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Evie
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« on: July 05, 2016, 12:28:47 PM » |
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Malta Mt., on the way home from Glacier Natl Park, middle of nowhere, no cell service, been pulling my trailer behind my 2000 Interstate with 138K. I keep this bike well maintained, however, it starts rattling between 4th & 5th and then gets worse. Felt like the road was a little rough (vibration) and soon the only way I could stop the very loud rattling was to be under load, either accelerating or decelerating. Stopped in Malta, got on the Valk web site...was thinking this may be a clutch problem..rivets, but Meathead convinced me it was probably U-joint or pinion cup. Could have gotten it fixed, but would have taken 3 or 4 days to get parts, my friends wouldn't leave me and I couldn't hold them up any longer. Drove 100 mi, got a 10ft U-Haul, loaded up and drove the 1500 mi home....$800 including gas. Take the rear wheel off figuring my pinion cup was probably dry...but it wasn't. Pulled the boot off the U-joint and stuff started falling out...bearings. Attached are pics of the U-joint....it really disintegrated!   I had just inspected the U-Joint about 5K ago...looked OK. Trying to decide what other parts to replace but a close inspection shows no wear on any of the shafts or pinion cup...thought the rattling of the u-joint would have destroyed something else. Moral of the story....don't wait, replace that U_joint. |
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Grandpot
Member
Posts: 630
Rolling Thunder South Carolina Chapter 1
Fort Mill, South Carolina
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« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2016, 12:40:42 PM » |
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That's a real bummer! You did your due diligence by inspecting the part, but it is very difficult to tell if something is about to break by just looking at it. I hope nothing else is damaged. Good luck.
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 Experience is recognizing the same mistake every time you make it. |
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2016, 12:42:28 PM » |
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I feel your pain. 3 years ago I bought my Interstate in Tampa Bay and rode it home. About El Paso the alternator went out. Cost me $1100 for a truck and trailer to get home. That is definitely messed up ujoint.  |
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2016, 01:00:48 PM » |
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Mine looked pretty much like that when it committed suicide at around 65K. Fortunately, I was able to limp home. No buffing that out.
Maybe not terribly important, but before new installation, run a big brush up the swingarm a bunch of times, or compressed air down the swingarm, and try to get all the metal filings, crud and rust out. I also squirt a bunch of brake cleaner up there, wrap my big bottle brush in a rag and run it through a bunch of times. Like a big 2-gauge shotgun barrel. No sense contaminating a new installation/lube.
Big BF pulled mine out of my lower mile IS last week (55K) and reported that it just wasn't right (it might go another 3-10K, or it might not). It looked very right, but had just a wrong bit of wobble to it. It had never caused a single symptom when riding. So my new backup went in. Thinking of standing out in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and no help made that decision for me.
Now I need another new backup for the parts bin.
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Evie
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« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2016, 01:51:31 PM » |
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Cleaning out the swingarm is a good idea. I ordered my u-joint through Procaliber.com...120.86. They had free shipping on orders over $99 but their computer program wasn't working correctly so I called and they gave me a promo code to eliminate shipping charges.
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BradValk48237
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« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2016, 02:15:04 PM » |
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After reading all the most likely things that will leave you on the side of the road I now always carry in the left saddle bag.....
Tools.... especially the big socket to get the rear axel off.. there was no such thing in the tool kit when I got the bike.... same thing for tools to get complete set of socialist and wrench... just enough to get anything on or off the bike... Pump and plug kit.... spare fuses, wire, Quart of oil, bottle with 50/50 mix antifreeze ... have a spare coverlet, but changed the petcock to manual 2 years ago per this forum
Spare nuts n bolts, headlight bulb, Spare U Joint, Drive shaft, pinion cup..... once I get a bit of extra cash, I will be getting a back up alternator...... Even with all this junk, I still have room for rags, rain suit, leather jacket, spare gloves, etc.... all this stuff lives permanently in the saddlebag...
I have also since joining this forum been into the regular maint, especially the rear end, pull pumpkin and re lube and inspect cup, shaft, and change gear oil.... Since I run a car tire, I make sure to still do it yearly...
All in all, I have never been stranded by this wonderful bike.... But I also have most everything to get me back on the road from a failure....
Oh I also have a spare key zip tied to the bike someplace.... just in case LOL
All of this stuff is because of this great forum and the knowledgeable great people here
B
B
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2016, 02:33:22 PM » |
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tools to get complete set of socialist and wrenchI like being prepared too Brad.... but I can do without a compete set of socialists (and a quart of oil). 
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Roidfingers
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« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2016, 06:10:08 PM » |
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The oil is for when u have to bend over. |
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BigM
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« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2016, 08:43:29 AM » |
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was this the orig. u-joint never replaced?
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BradValk48237
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« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2016, 12:07:26 PM » |
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Yes.....
My SOCKETS are socialists (God D#$N auto correct!!)
They share the same Ratchet and use that Furrin' dang all metric system them damn socialist Frenchy's invented....
B
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2016, 01:56:13 PM » |
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Yoke = Ujoint. Yes. For a long time, they were around $65. Then Honda lost their supplier; when they came back, the price was the same for about a week, then it went up. There were probably a few hundred backorders by the time the supply opened up again. Need a new backup myself. A lot of guys think it's a good idea to get a new boot (#8). New one is supposed to be more flexible to install, and fairly easy to damage one getting (poking) it on. |
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« Last Edit: July 06, 2016, 01:59:30 PM by Jess from VA »
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Daycruiser
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« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2016, 02:10:12 PM » |
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So I need some guidance on this, at what mileage do these U-Joints start to go south? I have 51K on my IS and I don't remember seeing Zerks on the joint so I haven't touched it figuring it was a sealed joint. I bought the bike used at 48K but have no idea what the previous owner did or didn't do. From the Joint back I've completely cleaned and lubed the drive assembly. Thanks
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1999 Honda Valkyrie I/S.
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2016, 02:44:31 PM » |
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There is no common mileage factor in Ujoint failure; other than they can go after 45K or so, or last forever. When they fail, they usually turn to junk in short order.
Too many variables, including riding habits, water in the works/boot, and bad luck. You can't really lube one (other than a spray of oil which might last for a few hundred miles), but you can inspect them at tire changes and rear end service intervals.
They do fail enough to have one on hand. They ran out of them for many months once before, and the price on them never went down (but did double soon after the shortage).
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baldo
Member
Posts: 6960
Youbetcha
Cape Cod, MA
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« Reply #15 on: July 06, 2016, 05:03:05 PM » |
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Crackerborn
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« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2016, 08:22:54 PM » |
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The new to me '97 tourer had 26k on the clock when my yoke went south a few years ago. Others report over 100k and still running strong on the original yoke. When I lube the splines, I now pull the yoke and test it in a vice for excess play. You just have to use the correct combination of four letter words at just the right volume to get the boot back on.
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Life is about the ride, not the destination. 97 Valkyrie Tour 99 Valkyrie Interstate  |
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