[jalaty]

Hi, I tried to search similar kind of symptons from this forum but didn't find any.

When push the bike or turn my rear wheel by hand it keeps this weird noise. I haven't yet opened it because christmas took all the time. Any idea why it is keeping this noice? Notice that in the film it keeps the noise always exactly in the same position when turning the wheel. Sound is not metallic I think. Sounds more like rubber noise but the tyre is not touching anywhere. Or is it just missing oil or molygrease?

 

[michiganteddybear]

splines between drive shaft and rear gear.

 

[Spockster]

splines between drive shaft and rear gear.

Yep! More of a crunching metal type of sound.

Check those splines before another ride.

 

[kryptonianjorel]

Third. Dead splines. What year is the bike?

 

[jalaty]

Thanks guys again. I'll let you know when I get some time to open the final drive. I hope I don't have to start hunting expensive parts 🙂 *fingers crossed*

 

[michiganteddybear]

you dont need to open the final drive.

1 remove rear wheel (one bolt for wheel, 2 I think for disconnecting rear brake, 2 for disconnecting the rear shocks)
2 remove final drive from driveshaft/swing arm (4 bolts)
3 inspect the splines

 

[jalaty]

Thank you. Should I remove drive shaft to see both end splines? Can it be removed without removing the engine?

 

[ubertalldude]

The splines on the engine side of the driveshaft are usually just fine, but you can slide the shaft backwards slightly and pry back the rubber boot where the driveshaft tube meets the engine and inspect the splines there. No need to fully unseat the shaft from the splines, it's a PITA to get back on if you do. You can shoot a bit of grease on those if you want, but don't need to put the Moly lube on those like you do for the rear of the shaft.

If your splines wind up being bad, post here and search on eBay for used parts, we can help determine if the parts are in good shape to be used as replacements.

 

[Spockster]

Thank you. Should I remove drive shaft to see both end splines? Can it be removed without removing the engine?

The shaft can't be removed with the engine in place, it has to be pulled out the front, the yoke won't go through the swingarm to the rear. But with the final drive removed, the shaft can be slid back to expose at least part of the front splines. You can put a dab of moly grease around the splines and slide the shaft forward. No need to overdo it, excess grease will just sling out into the rubber boot.

It's the rear splines that are the huge problem. Catching it now will mean a $15 fix versus $250 or more if the rear splines fail.

Inspect both the driveshaft coupler at the rear, and the final drive splines to be sure the splines aren't destroyed. Clean out any red dust or debris. That noise means there will be some.

What year is your bike? We sorta track which years were dry. My 2003 was dry as a bone at 14k miles, but the splines were still ok.

 

[Spockster]

uber, I guess we're just on the same wavelength today.

 

[jalaty]

My vn750 is 1995 year model and 64000km (40000 miles) on the odometer. European model.

 

[michiganteddybear]

actually, you CAN remove the driveshaft without pulling the engine. just need to remove the front bevel drive and then there is enough clearance to pull it out

 

[jalaty]

Okay. I did a proper job and cleaned and greased with moly all the splines. Shaft both end. Final drive splines which points to shaft and splines which contact with rim splines. Everything. Splines are good. No dry splines. A minor 10% wearing only in rear tyre flange splines. Not a big deal. Good to go.

Cleaned all the dust, grease and dirt from rear rim and damper rubber.

No free play in final drive. Feels good.
Rim bearings both good. Grased rear axle. Everything seems to be good.

Then I turned the wheel by hand. Same rubbery sound. It is definately coming from that rubber damper.

I wonder should I grease it with silicone spray? Or silicone grease which is good for rubber?

 

[ubertalldude]

Very interesting! I've never heard of that going bad, but maybe it can be aligned? Exploded views here: https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/kawasaki/motorcycle/2005/vulcan-750-vn750-a21/rear-wheel-chain

Looks like it's a $56 part if it is in fact the rubber damper being damaged, but yeah you may have to get into it a bit more. Looks like a big snapring holds the drive portion of the damper assembly, not sure if anybody else on here has ever gotten into that assembly...

 

[michiganteddybear]

a very thin film of moly is ok on the rubber damper, too much will just fling off and make a mess

however, there is very little movement between the final drive and the rubber damper. not enough to hear/feel when turning wheel by hand.

how where the rear brakes?? about the only thing other than the driveshaft splines that would make noise every revolution or so of the rear wheel

you didnt by chance take pics of the splines when you had it apart did you?

 

[jalaty]

The rubber damper was not damaged. I think it maybe stick and then release when I rotate rear wheel.

This was the only similar kind of topic I found and it is written in 2009.

https://www.vn750.com/forum/27-whee...cking-sound-rear-brake-hub.html#/topics/10517

And yes. I happened to take some pics of all splines (except the front ones of drive shaft) since I have blog related to old motorcycle maintenance topics. It is written in Finnish but you can see the photos there. Splines are dirty there but you can see the condition. The cleaning and regreasing with honda moly was so dirty job that I didn't want to touch my cell phone for taking pics.

https://tuumaustauko.blogspot.com/2018/12/vn750-kardaanin-hammastuksien-tarkistus.html

I have had a bunch of Honda CX500, CX650 and GoldWing bikes. Also couple of Honda Shadows and few maxiscooters.

This is my first Kawasaki and it had 5000 rpm stumbling problem when I bought it. I wrote another topic for it as my first posting here in this great forum.

https://www.vn750.com/forum/22-carb...ly-if-i-plug-carb-ventilation-hose-weird.html

It has been great journey to go thru this bike and to get it fixed and to see how great community you have here in this forum.

Now back to this issue. I will go and remove the rear wheel again and grease slightly the damper. I'll let you know if it helped.

 

[jalaty]

I fixed it. So it really was the rubber damper sticking and releasing it self. A little bit grease everywhere where was metal and rubber mating surfaces helped. No more noise.

I'm glad I did this operation. Now I know the condition of my final drive and rear wheel :smile2:

Sadly no driving for a while. It's snowing 20 centimeters snow in next 12 hours here in Finland.

 

[ubertalldude]

Those pics are great, thanks for including a link, and glad to hear greasing it helped! I've had the wheel off a few times but never thought to look at the damper assembly in there, good to know it can be serviced (somewhat)