Upper gear (drive sprocket assembly) bushing wear, End of season maintainance...

[Pstn head]

So I think I caught it in time, my upper gear bushing was worn pretty good. Had a little play on the jack shaft plus the silver coating was mostly non existent, compared to the new one, once installed I was able to tell the difference in there tolerances as per the play on the shaft. Also the driven (forward chain) and the reverse chain were stretched, more the driven chain, and replaced along with the chain guides. I also replaced the drive shaft bearing behind the brake disc, cleaned and greased the jack shaft bearing behind the secondary clutch. I think the bearings in the chaincase should be ok, next year those are being replaced for sure along with the bearing behind the secondary.
It's not to bad of a job to do, with patience and time and if your good with a wrench it's very doable. Be aware of the washers and placement of the gears within the chaincase. The washers tend to stick to the case and or the gears when separating them.
That's on top of usuall wear items like skid bearings, checking for cracks, loose bolts etc.
I also took a page out of my buddies book and drilled out the rivets holding the lower plastic panels and drilled out and installed rivet nuts in order to bolt and unbolt for complete access, plus No More Oil Change Mess !!!

 

[Fleecer]

Great info........how many miles on your sled?

 

[cannondale27]

You caught it in time. Once the wear on that top gear bushing gets through the grey coating it's shot. Next it gets through the copper colored Babbit and then it's steel and shaft will be shot IF the thing doesn't pop out of gear and grenade everything else first. Well done.

 

[Pstn head]

Great info........how many miles on your sled?

Quite a few...9500km (5900miles) any more than that we'll be pushing it. Ideally they should be changed in half those kms IMO. Maybe this will be a mid season thing to do, Grrr. I'v been wanting to do it a little earlier but was a little apprehensive through the season to do it. I think it needs attention around the 5000km (3000mile) mark maximum.

 

[Pstn head]

You caught it in time. Once the wear on that top gear bushing gets through the grey coating it's shot. Next it gets through the copper colored Babbit and then it's steel and shaft will be shot IF the thing doesn't pop out of gear and grenade everything else first. Well done.

I was made aware of this issue becouse of your thread a couple of years ago in the Viper section. That's why this site
Is Number-1, members on this site are so knowledgeable, helpful and informative, like yourself and others.

It's to bad really that it couldn't be a splined gear somehow (maybe a diffrent reverse setup) or something so it doesn't wear and maybe be catastrophic if not attended to.
Looks like this will be a mid season thing to do from now on.

 

[cannondale27]

Thanks. I agree with your 3000mi assessment have seen them almost as bad as yours in that amount of time. Actually with 5900mi yours looks much better than I thought it would. I never let mine go that far since I never got more than 5000 in a season. Always have changed it yearly. Tough call to do it mid season. Most of my caution and fear over this issue is from seeing all the failures and ruined shafts in the Cats. I am not seeing it in the Viper/7000's and newer cats. Maybe the coating wearing off is where it will stop? Must be many Vipers with over 6000 mi on by now that have never changed that gear and just not seeing chaincase failures as often as in past Cats. I won't chance it but is food for thought especially considering the work involved and doing it mid season.

 

[swampcat]

Pulling that lower panel off and adding the RivNuts is the best. SOOOOOO much easier for oil change and maintenance.

 

[STAIN]

I added some Lucas oil treatment to my Viper chain case last time in an effort to slow down the wear in that top gear. I will see if works this fall. That is a loooong chain and requires the oil to travel a long way to get to it. I saw where some were over filling the case slightly in an effort to give the top gear more lube also.
I wonder if some grooves were cut in that bushing if it would be better lubed? I plan on changing the track in my new Sidewinder and am open to suggestions on extending the life of that top gear.
Love that that lower panel mod---a must do in my mind!!!!

 

[@123]

is there a vid somewhere that show how to remove chaincase on those sidewinder?

 

[**sj**]

Pulling that lower panel off and adding the RivNuts is the best. SOOOOOO much easier for oil change and maintenance.

nice...post a thread showing the install of these ?

 

[**sj**]

I added some Lucas oil treatment to my Viper chain case last time in an effort to slow down the wear in that top gear. I will see if works this fall. That is a loooong chain and requires the oil to travel a long way to get to it. I saw where some were over filling the case slightly in an effort to give the top gear more lube also.
I wonder if some grooves were cut in that bushing if it would be better lubed? I plan on changing the track in my new Sidewinder and am open to suggestions on extending the life of that top gear.
Love that that lower panel mod---a must do in my mind!!!!

like and agree....lube maybe not getting and easily sticking up there....thanks for the idea...Im going to try it also...

 

[Pstn head]

I added some Lucas oil treatment to my Viper chain case last time in an effort to slow down the wear in that top gear. I will see if works this fall. That is a loooong chain and requires the oil to travel a long way to get to it. I saw where some were over filling the case slightly in an effort to give the top gear more lube also.
I wonder if some grooves were cut in that bushing if it would be better lubed? I plan on changing the track in my new Sidewinder and am open to suggestions on extending the life of that top gear.
Love that that lower panel mod---a must do in my mind!!!!

Keep us posted on the Lucas treatment additive.

 

[Pstn head]

nice...post a thread showing the install of these ?

I have a few more to insert, so I'll try and post how to install. It's easy really, you'd need the rivet nut gun, whichever bolt size you want and rivet nut to accept the bolt, drill and press in with the hand gun.

 

[Pstn head]

is there a vid somewhere that show how to remove chaincase on those sidewinder?

There's a thread in the Viper FAQ section, cannondale 27 posted it, I don't know how to link the thread to here, but maybe someone can link it here to see. It is for a Viper but covers some of the points about opening the chaincase. There both similar chaincase said but not exactly the same. It'll help for sure.

 

[hellflyer]

My lower panel is off right now, so glad l read this! I just ordered the rivet nut set and gun. What size did you use?