Differential Leakage

[winger27]

After riding a stretch on a warm day I pulled over to gas up. Noticed oil on the sidewall of my tire. Seems to be coming from the small gap around the diff case. Letting it sit overnight there was a small spot on the ground also. I had just molyed the splines earlier could this be excessive grease or do I have a leak? Thanks

[Beardo]

Likely the seal on the final drive. $10 fix.

Just remove the wheel, don't have to remove the final drive. Screw a screw into it to pull it out, tap the new one in. Top up or change the oil.

[Tfrank59]

You have to determine if it's grease or gear oil then you can decide what the fix is

[hubcapsc]

I had just molyed the splines earlier could this be excessive grease or do I have a leak?

Did you take the final off the bike and look at the drive-shaft too? If you tilted the
final the wrong way while you had it off, fluid could have come out of the overflow
cap and be making its way out onto your bike after a ride. This is especially true if you
also checked/changed the final drive fluid, it is easy to get some fluid caught up behind
the O-ring on the checker-plug and have some of that drizzle out for a ride or two...

-Mike

[Valkpilot]

Likely the seal on the final drive. $10 fix.

Just remove the wheel, don't have to remove the final drive. Screw a screw into it to pull it out, tap the new one in. Top up or change the oil.

If it is oil, then +1.

Likely to be seal #32 in this diagram.




When you reinstall, don't push it in to far.  It should be flush at most, and actually should stand proud of the case a little bit.  If you set it too deep, it will leak.

[winger27]

Thanks for the info guys. I did not have the final drive off, it looks like it coming from the gap around where the wheel meets the final. Sounds like the seal is what I'll be looking into

[gordonv]

I suspect oil from the re greasing of the splins. You need to inspect it. You won't be the 1st nor last to have oil come out after it heats up and slings it out, leaking between the plastic shield of the hub (#9 in the above).

[The emperor has no clothes]

I suspect oil from the re greasing of the splins. You need to inspect it. You won't be the 1st nor last to have oil come out after it heats up and slings it out, leaking between the plastic shield of the hub (#9 in the above).

It should be pretty easy to tell the difference between gear oil and lube grease.

[Beardo]

I suspect oil from the re greasing of the splins. You need to inspect it. You won't be the 1st nor last to have oil come out after it heats up and slings it out, leaking between the plastic shield of the hub (#9 in the above).

It should be pretty easy to tell the difference between gear oil and lube grease.

Don't even need to look at it. Gear oil has a very distinctive smell.

[Jess from VA]

I suspect oil from the re greasing of the splins. You need to inspect it. You won't be the 1st nor last to have oil come out after it heats up and slings it out, leaking between the plastic shield of the hub (#9 in the above).

It should be pretty easy to tell the difference between gear oil and lube grease.

Don't even need to look at it. Gear oil has a very distinctive smell.

It does.  Remarkably similar to the gym sox I wore for two months once in school.

I've puked out lube (which I use lots of) but not gear oil.  Usually two rides and it stops. 

[winger27]

Does the Moly actually heat up enough to run down the tires and cause a small amount on the ground. I do agree with the smell of gear lube though. I will take it apart and check. Just wanted to know what to buy for parts ahead of time.

[Chrisj CMA]

Does the Moly actually heat up enough to run down the tires and cause a small amount on the ground. I do agree with the smell of gear lube though. I will take it apart and check. Just wanted to know what to buy for parts ahead of time.

Usually any moly paste that slings out stays tacky and just slings on the wheel/tire but doesnt "run"

[hubcapsc]

Does the Moly actually heat up enough to run down the tires and cause a small amount on the ground. I do agree with the smell of gear lube though. I will take it apart and check. Just wanted to know what to buy for parts ahead of time.

The one time I thought I had a leak, I ran right home and took the wheel off and found out I
didn't have a leak.  In that instance looking first was way better than buying any parts ahead of time  
Moly paste slings, but I've never seen it drizzle out like a liquid. If your problem is the seal,
I think all you need is the seal and some sealant...



-Mike