Gear box output shaft backlash

[turkperkins]

G'day again GSX1400 Gurus. You all helped me fix the last problem so I'm going to throw this out to you. After the last "Sensitive Throttle" issue the bike has been great. It has now developed a "Clunkish" sound when going from off throttle to on throttle. Quite loud I think. I would have ignored it but it wasn't there when I bought the bike.

My preliminary investigations have only been to put it on the centre stand, take the cover off the output sprocket and check the back lash. It's about 7/8th of a chain link in first gear and maybe 3/4 in top gear.

Great investigation but I don't know if that's good or bad. I have a Haynes manual and after trolling through that I've started to think clutch problems. Partly, I'll admit,  because it seems a cheaper fix than any real gearbox problems.

The bike has 34,000kms on it.

Any ideas very much appreciated.

[mark.knights]

.

[kja]

Take no notice of it, most of what you hear is the springs in the cltch backplate being compressed, on GSX11's you used to be able to get a billet backplate with heavy duty springs fitted as the originals gave up the ghost. This is true of the GSX14 although I'm not aware of anyone who makes anything to modify the standard springs. I'll mention it to Rog Upperton next time I'm over at his place. The rest will be the gears taking up the slack, tired cush drive ribbers or an incorrectly tensioned chain can exaggerate the sensation though.

[T 24]

I think you dont have any transmission problems. Its a Suzuki!

[turkperkins]

Thanks for the replies. Now I'm wondering why I didn't notice it at first. I've done about 4000km since I bought it. Maybe because my last bike was a Harley the four cylinder felt so smooth to me. This is also my first chain driven road bike. I've had shaft and belt drives before this. My last Suzuki was a GS1100GK and I didn't notice it on that. I also notice the GSX1400 has a slipper clutch, maybe that is part the noise.

Thanks again for the swift replies. I'll keep you posted.

[Mick_J]

You must have the only one with a slipper clutch 

[gsxbarmy]

Yep I'd agree, no slipper clutch as standard on 14's

[grog]

No slippers on 14, a rare bike. Have you done all the adjusts, they are needed. TPS, throttle cables, chain likes perfect adjust, pairs blocked off. Should be smooth, not clunky at all. Mine is just perfect. Do the adjustments and report back.

[turkperkins]

Ok. I may be wrong on the slipper clutch. I've been reading the Haynes manual and saw the "Back Torque Limiter" and assumed it was a similar device. A mistake maybe, but it gets worse from here. I should have applied Occam's Razor to the "clunking" problem. I listened to the forum replies this morning and felt better but then I thought more about it and the Clunk wasn't there 500km ago. I had my mate take it for a ride, he's on an R1. He brought it back and said "No. There's something wrong." Long story short. The back wheel was loose! I feel like a dickhead. Before I found that, thinking the worst, I dropped the oil looking for all the metal I would find as the gear box was destroying itself. Nothing. I then pulled the clutch cover off. Looked brand new. Despondent, I put it back together and decided the chain was a bit loose. The wheel nut was almost finger tight! I forgot the basics. The good news is it rides beautifully again and I learned an important lesson about putting you bike in for new tyres.

[Kiwifruit]

Thats great news TP pleased it finished up being something simple.

[kja]

Thanks for the replies. Now I'm wondering why I didn't notice it at first. I've done about 4000km since I bought it. Maybe because my last bike was a Harley the four cylinder felt so smooth to me. This is also my first chain driven road bike. I've had shaft and belt drives before this. My last Suzuki was a GS1100GK and I didn't notice it on that. I also notice the GSX1400 has a slipper clutch, maybe that is part the noise.

Thanks again for the swift replies. I'll keep you posted.

Back torque limiter, which is, a very crude kind of slipper clutch, these can wear and cause a few issues. I fit a billet centre piece, this gives the clutch a more direct feel but you must fit heavier springs at the same time. They can also be welded up to make them one piece, although the heat from the welding does soften the pieces slightly.

[gsxbarmy]

Ok. I may be wrong on the slipper clutch. I've been reading the Haynes manual and saw the "Back Torque Limiter" and assumed it was a similar device. A mistake maybe, but it gets worse from here. I should have applied Occam's Razor to the "clunking" problem. I listened to the forum replies this morning and felt better but then I thought more about it and the Clunk wasn't there 500km ago. I had my mate take it for a ride, he's on an R1. He brought it back and said "No. There's something wrong." Long story short. The back wheel was loose! I feel like a dickhead. Before I found that, thinking the worst, I dropped the oil looking for all the metal I would find as the gear box was destroying itself. Nothing. I then pulled the clutch cover off. Looked brand new. Despondent, I put it back together and decided the chain was a bit loose. The wheel nut was almost finger tight! I forgot the basics. The good news is it rides beautifully again and I learned an important lesson about putting you bike in for new tyres.

Glad its all sorted - That's terrible that a shop left the rear wheel undone, but glad you found the issue. Think I'd have a word with said shop, if they do it to you, they could do it to others, they need a proper checking procedure.

[grog]

Id be aking shop for a big discount next purchase if they left nut loose. Good result but.

[T 24]

Its good that you found that "clunk". But that back torque limiter, it is in every 14. You can find it from Suzukis factory service manual, page 3-39. It can be hard to understand how it works, but it is there.

[grog]

was told a long time ago, bike mechanic i trust. never over tighten chain, suzuki especially. output shaft bearing will just stuff up. ive always remembered that.