Final Drive Leak & Seal Question

[F6Dave]

After 144,000 nearly trouble free miles I'm probably due for something to go wrong.  Yesterday while changing brake fluid I noticed a few drops of gear oil had dripped from the final drive onto the wheel rim. I suspect that the large oil seal around the external part of the ring gear is leaking.

Has anyone replaced this?  If so, can it be done without removing the final drive cover?  The Honda manual tells how to replace the seal when you are tearing down the final drive, but from looking at the drawings it looks like you could do it from the outside of the unit where it mates to the wheel.  Any advice and/or experiences would be appreciated.

[Red Diamond]

Never replaced it, but I have examined it after wheel removal. No, you can't replace it without removing the wheel, it won't just slip over the outer edge of the final drive.

[Ricky-D]

I think you are referring to the wrong oil seal.

The correct oil seal is between the ring gear and the cover and resides within the cover.

Part number 32 on this fische:

http://www.hdlparts.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=148613&category=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=2000&fveh=3474

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[Red Diamond]

I think you are referring to the wrong oil seal.

The correct oil seal is between the ring gear and the cover and resides within the cover.

Part number 32 on this fische:

http://www.hdlparts.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=148613&category=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=2000&fveh=3474

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You are so right Ricky, that is a typical shaft seal and any final drive fluid would have to bypass that seal to drip.

[F6Dave]

Yes, seal #32 is the one I think is leaking.  My concern is that removing the final drive cover seems tricky.  I think the manual said it is a very tight fit, so you need to heat the housing to get it off.  It also said the ring gear might come out along with the cover which could cause other issues I'd rather avoid.  So it certainly would be easier to replace the seal from the outside of the cover if that is possible.  I just can't tell from the drawings if the cover has a ridge that forces you to install the seal from the inside.

[Warlock]

Yes, seal #32 is the one I think is leaking.  My concern is that removing the final drive cover seems tricky.  I think the manual said it is a very tight fit, so you need to heat the housing to get it off.  It also said the ring gear might come out along with the cover which could cause other issues I'd rather avoid.  So it certainly would be easier to replace the seal from the outside of the cover if that is possible.  I just can't tell from the drawings if the cover has a ridge that forces you to install the seal from the inside.

Something to check also. I thought I had a seal leaking and it turned out to be the metal seal washer on the drain plug. While running the bike the air would somehow make it drip on the rear rim making it look like it's the seal. Just something to check before opening the rear end. I had to end up putting a new seal on the drain plug to make it stop.
David