Horrible noise from either final drive or shaft

[tomw166]

Dear all.
I have just come back from a 2500 mile ride around europe. I have started to get a horrible noise from the back end. I have taken the rear wheel off and turned the hub. The noise seems to be coing from the shaft rather than the final drive bearing, has anyone got any ideas please.
First big ride by the way and has a rode over the Furka Pass, I think I had an epiphany.

 

[monkeyboy]

What sort of noise? Have you rocked the hub back and forth? U/Js can get noisy before they go - does the driveline still feel tight when you're riding?

 

[tomw166]

When I turn the hub it's a real grinding noise from, I think the shaft rather than the final drive bearing.

 

[monkeyboy]

When I turn the hub it's a real grinding noise from, I think the shaft rather tann the final drive bearing.

Grinding noise? Ummm. Does it happen if you turn the hub really slowly - ie is it an even noise or does it fluctuate (ie if its a UJ it would probably be cyclical)

 

[tomw166]

When I turn the hub by hand, it does not turn smoothly and when I was riding the bike home from work tonight it seems a constent rumble.

 

[MattW]

If you can't isolate it by wobbling / otherwise manipulating the wheel or final drive, I'd be inclined to remove the final drive. It's not too difficult - you must use heat (and patience) to soften the high strength loctite used on the paralever pinions.

Once that's done it'll be fairly obvious where the problem lies.

 

[nunesaf]

If you can't isolate it by wobbling / otherwise manipulating the wheel or final drive, I'd be inclined to remove the final drive. It's not too difficult - you must use heat (and patience) to soften the high strength loctite used on the paralever pinions.

Once that's done it'll be fairly obvious where the problem lies.

Could you have an u-joint out of place? It's hold with clips that can snap. It happened to me once!

 

[MattW]

Could you have an u-joint out of place? It's hold with clips that can snap. It happened to me once!

Could be a few different things but as the fd will have to come off to fix whatever it is, I'd just remove it now. Saves all the guessing...

 

[Steptoe]

Drain the fianl drive oil and see what condition it's in and if any "parts" come out with the oil.

 

[tomw166]

Many Thanks for the reponce and help. it seems there is nothing for it but to strip it down.
Many Thanks again.

 

[MattW]

Many Thanks for the reponce and help. it seems there is nothing for it but to strip it down.
Many Thanks again.

It's worth doing what Steptoe says first - he fixes BMW's for a living and knows his stuff.

 

[gbmud]

Any updates on this???

I have just limped home from a ride after my 1998 R1100GS started making an upsetting noise. I was riding with ear plugs in and became aware of a sound as if something was dragging on the road - almost as if the centre stand was dragging but not a sharp, metallic sound, more like plastic or wood. It was only audible, I could not feel anything apparently amiss.

Needless to say, there was nothing hanging off, so I put the bike on it's centre stand and checked the wheel bearings, paralever bearings, stands, top box, exhaust etc. for looseness and all was well.

I then tried the bike in 1st gear running the rear wheel at tick-over and there is was, a kind of knocking/clonking sound. It appears to be coming from the front of the paralever/gearbox output area. With the engine off, and in 1st gear there is some rotational play at the wheel but only half of one spoke's worth if you get me.

Other than the noise, the bike seems to ride fine and feels smooth enough. The gearbox feels pretty much the same as it has for the last 10k since I have owned it. The bike has 29k miles on the clock.

Any suggestions or solutions, or should I just take it apart and see what I find?

Cheers

Chris

 

[MattW]

Any updates on this???

I have just limped home from a ride after my 1998 R1100GS started making an upsetting noise. I was riding with ear plugs in and became aware of a sound as if something was dragging on the road - almost as if the centre stand was dragging but not a sharp, metallic sound, more like plastic or wood. It was only audible, I could not feel anything apparently amiss.

