Africa Twin owners and wannabes thread

[buggsubique]

So what's the go with output shaft wear around here??
Seems my splines are showing signs

Mate, haven't looked at mine...ever. But I do run a very slack chain which is supposed to help avoid the wear. An RD04 went for about a grand here a year ago. If I had've seen it I woulda snapped it up. THe listing said "runs fine but doesn't drive the chain" or something...

I understand guys weld sprockets on, grind it off, fit another one etc. Pretty sure you can get new shafts through part suppliers...to coincide with a rebuild...

Any pics, how bad is it? Really should check mine..

[Transalper]

Took some pics this evening, here's the best one.
You can see the leading edge is angled and the sprocket moves out as it takes up the slack.

[buggsubique]

Took some pics this evening, here's the best one.
You can see the leading edge is angled and the sprocket moves out as it takes up the slack.

Yeah looks a bit worn, but what can you do? slacken the chain and just keep riding it... maybe check it every 10-15k? It doesn't look to me like it would fail anytime soon.

If I get to the bike tomorrow I'll have a look at mine and post a piccie. You've got me interested now..

[Underground]

Took some pics this evening, here's the best one.
You can see the leading edge is angled and the sprocket moves out as it takes up the slack.

Plenty of meat left there mate !
(This could turn into a 'show us your shaft' thread )
Mine has looked a bit like that for at least the last two sprocket changes and I find the best solution is to bolt the cover back on and go for a ride (oh, and keep your chain slack!).... as the alternative involves spliting the crankcase and replacing the shaft
If the worst happens just find a welder and give it a few stabs and you're good to go.
Apparently you can get away with this for a couple of sprocket changes.
The OE Honda sprocs have some sort of a rubber on them (I've never seen one) and this is sposed to prolong life but quite pricey I believe

[BMWST?]

So what's the go with output shaft wear around here??
Seems my splines are showing signs

There seems to be millions of threads on XRV.org.uk.... way too much for me right now.

google is your friend

[Transalper]

google is your friend

That's what I said, I already googled it and there are thousands of threads (ok 801 in your search) about the topic, enough to make my head hurt.
I wanted to know if any of the locals are dealing with it and how.

Apparently so far everyone says slacken the chain and ignore it but the chain is and has always been slacker than a slack thing and I want to make it last as long as I can so ignoring it is a bad thing.
Now it's started I would think it will continue to get worse unless something changes like using supaglue or loktite. Then some posts I've read say use heavy duty grease. Two opposing views.
I want to avoid finding someone with a welder every time the sprockets are due for a change and are tending toward the loktite option.
Aynthing to arrest the fatigue.

[thepom]

H Carl,Like Buggs said there is plenty of meat left on it........it looked like mine and as long as you keep a slack chain it won,t get any worse. I tried scotchweld to see if it would help but it did,nt. People have welded sprockets on and had quite a good length of time before re welding another one on.

To replace the shaft it is a complete engine strip so I would keep that chain slack and it will be fine.........sorry cant make the rides this weekend as I ,m trying to sort a bad back out ........

[buggsubique]

Well looks like mine is in really good Nick considering the bike is on 95000 km. I have attached a pic of the OEM sprocket with the big rubbery bits Jeff mentioned.

[NordieBoy]

Good thickness on the sprocket splines.

[Underground]

Yours looks like brand new! I'm going to have to rip mine off and post a pic now.... bit scared to go looking in there though.
Mabe the OEM is part of the trick, I heard talk of the metal in aftermarket ones being of an incompatible hardness.

[buggsubique]

yeah, mate, show us yours! You've got a bucket more k's on your stallion though.

Thought while I was in there I'd change the filter and oil too. Just fixed the new WOF, so while there's still a break in the clouds I might bugger off for a wee test ride...

hmmm. Where to go...

[Transalper]

Well looks like mine is in really good Nick considering the bike is on 95000 km. I have attached a pic of the OEM sprocket with the big rubbery bits Jeff mentioned.

mmm, I reckon mine looks a lot worse than that.
I don't dispute I still have a bit of meat left but I'd hate to see it get worse.
It has a JT on it at the moment, will go OEM for the next front which is due shortly.
My mechanic is going to have a look at it sometime soon, was riding with him today and mentioned it to him but it was hidden behind the cover again then.

[thepom]

Too late if the damage is already done...........but if you take care in keeping the chain slack it won,t get worse and will last a long time yet,....while I,m on the africa thread any of you rd04 owners interested in a givi wing rack as I have a slightly damaged one up for cheap,s?

[Underground]

I might have you guys beat withthis one.
Havent had the cover off this for 25000 km (or two dusty butts ago) and thats when I put new sprockets and chain on.
From memory it wasnt quite as bad then.
I'm tempted to weld the next one on and get maybe another 30000km out of it by which time the old girl will have done 160000km and it will be about time to have a bit of a look inside so I'll shout it a new shaft.
BTW youre wasting your time trying to shit it up with some loctite product or whatever, nothing can withstand the hammering and it will be gone in 5 minutes

[Transalper]

Nice, that's a good clear photo at a good angle. Yea mine is getting that way, your's looks half worn, mine looks 1/3rd worn.
buggsubique maybe 1/4 worn.

When in gear with rear wheel off the ground when I rotate the real wheel foward-back etc the sprocket rotates on the spline and slides in and out a bit probably encouraged by the tapered bit worn in to the shaft nearest the engine.
My retaining plate is quite worn now too which may be enabling some of that. I assume it's the sliding in and out movement that would accelerate the wear so am going to look at reducing that if I can.
Guy doing the Loktite thing reckons it's still firmly in place at the end of the sprocket life and needs a puller to get it off.