New noise from drive train.

[Bones]

Riding to work this morning I noticed a new noise, not loud but noticeable. Got off spun the wheels and checked over, couldn’t see or hear anything. Rode off again and the noise was back. After my 40 mile commute I felt around for hot spots to indicate where the friction was happening but couldn’t detect anything unusual. Only noticeable at low speed (‘cos of wind noise I suspect), noise stops if I dip the clutch, so it’s not coming from the wheels. Best I can tell from on board is somewhere around the front of the shaft drive, maybe the universal joint? Anyone got ant suggestions or tests I can do to isolate the source of the noise?

Knowing the GS it will be OK on the way home and won’t happen again - always the optomist. If the gearbox explodes or FD melts I'll let you know.

Thanks

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

no idea what it is but if it goes away when you pull the clutch it's unlikely to be drive train as that keeps turning. More likely to be engine related as the revs will drop when you pull the clutch. What kind of noise was it?

 

[Bones]

It's deffo the drive shaft, I think originating from the gearbox end but the 'lash' causes a bit of cluncking along it's length. The sound stops when I pull the clutch even if the wheel still spins for a while while on the centre stand. It sounded a lot worse when I took my ear plugs out for the last few miles before home. Looks like I am in the car until my friendly local chap (Brian Giles) can take a look. It's due a service, does any part of the drive assembly get lubricated during a normal service? Sounds like it needs a bit more than a grease up though.

BTW it's an 06 with 39K miles,

 

[solidstate100]

Have you checked your gearbox oil - it does make a difference!

To be honest it sounds kinda normal (but see above) - most boxes (particularly those nailed to the back of a boxer engine) make a bit more noise as they get older due to wear/increased tolerances and probably in itself isn't to much to worry about UNLESS its a true graunching/knocking/screeching/sounds like its self destructing noise, ie something more than a "normal" background mechanical noise.

The fact that it goes away when you pull the clutch tends to point to it being the box (generally second motion shaft) rather than any other part of the drivetrain - nearly all my boxer engined bikes have to a greater or lesser extent done something similar - and none of the boxes has failed.

Dunno if that helps...

 

[Bones]

Have you checked your gearbox oil - it does make a difference!

To be honest it sounds kinda normal (but see above) - most boxes (particularly those nailed to the back of a boxer engine) make a bit more noise as they get older due to wear/increased tolerances and probably in itself isn't to much to worry about UNLESS its a true graunching/knocking/screeching/sounds like its self destructing noise, ie something more than a "normal" background mechanical noise.

The fact that it goes away when you pull the clutch tends to point to it being the box (generally second motion shaft) rather than any other part of the drivetrain - nearly all my boxer engined bikes have to a greater or lesser extent done something similar - and none of the boxes has failed.

Dunno if that helps...

I haven't checked the gearbox oil, but will now. Thanks for your reasoning re the box too. It isn't a loud noise but it's the fact that it suddenly started yesterday causes paranoia with all the reports of FD failures. Hopefullly I'm being pesemistic and all will be OK. I'll get it checked over when it's for the service as well as doing my own prodding around.

BTW - how do you check the gearbox oil?

 

[MattW]

BTW - how do you check the gearbox oil?

Take the fill plug out and see if the oil is up to the level of the hole.

If you want to be really sure (/ paranoid ) drop the gearbox oil and check the old oil and the magnetic drain plug for bits and pieces which you don't want to see...

 

[Bones]

Yep bearings fecked. £650 to fix (approx). I'll post the details when I get them.

 

[solidstate100]

Yep bearings fecked. £650 to fix (approx). I'll post the details when I get them.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that......hope you get it sorted OK

 

[Bones]

Final bill was £700 but that did include the 36K service, so could have been worse. Axlw has been left tarnished where it had to be heated to get the bearings out but I have saved £600 ish over fitting a new unit.

 

[slydog]

expensive

i take it thats the finaldrive bearing that was replaced . seens bloody expensive when there people in the know on here that will totally rebuild your final drive for 300 or there abouts

 

[Bones]

i take it thats the finaldrive bearing that was replaced . seens bloody expensive when there people in the know on here that will totally rebuild your final drive for 300 or there abouts

If you take out the service the cost of the FD refurb was around £500. I'll check the bill but there were 3 bearings replaced. The cost of the bearings was around 200 quid plus labour at it's usual high hourly rate. You wont find a good mechanic with a low hourly rate. I also had a loan bike for two days.