Final drive seal failure

I recently acquired another '05 FJR with just 9,000 miles on it and have added maybe 1,000 since purchase. I was surprised to see lube splatters on my rear wheel, then noticed seeping at the final drive/drive shaft housing junction where they bolt together. I suppose the pumpkin seal needs replacing. I've asked my shop to order the parts. I'm wondering if the low mileage (900 per year) and potential for sitting idle for a year or more at a time contributes to seals failing due to...drying out? My third FJR and first experience with this seal failure, but then the other bikes got ridden regularly and a lot. We'll get this fixed when I go in for a new rear tire in 1,000 miles and will check driveshaft splines for proper grease at that time.

Are you sure the final drive was not overfilled and the oil you saw burped out of the air vent on the top?

There were some reports of the input shaft seal going bad along time back. As I recall it, there is a special tool of some sort required for that repair. Don't recall the exact nature of the tool. One of the forum members had bought the tool, used it, and then offered it up for others that needed it. May have just been a seal driver, in which case it would be easy to fab something up.

I have found that it is getting harder to turn up legacy information on this forum lately. I don't know why that is, but even simple Google search strings that used to find the old posts I was looking for are no longer effective. Hope fully you can find that old info on the seal repair.

Maybe Wheaton will chime in here. I know he borrowed the tool to replace some seals in his final drive. He may remember who he borrowed them from.

Ok found some threads for ya usign my finest Google-FU...

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=7530&hl=final+drive+101

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=23238&hl=splooge

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=26002&hl=final+drive+seals

Hope some of it is relevant.....

Didn't SkooterG replace the seals back there? It was a few years ago.

Has it been parked too close to a BMW?

No, not seeping from the vent. Definitely from the bottom of the junction area, probably through the weep hole. So, could non-use be a factor in the failure? I'm sure age could be a consideration..

Thanks on the threads. I'll print them and have them handy for my mechanic.

For the record, first two FJRs: 100,000 miles; zero mechanical issues.

Shit sitting idle collecting dust is always hard on a machine and could easily be the culprit here - I'll just call that neglect, but some will call themselves collectors....

Get 'er fixed and get back to riding that beauty....

Here's SkooterG's "final drive 101" write up. maybe it will address something.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/spline/SkooterG/coupling101.html

I wouldn't rule out the seal has dried out from lack of use and lack of the seal being dosed in oil now and again. If it was not run with the oil very low or gone, then a new seal and new oil ought to fix the problem.

Bought my 05 with 5000 miles in 2009. Like you, I found splooge shortly thereafter. Used scooters how-to to change the pinion seals. Been good ever since

Ok ok ok.... everyone calm down. I notice me pumpkin was dripping out of the drip hole on the shaft housing. Took it apart. Cleaned it out. the seal housing. Put some grease around the old but, cleaned seal. Ta da..... hasn't leaked since. I do have a new seal but I'm from the school of "if it aint broke quit fucking with it."

Rob

185000 trouble free kms.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/135066-driveshaft-gear-coupling/?hl=%2Brear+%2Bcoupling

Canadian FJR

I had that happen too. It was during a VERY high speed run. I wiped it down and in 65,000 miles, it has never happened again. There is a very good chance this is just excess lube that was flung off though centrifugal force.

Pull the wheel, wipe it down, if it happens again, have the seal replaced.

Does 130 qualify as a "high speed run" cause I've done a couple of those. maybe clean it up and see of it persists? Either way, no big (BMW) deal.

given that you're within about 20 mph of max speed? probably.

Yes. Just clean and monitor.

Supertanker and FJRob were on the money. My tech pulled it apart, found no evidence of a leaking seal, but plenty of evidence of grease on the splines. He surmised, as did Super and Rob, that the high speed runs heated things up very nicely back there, got the grease runny and that was what was leaking from the weep hole and fouling the wheel. Put it back together, no new seal, then just ran it 1,500 miles in five days last week, no high-speed workout and no leakage, either.