Warm Final Drive Housing

[TWO]

After completing a 2 hour drive at moderate speeds on secondary roads, I found the bottom of the final drive housing (below the drain bolt) to be warm to the touch. Outdoor temperature was running around 15 C, 59 F. Haven't checked the final drive fluid level, but have no reason to believe that any has leaked out. Is this a normal condition, or should I pay a visit to the dealer? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[TXTenere]

After completing a 2 hour drive at moderate speeds on secondary roads, I found the bottom of the final drive housing (below the drain bolt) to be warm to the touch. Outdoor temperature was running around 15 C, 59 F. Haven't checked the final drive fluid level, but have no reason to believe that any has leaked out. Is this a normal condition, or should I pay a visit to the dealer? Thanks in advance for your input.

I would say, absolutely normal. My final drive housing is typically warm to hot. My suggestion would be, if you are concerned about this, switch to synthetic final drive oil. People have reported a cooler final drive temperature when running synthetic oil. Also, there have been reports of brand-new bikes coming out of the factory low on final drive oil. I have heard of no ill effects from this though. If you are worried about that, and your bike is new, open up the fill port, and see where the fluid is. Wouldn't hurt anything to do so.

 

[spasm]

only warm ????? your not riding fast enough. with all the drive and power from the motor being forced through that little final drive. cog whiring bearings spinning. its gonna get hot yeah ::008:: mines very very warm after a good blast

 

[coastie]

I felt mine once and burnt my finger. I don't touch it anymore. That was over 20k miles ago.


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[Checkswrecks]

A single thread on this ought to be one of the first stickies for every shaft drive Yamaha forum, because hot final drives are so normal. Yamaha motorcycles have used the same layout for drive shaft and pumpkin design since the 1986 redesign of the VMax. To show this is not a new thread or topic:


This FJR thread started in 2005 is just one of many:
http://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/3339-does-your-pumpkin-get-hot/?hl=%2Btouch+%2Bpumpkin#entry38622


Typical of many for the Yamaha Star Venture Forum:
http://www.venturerider.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-50496.html


There are others for the Venture Royale (old touring bike), VMax, and prior threads already in this forum for the Tenere.






While the Yam rear drive gets detail changes between models, swapping has been done between models and is how the VMax guys change gear ratios. Putting a Star pumpkin on a Tenere would probably result in a dragster wheelbase or something.

 

[coastie]

I heard rinsing it out with kerosene helps! Lol! TWO all kidding aside, in less there is some mechanical noise, like grinding, clunking...etc, just ride the hell out of it. Besides a few FD's with very small oil leaks we have seen no issues. Heat is normal. Take any ride here in the heat of a Texas summer and it will be to hot to touch, and no issues with mine.


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[markjenn]

While the Yam rear drive gets detail changes between models, swapping has been done between models and is how the VMax guys change gear ratios. Putting a Star pumpkin on a Tenere would probably result in a dragster wheelbase or something.

Other than perhaps a washer or two, the S10 final drive shares not a single part with any other Yamaha model.

- Mark

 

[Don in Lodi]

I felt mine once and burnt my finger. I don't touch it anymore. That was over 20k miles ago.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

LMAO ::025::

 

[snakebitten]

Mine would shed a few tears when it got West Texas Hot. (or, you could say its mascara would run)

Got new seals recently. I think it quit crying. We'll see. But I plan on flogging it in 100F to verify.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Other than perhaps a washer or two, the S10 final drive shares not a single part with any other Yamaha model.

- Mark

I never said that it does.


I wrote "[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]same [/font]layout" and then "While the Yam rear drive gets detail changes between models" This was followed by pointing out why people would NOT want to exchange parts.

 

[markjenn]

I never said that it does.


I wrote "[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]same [/font]layout" and then "While the Yam rear drive gets detail changes between models" This was followed by pointing out why people would NOT want to exchange parts.

I may have over-reacted, but the idea that the S10 final drive has diddly-squat to do with the FJR, V-Max, any Star, etc. final drive is urban legend in these parts and when I see people saying things like "detail changes between models", I feel compelled to point out that the S10 final drive really has nothing to do with these other models, other than being the same general design.

- Mark

 

[snakebitten]

And similarly robust.

 

[rem]

Welcome on, TWO, from New Brunswick. I was down that way for a year in PEI about a hundred years ago. Always glad to see the Canucks join up. Please post under Member Intros when you get the chance. ::004:: to the Forum. R ::022::

 

[Kiwi Graham]

Normal, so normal infact it has cooling fins

 

[TWO]

Welcome on, TWO, from New Brunswick. I was down that way for a year in PEI about a hundred years ago. Always glad to see the Canucks join up. Please post under Member Intros when you get the chance. ::004:: to the Forum. R ::022::
[/quote

Thanks for the welcome REM. And I was through your neck of the woods also, on the way to Alaska, also about a hundred years ago.

 

[Marty]

It has cooling fins so, obviously it is normal for it to generate significant heat.

 

[SingleTrackMind]

I would say, absolutely normal. My final drive housing is typically warm to hot. My suggestion would be, if you are concerned about this, switch to synthetic final drive oil. People have reported a cooler final drive temperature when running synthetic oil. Also, there have been reports of brand-new bikes coming out of the factory low on final drive oil. I have heard of no ill effects from this though. If you are worried about that, and your bike is new, open up the fill port, and see where the fluid is. Wouldn't hurt anything to do so.

I don't want to start another thread on this but has anyone switched to synthetic and does it make a difference in regards to the temp? Rode with a friend today, he's on a gs1200 and his drive was almost cool after the same ride.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Warm is a good thing when dealing with a nice heavy fluid.
::021::

 

[Dogdaze]

I don't want to start another thread on this but has anyone switched to synthetic and does it make a difference in regards to the temp? Rode with a friend today, he's on a gs1200 and his drive was almost cool after the same ride.

The GS have a 'cooling hole' in the center of their hubs (don't know the official term), to allow air to pass through, additionally they market a product that draws air into the hub thus cooling it further. Having said that, BMW's have been known to have overheating FD issues in the past and a fire hazard to a few, none such problems reported on the S10, so it must be okay.