Rear Wheel Play

voodoomaster · February 15th, 2009, 11:57 AM

Problem maybe Techies. Today I had the Blue Voodoo up on the rer wheel stands to lube the chain. I found that I have some very noticeablr play / motion between my sprocket and the mechanics that hold said sprocket onto the wheel. I know that there is a rubber device inside the wheel hub. I torqued all the nuts, all were good.

Anybody have any similar "free play" like I describe with my wheel???

kkim · February 15th, 2009, 12:00 PM

very common problem dating back to the previous gen and has followed into the new gen. some say it's designed in, others say it's not. I say it's a design flaw.

here's a way if you want to eliminate it.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_to_shim_the_cush_drive

voodoomaster · February 15th, 2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

very common problem dating back to the previous gen and has followed into the new gen. some say it's designed in, others say it's not. I say it's a design flaw.

here's a way if you want to eliminate it.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_to_shim_the_cush_drive

AHA! My rice rocket has a design anomaly! Thank you for the link partner, I feel a hell of a lot better knowing what to do now. This forum is absolutely a great source of data.

kkim · February 15th, 2009, 12:27 PM

no, just a collection of ninjette nuts... hey, that didn't sound right!

komohana · February 15th, 2009, 12:33 PM

i noticed that also just the other day....thanx for the fix-it link kk

voodoomaster · February 15th, 2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

no, just a collection of ninjette nuts... hey, that didn't sound right!

pecan nuts....walnuts...brazil nuts....peenuts....10MM hex nuts.....

kkim · February 15th, 2009, 12:43 PM

as an added bonus, use you can credit cards as shims. You won't be needing them any more.

seriously... a credit card is just about the right thickness... perhaps less, if yours is not too out of whack.

I've heard the results of a properly shimmed cush drive is well worth the effort. A very direct feel between engine and rear wheel. I've not done mine... yet.

voodoomaster · February 15th, 2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

as an added bonus, use you can credit cards as shims. You won't be needing them any more.

seriously... a credit card is just about the right thickness... perhaps less, if yours is not too out of whack.

I've heard the results of a properly shimmed cush drive is well worth the effort. A very direct feel between engine and rear wheel. I've not done mine... yet.

Ah yes, credit cards, another excellent option. Even though I had my wheel off this morning, I plan on ripping into it again after I take a spin on my TREK. Gotta wait a spell before getting greasy again....

Sailariel · February 18th, 2009, 02:25 PM

Dave, I had Kawa replace my cush drive and it was more of the same a week later. I found that the slop in the drive set off a harmonic whine in the drivetrain. I am definitely going to shim the drive. I suspect that we will have to space the shims evenly and endevour to size them equally to insure balance.

voodoomaster · February 18th, 2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailariel

Dave, I had Kawa replace my cush drive and it was more of the same a week later. I found that the slop in the drive set off a harmonic whine in the drivetrain. I am definitely going to shim the drive. I suspect that we will have to space the shims evenly and endevour to size them equally to insure balance.

Interesting post chief. I was thinking that since the whole internal assembly is made out of semi-rigid rubber, I would just have to cut up enough pieces of hard plastic and fill in all the gaps. The idea that there could be an issue with creating harmonic imbalance blows what little mind I have left. I will make it a BIG point to cut my credit cards all the same size. I had planned to secure them to the existing rubber cush with a dab of black RTV, thus making the new material one with the old. I just can't see the imbalance happening by adding low mass plastic strips evenly around the entire structure. Will be careful. Dude! I appreciate the heads up. I would be fit to KILL had I installed some vibratory incantations into my drive train.

