Author Topic: c-14 Final drive temperature (Read 6027 times)

mike-s4 · « **on:** May 31, 2011, 05:45:10 PM »

Hi guys,
After a short ride I checked my final drive and it seemed quite warm. I could keep my hand on it but not for a long time. I'll borrow a digital temp gauge next week and get an exact temperature. Bike runs perfect and no noise.
Is this normal?

Mike

PS- Oil is at the correct level with 80w90 gl 5.

Pokey · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2011, 05:48:11 PM »

Seriously?

Rawman · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2011, 05:54:41 PM »

LOL, I resisted the urge (until now) to reply.....

If you cycle through the gauges, you will find the rear differential oil temp and final drive temperatures, let us know what yours reads.

mike-s4 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2011, 05:59:10 PM »

Rawman,
My bike is a Canadian model and has the exhaust temperature instead of final drive temperature on the digital readout.

Seriously, is it supposed to run hot?

mike · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:06:47 PM »

Tarheelbob · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:08:00 PM »

Quote from: mike-s4 on May 31, 2011, 05:59:10 PM

Seriously, is it supposed to run hot?

Yes. Quite.

Rawman · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:09:58 PM »

Quote from: mike-s4 on May 31, 2011, 05:59:10 PM

Rawman,
My bike is a Canadian model and has the exhaust temperature instead of final drive temperature on the digital readout.

Seriously, is it supposed to run hot?

Good one....

I would imagine it would build up a lot of heat. It converts the power from the transmission to the rear differential. Metal gears on metal gears with some moly paste on them with universal joints all spinning at ungodly RPMs.

mike-s4 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:20:36 PM »

Bike just turned 50.000 km. I had never checked the temperature before and thought it might be starting to go bad on me. I feel better now that it's not just mine getting hot. Love this forum! Thanks.

Jeremy Mitchell · « **Reply #8 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:28:25 PM »

My final drive is warm enough that I can set a Hot Pocket on it, then three minutes later.......... I have lunch.

Just wait until the weekly KiPass thread gets going...................

I'm sure the obligatory Kirby photo and the fob in a drink will show up again.

B.D.F. · « **Reply #9 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:47:40 PM »

Wow, touch crowd, eh?

Yes, the final drive will get hot due to power consumption between the gears primarily. The power lost in a shaft drive bike is really mostly consumed in the final drive rather than the driveshaft. All that power gets turned into heat and is radiated off (air cooled). Perfectly normal.

Brian

Quote from: mike-s4 on May 31, 2011, 05:45:10 PM

Hi guys,
After a short ride I checked my final drive and it seemed quite warm. I could keep my hand on it but not for a long time. I'll borrow a digital temp gauge next week and get an exact temperature. Bike runs perfect and no noise.
Is this normal?

Mike

PS- Oil is at the correct level with 80w90 gl 5.

mike-s4 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:53:19 PM »

Thanks Brian,
I understand that final drive failures on the C-14 are quite rare. I am happy that the temp is normal.

Mike

B.D.F. · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2011, 07:10:51 PM »

I don't know of any actual drive failures although some of us have had seal failures, me included. A new seal and mine is fine at 62K miles.

A lot of the parts in a C-14 final drive come from a C-10 drive so they are 'battle tested' and not new designs. C-10's certainly do not have a record of final drive failures being common.

Brian

Quote from: mike-s4 on May 31, 2011, 06:53:19 PM

Thanks Brian,
I understand that final drive failures on the C-14 are quite rare. I am happy that the temp is normal.

Mike

jonathan · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2011, 01:42:33 PM »

There have been 2 or 3 documented final drive failures. One of them was catastrophic enough to shatter the left side exhaust hanger/pass foot peg.

VirginiaJim · « **Reply #13 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:00:47 PM »

Two or three documented failures on nearly a 20 year run. I don't think that's too bad all things considered.

mikeboileau · « **Reply #14 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:26:20 PM »

B.D.F. · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:35:54 PM »

The failure I believe you are talking about, at least the one I remember was a driveshaft failure, not a final drive failure. There have been a few (a handful) of driveshaft problems on C-14s but only the one catastrophic failure that I am aware of, the others were caught through vibration and / or inspection. There have also been a very few bevel gear assembly failures but again nothing catastrophic, just noise as the main symptom as I remember.

If there are documented cases, could you please point to the documentation?

Brian

Quote from: jonathan on June 01, 2011, 01:42:33 PM

There have been 2 or 3 documented final drive failures. One of them was catastrophic enough to shatter the left side exhaust hanger/pass foot peg.

Conrad · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:55:23 PM »

Quote from: jonathan on June 01, 2011, 01:42:33 PM

There have been 2 or 3 documented final drive failures. One of them was catastrophic enough to shatter the left side exhaust hanger/pass foot peg.

What left side exhaust hanger?

VirginiaJim · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:56:09 PM »

Think he's talking about a C10.

Conrad · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2011, 03:01:00 PM »

Quote from: vajim on June 01, 2011, 02:56:09 PM

Think he's talking about a C10.

Um, nevermind then.

Shadowofshoe · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2011, 03:06:31 PM »

Final drive failures were so common on LT's that there was someone who used a point and shoot thermometer and logged the temps in hopes of predicting FD death....I don't think it worked but I know its was hot

Mike

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Author Topic: c-14 Final drive temperature (Read 6027 times)