Mismatching Rear Drive Gear?

[F100Panel]

I purchased used wheels for my '97 'Max.. My bike has 4K on it. I have no clue how many miles on the wheels I bought. I got Metzlers mounted on the just aqquired rims ( Side thought, I went with new Metzlers front & back as they seemed the preferred tire on this site.. CAN'T WAIT to try'em in the spring. But the Metzler on the back rim is a LOT smaller than the same size Brigstone Exedra I'm taking off with the black wheels. That was disapointing.... but I'm looking forward to the forecast improved handling on the Metzlersunk:The 97 has of course black wheels & I wanted the bright wheels, clear coat issues aside:confused2: ) I'm looking at the rear wheel... The drive gear looks fine but....I don't see a way to remove it? Granted bikes in general are not my mechanical strong point but so far I don't see a way to remove the drive ( ring gear if it had four wheels...) gear from the wheel. I'd REALLY not like to mismatch ( If it had 4 wheels I'd never ever consider mismatched gears ) the newly aqqiured wheel with unknown miles on the drive gear with my 4K miles on it pinion gear. What is the norm with a wheel swap? Is there a way I'm not seeing to get that gear off or do you guys just run the well greased mismatched gears?

 

[G Man]

Unlike the internal rear drive gears, you do not need to worry at all about the wheel gear and the drive "matching" or not. Not that critical there. You should just check the gear on the wheel for visible wear, or if it is rusty. If it looks o.k. to the naked eye, grease it up and install the wheel.

If you want to swap the wheel gear just for your piece of mind, then there is a retaining circlip holding the gear on. You are just not seeing it due to grease/dirt etc... Pop that circlip off and the gear will just pull right out of the wheel. Reverse the process to install the one off of you original wheel.

Hope this helps,
G Man

 

[PATMAX]

Welcome to the forum. There are tons of resources here.
Regarding your question, I am unsure what you are wanting to do. When changing rear wheel, you should not have to touch the ring gear. There is the "Cush drive" set up in the wheel hub itself. You really have no direct contact from the wheel itself and the ring. You will slide the wheel away from the differential and you will see the splined Cush drive assembly. It is a huge help to look at at a manual or parts microfiche that allows you to visually conceptualize how it goes together and works. I'm guilty of making things more difficult than they really are. You can do it!

 

[F100Panel]

THANKS G Man!!!!! I kept looking to pull off a major chunk of something holding the little gear. It never occurred to look for a clip holding the gear on... I spent most of my life fixing Heavy Equipment and it is inbred in my mind that EVEYTHING that rubs together creates it's own unique DNA like wear pattern. For peace of mind I just HAVE ta change that gear out.... I'm likely only exercising futility but the peace of mind due to the way my brain has been programmed over the years, it will be worth it....at least to me:worthy: Again... THANK YOU for the straight scoop!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[one2dmax]

How do you know you are going to get the splines to line up exactly where it was "rubbing" before. Trust us. The drive gears have nothing to worry about just swapping the wheels without moving them around.

Sean

 

[gamorg02]

How do you know you are going to get the splines to line up exactly where it was "rubbing" before. Trust us. The drive gears have nothing to worry about just swapping the wheels without moving them around.

Sean

have you EVER seen the cush drive either on the wheel or in the final drive wear out?

 

[one2dmax]

No, and we've put a lot of HP though them.

 

[gamorg02]

No, and we've put a lot of HP though them.

makes sense. thats not the weakpoint either eh? usually the driveshaft?

 

[F100Panel]

Oh Brother..... Now my mind is in conflict.... Apply what I know to something I really know very little about, or take the advice of those who DO know ( I've read a lot of Sean's posts...he sure seems to know...with that G Man was telling me the same thing...) I think I have it stuck in my mind that I'm looking at a form of ring and pinion set & I'm apparently not/there is a difference I just don't understand due to lack of familiarity. I CONCEDE, I'll go with what you guys are generously spending your time trying to install in my closed mind... I'll leave the gear alone, clean it up good & generously put some soap based grease in the teeth. The Extreme Pressure Moly grease I have in the shop now that I look at the ingrediants is soap based/just what the manual ordered.... I'll clean out the other gear and put new grease in that too. One should never mix unknown types of grease... THANK YOU for the free education guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rollie]

Download the manual for more peace of mind. unk:

 

[one2dmax]

If you were taking apart the rear differential I would agree not to mix parts around. But, you are taking off the wheel.

Essentially the splines of the wheel drive are similar to the splines of a transmission output shaft. You would have no problems swapping driveshafts from another transmission/car. Same thing with it. You'll never put the yoke into the exact same position it came out of so there is no matched wear pattern.

Sean