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Check the bearings with your finger as well.
UK
UK
1982 Yamaha xs400rj wheel wobble
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Sounds like the chain just has a frozen link due to poor lubing. Hopefully with good cleaning a lubing it will be okay. What you should have felt at very low speed was a slight lurching with the chain like that. With just though maybe you wouldn't feel it considering the bead issue. It now sounds like you have a wheel or tire issue if they couldn't get it to pop. Normally they aren't afraid to really over inflate one so they should have been successful. Not sounding good.
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Thanks HC and UK! Been a busy week with work,etc... I'm kind of thinking about going ahead and getting a new set of tires. Going to take advantage of my day off today and do some proper internet surfing and try to find some tires. Both seem to have plenty of tread left but the front is 5 years old ('15) and the back is an '18 and not popping.
With that being said, how often do you replace your tires? Only once the tread warrants it? I read in Lee Parks' Total Control that the rubber compounds start to become more rigid and that it's best to replace on a sport bike about every 3 years and around 5 on a cruiser (is this because a cruiser generally doesn't push the traction limits as much as a sport bike?) Chain has been thoroughly cleaned and soaking in the manual's recommended 10w-30 for a few days.
Going to try hair dryer trick to see if it'll pop. Has anyone tried the zip-tie trick for removing/ installing tires?
Anyhow, thanks again for all the info and will continue to update.
With that being said, how often do you replace your tires? Only once the tread warrants it? I read in Lee Parks' Total Control that the rubber compounds start to become more rigid and that it's best to replace on a sport bike about every 3 years and around 5 on a cruiser (is this because a cruiser generally doesn't push the traction limits as much as a sport bike?) Chain has been thoroughly cleaned and soaking in the manual's recommended 10w-30 for a few days.
Going to try hair dryer trick to see if it'll pop. Has anyone tried the zip-tie trick for removing/ installing tires?
Anyhow, thanks again for all the info and will continue to update.
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So in between two tires, Michelin Pilot Activ Tire | 38% ($84.68) Off! - RevZilla and Metzeler Roadtec 01 Tires | 33% ($98.09) Off! - RevZilla. Any advantages/ opinions on these two?
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I have Dunlop somethings on my XS400. The back tyre slips now and then in the rain, and especially on the tar snakes. It could be the rubber is a bit harder than the Dunlop TT100 of old. I have Michelin somethings on my Triumph, more sport bike than cruiser, and they feel okay. However I am not familiar with the different models.
Once upon a time I liked the TT100 Dunlops. But these days I am trying to avoid them. I have a high speed imbalance problem on my XS1100. It is a Dunlop 404 or 401 something. I have a new set of Shinko to try on another XS1100.
I had one set of sport bike tyres that had hard middles and softer edges. They worked good, but not needed for the insensitive suspension of the 400. If you ride a lot in the winter rain, I would favor a decent rain tyre over much else.
That is my new plan for the 400 when these suckers wear out. As to years. If it is a bike I ride often, I will wait till lack of tread, or a big slide before I switch. A back up plan is the Harley riders tell me my tyres look worn. Otherwise I may count the years, but if on a bike that does not get pushed much, I think 5 years is way to short.
I have been wondering how your rear rim turns without a tyre on it. Beware of crappy wheel bearings from China, even if from a US company. Some may last 2 years at best, instead of many years. I now check the bearings every time a wheel comes off.
UK
Once upon a time I liked the TT100 Dunlops. But these days I am trying to avoid them. I have a high speed imbalance problem on my XS1100. It is a Dunlop 404 or 401 something. I have a new set of Shinko to try on another XS1100.
I had one set of sport bike tyres that had hard middles and softer edges. They worked good, but not needed for the insensitive suspension of the 400. If you ride a lot in the winter rain, I would favor a decent rain tyre over much else.
That is my new plan for the 400 when these suckers wear out. As to years. If it is a bike I ride often, I will wait till lack of tread, or a big slide before I switch. A back up plan is the Harley riders tell me my tyres look worn. Otherwise I may count the years, but if on a bike that does not get pushed much, I think 5 years is way to short.
I have been wondering how your rear rim turns without a tyre on it. Beware of crappy wheel bearings from China, even if from a US company. Some may last 2 years at best, instead of many years. I now check the bearings every time a wheel comes off.
