Inner Primary Bearing Failure

[banquo]

Originally Posted by Oilslick

The primary gasket is a crazy price so thought that it's worth the risk. Easy fix if it leaks..

I've reused mine about 10 times now (after getting advice on here.. ), and the printed seal is just beginning to go around one of the screw holes (but not leaking). It's a quality metal gasket, and certainly reusable several times. Completely crazy that they ask you to replace it every time IMHO.

[Roy]

I chatted this all through with Cheltenham HD while getting a price on the parts and they [as a previous post stated] that HD have withdrawn the need for the IPB to be replaced at every 15k service. The reason it was in the book is a safety issue, so they requested stealerships change the bearing and then send them back to HD for analysis. Apparently over a period of time, many were sent back and none found to be faulty. Hence the withdrawl.

The main load of the gearbox main shaft (which then goes through the rear belt pulley and into the clutch is taken up on the load bearing on the primary side of the gearbox. Then the IPB and the bearing on the outer cover of the gearbox are 'supporting bearings'.

Mechanic listened to my bike and heard nothing that would indicate my IPB is on its way out, so I won't be changing it.

What I will be doing, on this weekends 20k, is dragging a magnet through the old oil to ensure there are no iron filings etc.

Anyway, thanks for answering questions and advice etc

[Oilslick]

Roy, good that you don't need to fix it. I found the rotor a very effective bearing swarf collector

Dave, I've sent my old bearing to you. I looked on the internet about causes of failure. It says things like oil starvation, misalignment, brinelling, misalignment etc. I haven't got the expertise to tell so I would be interested to know what your bearing bloke thinks caused the failure.

[Roy]

Thanks Peter

Must admit to being a tad relieved as spent Saturday last week in the garage (rear tyre, 20k service and steering head bearings) and did not fancy another weekend working on the thing. Rather be riding it ;-)

Need to update my garage pictures as have quite a few addition mods to the bike (16" apes,quickbob rear mudguard, lowered shocks, kellermans). Just need to find a 'cool' set of black mirrors to go on the apes.

If there was a problem with your IPB, would it be worth getting the message to HD ? as they have not yet found one yet despite loads of 15k services resulting in 'hundreds' being sent back to them for analysis.

Cheers, Roy