Oil leaking from swing arm shaft side final drive

[tbwrench]

Hi guys, I just returned from Sturgis on my trusty 04 FJR. About 300 miles from home I noticed oil on my rear wheel and checked the level, it looked good. At the next fuel up I noticed it coming from a hole on the bottom of the swingarm just forward of where the 4 bolts are for the final drive hub assy. I once again checked the oil level, there was oil in there but I drained it and put in some new oil. (I use the mobile one and it is easy to find while traveling.) I got it home and still leaking.

Any Ideas on what to do or thoughts???

Thanks in advance, TBW.

 

[Brodie]

Sounds like the seal is going out on the final drive (the pumpkin in the rear wheel) where the shaft enters. Check the gear oil level It should be even with the threads at the oil fill hole when the bike is on the center stand.

Brodie

 

[tbwrench]

Thanks Brodie.

Anyone know how big of a job it is and recommended things to replace while I am in there?

PS Darkiside for 2 years and lovin it.

 

[RadioHowie]

Thanks Brodie.
Anyone know how big of a job it is and recommended things to replace while I am in there?

PS Darkiside for 2 years and lovin it.

A POSSIBLE rear drive seal leak on a 6 year old motorcycle? :dribble: :blink:

It's that damn car tire's fault! h34r:

 

[wfooshee]

Driveshaft coupler seal is no big deal, apparently, but pinion seals are. What you describe sounds like the easy one.

Here is ScooterG's thread on the subject: Clickificationalization

 

[canucklehead-biker]

I changed the FD oil last night and noticed the same weepage out the bottom of the swingarm. Thanks to the point to SkooterG's post, that helps sort things out.

Griff

 

[tbwrench]

Driveshaft coupler seal is no big deal, apparently, but pinion seals are. What you describe sounds like the easy one.
Here is ScooterG's thread on the subject: Clickificationalization

Thanks for the tech info. very nice.

The seal is lubed on the outside and spins with the shaft?????? so it just slides in? I am a little in the dark about how the seal is placed/seated.

 

[tbwrench]

Thanks Brodie.
Anyone know how big of a job it is and recommended things to replace while I am in there?

PS Darkiside for 2 years and lovin it.

A POSSIBLE rear drive seal leak on a 6 year old motorcycle? :dribble: :blink:

It's that damn car tire's fault! h34r:

Good thing I had the car tire with all of that grip surface, just the side wall had oil on it. A m/c tire would have had it more down the side and middle of tire.

The car tire is the best farkle I have done, more confidence in corners, rain and tracks better in high winds. Lasts a lot longer too.

It's good to see a few other dark siders out there.

thanks for the replies, TBW

 

[Scrib]

It's good to see a few other dark siders out there.

But you look so fugly from behind! :blink:

 

[FJRMGM]

I had a drive shaft leak on my '05 FJR and replaced the front seal on the final drive and that didn't fix it -only slowed it down some but it would still splooge up the back wheel on a long ride.

Turns out the real problem was driveshaft coupler had a grove worn in it so it wouldn't seal correctly and had to be replaced. Cost was about $120 for the part and some labor. Bike had almost 70k miles on it when fixed.

I will take a picture of the coupler and post on Sunday.

 

[Bounce]

Final Drive 101

 

[tbwrench]

I replaced the seal, rode the bike about 10 miles and parked it. came back 4 days later and there are drips under the weep hole.

I cleaned the swing arm out very well with contact cleaner when I did the repair. I followed the instructions. ***It was hard to tell which way the seal went *** and how to get it off and on the shaft. ( the old seal tore trying to get it off)

IS there any other seals in there that could leak?? I checked the surface the seal turns in and cleaned it, it looked nice and smooth. I was confident it would be fixed. I added 7 oz of mobile one gear lube.

any ideas?

I would like to fix this asap, as I have some local interest and the bike is for sale.

Thanks in advance for any help here!

 

[FJRBluesman]

I would suspect from what you've stated that possibly you damaged the seal on installation.

 

[tbwrench]

I would suspect from what you've stated that possibly you damaged the seal on installation.

Thanks bluesman,

is there a good way to install the seal? I have been a mc mechanic for 24 years working on HD's. Never have seal issues. I might make a long tube to fit the shaft and tap the new one on. I will pull it apart tonight and check it out.

Getting the old seal off was a real tough job.

thanks for any help. tbw

 

[FJRay]

There is more than one seal back there. One on the shaft and one behind the shaft coupler. The latter takes some digging and special tools. Either one will cause the drip.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I would suspect from what you've stated that possibly you damaged the seal on installation.

Thanks bluesman, is there a good way to install the seal? I have been a mc mechanic for 24 years working on HD's. Never have seal issues. I might make a long tube to fit the shaft and tap the new one on. I will pull it apart tonight and check it out.

Getting the old seal off was a real tough job.

thanks for any help. tbw

tbw - I have never done this seal replacement, but it appears the seal must come from the coupling side (engine) of the drive shaft, over the splines, and down the shaft to the area where the seal is seated. I thought possibly going over the splines it may have been nicked or cut. Maybe not. Since you are a certified MC wrench we'll just rule out any ooopses and go onto number two...
Do you have an FJR manual? There are two seals the one you replaced from SkooterG's post and an internal one, #14, Bearing Retainer/Oil seal, made up of three pieces. It doesn't look like fun to replace this internal seal. Not sure if shimming will be involved, etc. Maybe you should just replace that next.

Good luck.

 

[tbwrench]

I would suspect from what you've stated that possibly you damaged the seal on installation.

Thanks bluesman, is there a good way to install the seal? I have been a mc mechanic for 24 years working on HD's. Never have seal issues. I might make a long tube to fit the shaft and tap the new one on. I will pull it apart tonight and check it out.

Getting the old seal off was a real tough job.

thanks for any help. tbw

tbw - I have never done this seal replacement, but it appears the seal must come from the coupling side (engine) of the drive shaft, over the splines, and down the shaft to the area where the seal is seated. I thought possibly going over the splines it may have been nicked or cut. Maybe not. Since you are a certified MC wrench we'll just rule out any ooopses and go onto number two...
Do you have an FJR manual? There are two seals the one you replaced from SkooterG's post and an internal one, #14, Bearing Retainer/Oil seal, made up of three pieces. It doesn't look like fun to replace this internal seal. Not sure if shimming will be involved, etc. Maybe you should just replace that next.

Good luck.

It looks like special tools and shimming are in order for the fix.

Anyone know a good yamaha wrench with the tools and experience to fix this for me? I would be willing to ship the assy. Our local yamaha shops know less about them than I do...........which isn't much.

there is someone I may contact to borrow tools for this job, it can't be that hard. I just don't have much time. Due to severe tendonitis and nerve damage due to a fall, I had to quit wrenching and now have 4 part time jobs........... hoping one of them turn into full time.

 

[FJRay]

I did both seals in mine. I didn't have the special tools so I modified some that I had. It isn't real complicated and doesn't take long. There is one part that has left hand threads so check the FSM so you get it right. I don't remember any shims.

 

[joelmikel]

<a href="https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/spline/SkooterG/coupling101.html" target="_blank">Final Drive 101</a>

Does the rear wheel have to come off to remove the shaft/pumpkin?

Doesn't look like removing the pumpking is too difficult... just the

axle nut and the 4 acron nuts and it should slide(possibly with

a bit of muscle applied) out from the bike.... correct?