UK
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Back again, finally got some tire irons and got the tire off and the inside of rim had a lot of hard goo dried into it. I used a Dremel with a brass brush the get the worst off until my brush crapped out. Then used some cleaner and some #0000 steel wool to get the worst. There did seem to be a lot of build up where the bead wasn't seating so wondering if that wasn't simply the cause of tire not wanting to seat.
Before:
![60375]()
After:
![60376]()
Still not 100% crud free but about 400x better than what it was. I then installed the wheel and chain back onto bike.
Still not sure if that chain "snaking" is normal but the rim seems pretty good (aside from bike vibration) I think??
Before:
After:
Still not 100% crud free but about 400x better than what it was. I then installed the wheel and chain back onto bike.
Still not sure if that chain "snaking" is normal but the rim seems pretty good (aside from bike vibration) I think??
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Sweet. The rim is true enough. Use lots of oil on the chain. Your bike is too clean, but it idles nicely. Stick your finger in to the center part of the bearing, and turn the inner race. You will feel if it is lumpy. 6303 are a popular size. Yours are Japanese which is good. I forgot if there were any seals on the back. The front has a seal each side. There is an inner spacer between the bearings. One end moves out of the way easier than the other end. Tap out the seal where the spacer moves the most. The bright lights say to not remove a bearing by bashing the center part. With a hammer and punch, someone needs to show me how not to bash the middle bit. Make a note of which way around the spacer goes. It will have a collar on one end. Might not make any difference, but I have had problems with the front wheel, when the spacer swapped ends. With one bearing out, remove the spacer, and you still probably can not hit the outer race with the punch. Steering head bearings you can. Bung the tyre back on and see what happens.
After a moment of reflection, I am thinking the rear spacer may not have a collar. If the bearings turn easily and smoothly, you can leave them in.
Bon chance. UK
After a moment of reflection, I am thinking the rear spacer may not have a collar. If the bearings turn easily and smoothly, you can leave them in.
Bon chance. UK
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Thanks for the info and opinion! I'll try to find time tomorrow after work to get the tire on and check those bearings. I'm hoping they're good ?. I do have the service manual and will definitely check out procedure in their if I do replace. The manual is great but doesn't offer much in the form of technique.
I just had the chain soaking in 10w-30 for about 3-4 days after a thorough scrubbing, I think it may just be a slight optical illusion when the master passes, or the master link causes a slight twitch when it hits sprocket?
On the bearings could you use 3/4" or 1" PVC/ Cu tubing with cap. Not sure of size but maybe even the female end of a coupler would be similar to outer diameter?
I just had the chain soaking in 10w-30 for about 3-4 days after a thorough scrubbing, I think it may just be a slight optical illusion when the master passes, or the master link causes a slight twitch when it hits sprocket?
On the bearings could you use 3/4" or 1" PVC/ Cu tubing with cap. Not sure of size but maybe even the female end of a coupler would be similar to outer diameter?
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Are you asking about removing the bearing? If so, no; PVC will not stand up to the stress.
I use a steel rod and a hammer. You'll probably need to work / push / cuss the middle spacer to one side a little to catch an edge of the race so you can drive it out.
Tapping an old (bad) bearing out by whacking the inner race can not hurt anything cause the bad bearing is already a bad bearing.
If you remove a good bearing by hitting the center race, you then have a bad bearing that was a good bearing ... catch my drift?
Anyway,
Like UK said, check the bearing by moving it and feeling for any rough spots as you spin/move it.
Sometimes the middle spacer can fool you when you spin the bearing as the spacer can "shift" a little making you think you are feeling a rough spot in the bearing but it is only the spacer moving around some.
The bearings in your pic are made in Japan, a good brand. I would not replace them unless I was sure they are bad.
To install new bearings the old bearing makes for a good driver.
Going in it's new bearing, old bearing then hammering on the outer race. If you have a socket tool or something you can hammer evenly as you install....
S F
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Yeah, that's probably some High Tech lube and sealer type **** some shop (or genius) used when installing the tire.
That was the bead seating problem alright. Regular tire lube is the RIGHT stuff to use.
