cush drive replace ?

[Speedy1959]

Hi All..
As you may know I am revving up to have my wheels re powder coated Red to match part of the bodywork.
I have bought a full set of Koyo bearings and seals (including the sprocket bearing and seal)..

The bike has done 26000 miles....
Would you recommend I replace the cush drive rubbers in the rear wheel whilst I am at it ?

Thanks in advance..

S.

[froudy]

If the sprocket carrier is still a tightish fit to get into the cush drive rubbers, I wouldn't bother

[Hooli]

Wot he said ^^^^


Mine is fine at more than four times your mileage so I'd be damn surprised if yours was in need of replacement.

[Speedy1959]

Thank you both for your fast responses.

[Del]

Ive had sloppy sprocket carriers on other bikes due to the rubbers weakening

never replaced what I do is get an old inner tube cut pieces to fit in beside the rubbers to take up the slack - works all the time every time

How to video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNTtmp-N1-E

Del

[Andre]

I gave them rubbers a long bath in silicone oil (spray can). Put them in a bag and sprayed liberal amount in the bag. Let it sit a couple days, swirling the parts around a few times. Rejuvenated lots of rubber parts that way. Additionally put some silicone grease on them when fitting them in the carrier.

[Speedy1959]

Thanks Andre..
I like the silicon grease idea...
Is the Red Rubber grease or something different ?

[seth]

they'll be fine at that mileage
i give mine a spray of chain lub when ever the wheel is off   and not had problems at double your mileage .

[Andre]

Thanks Andre..
I like the silicon grease idea...
Is the Red Rubber grease or something different ?

Castrol's Red Rubber grease is castor base oil thickened with calcium soap.

Silicone grease is a silicone oil with one of several thickeners depending on application.

I prefer the silicone as it seems to be taken up by the rubber. It's been my observation that even wrinkled rubber gains volume and the wrinkles disappear more or less depending how bad they are when bathed for a couple days in silicone oil.

You can get all the above on fleabay, amazon, etc.

[Kiwifruit]

Before the dawn of time when touring with a mate on the back of his TS125 we had a rear wheel failure. This presented a bit of a problem. How the hell were we going to get and fit wheel bearings at a beach far from any shops?
We removed the wheel to find the cush drive now looked like black dust and rubber chips. Major problem !!!!
Well not to us......we went for a walk and found a couple of old holiday homes with no signs of life. One of which had an old worn out tractor tyre on either side of the gate. We were saved......we returned with a serated bread knife. Many hours later we had fashioned new cush drive rubbers and they got us home.
Sorry to the people that turned up on holiday to find their old tractor tyres had been savaged.
Probably never thought about that since then.....haha bit of a trip down memory lane. Thanks Speedy

[Speedy1959]

I live in a semi rural location and there are tractors around here...
Now where my bread knife..

Hoo ha ha ha ha haaaa

[Tony Nitrous]

I've made "shims" and packed out the rubbers before to tighten them up.
Not ideal but its free, easy to do and always available.

On stuff like the Busa and King there are aftermarket ones available that are
either firmer or longer lasting? I know the racers and hooligans upgrade them.

Not sure what they (the OEM) cost new but they last OK for me with normal road use. I don't remember having a bad set with as low as 26,000 miles on them.

[Speedy1959]

Thanks Tony..
I havent even had the rear wheel off yet so I have no idea what the condition is like of the rubbers.
But from what people are saying I reckon I shall leave well alone...

Thanks again for the advice.

S.

[grog]

you worry too much speedy, your bike is a baby, cush drive in another 100th ks, maybe. imo

[Irish in Oz]

The only bikes I really ever had problems with the cush drive where dirt bikes being thumpers. Of coarse a bad wheel bearing won't help.