Worn cush drive?

[HemiKat]

Ive had some handling issues lately. Its hard to explain but the rearend feels "twitchy". I just chocked it up to being the Avons I have on the bike, but after looking at my cush drive I think it might be making the rear tire run crooked. I took the rubbers out and they look like they are wearing more on one side than the other. I put the cush drives back in thinking it would make an effect on how the tire sat, but it didnt. It may be nothing, but I figured I would post and see what you guys thought. Check out the picture, Its obvious that there is a gap in the rear. The gap is always in the rear, and never changes, the tire is more crooked than having a wooble. Am I making any sense?

[bob393]

Because of the way the wheel and wheel bearings sit on the axle, worn rubbers would not make the wheel run crooked. It's more likely that the chain adjuster moved or the wheel bearing is shot. And except for hard down shifting 100% of the ware on the rubbers is on one side. Oops I just looked at the picture, is the axle bolt tight or is there any crap on one side of the spacers to keep it from seating straight?

[rexazz2]

how is the chain tension, axle torque?
I think the only thing that would cause the gap to stay at the rear as you turn the wheel by hand would be the chain

[ian6pot]

you need to strip that down and check it.Looks to me like a spindle or bearing issue.you could try pulling the right side adjuster back but the way it sits makes me think the spindle is bent.

[rexazz2]

you need to strip that down and check it.Looks to me like a spindle or bearing issue.you could try pulling the right side adjuster back but the way it sits makes me think the spindle is bent.

You could mark the head of the axle , 1/4 or 1/2 turn the axle and re torque , see if gap follows

[HemiKat]

Wheel and axle has been removed multiple times. Chain Tension is correct, axle is tight. Maybe my axle is bent? I guess that would explain why the gap is always in the rear, considering the axle doesnt spin.

[steves]

The cush drive shouldn't be sticking out like that.

First make sure that your chain alignment is good. Don't trust the marks on the swing arm.

Is the chain past it's serviceable life? Those side plates are pretty rusty...

[thetable]

#1, for the love of all that is good, put a real chain on there. It's not a harley, no excuese for not running an O-ring chain.

#2, you are missing the spacer that goes between the sprocket carrier and the swing arm., and possible the spacer between the sprocket carrier and the wheel. Something is very wrong there, and it's not the cushdrive.

[steves]

#1, for the love of all that is good, put a real chain on there. It's not a harley, no excuese for not running an O-ring chain.

#2, you are missing the spacer that goes between the sprocket carrier and the swing arm., and possible the spacer between the sprocket carrier and the wheel. Something is very wrong there, and it's not the cushdrive.

Oh, good call!

http://www.bikebandit.com/1995-suzuki-motorcycle-gsx600fs-katana-rear-wheel-model-k-l-m-n-p-r-s-t/o/m6174sch281878

#10 is missing.

[loudnlow7484]

I can't tell if #10 is missing or not. To be honest, my #10 is narrow enough that you probably couldn't see it from that angle either...... and since it still shows the texture from machining, I'm certain it's not worn down too thin, it just came that way.

I would suspect that the spacer between the cush drive and the wheel is missing, though. (That would be #9 in the diagram) The only way I can see the cush drive getting that crooked is if either #9 is missing, or #9 is ovaled/sloppy, or the cush drive bearing is completely trashed.

Wheel and axle has been removed multiple times. Chain Tension is correct, axle is tight. Maybe my axle is bent? I guess that would explain why the gap is always in the rear, considering the axle doesnt spin.

Assuming you always put the axle in clocked exactly the same. As was mentioned, if you turn the axle 1/2 turn and the gap moves to the front, then it could be a bent axle, but somehow I doubt it.

[HemiKat]

#1, for the love of all that is good, put a real chain on there. It's not a harley, no excuese for not running an O-ring chain.

#2, you are missing the spacer that goes between the sprocket carrier and the swing arm., and possible the spacer between the sprocket carrier and the wheel. Something is very wrong there, and it's not the cushdrive.

How can you tell that its not an o-ring chain? Ive honestly never looked at it closely. The guy before me put that chain and sprockets on there right before I got the bike, so it has less than 10k miles on it. He is a friend and I cant imagine him putting a cheap chain on there. The chain looks to be in good shape, the color must just be from my chain lube, its definetely not rusty.

Im 99% all the spacers are there. If #10 wasnt there the sprocket would rub through the swingarm. Ill check when I get home though to be positive. Ill take everything apart and take pictures, maybe that will help.

[Cheriff]

On my chain from that angle I can actually see the O-rings (X-rings actually) between the sideplates. I agree that they seem to be missing in that picture.

As far as the diagnosis, its time to take it apart again and count pieces and match to a fiche. You can also take the axle and role it across the floor like a pool cue for a quick visual test of it.

Im 99% all the spacers are there. If #10 wasnt there the sprocket would rub through the swingarm. Ill check when I get home though to be positive. Ill take everything apart and take pictures, maybe that will help.

I would have put my money down that it was touching on the back side looking at that pic.

[thetable]

On my chain from that angle I can actually see the O-rings (X-rings actually) between the sideplates. I agree that they seem to be missing in that picture.

And no room for them either.

I would have put my money down that it was touching on the back side looking at that pic.

me too. That is just to tight on the swingarm to be right. Perhaps the spacer between the carrier and hub is missing, allowing the bearing to have been destroyed, and causing the outer spacer to sit further in than it should. The #10 spacer on my kat sticks out of the carrier at least an 5mm. If that inner spacer is missing, I would immediately replace wheel bearings regardless of how they feel.

[Kreylyn]

And no room for them either.


me too. That is just to tight on the swingarm to be right. Perhaps the spacer between the carrier and hub is missing, allowing the bearing to have been destroyed, and causing the outer spacer to sit further in than it should. The #10 spacer on my kat sticks out of the carrier at least an 5mm. If that inner spacer is missing, I would immediately replace wheel bearings regardless of how they feel.

Neither Mine did, nor my wife's Kat have the spacer sticking out by more than 1mm. It's the stock 9mm wide spacer in place. If yours sticks out that far, I would quetion ...

1. It's a stock piece
2. The bearings are properly seated.
3. Your talking about another bike than a pre Kat 600 or 750.

Her's current sits nearly flush with the plastic dust guard. In my experiances, this is prefectly normal. If the spacer is missing completely, yes... that is an issue. You will need to remove the bike to check it most likely.






Keep in mind that any wheel larger than the 3.5" rim should have a larger spacer there. The 3.5-5.5" wheels have the sprocket in the same place, and the carriers do not change for the most part in how wide they are on that measurment. To make up for the wider swingarms for the wider wheels, a wider spacer is needed as the swingarm will be further from the carrier.

As it is with the Pre Kat 3.5" wheels, there is so much room between the sprocket/chain line and the tires on the rim... you do not need any extra room at all. So the stock spacers will be/were only very minimally wider than needed to stick out of the carrier.

Krey

[HemiKat]

Well, Im at a loss. I have all the pieces.... Im going to post some pictures and you experts tell me what you think is wrong.