Another clunking noise

[valkcan]

Ok here goes. 03 valk with 73K miles on her. Last ride in the fall of 2014,  the guys tell me that my rear tire is toast. You could see white spots on it. Seemed fine the week before!! Got home and decided to go dark side with a Yokohama Avid Ascend 205-60 x16 since the Exedra that was on only had 18000 Km on it. This is in November. I have very limited space to work and I did not find this a fun job although not too bad. Cleaned and lubed splines, I think I checked the bearings   (old memory) and buttoned her up for winter.  Spring was long overdue up in these parts and I was anxious to take her out. BTW I also changed the rear brakes.  So upon riding, I noticed a clunking noise that seemed to come from the front. I could feel a steady pulse in the handlebars.  My brother goes for a ride and he thinks its coming from the rear.  Now this clunking noise is like, well, a clunk that happens at every wheel revolution. The more I use it, the worst it gets and it does seem to come from the rear, now that I payed a lot more attention. Yesterday, I went for a 100 mile ride. At one point, when I applied the rear brake, I thought everything would fall apart. It felt like something was binding.
Now I have read pretty much all I could about similar problems on this forum. I jacked the bike and when I turn the rear wheel, everything seems fine. No binding or sticking. I even had it in gear at 3K rpm and no noise. I can't see or feel any slack in the wheel. Does not seem to have any play in the bearings. I slacked the driveline bolts as well as axle and caliper bolts and re torqued everything in proper order with no change. I am at a loss at this point. I know I will probably have to take the wheel off again and was wondering how to do a proper bearing check. How to check the damper pins? Anything else I should look at? All suggestions appreciated.
Don

[Chrisj CMA]

You didn't forget to put a spacer in like the one inside the final drive??  And there is one inside the wheel,, but if you didn't take a wheel bearing out that's not the issue.

I have to tell you the symptoms you describe are just like a friend of mine on his bike.  After much work we discovered it was a wallowed out bearing seat for the left rear wheel bearing it was the bearing clicking back and forth inside the seat every time the wheel when around.

Good luck, let us know what you find.

[valkcan]

No leftover parts and I was very careful in re assembly. If the bearing was shot, wouldn't there be movement in the wheel?
Don

[Chrisj CMA]

No leftover parts and I was very careful in re assembly. If the bearing was shot, wouldn't there be movement in the wheel?
Don

we COULD NOT tell by feeling the bearing.  Only after being frustrated enough to replace that bearing even though it looked good did we discover the oblong looking bearing seat.  Very obvious when the bearing is removed, not so noticeable with the bearing in. 

Rule out all other things like simply mal aligned brake pads or dislodged dust ring on the final drive

[valkcan]

Well, I guess the wheel is coming off. Will let you know what I find.
Don

[Bighead]

I also ran into this three weeks ago helping a buddy with his, And he Was DARKSIDE also could this be the culprit?

[valkcan]

I thought I would give an update. I took a video before taking the wheel off and we could definitely hear the clunk or ticking noise but I don't know how to post it. It's a Mov file. Anyway, I found the culprit. This is after taking the seal off. The shiny little pieces are metal fragments.




To sum it up, I think the bearing is shot


I figure I was very lucky because my but and the rest of me was riding on this thing. I plan on replacing the other one even if it is good. What do you guys think of the AllBalls kit? I think it is #25-1020 and fairly inexpensive. Should I remove the pumpkin and driveshaft and lube while I am in there?
Don

[Chrisj CMA]

Don't have any advise about all balls...I got mine at NAPA....Yes you should check the drive shaft and pinion cup and regrease them and the drive splines.

[Highbinder]

I've been using All Balls for years and never had a problem with them, they also give you new dust seals along with the bearings...

[Tfrank59]

It is noteworthy that even this catastrophic bearing failure couldn't be detected without complete removal of the wheel.  You even had the bike up on a jack and ran it and couldn't detect the problem – the only real symptom was the clunking.  I'll keep that in mind.  Also makes me glad that I went ahead and changed both front and rear wheel bearings when I did my tires this past winter. 

[valkcan]

When I changed to the CT in November, I had not removed the seal but did roll the bearing with my fingers and it felt ok. Only after having ridden a few hundred miles this year did the clunking start. I even jacked it this past week and I could not see anything but sure could see it yesterday. The dealer does not have the stock bearings but can order all balls for a fair price. I called a few bearing houses but they wont sell direct to me. Called Napa and they don't have the 5204. I am still wondering if it is worth doing the bearing mod, that is changing the left side 6204 to the double row 5204.
Don

[Chrisj CMA]

It is noteworthy that even this catastrophic bearing failure couldn't be detected without complete removal of the wheel.  You even had the bike up on a jack and ran it and couldn't detect the problem – the only real symptom was the clunking.  I'll keep that in mind.  Also makes me glad that I went ahead and changed both front and rear wheel bearings when I did my tires this past winter. 

Well, its not entirely true.  I have always (well both times) been able to detect a bad rear wheel bearing by the side to side test. 

Raise the bike and grab the wheel at the bottom and try to move the whole wheel side to side.  Both times I had a bad bearing I could detect a very minute movement side to side, almost like a "ticking" sound but definitely there.  If you never have "felt" this you may think all is well even if you do the test its that small of a movement.

[Tfrank59]

When I changed to the CT in November, I had not removed the seal but did roll the bearing with my fingers and it felt ok. Only after having ridden a few hundred miles this year did the clunking start. I even jacked it this past week and I could not see anything but sure could see it yesterday. The dealer does not have the stock bearings but can order all balls for a fair price. I called a few bearing houses but they wont sell direct to me. Called Napa and they don't have the 5204. I am still wondering if it is worth doing the bearing mod, that is changing the left side 6204 to the double row 5204.
Don

You know, last winter when I did wheel bearings I bought all balls on eBay – right around 20 bucks apiece front and rear, including seals.  We had a big discussion about tier 1 suppliers and that all balls made in China wouldn't be as good as for example NSKs (OEM) made in Japan.  Granted.  And maybe my wheelbearings will need to be replaced say in another 25,000 miles, if I even keep the bike that long, but I'm still glad I replaced them, having read all about potential for bearing failure on these bikes, and so it's one less thing I have to do now.  In my case it was preventive, and yours restorative.