Help! Rear Sprocket Question!!

Does anyone have their back wheel off of their bike right now (or have a really good memory)?

I'm trying to get the rear wheel back together and I'm not sure if things are right. Should the rear sprocket/sprocket carrier assembly wobble around after being placed into the wheel? It wobbles a lot and I can't remember if it should seat fully onto the hub or not. I'm afraid that my new bearings are too far to one side and won't allow the sprocket carrier to go down onto the hub far enough. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

More than likely the sprocket carrier bushing is worn.
It's the large rubber "star shaped" piece that fits directly in the hub of the wheel and the carrier meshes into it.
It's not unusal for these to sustain wear, becoming compressed slightly after general use and simple old age.
In lieu of actually finding a NOS bushing, some folks have used various silicones, strips of rubber cut from old bicycle inner tubes, and other methods to help remove the gaps in the bushing.

RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:

More than likely the sprocket carrier bushing is worn.
It's the large rubber "star shaped" piece that fits directly in the hub of the wheel and the carrier meshes into it.
It's not unusal for these to sustain wear, becoming compressed slightly after general use and simple old age.
In lieu of actually finding a NOS bushing, some folks have used various silicones, strips of rubber cut from old bicycle inner tubes, and other methods to help remove the gaps in the bushing.

Thanks. That's very true, but my question is more related to the carrier/hub interface regardless of the rubber dampers. Even with the rubber dampers removed, should the carrier wobble around or should it seat into the hub firmly?

The main issue is related to the inner bushing between the wheel bearing and the carrier bearing. The carrier bearing bottoms on the bushing and then the bushing rests on the wheel bearing. If the wheel bearing were deeper in the wheel, it would allow the carrier to sink more deeply into the hub and it might seat firmly. Make any sense? The carrier bearing and bushing are seated completely onto the wheel bearing, so the entire carrier/sorocket assy wobbles around the bushing/wheel bearing contact. Should the carrier also rely on contact with the hub?

You did but the outer spacer on there, right?

steell wrote:

You did but the outer spacer on there, right?

I haven't installed it into the swingarm yet. I'm sure it won't wobble when the axle is tightened, but I just want to be sure everything is installed properly before I put it back together. I'm just wondering if the carrier should wobble when it's just sitting in the hub, no axle.

How much DOES it wobble?
Can You post a pic of what You have?
I know when I put Mine back together after installing all new bearings,there was a BIT of slop,but if You're getting more than that,then Ya...I would want to look into it some more.
If You could at least get a pic of how it looks when You put it together,then We could go from there... ...

I'll try to post some pics...this will probably take several tries. I can never seem to get them sized correctly:angry:





Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:33

This picture shows the spacers are all tight. The carrier can't go into the hub any further without moving the bearing down into the wheel.

The previous pic shows the spacer and bearings. I'm not concerned with the slop from the rubber inserts. It's a side-to-side wobble that has me concerned. I wish I could post a video, but we can't, can we?

Even if the carrier is installed without the dampers, it still rocks from side to side. It is only supported by the contact between the inner spacer (show in the carrier bearing above) and the wheel bearing.



Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:34

Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:36

Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:38

This is certainly hard to explain in writing :blink: I guess another way to ask is, how far into the hub should the carrier go? Far enough to seat? Or will it always rock from side to side on the spacer/wheel bearing? Is there a shoulder it should rest on? Should the carrier teeth (that go between the rubber dampers) contact the hub?

UPDATE: When the inner spacer is removed, the carrier seats completely and does not wobble at all. So, should it still seat the same way when the inner spacer is installed? It's as if the spacer is too long. I just need to know if this is normal or if the wheel bearings are too close to the carrier.

I also tried to install the carrier assy on my original wheel (stock MKII that it came from) and it wobbles too. I would just like to verify that it is normal. If someone could install their carrier with and without the inner spacer and let me know if it wobbles both ways, that would be the answer!

Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:49

Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/01/13 18:51

Can You post a pic of what it looks like when it's together.
Get a pic of how You would see it if You were standing at the back of the bike with the wheel in place if You can.
Or if You can't do that,because the carrier will just fall out,then lay the wheel down and take a pic that way.
You shouldn't have that much play(slop) in there when it's all together.The whole thing should fit pretty snug.
Also...check to see that that spacer isn't offset,longer on one end.You might have it in the wrong way.It seams to Me that was the case with a wheel I had on My bike a while back.:huh:

I'd check that the spacer is straight when intstalled, and seated if it has an edge on either end.


Videos can be downloaded to photobucket.com and then the links posted here.

smg.photobucket.com/albums/v494/rstnick/...rrent=MOV00654-1.flv

Good idea Rob.
Ya...if You could get a short clip of what You have,that'd work too.