Needless to say, there was nothing hanging off, so I put the bike on it's centre stand and checked the wheel bearings, paralever bearings, stands, top box, exhaust etc. for looseness and all was well.

I then tried the bike in 1st gear running the rear wheel at tick-over and there is was, a kind of knocking/clonking sound. It appears to be coming from the front of the paralever/gearbox output area. With the engine off, and in 1st gear there is some rotational play at the wheel but only half of one spoke's worth if you get me.

Other than the noise, the bike seems to ride fine and feels smooth enough. The gearbox feels pretty much the same as it has for the last 10k since I have owned it. The bike has 29k miles on the clock.

Any suggestions or solutions, or should I just take it apart and see what I find?

Cheers

Chris

All BMW boxers sound like a bag of spanners running in gear on the centre stand - the drivetrain lash means they clonk and knock badly.

Others will hopefully chip in with ideas as to what's causing the noise when you ride but I have heard that a worn rear tyre can make some weird noises. My rear Tourance which is coming up for replacement has started to make a new vibration / whirring noise on slow corners.

 

[Invicta Moto]

Mine did that for about 4 miles last year and it ended with oil pissing everywhere and as I am the Karl Pilkington of mechanics it went to Steptoe to sort....

 

[Welshman]

Any updates on this???

I have just limped home from a ride after my 1998 R1100GS started making an upsetting noise. I was riding with ear plugs in and became aware of a sound as if something was dragging on the road - almost as if the centre stand was dragging but not a sharp, metallic sound, more like plastic or wood. It was only audible, I could not feel anything apparently amiss.

Needless to say, there was nothing hanging off, so I put the bike on it's centre stand and checked the wheel bearings, paralever bearings, stands, top box, exhaust etc. for looseness and all was well.

I then tried the bike in 1st gear running the rear wheel at tick-over and there is was, a kind of knocking/clonking sound. It appears to be coming from the front of the paralever/gearbox output area. With the engine off, and in 1st gear there is some rotational play at the wheel but only half of one spoke's worth if you get me.

Other than the noise, the bike seems to ride fine and feels smooth enough. The gearbox feels pretty much the same as it has for the last 10k since I have owned it. The bike has 29k miles on the clock.

Any suggestions or solutions, or should I just take it apart and see what I find?

Cheers

Chris

If you have half a spokes rotational backlash you have kark in that final drive, it all sounds like final drive from 6,500 miles away

 

[Wrigsby1]

I then tried the bike in 1st gear running the rear wheel at tick-over and there is was, a kind of knocking/clonking sound. It appears to be coming from the front of the paralever/gearbox output area. With the engine off, and in 1st gear there is some rotational play at the wheel but only half of one spoke's worth if you get me.

Chris

My experience is there is usually some play in gear with the engine off, It's how much that matters.... and to stop a possible blind alley you are not recommended to run the engine in gear on the stand as it causes backlash noises such as what you might have been hearing. It being a lumpy twin doesn't help with this test...

 

[Steptoe]

If you have half a spokes rotational backlash you have kark in that final drive, it all sounds like final drive from 6,500 miles away

I've had bikes in with every known final drive/gearbox problem known to man, and none of them have ever given the symptom of more backlash in the drive train.

I tell a lie, a couple of them did have more backlash. Snapped driveshafts . Or the gearbox internals collapsed
But then if that was the case in this problem you wouldn't need to ask a question as it would be obvious..

 

[Welshman]

I've had bikes in with every known final drive/gearbox problem known to man, and none of them have ever given the symptom of more backlash in the drive train.

I tell a lie, a couple of them did have more backlash. Snapped driveshafts . Or the gearbox internals collapsed
But then if that was the case in this problem you wouldn't need to ask a question as it would be obvious..

Terminology Mr. Steppers I was "TIRED" I realised later 1/2 a spoke meant 1/2 a pitch between spokes not almost zero, I should shut up sometimes before I talk kark, anyway gonna grab another glass of the dark red and bugger off its me birfday