Rear Wheel

[Ramie]

Finally got around to pulling my rear wheel.  I've had a small leak in it since I bought it last year and the tire was badly cupped.  I thought for sure it was the valve stem but I discovered when I put it in the tank I had 5 or 6 pinhole leaks in the edge of the treads.  I couldn't see them but the air bubbles don't lie and nothing was leaking from the valve stem.

I got a good deal on another Avon Cobra so the wheel is at the dealer for mounting and balancing.  Have any of you ever heard of bad run of the Cobra's that had pin hole problems?

The drive flange cleaned up nice, hardly any wear, I wasn't sure if it would make any difference in balancing the tire so I left it on the wheel.

I'm going to be pulling the shaft out of the pinion cup so I can inspect it and was wondering what is the best way to get it out, I see the manual says to turn the shaft while pulling it, is that enough to disengage the circlip at the end of the shaft?

Big thanks to ChrisJ for the writeup in shoptalk and every one else that posted and Rich at Redeye.  Hopefully the wheel will go on as easy as it came off.

[Gryphon Rider]

I'm going to be pulling the shaft out of the pinion cup so I can inspect it and was wondering what is the best way to get it out, I see the manual says to turn the shaft while pulling it, is that enough to disengage the circlip at the end of the shaft?

I never had a problem getting it out.  I would say the motion is to stir it while pulling rather than turning it, but whatever works, works.

[Tfrank59]

I just pulled my rear wheel today for a tire change, and when the pumpkin came off the drive shaft stayed in the swing arm--does that mean my circlip is bad?  I'm thinking last time I pulled the wheel the shaft stayed in there then too.

[Jess from VA]

Just grab the shaft and give it a good single shake/jerk downward (over a pad); the pumpkin will pop off.

 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I just pulled my rear wheel today for a tire change, and when the pumpkin came off the drive shaft stayed in the swing arm--does that mean my circlip is bad?  I'm thinking last time I pulled the wheel the shaft stayed in there then too.

No not necessarily. But by doing it like that you risk damaging the rubber seal when you put it back together.

[Chrisj CMA]

I just pulled my rear wheel today for a tire change, and when the pumpkin came off the drive shaft stayed in the swing arm--does that mean my circlip is bad?  I'm thinking last time I pulled the wheel the shaft stayed in there then too.

It's supposed to (the drive shaft) stay on the drive and come out as an assembly and then go back in as an assembly as well.  Installing the drive shaft alone risks (as was said) damaging the driveshaft pinion cup oil seal

[Tfrank59]

I just pulled my rear wheel today for a tire change, and when the pumpkin came off the drive shaft stayed in the swing arm--does that mean my circlip is bad?  I'm thinking last time I pulled the wheel the shaft stayed in there then too.

It's supposed to (the drive shaft) stay on the drive and come out as an assembly and then go back in as an assembly as well.  Installing the drive shaft alone risks (as was said) damaging the driveshaft pinion cup oil seal

Well I install it as an assembly, like you say, but the last two times I disassembled, the shaft hasn't come out with the pumpkin.  My only question was since the circlip isn't strong enough to keep the the pinion in the pinion cup and withdraw the whole drive shaft, is the circlip too weak?

[Jess from VA]

When it's off the bike, you need to fit the shaft/circlip to pumpkin/pinion cup, and carefully eyeball the mating surfaces to see if you have some abnormal wear somewhere.  Fit it together, pull it apart, and decide if you have some issue.  It's my understanding that once it's all shoved up the swingarm and pumpkin/drive mounted and bolted down, there's no room (slop) for the drive shaft to come loose from the pumpkin/pinion cup.   

[Tfrank59]

Thanks, Jess.  The only slop I can see is that the end of the pinion has been rubbing, maybe pretty hard, against the nut/shaft end inside the pinion cup.  It's like there should be a thrust washer in there or something but I know there isn't supposed to be one.  I don't think it's a problem right now--not much change from 10K ago when I last had the wheel off--but it seems a bit too shiny to me.  I have a spare drive shaft, so once I get everything cleaned up I'll try it in there and see if it's a better fit.

[Ramie]

Just had the new tire mounted and balanced.  I checked around and was surprised, found the Honda dealer the cheapest.  $39 to mount, balance and get ride of the old tire.  Hope to have in on this weekend.

[Ricky-D]

Leave the clip off the drive shaft when you put it all back together. It's not needed and not necessary to have it in place.

***

[Chrisj CMA]

I have heard others say that clip is not needed.  There are lots of parts you can leave off and nothing bad will happen, I always use the clip (and all those other parts)

[indybobm]

I have heard also that you can leave the clip off. The spring on the other end of the drivesaft will force the driveshaft back toward the Final Drive.
Without the circlip installed, will the the spring force the end of the driveshaft against the end of the pinion shaft?
Could the circlip keep the driveshaft from excessivley rubbing on the end of the pinion gear shaft?
Another possible advantage to having the cipclip installed is that it might keep the drivesaft splines from bottoming out in the pinion cup.

When I install my Final Drive/Driveshaft, there is a small gap between the swingarm and the Final Drive. This is the spring trying to force it back.
Without the circlip installed would there be any gap at all? Would it snug right up to the swingarm because the driveshaft is going deeper into the pinion cup?

[Tfrank59]

I don't plan to omit the clip...no good reason to do that.

[Ramie]

Reinstalled the wheel this weekend.  I've got a cheap HF ATV/motorcycle jack that doesn't go down very smoothly so instead of trying to lower it to line up final drive with the wheel I raised the bike up then I was able to get an Axel jack under the tire and lift the tire.  Had some difficulty getting it positioned so the drive flange cleared the final drive, pretty tight fit but after a couple tries I got it all lined up.  Followed the instructions that came with the Redeye O-ring kit to seat the O-rings.  Nothing really popped in it just all went together very smoothly.  I left the circlip in the driveshaft, used the Belray assb lube and the heavy duty Lucas grease as Chris shows in his Power Point.   Was able to take it for a ride Sunday and was surprised how much the new tire improved the low speed handling. 

[Tfrank59]

Yeah, I reinstalled my rear wheel on Friday--boy what an adventure that was; not getting any younger!  I don't remove the exhaust, so that makes a few things more difficult, and I don't remove the rear fender either.  Anyways, I put in new red-eye O-rings and like yours nothing popped when the driven flange seated--made me concerned that something wasn't right.  anyways, mine's back together now and working just as smooth as ever.  for spline lube I used a combination of moly paste and belray waterproof high pressure grease.  my conclusion is that as long as you don't do what my PO (or his mechanic) did--which was to put NO LUBE on the drive splines!--there won't be a problem with excessive wear in there.

[Jess from VA]

Was able to take it for a ride Sunday and was surprised how much the new tire improved the low speed handling. 

New tires make everything better.  Pushing the bike around also gets much easier.

[Ramie]

Was able to take it for a ride Sunday and was surprised how much the new tire improved the low speed handling. 

New tires make everything better.  Pushing the bike around also gets much easier.

The first time I tired to move it with the rear tire flat I found I was not as strong as I used to be.  Just an old fart now I guess although I see there are plenty on the board older than me, kind of give me hope.