| Author | Message | ||
     Roderick |
A few weeks ago, on the way home from work in the PM, I got some serious vibrations through the pegs that were not there in the AM. I thought it may be because of a broken muffler front bracket. The V/H SS2R can was basically hanging by the header clamp and the rear mount. It has been repaired but the vibrations remains, strongest in the left peg. At idle, no different than usual. But cruising at 5th gear, 3k rpm, and 60 mph, the vibration through the left peg got outright uncomfortable whereas before the ride was smooth. There are some in the right peg but I suspect that it may be just transmitted from the left side. Going from idle to over 3k rpm and shift, the vibration would increase as expected. Strongest on the left peg. I did visual inspects on all three isolators and found nothing as explained in past posts here. The front hanger is the updated Y version. The rear is the typical V/H SS2R. Not the Z bracket. Both are secured. I do have plans later this winter for a swingarm swap and change all three isolators as well. But for now, the weather is still tolerable during the day and I still need to paint the other swingarm. So am wondering if there are any exhaust related stuff that I could check as cause of the vibrations. Do isolators fails -- just like that -- with no symptoms between morning and afternoon? I adjusted the primary chain and clutch and changed that oil over 1k miles ago. No vibrations immediately then. The bike is about 11.2k now. | ||
| Stev0 |
Have you made any other changes?? I've had a couple of things like this over the years that weren't what I thought they were. One was I had one mirror on the sporty for ages and then did some major mods to the engine and cleaned up a few other things at the same time. When I took it for a test ride I had a really bad vibe. Figured I must have an issue with the motor and double checked everything, couldn't find an issue. So I backtracked everything I'd done and the only thing was that I'd put the other mirror on. I didn't think that was an issue but I'd come across strange harmonic issues before, so changed it back to one mirror. Bingo, no vibration... put the mirror back on and the vibe was back. I figured it was a harmonic created between the two mirrors So I changed the mirrors to a rubber mounted bar end type that acted like a harmonic dampner.. all good. | ||
| Stev0 |
I also had a similar issue with a muffler that collapsed internally and partially blocked the air passage. | ||
| Akbuell |
Since the isolators, primary, and exhaust system all seem to be in order ... Might want to do a careful check of the engine tie bars and their mounting points and attach hardware. Is the front motor mount O.K.? And such things can happen 'while sitting'. As an example, if a bolt were cracked and the fracture was 80% complete, the vibration stress of shutting the engine off or starting it up could finish the crack the rest of the way. | ||
| Dannybuell |
did you look up at the underside of the front isolator? | ||
| Roderick |
Have you made any other changes?? None besides the muffler bracket repairs.  The can was repacked when it was removed, but like I said earlier, the vibrations were there before the removal. Not when going to work in the AM, but showed up in the PM on the way home. Since then, the new front hanger version is installed. I also had a similar issue with a muffler that collapsed internally and partially blocked the air passage. That is why am focusing on the exhaust side. But not sure what else to check. The rear mount is quite secured. When I disassembled the can, no internal 'damages' were found, other than blackened and brittle packing, which I guess would be normal over time. did you look up at the underside of the front isolator? As best I could from both sides. I did not put a mirror up close, if that is what you mean. I will do that and see. | ||
| Dannybuell |
over the years(17) I have had 3 front isolator failures, you could see the tear from below but not from above. | ||
| Roderick |
I eyeballed as much stuff as I can and found nothing visually obvious. All three isolators appears to be 'intact'. I tried to inspect the front isolator's underside as best I could. I grabbed both front and rear muffler mounts and shook them. They are solid. I looked at the cylinders and the exhaust studs appears to be fine. If any is broken, it would be obvious, correct? Guess I will check the primary chain again. | ||
| Stev0 |
OK, you've gone through the normal culprits, as I figured you would. Have you checked out the tyres ?? I had a Yokahama tyre develop a lump in it which caused a bad vibe. Looking at the muffler, you've had some vibes there for a while. Start checking for frame cracks and really obscure places. | ||
| Roderick |
