Rear leak at wheel hub (New Valk Rider)

[Viking]

I bought a 1999 Valkyrie Interstate today. Went for a nice ride, paid the owner and loaded it on the trailer. Four hour trip back home  and when I went to unload the bike there were several drip spots and it appeared to be coming from a slot under the rear end where the wheel bolts on. This is my first Valkyrie so it's all new to me. Thanks for any help.

[John U.]

I hope it's a leak at the drain hole of the rear end "pumkin". The screw in plug is sealed by an O-ring.
A leak there could run down to the area you mentioned.
If it is coming from inside the slot  area, that could mean a bad oil seal where the final drive gear/splines are sealed to the gear case cover.
One of the things you should do on a "new to you" Valk is to remove the rear wheel and lube the splines, so you can investigate the source of the leak when you do that. Meanwhile you need to be sure you still have gear oil in the pumkin, it needs to be GL-5 I believe.
How many miles are on the bike?

[9Ball]

The PO might have been sloppy with the final drive oil change and forgot to wipe the excess...or he overfilled the final drive and some weeped out from the fill plug crevice.

[Chrisj CMA]

What John U said is the answer......If you dont know how or dont have the tools, take it to someone that can r/r the rear wheel and make sure all is right(and it should be done even if it wasnt leaking)

Changing that main seal if its what is leaking is not a big deal, you can carefully "PICK" it out and press a new one in

Done be freaked out this is a small thing

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Is it oil or grease? Previous owner could have also serviced the rear spline and over did it. I'ld wipe it clean and just keep an eye on it.  If it is oil that could be a problem.

[heavyd]

Agreed, but I would still to make sure there is oil in the final drive. And as someone who just dumped a ton of money into a final drive that didn't have the proper maintenance done, I would get that back wheel off and get things checked out in the relatively near future. Otherwise you could end up like this...

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,42992.0.html

Is it oil or grease? Previous owner could have also serviced the rear spline and over did it. I'ld wipe it clean and just keep an eye on it.  If it is oil that could be a problem.

[Viking]

Rode about 50 miles, seems to be oil, still coming from the open slot that faces down. I gotta take time tomorrow to read the manual before any more miles. Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate it.

[9Ball]

that definitely needs looking after.  Only guess since I haven't seen this before is the oil seal on your drive shaft.

Hopefully someone that knows more than me has the right advice.

[wild6]

Let's check the easy stuff first....

Looks to me that it may be coming out of the fill-bolt and running down.   I'd remove the fill and check it to make sure that it's not cracked and the o-ring is still there.  It's very easy to crack/break the cap from over-tightening.

[Jess from VA]

Is it possible in preparing your bike for sale, the seller overfilled the rear end unit 80-90wt dope? And its coming out the vent on top and running around the center flange?

[Daniel Meyer]

From the pics I agree...look closely at the filler...

[Jess from VA]

Get out your flashlight and do a Sherlock Holmes, and follow the oil, hopefully to source.

[9Ball]

Is it possible in preparing your bike for sale, the seller overfilled the rear end unit 80-90wt dope? And its coming out the vent on top and running around the center flange?

that was my first thought too...

[BradValk48237]

Mine looked like that... overfilled...

Also same on a Wing..... cracked fill cover


Brad

[Viking]

Guys, thanks to your advice I removed my right side hard bag, cleaned up all the oil and went to a 5 mile ride. Here are the before and after pics.

Appears to be coming from the top overflow. So I guess I need to drain some out.

[Jess from VA]

Is it possible in preparing your bike for sale, the seller overfilled the rear end unit 80-90wt dope? And its coming out the vent on top and running around the center flange?


Bingo, I win the doughnut.


But guy, you are missing the vent cover, or did you pull it off? It's not supposed to come off.  This may also be the cause....  I'm not sure it would leak there w/o a cover if filled just to the fill hole (which is the proper level), but it might.


Number five on top.


On top.






BTW, the fluid looks ok, but if me I'd change it now.  Get synthetic.

[Viking]

I didn't remove the vent cap, this is the way it looked when I took the hard bag off. So it looks like a cap or sleeve is supposed to be slid over the vent?  

Maybe I can just get my local dealer to order me a new one.

Looks like a pain to get access to the Final Drive behind that Cobra 6 into 6 exhaust.

[YoungPUP]

Is ther plier teeth marks on the vent tube? If so that may be why shes over filled. Too hard to get to the fill plug so maybe the PO filled it through the vent  ?

[Jess from VA]

Dealer will not have it in stock, and just mark it up: I'd order from Honda Direct line or Direct Line Parts monday.  Call them.

http://www.hondadirectlineofshadyside.com/stores/index.asp?str=2

You now do not know how much fluid is left in the rear end, I would be careful of riding it this way (for very far).

Don't know about Cobras, but even with the stock pipes is it blocked.... but can be done with some flexible tubing.  

Scroll to Final Drive Gear Oil Change

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/valkmaintenanceguide.html#Final%20Drive%20Gear%20Oil%20Change

Hint: Clear tygon tubing is available at most hardware stores and makes filling the final drive very easy with the right saddle bag in place. You need approximately 2 feet of tubing (OD ~9/16"; ID ~3/8") that will fit over the neck of your funnel and also into the filler opening. Measuring cylinders are available at camera stores that sell darkroom supplies.

[BradValk48237]

I use a piece of clear plastic tubing from the hardware I have lying around..... just slips on the tip of the gear oil bottle and I can squeeze it into the pumpkin... don't have to remove anything and I have an I/S.... you do have to lie on the ground to do it

Brad

[Viking]

Thanks guys! 

[Chrisj CMA]

easiest access without removing the final drive is to remove the two bolts securing the exhaust to the right side passenger footpeg area....then wedge the exhaust out just enough to get a socket wrench in there to the fill and drain caps.....then use the hose idea as stated to get the oil in

[RP#62]

There would normally be a cap spot welded to that nub you see sticking out.  It looks like someone tried to remove the vent and broke the cap off.  Not having it there won't cause a leak as that hole is always open to vent the hub.  Not having it there however, can let water and road crud get into the hub.  You really should replace it.  The nub you see is pressed in.  Sometimes you can tap it back and forth with a mallet and loosen it up enough to pull it out.  Either that, or find the right sized freeze plug and jb weld it on.

-RP

[valkyriemc]

If you do it on the side stand -measure it.  Or get it verticle (with help if necessary) and fill to bottom of the filler hole.

"Hint: With the bike held vertical, 150cc comes to just below the inside lower edge of the filler hole"