Sailariel · February 19th, 2009, 07:46 PM

Dave, Probably won`t be an issue. I have some plastic that i will cut evenly and then attach it to the rubber wedges with contact cement. I will place them on the non loaded side of the rubber wedge. This will insure no harmonic distortion and a nice steady pull on the drivetrain. It will take extra time, but I figuire it is a job that will be done just once.

voodoomaster · February 27th, 2009, 05:25 PM

Alright sports fans. I got my new bearing seals today and then ripped into the rear wheel again to slam credit cards into my rubber cush drive. It took me three tries to get the number of Visa and Master Cards I needed before the play was all but eliminated. Got it all back together and on the blue bullet and went to a spin. No play anymore, and I could swear that I can feel some level of better acceleration, maybe a little better snap from start. Thanks all for the Visa Card suggestion, it woooooorks well.

kkim · February 27th, 2009, 05:34 PM

Good to hear. lol... Now I've got to do mine the next time I remove the rear wheel.

Thanks for the feedback.

voodoomaster · February 27th, 2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

Good to hear. lol... Now I've got to do mine the next time I remove the rear wheel.

Thanks for the feedback.

Yo My man. It actually took three pieces of Via Card on the drive side and I put two pieces on the trailing side. There is a lot of room between the rubber bushing and the sprocket holder assembly!

Sailariel · February 27th, 2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voodoomaster

Alright sports fans. I got my new bearing seals today and then ripped into the rear wheel again to slam credit cards into my rubber cush drive. It took me three tries to get the number of Visa and Master Cards I needed before the play was all but eliminated. Got it all back together and on the blue bullet and went to a spin. No play anymore, and I could swear that I can feel some level of better acceleration, maybe a little better snap from start. Thanks all for the Visa Card suggestion, it woooooorks well.

Dave, I knew you could do it. Nice job. I still haven`t done mine yet--primarily because we are buried in snow and because we got an ice dam on the roof on our tenant`s side causing water to leak into their hall--which I had to fix, and the fact that I got the job to build three time trial bikes for one of our local teams. I am hoping they will wreak havoc on the local racing scene. Four of my bikes placed in the money in last year`s finals.

voodoomaster · February 27th, 2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailariel

Dave, I knew you could do it. Nice job. I still haven`t done mine yet--primarily because we are buried in snow and because we got an ice dam on the roof on our tenant`s side causing water to leak into their hall--which I had to fix, and the fact that I got the job to build three time trial bikes for one of our local teams. I am hoping they will wreak havoc on the local racing scene. Four of my bikes placed in the money in last year`s finals.

Time trials...like in bicycles?

Sailariel · February 27th, 2009, 07:26 PM

Dave, I am a bicycle mechanic and run a shop out of my home. I specialize in racing machines.

voodoomaster · February 27th, 2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailariel

Dave, I am a bicycle mechanic and run a shop out of my home. I specialize in racing machines.

Kool beans. I drive a TREK Madone 7 days a week around the Tucson roads. Wrench on dude.

lavid2002 · February 27th, 2009, 10:05 PM

Sweet...you guys ride road bikes too?! I have a trek 1000 (nothin much) and I worked at a bike store for about five years too. Thats sick I never see anyone riding around here and I didnt think anyone else rode road bikes.

voodoomaster · February 28th, 2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lavid2002

Sweet...you guys ride road bikes too?! I have a trek 1000 (nothin much) and I worked at a bike store for about five years too. Thats sick I never see anyone riding around here and I didnt think anyone else rode road bikes.

A 1000 is a nice road ride. I also have a TREK 2300 as a work commuter machine (aluminum and carbon). In Tucson, we have about 70% of the roads with bike lanes. There are many road warriors. Tucson is the stage for the annual El Tour de Tucson road ride. Last year 9000+ riders spread out over the 35 mile, 65 mile, 80 mile, and the 109 mile ride option. I can't see NJ sporting many road riders. I hail from Va and PA, and road bikers take their lives in their hands with those narrow back country roads.

Viva le bike.

Apex · March 18th, 2009, 07:00 PM

I may do this when I go and pull my rear wheel for a new tire.

komohana · March 19th, 2009, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apex

I may do this when I go and pull my rear wheel for a new tire.

yeah was gonna do same as well...tire change coming up REAL soon..

headshrink · April 24th, 2010, 03:45 PM

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if shimming the cush drive took care of the suspected harmonic whine?

