video of the unknown

[Smitty]

I just thought some would like to see the swing-arm off, the drive gear, and the drive shaft and u-joint. Just in case your thinking of working on it.
https://www.facebook.com/video/video...ideo_processed

[wnt2ryd]

Good info!

[Bud2rat]

I serviced mine 4 weeks ago along with mounting a new rear tire. I left on June 19th for a 10 day trip. Ending up shorting the trip by 3 days due to an unknown vibration through out the bike. One minute you could feel it in the floorboards, the next minute it would be in the handlebars. After getting the bike home, I removed the front tire and checked bearings, brakes and rotors. Next, I removed the rear tire and swing arm to recheck the bearings, brakes, rotor, and driveshaft. Well, it ending up being a bad U-joint. I ordered a new U-joint. I will be putting everything back together today. Hopefully, I'll get to ride some today. The weather has been terrible this week (rain and more rain). So, if any of you are thinking about servicing the rear, be sure to checkout the U-joint. Mine appeared to be OK 4 weeks ago, but apparently not.

[Smitty]

I know how you feel about not riding. It just goes to show you can do all the service you can and things still happen. Why this has gone bad on mine with only 23,000 miles alway had oil changed 3,000 miles with synthetic is beyond me.

If anyone wants to see something I didn't show just post and I'll see if I can film it for you while it's apart.

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by Smitty

It just goes to show you can do all the service you can and things still happen.

Yup, that is why I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Lookin at Nomads all tore apart like your video scares the hell out of me.
I'd rather ride than wrench

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

Lookin at Nomads all tore apart like your video scares the hell out of me.

I thought you saying the words, "No Brad. It's my treat, I'll buy lunch." scares the hell out of you?

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

Yup, that is why I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Lookin at Nomads all tore apart like your video scares the hell out of me.
I'd rather ride than wrench

Looking at a Dr. Seuss book does that to you too!

[davidhollinger]

Originally Posted by Bud2rat

I serviced mine 4 weeks ago along with mounting a new rear tire. I left on June 19th for a 10 day trip. Ending up shorting the trip by 3 days due to an unknown vibration through out the bike. One minute you could feel it in the floorboards, the next minute it would be in the handlebars. After getting the bike home, I removed the front tire and checked bearings, brakes and rotors. Next, I removed the rear tire and swing arm to recheck the bearings, brakes, rotor, and driveshaft. Well, it ending up being a bad U-joint. I ordered a new U-joint. I will be putting everything back together today. Hopefully, I'll get to ride some today. The weather has been terrible this week (rain and more rain). So, if any of you are thinking about servicing the rear, be sure to checkout the U-joint. Mine appeared to be OK 4 weeks ago, but apparently not.

I am having this same vibration...Does it get worse when you lean and then go away a while when you're upright again?

[macmac]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

I am having this same vibration...Does it get worse when you lean and then go away a while when you're upright again?

These symptoms are usually tires. Is there a high pitched whine?

[markclark57]

Thanks, I'm taking mine apart later today. Its time to do all the grease/oil/seals/rear tire replacing.

[VulcanE]

I've almost got mine back together, did the fork oil, swing arm, and made some spacers to go on the swing arm to take all the slop out of the side play. Replaced the pinion seal in the final drive, and mounting a set of stock 103" HD touring mufflers to my V&H header pipes.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by VulcanE

I've almost got mine back together, did the fork oil, swing arm, and made some spacers to go on the swing arm to take all the slop out of the side play. Replaced the pinion seal in the final drive, and mounting a set of stock 103" HD touring mufflers to my V&H header pipes.

Well that's and idea I didn't think of..... Got specs on the spacers?

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by macmac

Well that's and idea I didn't think of..... Got specs on the spacers?

The OD is 1.380"
The ID is 1.103" (you can double check by measuring the sleeve that rides in the bearing, and adding .001" to the measurement)
and my thickness was .052" ( I got that by adding the length of the 2 sleeves and the center spacer together, then subtracting the number miked over the frame, including the seals, and dividing by 2)
It is a good snug fit with no side play at all. I used a pry-bar to see if it would shift to either side and it don't, but the swing arm still moves freely up & down. It did make a notable difference in the feel of the bike when cornering.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by VulcanE

The OD is 1.380"
The ID is 1.103" (you can double check by measuring the sleeve that rides in the bearing, and adding .001" to the measurement)
and my thickness was .052" ( I got that by adding the length of the 2 sleeves and the center spacer together, then subtracting the number miked over the frame, including the seals, and dividing by 2)
It is a good snug fit with no side play at all. I used a pry-bar to see if it would shift to either side and it don't, but the swing arm still moves freely up & down. It did make a notable difference in the feel of the bike when cornering.

So there are no 'thrust washers' made of anything to back up the seals?

I am not sure I understand what stops the swing arm from moving to the sides. I am aware that what ever is done to one side must be done to the other.

I sort of have CRS even though I have done this job several times for me and others.

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by macmac

So there are no 'thrust washers' made of anything to back up the seals?

I am not sure I understand what stops the swing arm from moving to the sides. I am aware that what ever is done to one side must be done to the other.

I sort of have CRS even though I have done this job several times for me and others.

Mac, the way things are made on our Nomads (and I think it's a flawed design), when you tighten the pivot bolt of the swing arm, it locks up against the 2 hardened sleeves (that ride in the needle bearings) and the center spacer. This dimension is set, and the swing arm will float from side to side till it hits the rubber coated seals that are being wrongly used as thrust washers. I had an old set of seals that the outside rubber coating had been worn away, so I thought I'd experiment with them. I installed them and miked the distance from one side to the other, and it was .106" less than what the 2 sleeves and center spacer totaled up to be. So the swing arm will flop .106" from side to side butting up to the bearing seals. I made 2 equally thick shims (.052" thick to give .001" clearance per side) that would fit over the hardened sleeves, and butt up against the naked side of the seals (thin coat of moly-60 lube between them) to take up the extra space. The swing arm is plenty wide enough to get over them, and as you torque the pivot bolt, it does squeeze the swing arm together captivating the spacer over the sleeve, and against the seal. I put these on before I left to go on my 3,300 mile New England trip, and earlier this week, I tore it down to inspect how well it worked. I rode in some pretty extreme conditions, ranging from massive pot holes to heavy down pours, all pulling a loaded trailer and with a passenger, and I like how it held up.
If the sleeve doesn't go thru the spacer, you don't change anything except the width of the swing arm, and the side play will still be what it was before you started.