Final drive bearing failure!

Hi All and especially Pete Roper for all his help and advice.

Well.... we seem to have gotten to the root of the Shaft Howl problem.
Big bearing buggered due to loose pinion nut as you said Pete.
It seems the nut and lock washer has shattered but luckily not damaged the gears!
We are now fitting two new bearings and seal but cannot locate the nut and tab lock washer.
Any ideas were to get hold of these in the UK?  

HELP!

Widhenry.

Very easy. The tab washer and nut are identical to the ones that are used to hold the crank timing sprocket onto the front of the crank on early Tonti framed bikes.

Just call or email one of the shops that deals with older Guzzis, Motomecca for example in the UK, and ask for the sprocket retaining nut and washer fit a T3. Twang your suspenders and splinter your corn cob pipe stem when told the price and complain bitterly and they'll think you are a regular old Guzzi owner!

If you have time and want it cheaper Agostinis will likely have 'em or just email Rick and Gordon at MG Cycles in Wisconsin.

Pete

The Font of Knowledge speaks wondorously

Hey Pete you are a marvel!
Many thanks,

Wildhenry

The only benefit I can see in being older than dirt is that I can act as a repository of shit that nobody sane wants to know. Compared to Mario who runs Thunderbikes in Perth I am a mere novice. He can quote part numbers for really weird shit from memory. I find it creepy! It's like those serial killers who keep trophies from their victims in the freezer!

Pete

EEK!!!
Managed to source the nut and locking washer through the company I work for (BRT)
As a matter of interest the ref numbers for the nut is KM5 and the washer MB5
I think they are SKF reference numbers ...those parts are readily available through any good bearing shop or automotive parts supplier.
Thanks for all your help Pete.

Wildhenry

I forgot to mention the failed bearing was the cheapo Polish one with 17 balls!
I have contacted MG to see if by bike was marked for recall and they said no.
So how come that inferior bearing is on my bike then?
Do you think I have a case for compensation?  

Wildhenry

I too have seen bikes outside the range with the crappy bearing but that is one of the crownwheel support bearings, nothing to do with the pinion bearings or the nut and lock-washer?

Thing is the bike is now eight years old. I really wouldn't like to try to go to court with a warranty issue on something that old, recall or not. Just suck it up and be d one with it but sorry for your problems.

Pete

Sounds like good advice thanks,guess I'll have to put it down to biking experience!
It's not really going to cost me too much as I get the bearings through the firm I work for.
Interestingly though the MG 'genuine parts' bearing (61917 C3) retails over here for a whopping
£240! while a FAG 61917 C3 can be had for a poultry £40 retail.
Figure that one out considering that Guzzi don't make bearings so how can it be a MG genuine part?

Cheers

Of course it isn't a 'Guzzi' part but this is how bizznizz works. While I always try and do the best I can to keep prices honest selling bits and fixing fucked bikes is how I put food on the table and plan my imminent retirement!

Profit cascades up, end user pays most. That's capitalism. Not perfect but it seems to work better, ( With regulation.) than anything else humans have tried.

Pete

You are not thinking of retiring Mr Roper, are you? The world is not ready for that, yet...

Oh no! I hope you are not retiring from the Ghetto!
Who else is there on here with the knowledge and experience to help out mechanical dimwits like me?

Wildhenry.

'Imminent' is a very subjective term. I've got a few years left in me yet. I have a feeling I'll finally retire when I've sacked all my customers or they've sacked me because I'm such a grumpy old bastard!

Pete

Good luck gettin rid of me.

I thought I was the president of the grumpy old bastards!
It's nice to meet fellow GOB's

Wildhenry

Pete, you got no idea how much shit we will put up with when there are no other options.  
Besides, there's another one of us suckers born every minute, so I'm afraid your only way out is in a pine box.

Pete, My mechanic says that I failed the rear wheel motion test and that my main drive bearing is likely bad. I have 12,500 hard miles on the bike. I asked if this was a warranty issue, no answer yet. I am super new to this and not distrustful, but distrustful. Why would such a young bearing be going bad??? My girl is getting expensive.

"Rear wheel motion test".

What is that exactly? Bearing lateral play or rotational backlash?

Yeah, yeah. I use weird non-mechanic terms. Lateral Play. Don't worry, I'm not embarrassed yet.

Urgh! This is a really difficult one to diagnose over the net. The 'Big' bearing is a C3 bearing which means that there may, note I say *May*, be detectable play in the rear wheel at the rim but what is acceptable and what isn't is very much something only knowable by experience.

I have to say that I haven't really had any problems with the 'Big' bearing since they shitcanned the Polish 17 ball item. I've seen a few of the pinion nuts come loose but not a cage failure or the galling of the races as seen on the earlier bearings.

If the seal is leaking and outing oil on the rear wheel rim and brake that is a good indicator that the nearing is going west as the crownwheel boss on which the seal runs is getting sufficient movement to cause sealing problems but if it is still all oil tight and the movement at the rim is only just detectable I would be hesitant to rip the bevelbox apart.

If you want to be certain? Get it inspected. It isn't a huge job. I did a photoessay which is probably still up on Guzzitech or maybe Wildguzzi but I'm not certain as I don't go to Guzzitech any more and am on sabbatical due to asshattery on WG. Pulling for inspection is probably a three hour job. Replacement of the bearing will require a bearing, the seal and a couple of car UJ boot sealing straps from 'Wottalotacrap Auto' and the tool to install them.

Ball is in your court. I'm half a world away, sorry.

Pete

PS.As Mark says, is this lateral rocking when the wheel is grabbed at six and twelve o'clock or rotational movement when the wheel is turned with the bike in gear?

I see you're in San Diego Austin. I hope your mechanic isn't at GP Moto. Those pricks are charging people $800 for a tappet inspection. Shameless flim-flammers!

AF1 have a shop in Austin don't they? Why would you go anywhere else?

pete

[quote="Pete Roper"]AF1 have a shop in Austin don't they? Why would you go anywhere else?

pete[/quote
]Ha! that's what a missing comma and half a world away will get you!

Pete, yer photo essay is in the ghetto: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Well Duh....