O.K. you useful guys. I’m pretty sure the output seal on the gearbox on the Spada is shot. I replaced all the seals ummmm miles ago and I wos wonderering if anyone has changed the output seal by just removing the swingarm. I don’t think the gearbox has to be stripped for this seal but I may be wrong of course.Can it be removed and replaced without all the explosion of bits? Or am I condemned to the usual surfeit of spannering and humping?
The book says, no. Reality say yes, can be done. Been there and done it. Just take care and find a suitable tool to drive the new seal in square.
Book says you can’t change the pawl spring without taking everything off, but I did it, and that included removing the seal.
Thanks folks, I had a suspicion it was possible. Make a start this afternoon.
That was unexpectedly easy. Mind you, the old seal didn’t seem to be worn, and it was only replaced about 10,000 miles ago. Got me to thinking (dangerous I know). The gearbox has a breather but the bevel box doesn’t. I have just been down through Spain to Gibraltar and the temperature changes have been dramatic. If the air expands in bevel box the pressure would be released through the rear gearbox oil seal because of the way it faces (a bit like a valve). When the temperatures fall a depression would be caused in the bevel box and that may be sucking oil through the seal from the gearbox. Will fit a breather to the bevel box and see what happens. The old beemer has a bevel box breather and has done donkey’s miles with no problems.
Personally would of thought is the bevel box was getting hot and pressurising it wouls also force the oil out the bevel box seal on the output spline drive it would certainlty let the air in if vacumed due to the size and the orientation of the sealing face
One thing I learned with the V1000 is when filling the bevel box run the bike for 20 mls ish to get it good and hot then undo the bevel box filler plug to “burp” it …that lets out the hot air and as it cools creates a slight vacuum, seems to stop oil getting out past the seals …
Some recon it is rubbish bu hey my bevel box covers 100k miles between new seals
It looks like you haven’t noticed it’s the gearbox seal I’m on about.
Pete, don’t forget that the Spada has the rubber bellows on the connection between the gearbox and swing arm. This must allow expansion which is probably why no breather was fitted to the bevel box.The situation on the small blocks and those big blocks with exposed drive shafts is very different of course.
Yes, it was only a thought. I’ll have to see what happens when I put it back on the road next year.