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Rear sprocket play

birdland

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Total Posts
578
Total likes
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Location
Osoyoos B.C. Canada
Another day, another job.

Chain cleaning and tidying up the back end, I noticed play in the rear sprocket.


Is this normal? I've dismounted and mounted this wheel multiple times and I can't recall noticing any play here. The wheel bearing is 3500 miles old, solid and the wheel is in excellent shape.

All the parts are there and on the proper sides/places as per FSM. Just wondering about the wheel damper bushings.

I have a spare rear wheel (with a great spare sprocket), new spare bearings and bearing retainer, and if I need to go in, now's the time.
 
I understand that amount of play to be by design. To see something scary, put your bike up on the center stand, start the engine and engage first then 2nd gear. You'll see some serious sprocket movement then, but it's all normal and will work just fine.
 
Looks like the rubber bushings are somewhat loose, allowing the bolts to move more easily than some, but, given enough force, play is normal.
 
It doesn't look excessive, but you could take the big circlip off and remove the sprocket to see how things look. Sometimes the metal centers of the bushings will be a little loose in the rubber of the bushing itself. Looks like the studs/posts are tight in the sprocket.
 
If that was Mine, I would put a shim under the snap ring, to tighten things up a bit. That much movement is going to allow the sprocket to **** to one side under power, bending the chain links sideways and increasing the amount of wear on the ID of the sprocket hub. Everything lasts longer when the pieces stay in line.
 
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Is it normal for these bushings to be easily removed? They are friction fit to the sockets but slipped out with the slightest resistance. Just a finger.

They are in excellent shape - no deterioration and not at all malformed. They show no signs of wear and sit firmly with no wobble when seated.
 
Why have they become loose? Some material loss, either the steel or the aluminum. 2nd question: do they have to be really tight? It's not like they hold the sprocket on. Why not clean them up and put back with some medium strength Locktite or even Hondabond? Probably too tight for aluminum can shims. Just trying to think of downsides if the bushings are priced like gold.
 
Yup - the outer casing of these bushings were left behind.

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Not a pretty or easy task to remove. I don’t have a suitable saw to get through the metal and collapse them - but they’re soft metal and bend in easily. I can’t imagine how hard this would be if you had to extract the entire bushing.
 
The good news is you'll only have to do it once, the new ones will last longer than you and I will be around. :)
 
That isn't abnormal but isn't right.
It looks like aftermarket sprocket maybe?
The original would have had a thin flanged bush inside bore but I've never seen an aftermarket sprocket with the bushing plus, the bore on that sprocket looks too small to fit one. The bush is only about 2mm wall thickness with flange maybe 0.75mm (It's a very long time since I made any)
I don't remember the bushing ever being listed as a separate part either?
I have made bushings for my 550F1 but that had around 60,000 miles on it at the time in early 1980's
 
That isn't abnormal but isn't right.
It looks like aftermarket sprocket maybe?
The original would have had a thin flanged bush inside bore but I've never seen an aftermarket sprocket with the bushing plus, the bore on that sprocket looks too small to fit one. The bush is only about 2mm wall thickness with flange maybe 0.75mm (It's a very long time since I made any)
I don't remember the bushing ever being listed as a separate part either?
I have made bushings for my 550F1 but that had around 60,000 miles on it at the time in early 1980's

I think it's perspective because of the camera angle. The sprocket that I'm using is OEM, as was one on the bike when purchased. Also - I have a spare rear wheel with a sprocket that is the same. All of them fit this wheel when the bushings were in.

Now - the bushings? Don't know if they are OEM or not, but everything fits. Or would if they weren't in pieces.


The bushings I've ordered are OEM. Should be good.
 
I was looking for a way to cut through these bushing casings and came up with a solution. I have hack saw and reciprocating saw blades, but the thought of sitting there and jiggling one against this metal for a year in order to cut through didn't thrill me.

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So - I used this dremel bit. You can run a line from the base of the case to the top easily enough and just keep at it slowly applying more pressure. it only took five minutes to get a deep enough cut to have it split when I used a small flat screwdriver driven between the case and the seat.

IMG_4363.jpg


Extraction was with a stout set of needle nose pliers and a hammer handle to twist it free and turn while pulling up.

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Still waiting on the replacements (on the way). I'll put them in the freezer to prepare and then drive them in with my one pound hammer and a wooden block.
 
Bushings installed. I elected to go with the swingarm bushing method - all-thread, washers and a deep socket. The outside washer has to be the same OD as the bushing for obvious reasons. I don't recall the size of the all-thread.

Sprocket side:

IMG_4413.jpg


Brake shoe side:

IMG_4411.jpg

Bushing pressed in:

IMG_4412.jpg


Sprocket and circlip installed:

IMG_4414.jpg


Much easier than whacking with a mallet - and more precise. I put the bushings in the freezer for an hour and coated the inside of the seats with anti seize. They went in like butter.
 
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