SuzukiSavage.com /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Cush bearings...? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1499545065 Message started by Alex Wheatley on 07/08/17 at 13:17:45

Title: Cush bearings...? Post by Alex Wheatley on 07/08/17 at 13:17:45 Hi all, Just had my front tire changed at the local stealership (I know, I know, but the last one was all cracky and I was in a hurry to get it done). Anyway. After changing the tire and test-running the bike, the mechanic who worked on it said "the belt tension is very loose...this could have been a result of the cush drive bearings becoming worn out". Now, the first thing to say is that according to the twist-test found on this site, the belt tension is actually, if anything, a tiny bit tight. It is definitely not "very loose" So I'm inclined to take anything they say with a full bag of salt. However, hearing that parts of my bike I've never even heard of might be work out warrants at least a check. So, wise-folks of the forum, a couple of things: 1) Where is the cush drive bearing, anyway? It sounds like it's somewhere on the front pulley, but I don't have much clue. 2) How would I check to see if it's still in working order? 3) What's the likelihood that it is worn out (at about 10,500 miles, albeit with a rather large me riding on it the last 3,000)? 4) If it does need replacing, what kind of time, cost and difficulty am I looking at?

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/17 at 13:25:16 I'm not feeling good, so, this is gonna be short. I've been here twelve years I've seen bikes with 150,000 + miles. Never have I heard that. Wait for answers But describe the problem

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Alex Wheatley on 07/08/17 at 13:33:11 JoG - I started with a Google of this forum and found basically nothing, which was the second thing (after being told that my slightly-too-tight belt was in fact massively too loose - yeah, way to get me to let you work on my baby again...) that made me start to think that this was a common case of mechanic's inexperience with our special little late-80s delight. But who knows?

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Armen on 07/08/17 at 13:34:41 There are three bearings in the rear wheel assembly. Two in the hub, one in the rear pulley carrier. Remove the rear wheel, see how much play the pulley carrier has in the hub. The rubber bumpers can wear out. Remove the pulley carrier. Take a look at the bearing. Usually, it is a bearing with a single dust shield/seal on the outboard side. Stick your finger in the bearing and try to turn it. Any play or crunchiness means it it toast. Then do a similar look and fondle on the wheel bearings. There have been a few posts about getting rid of play in the pulley carrier shock absorbers (bumpers). I'm a fan of changing any single shielded bearings to 2RS ones (double rubber shield). -Armen

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by verslagen1 on 07/08/17 at 13:37:58 1st, we like the belt loose so anything a stealership says that is a symptom of something... run away. cush drive... yeah you got one, on the rear pulley hub in between the wheel. grab the rear pulley, does it move alot? no then it's ok. moves but what's alot? idk, but it's probably ok. moves alot? might need a new hub bearing, might be ok with bots rubber damper tighterner.

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/17 at 13:48:04 Newbie at the shop. Instant BULLSHIT. How much did they get for mounting the tire?

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Alex Wheatley on 07/08/17 at 13:56:45 I can wobble the rear pulley maybe 2-3 degrees with respect to the rear wheel. It doesn't seem like "a lot" to me. Maybe that is a lot. Doesn't *seem* like there's much to worry about right now. If nothing's going to fall off or snap immediately, I'll investigate the bearings next time it's not hellishly hot outside, but this in North Carolina and that won't be until mid-September. justin - they got $35 for labor plus about $9 of things all billed as some variation on "miscellaneous crap". So, not terrible, but still money that I wouldn't be out if I were better a planning and checking my tires.

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by norm92de on 07/08/17 at 14:13:26 I know what is too loose for the belt. Yesterday I was playing around with the belt adjustment and found that if the belt is too loose it rubs on the rear bolt of the shift mechanism cover when turning the wheel backwards i.e. with the top run of the belt tight. The belt adjustment at this time was still a hard twist to get the proverbial 90* I readjusted the belt to be a very tough twist to get 90*. I know that the bike was lifted but even so actually touching the bolt was not acceptable to me. :'(

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Serowbot on 07/08/17 at 14:48:58 Dealers usually tighten the belt way too tight... Harley's have more pliable kevlar belts and they like to be tight,... our bikes use an industrial grade, plastic belt, they run better looser... If it ain't slippin on the cogs, it ain't too loose... ;D

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by norm92de on 07/08/17 at 16:56:07 Suzuki apparently doesn't practice what it preaches. I saw two examples of the S40 at a local dealership. Both of the belts were adjusted looser than the Suzuki gauge setting but tighter than the 90* twist.

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/17 at 20:56:10 ustin - they got $35 for labor plus about $9 of things all billed as some variation on "miscellaneous crap". So, not terrible, but still money that I wouldn't be out if I were better a planning and checking I pay at least that much if I haul the wheel in already off the bike..

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by gizzo on 07/09/17 at 03:18:53 that is a freakish amount of money to fit a  tyre.my tyre shop fits them free if you buy the tyre from them. dunno how tight Harley belts are but that is most likely the only belt information the tyre guy would possess. maybe educate them if they'll listen?

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Dave on 07/09/17 at 03:42:51 The amount of rotation of the cush drive isn't of much concern.....it doesn't seem to wear out. The "play" that is of more concern is the "wobble".....try and move the pulley by grabbing the front and rear, and push/pull and see if you can get the pulley to wobble (not rotate). If the pulley wobbles it is an indication the bearing is getting worn.  You can do the rubber floor mat modification and it helps......a bushing installed on the pulley hub is even better! http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1446828836 The bushing modification can be done by anyone with a lathe, and you don't need the floor mat if you have the bushing. http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1496178642

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by Alex Wheatley on 07/09/17 at 06:00:49 The 2 degrees I described was "wobble" not spin, sorry if that wasn't clear. Floor mat mod looks easy enough, not sure I know anyone with a lathe I could use to machine a bearing... Does anything terrible happen if I don't sort it out immediately?

Title: Re: Cush bearings...? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/09/17 at 06:15:01 Naah, it's more common than Suzuki would wanna admit. Problems Because of it? Pretty much nonexistent aside from the belt squeak.

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