Final Drive Temp

Yamaguy55

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

Kevhunts said:
Anyone place your hand on the final drive housing after a long ride?
I was shocked to find it was VERY HOT?
So hot, you could not keep your hand on it. ???
Why? Ever look at a truck or other rear wheel drive differential in the rain in winter? They are always dry. Because they are hot. Why wouldn't they be hot? Which is why we have to use hypoid lube.

Too brainwashed by front drive vehicles. ::025::
 

Combo

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

I can understand the shock of the heat when you touch the rear on a shaft drive bike for the first time. :eek:

I know my truck rear differential gets hot but I don't crawl under and touch it. ::)

I did this with a Yamaha Venture Royale and I first thought what the heck and then I came back to reality. ;D

So I can understand that at first touch that you don't want this 14 K motorcycle drive burning up.
 

bloke

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

Combo said:
So I can understand that at first touch that you don't want this 14 K motorcycle drive burning up.
Yamaha didn't copy everything BMW does ::015::
 

Kevhunts

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I used an infrared thermometer on my final drive after about an hours ride and I came up with a temperature of 141 deg. F.

Now does anybody have a spec or their own readings to compare this with?

BTW, the average human skin will burn around 140 deg. F which is why I couldn't hold my hand on it.
 

YamaPA

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

Yamaguy55 said:
Why? Ever look at a truck or other rear wheel drive differential in the rain in winter? They are always dry. Because they are hot. Why wouldn't they be hot? Which is why we have to use hypoid lube.

Too brainwashed by front drive vehicles. ::025::
Not looking to start an oil thread, but hypoid lube is not used because the gear box gets hot, it is used to protect bevel gears as a result of the sliding action between the gears. Hypoid oils contain "more" antiwear and extreme pressure additives than other oils to handle the challenges bevel gears present. "Heat" can be handled by normal oils. Rear ends do not get as hot as engine oils (usually). "Boundary layer effect" comes into play with bevel gears.....or how much oil is actually between those gears when the oil is "squished/slid" between the gears...thus the reason for the additional antiwear and EP additives.

Rear ends get hot....especially when no lube is used. (There's a sexual connotation to that last comment) ::025::
 

Tremor38

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Kevhunts said:
I used an infrared thermometer on my final drive after about an hours ride and I came up with a temperature of 141 deg. F.

Now does anybody have a spec or their own readings to compare this with?

BTW, the average human skin will burn around 140 deg. F which is why I couldn't hold my hand on it.
You are really over worrying this. 141 deg. F is not hot for a rear end. Consider engine water temp, then engine oils temps just as a comparsion. Me thinks you have too much time on your hands that you should use for riding.
 

bloke

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

YamaPA said:
Rear ends get hot....especially when no lube is used. (There's a sexual connotation to that last comment) ::025::
now you gone and started a rear end fluid level widespread panic on the super ten forum ::025::
 

Yamaguy55

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

YamaPA said:
Not looking to start an oil thread, but hypoid lube is not used because the gear box gets hot, it is used to protect bevel gears as a result of the sliding action between the gears. Hypoid oils contain "more" antiwear and extreme pressure additives than other oils to handle the challenges bevel gears present. "Heat" can be handled by normal oils. Rear ends do not get as hot as engine oils (usually). "Boundary layer effect" comes into play with bevel gears.....or how much oil is actually between those gears when the oil is "squished/slid" between the gears...thus the reason for the additional antiwear and EP additives.

Rear ends get hot....especially when no lube is used. (There's a sexual connotation to that last comment) ::025::
I know, but if the fact it gets hot amazes, then this is too many levels up. I'm trying to keep it basic. I don't want to appear to be talking down to anyone, I come across that way enough as it is. But I was making the point that the friction caused by hypoid gears necessitates the stinky sulphur smelling hypoid lube. With that sort of friction, heat will be abundant. Regular engine oils aren't designed for the type of friction that gears have, and the loads placed upon them. One of the reasons motorcycle oil is different is the gearbox, not just the clutch. I know I'm referring to engine oil, but there are some parallels here. We use hypoid gears in the S10s rear drive. Can't call it a differential, as it doesn't have one. Unlike bevel gears, there is much more tooth contact/engagement, and a sliding motion of the drive gear over the driven. That, combined with the thrust forces trying to push one gear away from the other cause a substantial amount of heat. Good for warming the hands in winter.
 