Have you checked out the tyres ?? I had a Yokahama tyre develop a lump in it which caused a bad vibe. But such a situation would create vibrations felt all over, correct? In my case, the vibrations are concentrated/worst at the left foot peg. I will check the tire anyway. Looking at the muffler, you've had some vibes there for a while. Start checking for frame cracks and really obscure places. Frame? Now am getting nervous. Do you mean the bike's frame? Or something to do with the muffler? | ||
| Stev0 |
When you've eliminated the obvious and impossible then whatever is left must be possible. Also just because it's concentrated on the left side doesn't mean that's where it's coming from. Harmonics are a strange thing and can often be felt or heard at the opposite end to where they originate. But I'd be looking from that point. Left rear isolator, all other engine mounts and bolts, check their tensions. Output sprocket is another I'd be looking at. Primary tensioner is another one to look at, especially saying you can feel it in the left. Another one is a dropped a magnet in the rotor. The fact that you say it came on so quickly would tend to say something has broken and I've had customers with broken frames before, so anything can be the culprit. | ||
| Roderick |
Inspected the primary chain and found it a bit tighter than the preferred 1/2 in. Adjusted it (again). Checked the fluid -- fine. Ran the bike and found noticeably less vibrations. Still mostly on the left peg and still around 3k rpm but the vibrations lowered to typical above 3.5k rpm, whereas before it got increasingly uncomfortable with higher revs. At around 4k rpm, it was the usual comfortable smooth ride. Going to check the final drive belt next. With about 11.5k miles on the odo, it is time for it anyway. | ||
| Jim2 |
A primary that has been too tight for too long may fry the transmission bearing for the shaft the clutch is attached to. When this happened to me the vibrations were mainly felt through the foot pegs and mainly in the left foot peg. I hate to tell you to check this as it may not be your problem at all, but it was for me. I also had the clutch spring plate let loose at the same time so I was hearing crunching sounds too. Crunching sounds from the spring plate rivets and the transmission bearing spacers that were floating around where they should not be. | ||
| Roderick |
A primary that has been too tight for too long... How too tight and too long are those? The chain's movement, before this latest adjustment, was about one link thick, may be a bit more loose, and I think it is like that for about 3k miles. I do not think that is 'too tight' and 'too long', no? Is the bearing part ID 8885, the one right behind the clutch adjustment? (Message edited by roderick on November 05, 2012) | ||
| Jim2 |
No, Buell part # 35030-89 in the transmission access door (trap door). That is from my 2002 M2 part book, don't know if S1 is the same? I replaced it with bearings I bought from Houston Bearing. Peer bearing 6305-C3 (25x62x17,open) for main shaft. Also replaced countershaft bearing. Peer bearing 6204 (20x47x14,open) My starter had come loose and I may have rode around with no or little primary oil which may have been a big factor, but my primary chain was too tight for 12,500 miles before I bought it. | ||
| Roderick |
No, Buell part # 35030-89 in the transmission access door (trap door). That is from my 2002 M2 part book, don't know if S1 is the same? It is the same. My S1 parts book says so. This may be beyond my meager collection of hand tools I have. I recently moved into a house -- my first and hopefully my only -- so am not as well equipped as many here. I have a black painted primary cover that I planned to change and also will upgrade to the beefier chain adjuster in the process. Wonder how easily accessible is this bearing. ...but my primary chain was too tight for 12,500 miles before I bought it. Like I said earlier, the chain's movement was about one link's thickness, which is slightly under the preferred 1/2 in, and it has been that way for about 3k miles. So hopefully that was not the cause. But if I can change out that bearing, I will do it. | ||
| Jim2 |
You don't need to change it if it isn't bad. The problem is that you can't see if it's bad without taking off the clutch hub. But if you have exhausted all other possibilities and you plan to upgrade the primary chain tensioner then you will be in there anyway. The special tools you will need are a locking bar that you can make yourself, a good pair of snap ring pliers (not the crappy one you can buy everywhere), and a really big torque wrench you can get reasonably priced at Harbor Freight Tools. You will not need to open the clutch pack unless you plan to replace the OEM spring plate. If you decide to do that you will need a clutch spring compressor tool which you can make yourself. |