February 15th, 2009, 12:33 PM	#5
komohana ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Steve Location: Kekaha, Kauai HI Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 GSX-R 600 2003 EX250: Woodcraft Bars, Levers, Mirrors, Shim'd Mixture, Synthetic, '08 Rear Shock Posts: A lot.	i noticed that also just the other day....thanx for the fix-it link kk __________________________________________________ Remember when sex was safe and motorcycles were dangerous?

February 27th, 2009, 05:25 PM	#12
voodoomaster VooDooMaster Name: Dave Location: tucson Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Blue EX250, 2007 Yamaha Virago 250 Posts: 173	Shimmed that Cushie Tushie Alright sports fans. I got my new bearing seals today and then ripped into the rear wheel again to slam credit cards into my rubber cush drive. It took me three tries to get the number of Visa and Master Cards I needed before the play was all but eliminated. Got it all back together and on the blue bullet and went to a spin. No play anymore, and I could swear that I can feel some level of better acceleration, maybe a little better snap from start. Thanks all for the Visa Card suggestion, it woooooorks well. __________________________________________________ VooDooMaster I love the smell of Blue Octane in the morning.....

February 27th, 2009, 10:05 PM	#19
lavid2002 ninjette.org member Name: Dave Location: South Jerzey Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): None yet Posts: 181	Sweet...you guys ride road bikes too?! I have a trek 1000 (nothin much) and I worked at a bike store for about five years too. Thats sick I never see anyone riding around here and I didnt think anyone else rode road bikes. __________________________________________________ -Dave

March 18th, 2009, 07:00 PM	#21
Apex Livin' the Minimoto Life Name: Mark Location: Riding around in TX Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2022 Honda Navi, 2018 Z-125 Pro Posts: A lot.	I may do this when I go and pull my rear wheel for a new tire. __________________________________________________ --- My IG Page --- My FB page! --- 2022 Honda Navi && 2018 Z-125 Pro

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February 15th, 2009, 12:00 PM	#2
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	very common problem dating back to the previous gen and has followed into the new gen. some say it's designed in, others say it's not. I say it's a design flaw. here's a way if you want to eliminate it. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_to_shim_the_cush_drive

February 15th, 2009, 12:27 PM	#4
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	no, just a collection of ninjette nuts... hey, that didn't sound right!

February 15th, 2009, 12:43 PM	#7
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	as an added bonus, use you can credit cards as shims. You won't be needing them any more. seriously... a credit card is just about the right thickness... perhaps less, if yours is not too out of whack. I've heard the results of a properly shimmed cush drive is well worth the effort. A very direct feel between engine and rear wheel. I've not done mine... yet.

February 18th, 2009, 02:25 PM	#9
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Dave, I had Kawa replace my cush drive and it was more of the same a week later. I found that the slop in the drive set off a harmonic whine in the drivetrain. I am definitely going to shim the drive. I suspect that we will have to space the shims evenly and endevour to size them equally to insure balance.

February 19th, 2009, 07:46 PM	#11
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Dave, Probably won`t be an issue. I have some plastic that i will cut evenly and then attach it to the rubber wedges with contact cement. I will place them on the non loaded side of the rubber wedge. This will insure no harmonic distortion and a nice steady pull on the drivetrain. It will take extra time, but I figuire it is a job that will be done just once.

February 27th, 2009, 05:34 PM	#13
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Good to hear. lol... Now I've got to do mine the next time I remove the rear wheel. Thanks for the feedback.

February 27th, 2009, 07:26 PM	#17
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Dave, I am a bicycle mechanic and run a shop out of my home. I specialize in racing machines.

April 24th, 2010, 03:45 PM	#23
headshrink ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Bob Location: CA Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.	I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if shimming the cush drive took care of the suspected harmonic whine?