GrahamD

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

Yamaguy55 said:
. Good for warming the hands in winter.
Cool, I didn't think of that. Somewhere else to pop the gloves while I am having a break. ::008::
 

GM4X4

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I was out for a 2-3 hr run yesterday. Ambient temp was 15 C(59F)to 18(64F) C. During that time I did a hand check of the final drive and it was only slightly warm, did not have to remove my hand at anypoint. Stopped once or twice to check. Not like the temps described by most on this thread.
I was just thinking. My tires felt hot in comparsion to the final drive. I don't know what to make of it, strange????
 

Rynn Storm

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Re: Finale Drive Temp

RMac said:
The final drive sucks up 10% or more of the transmitted power. The designers have put cooling fins on the rear housing. Not surprising that it gets warm.
Due to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_thermodynamics, the energy that is "lost" is turned into heat. If a shaft was as efficient as a chain, then it would be far cooler (and the inventor would make a ton of money).
 

fender5803

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FWIW as I know this is page three I went on a 40 mile ride today on my new XTZ12BC (miles 20 to 60) and checked the shaft with my hand when the outside temp was 67*F at the coast and 82* in the inland valley and in both places the shaft was warm to a little warmer but never hot or jerk the hand away hot.
Just a FWIW ...
BTW I am in love with my new motorcycle, sad to be eventually giving up my DL650K4 yes, but even it knows it's just become obsolete for my house.
Best, DT
 

kballowe

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So, I'm I newbie.
My first Super Tenere.
.
Low 70's today and about 250 miles of two-lane roads and Maybe 20 miles of gravel.
I get home - and for some unknown reason, I lay my hand on the rear differential and discover that it is quite warm, indeed. I could hold my hand there. but it was getting uncomfortable.

Is it supposed to get this warm?

The bike has just 1,000 miles on it, and I changed the lube at 500 miles with the "Genuine Honda" shaft drive oil in the little bottle with a picture of a Gold Wing on the front.

???

Thanks,
Kevin
 

Karson

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I asked the exact same question when I put some decent miles on for the first time. In a nutshell, yes they all get uncomfortably warm if you keep your hand on there. Nothing to worry about.

If you want to see the rhetoric that got tossed around in a prior thread, here you go: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=1634.0;nowap
 

kballowe

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Thanks.

We also have an Honda ST and a GL1800 Gold Wing. Neither of them get like that. My FJR wasn't like that.

It topped out at 70 degrees today and I was just thinking it should be cooler than that.

Nature of the beast, I guess.
 

Karson

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No problem - the final drive's the same as what's in the Vmax, so no need to worry on it being a weak point in the bike. ::008:: ::008::
 

Checkswrecks

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kballowe said:
Thanks.

We also have an Honda ST and a GL1800 Gold Wing. Neither of them get like that. My FJR wasn't like that.

It topped out at 70 degrees today and I was just thinking it should be cooler than that.

Nature of the beast, I guess.

Interesting, as when doing an oil change, I remember clearly when I learned that the FJR pumpkin got quite hot.
 

kballowe

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Checkswrecks said:
Interesting, as when doing an oil change, I remember clearly when I learned that the FJR pumpkin got quite hot.
I had an '07. What year was yours ?
 

phplemel

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Last April I was riding in the Mojave with a bunch of Rayhyde people.
I did a highly scientific test :)) during one ride.
It was 95f+ so after doing quite a few desert miles then a rapid road section (80mph+)
we stopped for a water break and I was parked beside a new 1200gsa
I reached down & touched my final drive (quite warm-not hot) then a reached over to feel the gsa's drive
the owner saw this and yelled at me to be carefull not to burn myself ::005::
His was SMOKING HOT
I don't worry about mine any more ::021::
 
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