Final Drive squeak

Hillhouse · 10-04-2017, 07:33 PM

So my 2012 Voyager with 88k developed a squeak (like a high spot on the rotor making contact with the brake pads) which seems to be coming from the area of the final drive pulley. Louder when motor gets warmed up.

Has anyone had issues with the bearing behind the final gear? Will be removing tire and belt tomorrow to try and narrow it down. Belt is not overly tight, more on the loose side, 1/2" deflection.

mike07nad · 10-05-2017, 08:01 PM

Yes - I had the final drive bearing go out on my 2013 Voyager.

Here is how I checked it. Jacked the bike us so i could let it idle in first gear.
With a large screw driver I started putting the end of the screwdriver on different non moving parts with my ear against the handle end (Think Stethoscope). It was very obvious that the bearing was going amuck.

At that point - I took it to the dealer (under Warranty). They agreed with my diagnosis. I ended up trading it in on a 2014 at the time. I was headed on a trip and didn't want to start out on a 3,000 mile trip on a just repaired engine.

It took an engine removal to fix.

Hillhouse · 10-07-2017, 07:19 PM

Thanks Mike. I did the screwdriver test but could not locate where it was coming from.

Removed rear tire and sound still there. Put it all back together and squeak now gone. But I'm sure it will return, hopefully before our cross contry tour next year.

redjay · 10-07-2017, 08:23 PM

When you say final drive are you talking about the pulley at the transmission or the pulley at the back wheel ?
Several have reported the bearing going bad at the transmission output shaft.

Hillhouse · 10-09-2017, 10:44 AM

Rear of engine pulley. Did 250 miles yesterday and when I put it on the lift squeal was there, not as bad. Sucks that my hearing is so poor that I can't hear it while riding slow. Wife can hear it, she seams to hear everything ;-)

Part of me would like to locate it and another part just wants it to fail, then see how good the Kawasaki extended warranty is.

dhuttonkc · 10-10-2017, 11:30 AM

Using the end of a screwdriver requires that you turn your head away from moving parts and the source of the noise......

Hate to suggest "cheap" tools, but this one will "improve your hearing" and is much safer than having the end of a screwdriver driven into your head. And it works really well.

https://www.harborfreight.com/mechan...ope-69913.html

I have used this same tool, periodically over the years, for more than 20 years. In addition to car, bike, airplane, and miscellaneous farm and lawn equipment it has also found a bad bearing in a garbage disposal and a noisy bearing in a HVAC fan motor more than once.

You can buy a more expensive mechanic's stethoscope, but it won't work any better.

10-04-2017, 07:33 PM	#1
Hillhouse Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Western MA Posts: 180	Final Drive squeak So my 2012 Voyager with 88k developed a squeak (like a high spot on the rotor making contact with the brake pads) which seems to be coming from the area of the final drive pulley. Louder when motor gets warmed up. Has anyone had issues with the bearing behind the final gear? Will be removing tire and belt tomorrow to try and narrow it down. Belt is not overly tight, more on the loose side, 1/2" deflection. __________________ Present rides 1983 Honda Shadow VT750 - Harley Killer 2005 Yamahe V-Star - Yarley 2012 Kawasaki Voyager - Weeping Angel http://tourofhonor.com/ #97 (2019) #128 (2018) #8 (2017) #458 (2016) IBA #50918 VBA #2296 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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10-07-2017, 07:19 PM	#3
Hillhouse Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Western MA Posts: 180	Thanks Mike. I did the screwdriver test but could not locate where it was coming from. Removed rear tire and sound still there. Put it all back together and squeak now gone. But I'm sure it will return, hopefully before our cross contry tour next year. __________________ Present rides 1983 Honda Shadow VT750 - Harley Killer 2005 Yamahe V-Star - Yarley 2012 Kawasaki Voyager - Weeping Angel http://tourofhonor.com/ #97 (2019) #128 (2018) #8 (2017) #458 (2016) IBA #50918 VBA #2296
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10-09-2017, 10:44 AM	#5
Hillhouse Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Western MA Posts: 180	Rear of engine pulley. Did 250 miles yesterday and when I put it on the lift squeal was there, not as bad. Sucks that my hearing is so poor that I can't hear it while riding slow. Wife can hear it, she seams to hear everything ;-) Part of me would like to locate it and another part just wants it to fail, then see how good the Kawasaki extended warranty is. __________________ Present rides 1983 Honda Shadow VT750 - Harley Killer 2005 Yamahe V-Star - Yarley 2012 Kawasaki Voyager - Weeping Angel http://tourofhonor.com/ #97 (2019) #128 (2018) #8 (2017) #458 (2016) IBA #50918 VBA #2296 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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10-10-2017, 11:30 AM	#6
dhuttonkc Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 157	Using the end of a screwdriver requires that you turn your head away from moving parts and the source of the noise...... Hate to suggest "cheap" tools, but this one will "improve your hearing" and is much safer than having the end of a screwdriver driven into your head. And it works really well. https://www.harborfreight.com/mechan...ope-69913.html I have used this same tool, periodically over the years, for more than 20 years. In addition to car, bike, airplane, and miscellaneous farm and lawn equipment it has also found a bad bearing in a garbage disposal and a noisy bearing in a HVAC fan motor more than once. You can buy a more expensive mechanic's stethoscope, but it won't work any better. __________________ Don H Kansas City, MO area
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10-05-2017, 08:01 PM	#2
mike07nad Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Palmyra, Pa - Near Hershey Posts: 426	Yes - I had the final drive bearing go out on my 2013 Voyager. Here is how I checked it. Jacked the bike us so i could let it idle in first gear. With a large screw driver I started putting the end of the screwdriver on different non moving parts with my ear against the handle end (Think Stethoscope). It was very obvious that the bearing was going amuck. At that point - I took it to the dealer (under Warranty). They agreed with my diagnosis. I ended up trading it in on a 2014 at the time. I was headed on a trip and didn't want to start out on a 3,000 mile trip on a just repaired engine. It took an engine removal to fix.
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10-07-2017, 08:23 PM	#4
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,926	When you say final drive are you talking about the pulley at the transmission or the pulley at the back wheel ? Several have reported the bearing going bad at the transmission output shaft.
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