Hearing new noise - help!!!

[GYPSYGAL]

Have been trying to locate mechanic in my area familiar with GWs without much success. Whenever I'm in 3rd or higher, and let up on throttle, I get this loud "clacking" noise. As soon as I give it more gas, it stops, then happens again when I let up throttle. Sounds like when I was a kid riding my bike with a playing card and clothespin on spoke, only much more metallic. I know absolutely nothing abt the internal workings of my trike and I don't want to make the problem worse. Has anyone ever had this kind of problem and maybe help me out?

 

[jim peacock]

Sounds like U-joint on drive shaft,thats how some of the U -joints would sound when they were going bad on some of my old cars.
Get a friend to work with you,jack up the trike so the back wheels are off the ground and block the front wheel so the trike will not move,start the trike up pit it it gear and give it a little gas and then let off of it while one of you listens closely to the drive shaft.
:wave4::wave4::wave4:

 

[Ol' Grey]

Never worked on a GoldWing, but will add another possible.....

If I'm not mistaken, some GW's had final shaft drive, some had final chain drive. Not sure which one you've got, but if it's a final chain drive, the chain can be too loose and the excess slack can hit the engine case near the counter-shaft sprocket area..........Another possible could be a loose primary drive chain. When under load (giving it throttle) it takes up the slack and the noise goes away. Off throttle, slack is more prominent and whichever chain can be hitting metal.

Same/same for what Jim described above........

 

[tbford]

Agree with Jim-sounds like a u-joint. There are several of them. Not knowing what kind of conversion you have is kinda hard to pin point. Lehman have 2. Older conversions used a differential that was centred, puttin more angles on drive shaft. Newer ones are more offset so the drive shaft is in a straight line. Front u joint used to fail. Only experience I havew with trikes is the lehman.

 

[GYPSYGAL]

My trike is a 1999 GW 1500SE with Lehman conversion. Bought it 3rd hand and turned out the drive shaft had been welded by first owner - my friend (2nd owner) who sold it to me had no way of knowing until it split in 2!!!! He paid for repair and his mechanic put drive shaft, yoke and u-joint. Looks extremely possible that it could be that u-joint. The mechanic is far away, I guess I have no choice but to get it back to him cause it was his repair. I sure do wish I could find someone local and dependable.

 

[keepinon]

From your description, it does sound like a u-joint. I am not familiar with the Lehman set up, but the rear u-joint on my MotorTrike rear is built to last.

Leaves the front u-joint. Your 1500 uses the same front u-joint as my Valkyrie. Honda # 40200-MZ0-A00. Honda recommends serviceing the drive line every 10K miles. When I got my trike, it only had 12K miles on it, but had never been serviced. Yup, the u-joint was out.

They're not hard to replace, but may be hard to find as there was a shortage of them manufactured for a while. The spare I ordered took 3 months to get. Be sure your mechanic installs the longer spline to the engine, and use a good lithium grease, liberally, on the splines.

 

[grumpy]

Definitely sounds like the front u-joint. From what I see on the VRCC board, the u-joints are now available.
You can usually tell if the joint is bad by removing it and inspecting it in your hands. (wiggle it around. If it is making the noise you are hearing, there will be noticeable looseness & slop) I don't know what is involved in removing the joint on your Trike, as I also have a Valkyrie, with a TriWing conversion, but I would guess that disconnecting the drive shaft at the rear u-joint and dropping it down would be all that is required. The front is a slip fit with a spring wound around the driveshaft for tension. If there is no-one near you who can help, you might see if there is a reputable Honda Dealer or other Trike installer around who will do the work. Unless there is some really weird way that the Lehman driveshaft is attached to the rear end, this should not be more than about one hour's work for a shop. I can change mine in less than 1/2 hour.
If it is bad, replace it NOW. Otherwise it will leave you stranded! SOON!!! "keepinon" is correct about the part number. You will get the complete yoke with the u-joint installed, so the install is just putting the new one back in place of the one you removed to inspect. It will only go in one way. The splines are different on each end. Be sure to use a good quality waterproof grease on the splines. And yes, those splines should be greased every 10K miles or so. Couple of places to order from:

Ohio, Florida, Honda, Parts, Accessories, dealer, Honda Direct LIne

Service Honda - Honda Motorcycle Parts

I have no affiliation with either, and there are others out there as well. You might want to call before you order to check availability. Any local Honda dealer should also be able order it as well.

Good luck with your problem. Stan

 

[cscsonny]

Hi Gypsygal,
Schroaders is in Hendersonville,NC about 25 miles from Ashville and they are a trike installer and dealer.Might give them a call.
Hope this helps
Sonny

 

[cadwellmarkymark]

Have been trying to locate mechanic in my area familiar with GWs without much success. Whenever I'm in 3rd or higher, and let up on throttle, I get this loud "clacking" noise. As soon as I give it more gas, it stops, then happens again when I let up throttle. Sounds like when I was a kid riding my bike with a playing card and clothespin on spoke, only much more metallic. I know absolutely nothing abt the internal workings of my trike and I don't want to make the problem worse. Has anyone ever had this kind of problem and maybe help me out?

Hi gypsygal
whilst searching the site for help? i came across your thread and right away recognised your exact problems and identical symptoms in my own goldwing trike. I read all the replys you got with intrest and i'm dieing to now what the outcome was?? and how you solved the problem?? please could you let me know how you got on.
all the best mark