Final drive takes out entire rear wheel

[Kingbee]

This was 8000 miles after tire service.  There's still grease in there but the splines are gone.





The driven flange was wobbling so badly that the driven splines were worn to a taper



Also due to wobbling, the center hub around the bearing, which used to be flush, is worn or beaten down over 1/8", ruining the wheel.



The driven flange "fingers" also wore 1/8" depressions in the wheel



The damper retainer plate was almost worn through in the 5 places where the driven flange beat it up, and the dampers were shot also.




This happened to a bike I sold 15,000 miles ago.  At that time the splines were perfect.

I have no idea how this could have happened.  All tire service was done by a Honda dealer with a very large  motorcycle following, not some hick store.

That's a dealer repair with new parts of over $2,000.00!

Ebay to the rescue for $550 for complete wheel assembly with rotor,  final drive & driven flange.

Still not sure why that happened, though.

[Chrisj CMA]

WOW, that looks horrible.....must be the worst Ive seen!

[Michvalk]

Bearing on the right side of the wheel gone? That's the only thing I could think of would cause that much damage. Other than an alignment problem with the final drive, witch would indicate not loosining the final drive before tightening the axel. Some kind of an alignment problem anyway. Sounds like you have the problem solved

[wizard -vrccds#125]

I have repaired worse.  I had one that took a 1" chunk out on the wheel, destroyed the axel  and stacked the bearing ontop of the spacer. Also took out the final drive unit and flange. He said it felt a little funny. $500 and 2 hrs later he was back on the road. Was lucky I had all needed parts. He was luckier him and passenger were alive !  Some people don't listen to what their Valk is telling them !

[Kingbee]

This PIC is the back side of the driven flange, where the damper plate bolts made deep imprints

[Daniel Meyer]

All it takes for that to happen to the wheel is the teflon thrust washer missing...the star twists a bit (normally) as the dampeners give and rubs on the wheel surface around the bearing. The teflon washer goes right there and prevents wear.

[Mulepick]

What year Valk is this from?

[fudgie]

You sold it and are now repairing it?  ???

[Hoser]

 "All tire service was done by a Honda dealer with a very large  motorcycle following, not some hick store"

The  above quote is most likely the reason it happened.  JMHO, but most dealers don't know $hit about maintenance procedures for a Valkyrie.    Hoser

[Sigrún]

All tire service was done by a Honda dealer with a very large  motorcycle following, not some hick store.

Definitely confirms my borderline paranoia to do all my maintenance on my own ( including tires ) and never EVER go anywhere NEAR to a dealer for maintenance or repairs...... 

Seriously. That is just horrible.

[Quicksilver]

Looking at those fotos makes me want to pull my rear wheel just to check everything, dang thats scary.

[Sigrún]

Looking at those fotos makes me want to pull my rear wheel just to check everything, dang thats scary.

Did that about 1500 miles ago at rear tire change, and boy am I glad that I did. Heading out to Missouri tomorrow and would feel VERY worried after those pics had I not.....

[Ricky-D]

All it takes for that to happen to the wheel is the teflon thrust washer missing...the star twists a bit (normally) as the dampeners give and rubs on the wheel surface around the bearing. The teflon washer goes right there and prevents wear.

I agree with you completely Daniel. I also feel there is more in play. Seems there might be something wrong with the damper assembly. The wear from the bolt heads seems more than what should be expected from a missing thrust washer. Of course the wallowing around of the flange is magnified with the extreme wear on the splines. A good look at the dampers might reveal more information.

***

[Kingbee]

The thrust washer was there, but now I don't remember if it was in the proper place....

[eric in md]

how about the tube thats goes in the final between wheel and final. ? like he said honda did the service right there is the main problem ..

[Fudd]

Kingbee

Did you feel a roughness or fine grinding while riding?

What made you stop to pull the wheel at only 8k miles after service?

How many total miles on the bike and bearings?

[Kingbee]

Fudd, I wasn't riding the bike, but the rider didn't notice anything unusual.
The inspection was precipitated by the failure of the bike to continue moving under its own power.
The final drive and flange were replaced at 50,000 miles, when my first set of E-3s lasted for 17,000 miles, and I didn't realize I had to lube the splines BEFORE the tire wore out. That was in 1999.  The bike shows 105,000 miles now.

[olddog1946]

WOW, would have thought some kind of advance notice (grinding, howling, etc.) would have reared it's head...that some pretty nasty damage...though you managed to get a decent deal on parts..CHIKO paid 500 bucks for just a final drive and flange.

[Keeper]

I was riding the Valk. As usual, Kingbee to the rescue. I was warned by my dealer that I needed to service the splines after I had a new tire installed this last spring. Well, I was riding home to  Lousville, Ky and when I started from the motel that morning I some heard grinding when the bike moved. The sound stopped, in a few seconds at the most, and away we went. As a neared Kankakee (sp) I heard a sound like a bunch of forks had dropped into a running kitchen disposal! Speed about 80-85 mph. I slowed normally as I tested each gear until it stopped moving. The motor kept running, & when I shifted to neuteral, my mobile "disposal" stopped making  noise.  Called Kingbee & he said to trailer it home. Got to DPH the next day, got it back the next week. Actually, it's still in storage @ DPH. I'm riding my wife's Venture for the rest of this season. I'm new to the club, but I've been riding with Kingbee to 10 years. I love my Valk, and will replace it with another one the it finally dies.

[ValkFlyer]

This was 8000 miles after tire service.  There's still grease in there but the splines are gone.





This happened to a bike I sold 15,000 miles ago.  At that time the splines were perfect.

I have no idea how this could have happened.  All tire service was done by a Honda dealer with a very large  motorcycle following, not some hick store.

That's a dealer repair with new parts of over $2,000.00!

Ebay to the rescue for $550 for complete wheel assembly with rotor,  final drive & driven flange.

Still not sure why that happened, though.

I'd really question the legitimacy of that dealer....There looks to be a considerable amount of rust in this shot.  If properly greased and maintained that should not be the case.

[olddog1946]

When I replaced the final drive and flange on CHIKO's bike, with 9K on it after dealer service I found that they had put grease or paste in there...HOWEVER, they didn't bother to clean it out first, just slapped in more and called it good.so that rust may have been in there for quite awhile..I could have bought a nice used, low mileage V-twin bike for what he paid to have that work done..