Oil All Over Final Drive

[Oracle]

Ok folks, give it to me straight... What am I looking at here, "not too bad", "bad" or "oh crap!"? I was putting LED lights on my bike when I realized I have oil all over the bottom of my final drive. The clean places you see on the back and around the screw is where I wiped to see just how thick it was. I change my final drive oil regularly and the last time I changed it (1 month ago) there were no oil there. The last time I added air I don't recall seeing any oil there, so I'm guessing it's fresh. What should I do, start taking things apart for a minor fix or call a specialist and be prepared to give up my first born son? I'm pretty handy and do most of my own repairs so if it's a simple gasket, o-ring, or small part, I can probably handle it...

[ringadingh]

It looks to me like the inside oil seal is leaking , mine did that to me a few years ago.
I had to disassemble the final drive to replace the seal.
It could also be the pinion seal, its the one at the end of the final drive where the drive shaft connects, but I would bet its the first seal that I mentioned.
Its not a real difficult repair depending on how handy you are.

[Oracle]

Thanks.
If it's not too bad of a deal, I can go for it... Time to dust the service manual off and get started on it. The wife is not a happy woman when my bike is down. Although she has her own bikes, she seem to be on the back of mine more than on hers...

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by Oracle

Ok folks, give it to me straight... What am I looking at here, "not too bad", "bad" or "oh crap!"? I was putting LED lights on my bike when I realized I have oil all over the bottom of my final drive. The clean places you see on the back and around the screw is where I wiped to see just how thick it was. I change my final drive oil regularly and the last time I changed it (1 month ago) there were no oil there. The last time I added air I don't recall seeing any oil there, so I'm guessing it's fresh. What should I do, start taking things apart for a minor fix or call a specialist and be prepared to give up my first born son? I'm pretty handy and do most of my own repairs so if it's a simple gasket, o-ring, or small part, I can probably handle it...

Looks like the seal on the drive shaft side. I've done it 3 times. Finally found a better seal from Fastenal.



Video I made about oil leak from rear end.

[MAS Tequila]

Let me ask a question, have you lubed the driveshaft with some type of grease on the splines?

I recently took one apart that had so much grease in it, that it was running out and down the final drive.

When we lube the splines it only take a very small amount of grease.

This grease IS going to melt and it has no place to go.

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

Let me ask a question, have you lubed the driveshaft with some type of grease on the splines?

I recently took one apart that had so much grease in it, that it was running out and down the final drive.

When we lube the splines it only take a very small amount of grease.

This grease IS going to melt and it has no place to go.

Good point, MT.

Wipe it down and check the oil level.

[Oracle]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

Let me ask a question, have you lubed the driveshaft with some type of grease on the splines?

I recently took one apart that had so much grease in it, that it was running out and down the final drive.

When we lube the splines it only take a very small amount of grease.

This grease IS going to melt and it has no place to go.

No I haven't, just changed the gear oil regularly... Do you have to take it apart to lube the splines? Sorry for the question, not around my service manual at the time to check before asking a dumb question.

[Oracle]

Originally Posted by Jllm02199

Looks like the seal on the drive shaft side. I've done it 3 times. Finally found a better seal from Fastenal.



Video I made about oil leak from rear end.

Thanks for the video, pretty cool!!!

[Billydiesel]

You going to a bearing retainer tool or make one sometimes the retainer is a bitch to get out with a punch . Bad news is the bearing retainer is a part that I couldn't find had to get a used one

[dhuttonkc]

Why not go the simple route first. Clean the hell outta that thing and take it for a warm up ride, then home to find the source of the leak. It should be very apparent if the bike is cleaned first. You can also dye the oil and use an ALS to find the leak. See your auto store. Costs $8 local for a two ounce bottle that will dose an engine, tranny, or rear end up to four times. Very cheap diagnostic tool that should be in any toolbox.