My valkyrie died

[riredpt]

HI,

My wife and I were out for a ride a month ago up into Vermont.  We had done about 300 miles and were within 45 miles of home when suddenly, I heard a loud clanking noise and had a total loss of power.  We had to get towed home.   I don't remember any vibrations or clunking nosies, but then the road we were on was not the best.   When I start her up, she sounds fine, but when I engage the clutch I get the clanking noise and no power, so I turn her off quickly.  I have a 97 standard with about 25K miles.  I am the third owner and have had her for 3 years.  I have had no problems.  Since I also ride a V-Strom, I have let her sit while I trying to decide what is wrong.  From this forum, it sounds like the u-joint is bad.  I pulled it today but it looks and feels fine.  I find no rust and everything seems well greased.  Should i assume it is the u-joint anyways and replace it or is there another possible problem.  Thanks for any help.

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[BonS]

You checked the U-joint but did you check the other end of the drive shaft. The end that inserts into the rear end "pumpkin"? There are splines in there that fail at least as frequently as the U-joint.

[R J]

Refer to this link, this is the end he is talking about.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,70366.0/topicseen.html

U-joint is blamed for a lot of these failures.

This is the part that went out on DDT's bike in Canada.

[Hoser]

She hasn't died, she is only sleeping. 
It is more likely the drive shaft and pinion cup.  It happened to me, at 127000 miles.  Not too expensive to repair, just make sure it is properly lubricated, and installed correctly. Tech board can help, the parts are still available, and cost me less than 300 bucks including installation.  Hoser 

[Paxton]

It happened to me on my old Goldwing. Drive shaft snapped in half at 90 MPH. The symptoms you describe were identical.
Had it towed to an M/C shop. Bought the shaft on eBay. They installed it.
They said that the cause was an installation error of the tow hitch hardware; which while leaning,
it placed undue stress on the shaft.

[riredpt]

thanks for the video.

When I pulled the drive shaft out of the pinion cup there was dry red/rust colored powder in the cup.  The stopper ring on the shaft looks shot, but how do i know if it is the splines in the cup or on the shaft that are broken?  The shaft looks fine.

Can it be something else?

[Skinhead]

Replace them both, Pinion cup and drive shaft.

[Michvalk]

thanks for the video.

When I pulled the drive shaft out of the pinion cup there was dry red/rust colored powder in the cup.  The stopper ring on the shaft looks shot, but how do i know if it is the splines in the cup or on the shaft that are broken?  The shaft looks fine.

Can it be something else?

You should be able to just look at the cup and tell if the splines are bad. 

[olddog1946]

clean it up and it's much easier to see the damage.  If you post a pic or two, we can help you out..post pics of the drive flange and the final drive as well..

[gordonv]

I heard a loud clanking noise and had a total loss of power.  We had to get towed home.   I don't remember any vibrations or clunking nosies, but then the road we were on was not the best.

When I start her up, she sounds fine, but when I engage the clutch I get the clanking noise and no power, so I turn her off quickly.

You didn't say you had engaged the gears, so I am going to figure that it was not in gear.

Therefore, your problem is most likely with the clutch and not with anything to do with the drive shaft (you still might have more wrong, but not the noise/power loss).

I would suspect the rivets keeping the pressure plates apart and no transfer of power to the rear end.

You have the rear end removed? I would start it up again and engage the clutch, and listen for the same noise. Still there? then it would point to what you still have on the bike, the clutch.

[riredpt]

The bike was in gear and we were traveling at about 45 mph when the clanking started and we lost power.  I did try to put it in gear to see if the problem still existed but the noise was so bad I shut her down.

Also I found that without the motor on, but the clutch engaged and in gear, I was able to push the bike forward with out a lot of difficulty, though  it made a clicking noise.

[Paxton]

"... your problem is most likely with the clutch and not with anything to do with the drive shaft..."
     ==========================================================
+1

[Patrick]

As most of the others have said, I think you'll find the problem in one of three things,
U-joint
drive shaft/cup
drive splines

Did you notice which side the noise seemed to be coming from ?

[riredpt]

Ok - so I started her up on the lift and she sounds terrible.  I was able to shift into second with the noise sounding slightly better.  However the pipes are off and I can't get them back on until I put the real wheel on and take her off the lift.  And I can't swear that it is the same sound.

I would like to send some pictures of the shaft, pinion cup and final drive but don't see how to attach the files.

[Hook#3287]

Does your pinion cup and drive shaft end look like this?

[Grumpy]

Pulling the exhaust is not necessary to remove the rear wheel. I take off the 2 nuts by the left rear foot peg, pull outward on the pipe and stick a small wood shim between the muffler bracket and the pipe, allows the bolts to clear the swing arm. put a jack under the rear wheel, and remove the shocks. then lift the rear until the axle is above the mufflers, remove the axle and the caliper mount. then lower it and remove the wheel.  Done lots of these this way with out any problems, and saves a lot of work.

[riredpt]

yes - that is what my shaft and pinion cup look like - maybe worse.

[Hook#3287]

Pulling the exhaust is not necessary to remove the rear wheel. I take off the 2 nuts by the left rear foot peg, pull outward on the pipe and stick a small wood shim between the muffler bracket and the pipe, allows the bolts to clear the swing arm. put a jack under the rear wheel, and remove the shocks. then lift the rear until the axle is above the mufflers, remove the axle and the caliper mount. then lower it and remove the wheel.  Done lots of these this way with out any problems, and saves a lot of work.

What Grumby said 

Be careful installing the header nuts when putting your exhaust back on, the studs do snap easy.

Looks like you need a new cup and drive shaft.  What do the splines on the flange set look like?

[riredpt]

how do i add pictures?

[Hook#3287]

how do i add pictures?

top of the page click on "Photostash" and follow the directions.  It can be tedious but muddle thru and you'll get there.

[gordonv]

OK, I stand corrected. I thought I read that you had the rear drive out, and there was no signs of problems with it.

A dry/rusted pinion cup, I don't think it would make the kind of noise and loose of power transmission you are talking about.

You said you started the bike on the lift, and the rear end is still off? And there was a great amount of noise that wasn't related to the removed exhaust? Still sounds like clutch issue to me.

Why is the exhaust off? Like has been written already, not needed to be removed for the rear end removal.