that torque. Anything between having the drive line torqued up and full on coasting and the noise got pretty bad. So pretty sure it has something to do with excess lash in the driveline . Symptoms of bad bearings in the u-joint. AT least that's what I'm hoping for, I guess.  Better than than the output shaft of the motor or a bad pinion cup I think. |
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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Bone
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« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2014, 03:04:02 AM » |
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Changed mine in a 98 Tourer. The new boot will be the hardest part of the job.
Swingarm stays on the bike getting the driveline straight makes it an easier job.
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uturn
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« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2014, 04:57:36 AM » |
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i just helped dancnman put a motor back in his 97 standard and i wish i wouldve taken boot photos. didnt know it was such a problem. roll the back over like a sock, press in place, unroll using the tabs one at a time and "plop!!!" its in place. took longer to type this.
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sandy
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« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2014, 04:51:35 PM » |
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When you have it all apart, be sure and clean out any metal grit left by the bad U joint. It may work it's way into the input cup seal.
NO you do not have to pull the swing arm.
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2014, 06:14:52 PM » |
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Yeah, so much metal powder came out with my Ujoint, I blew out the swing arm tube with air and used a big brush.... it was all over the place.
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F6MoRider
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« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2014, 06:23:14 PM » |
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I know what you mean about the noise you heard. I described it in a post a few years back as a whirring sound, at the point of backing off forward momentum but not completely releasing the throttle. I had less than half your mileage when my failed and it was toast.
I don't think it's a wear issue, I think it's poor workmanship / manufacturing as many have failed.
But do inspect the boot very well, in the dark with an LED flashlight - if you don't replace it. We think the leakage of water through the boot or around a bad seal will cause rust in the spindle cup and ruin that end of the gear.
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VRCC #4086
2000 Valk Standard dressed with matching Interstate Bags and the Hondaline shield.
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jimmytee
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« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2014, 03:06:53 AM » |
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I ordered a new boot with the u-joint Last year ,when I inspected the pinion cup ,all was good there. |
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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jimmytee
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« Reply #17 on: April 24, 2014, 07:41:14 PM » |
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Pulled my u-joint last night. Think my wife and I were lucky to make it home. I think trashed was pretty accurate.
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2014, 08:00:33 PM » |
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Yeah you probably weren't too far from it grenading!
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2014, 10:03:46 PM » |
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Mine was like that. Came out destroyed, with some chunks and a lot of powder.
I limped home, and was amazed I made it at all when I saw it.
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dancnman
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« Reply #20 on: April 25, 2014, 03:53:46 AM » |
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A few years ago I had to replace the u-joint on my Interstate. When trying to put on the boot, it totally defeated me for a day and made me cry. I finally got it on but it was a miserable experience.
U-turn helped me with the motor on my 97 and he showed me how to fold it over and it went right on. No tears.
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Reality is that thing which does not change simply because I choose to ignore it.
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salty1
Member
Posts: 2359
"Flyka"
Spokane, WA or Tucson, AZ
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« Reply #21 on: April 25, 2014, 07:05:34 AM » |
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YI K ES! No Vibration?  ??? |
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My rides: 1998 GL1500C, 2000 GL 1500CF,2006 GL 1800 3A   |
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jimmytee
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« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2014, 04:30:49 PM » |
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YI K ES! No Vibration? ??? Oh yes there was extra vibration, that was my first clue something wasn't right. It wasn't overt though. The noise ,when and how the noise made itself known, is how I was pretty sure it was my U-joint. Never had one fail on one of my bikes, but have been through it with cars/trucks and it was exactly the same symptoms. |
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"Go sell crazy somewhere else,we're all stocked up"
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