Too late for these splines? Or run em'?

[Beeflips]

We'd need to see this area (bearing boss, cleaned) without the spline placed on...

I will, unfortunately my bike is not at my house, and neither am I. So when I get to where it is again, I'll clean it up proper and get some pics.

 

[Erdoc48]

OK, since we’re on topic, is it necessary to try to clean out the old Loctite or just add some more when changing the tire? I normally look at the splines, check my O rings, re-grease without removing the old stuff and re-install. Good, bad, or doesn’t really matter???

 

[Uncle Phil]

OK, since we’re on topic, is it necessary to try to clean out the old Loctite or just add some more when changing the tire? I normally look at the splines, check my O rings, re-grease without removing the old stuff and re-install. Good, bad, or doesn’t really matter???

Seldom clean mine in 445,000+ miles across 4 ST1100s ... still running the same chunk/wheels as came with the bikes.
But I have always used proper Honda moly or the Loctite stuff.

 

[SMSW]

...is it necessary to try to clean out the old Loctite or just add some more when changing the tire?

Clean out the old and put in new moly paste.

I'm sure more than a few guys will say it doesn't matter, but if dirt or crud gets in there, it makes sense to clean out all the old crud and then apply new. When you lube ball joints, I've always read the new grease is pumped in with the joint unloaded so that the new grease can push aside the old. How can you properly inspect the teeth for wear or damage to associated parts if you leave them dirty? Sorry, but way back when I read a book on engine rebuilding it stressed cleaning everything and working in a clean area. How long can it take to clean and lube the splines?

Not having the proper lube and just pushing the old stuff around is indeed, 'getting away with it' and I think the OP is lucky (evidently so does Ray, re his lottery ticket comment). I wonder how often the OCD Garage cuts corners like this...what do you say, @Igofar?

 

[ST1100Y]

... is it necessary to try to clean out the old Loctite or just add some more when changing the tire?

for (my) peace of mind I always clean the parts for proper visual inspection...
You wouldn't spot a cracked O-ring with all that black goo on, nor some (beginning) wear on the spline tooting...

And: the most neglected items seem to be those hub dampers and aluminum bushings...
Once they show the slightest play (when trying to rotate the spline back and forth while inserted in the wheel/dampers), they get replaced; rubbers and aluminum bushings...

While at it I'd also inspect the wheel bearings, add marine grease at the (brake side) bearing seal, go though the whole Moly lube process... and go ride

 

[ReSTored]

OK, since we’re on topic, is it necessary to try to clean out the old Loctite or just add some more when changing the tire?

I'm in the same camp as others on this. When the rear wheel is off you have access to everything, all old paste is removed, spider removed, dampers, inserts, thrust washer checked and then everything is moly pasted. Same with splines on hub. New o rings too. Check wheel bearings as well + I'd always pull the brake pads, clean up the pistons, the pins, the sliders etc....... All quick and simple to do when the wheel is off.

 

[Beeflips]

I knew I would probably get some crap for redistributing the paste, I thought it would be better than putting the "wrong" lube on the splines instead. I know that I could have turned my patience on, and ordered paste and waited to put it on, but it's all in the past, and I'm glad things weren't worse.

 

[DeanR]

And: the most neglected items seem to be those hub dampers and aluminum bushings...

yep. Too bad they are so expensive.

 

[Ron]

Or you can refurbish the aluminum. You're at Honda's mercy for the rubber parts. I think I got the pictures from Han's site.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

I may have missed it, but what do the female splines in the final drive look like?

John

 

[STFlips]

That's a nice refurb Ron, did you just use standard size bushes or were they custom made?
I sourced my aluminum & rubber from CML. Couldn't believe how tight the new rubber was to insert in the aluminum & the hub, it seems to wear too.

 

[DeanR]

A number of years ago I cut pieces of sheet gasket material from the hardware store to fit the hub spaces (same shape as the rubbers), then inserted the rubbers. To protect the inner hub surfaces, some of which had gotten rub marks on the aluminum. Seems to have worked well and keeps the rubbers nice and snug.
I like that insert refurb but not sure how I would do it, not being a machinist.

 

[Beeflips]

I may have missed it, but what do the female splines in the final drive look like?

John

Didn't show that yet John, when I get back over there, I'll clean the wheel and drive hub real good, check the dampers and bushings and report back.

 

[Slydynbye]

Didn't show that yet John, when I get back over there, I'll clean the wheel and drive hub real good, check the dampers and bushings and report back.

I'll bet the dampers are well worn. When I looked at all the black material on the Damper holder I was wondering what that was, it was probably the rubber dampers in powder form. Buy the new dampers and inserts now. You will be amazed at the improved tightness of the drive train and shifting afterwards. DAMHIK

 

[STFlips]

My dampers were well worn but splines were fine. 100,000 KM

 

[Baird44]

I've seen a lot worse on my Valkyrie. Maint on these are a must...
your splines are not bad clean it real good and use a good Moly grease. Change the Orings and grease every time you change tires. New Orings keep yur grease from leaking out..... Clay is added to oil to make grease so that grey powder is what's left......
Orings are cheap, change them every time.....

these are some bad splines on a GL1500 Valkyrie.....

 

[Mr.E]

I have similar thoughts on the black stuff being rubber from the cush-drive.
Check the metal shavings with a magnet to see if it's alum or steel - looking at your photos, the path out from the cush-drive could be where you found the crap...

 

[Beeflips]

So my buddy got at the dampers and bushings for me last night, he took a few pictures. Said that he's flummoxed because he doesn't see wear on the dampers and they fit well, but yet all the powdered rubber. Said the bushings had a small amount of slop.
Since I didn't personally "feel" how everything fits, take it all with a grain of salt.
Is there a tolerance for the bushings?, I can pin gage them for size and see where they're at.

 

[ReSTored]

Is there a tolerance for the bushings?, I can pin gage them for size and see where they're at.

Not that I'm aware of.

Appears to be no wear on the top side of the damper, What do the dampers look like on the bottom? Inserts look worn as well, not perfectly round. Huge amount of black powder, presumably from the dampers. I assume the inserts fit loose and that the powder comes from the inside of the damper, where the insert is. This is why the spider is twisting and causing the odd wear on the splines.

At this point I'd replace the dampers and inserts. You caught this early enough that the splines are OK.

 

[Beeflips]

At this point I'd replace the dampers and inserts. You caught this early enough that the splines are OK.

I'm still thinking about doing that. Have already ordered dampers, I think I'll buy bushings too, and referb the originals with the brass insert method as was pointed out to me by @Ron
My buddy also thought it was possible that the dampers had already been replaced once and they didn't clean up the wheel, that seems possible, but I hope not.