S F
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If those bearings turn freely with zero rough or gritty spots, or if there isn't a large amount of free-play, I'd leave them in. They should turn very nice and smooth. They are sealed bearings so no way to add grease but that doesn't mean you can't. I've never done it, but I've read accounts of people drilling a tiny hole that red area, very tiny and very carefully, and injecting grease with a needle or pin point adapter on your grease gun. Then sealing it with RTV. You might do some surfing and see what I'm talking about.
What I've not read about is how long that trick lasts or what the success rate is. Only because I've not been where you are right now. I will be on my next tire change and will seriously look into it then because I know exactly how old my current bearings are and if they are still extremely smooth, I'm going to try it and see what they feel like at the next tire change.
It sounds like a good idea but at some point the bearing is going to start feeling loose just from wear and I'll be at or around 50K on those bearings if they last that long. But my whole thing with wheel bearings has been, when in doubt change them out. It is after all your life you are playing with. In my case I know exactly what I'm doing and I'll be watching those bearings very closely if I do it. Like every ride to start with then stretch the checking out. I by no means endorse this trick only because I've not done it personally. But adding grease like this does sound plausible in an otherwise good bearing.
But where you are right now, you might be better off just changing them so you know where you are. Call it a reset. New tires and new bearings. You got the wheel looking much better so I thing you are almost home. I just through that out because it is something that has been done and information is good.
What I've not read about is how long that trick lasts or what the success rate is. Only because I've not been where you are right now. I will be on my next tire change and will seriously look into it then because I know exactly how old my current bearings are and if they are still extremely smooth, I'm going to try it and see what they feel like at the next tire change.
It sounds like a good idea but at some point the bearing is going to start feeling loose just from wear and I'll be at or around 50K on those bearings if they last that long. But my whole thing with wheel bearings has been, when in doubt change them out. It is after all your life you are playing with. In my case I know exactly what I'm doing and I'll be watching those bearings very closely if I do it. Like every ride to start with then stretch the checking out. I by no means endorse this trick only because I've not done it personally. But adding grease like this does sound plausible in an otherwise good bearing.
But where you are right now, you might be better off just changing them so you know where you are. Call it a reset. New tires and new bearings. You got the wheel looking much better so I thing you are almost home. I just through that out because it is something that has been done and information is good.
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Wot Semi said post 30.
UK
UK
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So I checked the bearings they felt smooth but may replace before too long. I reinstalled the old tire and still saw some wobble while it was on the center stand, but it was much more subtle. Put everything back together and took it for a ride today finally. I got up to 75-80ish and didn't really notice any appreciable wobble. It may be that the tire is just deformed? I'm still waiting on new tire to get here and will update once I get that spooned on. Thanks again for all the insight!!
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Finally got the new tire on today, still not hearing the "pop" but the tire runs super smooth and the grip feels much better. Took it for a year ride after getting it installed. The rain started coming down pretty good about 10 minutes into the ride but the new tire hung onto the twisty roads. Hopefully going to swap the front tomorrow afternoon once I've got some free time.
On a side note I've got, what I'm going to assume, is a nice little air bubble in my front brake lines. I have to pump the front once or twice to achieve compression. Ive tried the ziptie method to try to purge bubbles through reservoir. Firm when I first cut it but then gets a little worse. Hopefully get that sorted out tomorrow as well.
On a side note I've got, what I'm going to assume, is a nice little air bubble in my front brake lines. I have to pump the front once or twice to achieve compression. Ive tried the ziptie method to try to purge bubbles through reservoir. Firm when I first cut it but then gets a little worse. Hopefully get that sorted out tomorrow as well.
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Sweet, doing good. Let me know what kind of speed you get out of it. But run it at around 60 for a while to check things and get the feel of it. I have a Dunlop on the front of my 79 XS1100, and it has an out of balance problem around 80 to 90. From now on I will use other brands. Used to love the old TT100 Dunlops. My XS400 has Dunlops and they work fine on that bike.
It is always good practice to change the wheel bearings. With your mighty 400 on the center stand, grab the back of the back wheel and push pull it, to check for movement in the swing arm bushing. I use to use a heavy broom handle or such to check for flex.
UK
It is always good practice to change the wheel bearings. With your mighty 400 on the center stand, grab the back of the back wheel and push pull it, to check for movement in the swing arm bushing. I use to use a heavy broom handle or such to check for flex.
UK
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No need to hear a pop.
As long as the bead line shows that the bead is all the way up, you're good.
S F
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As much work that you've done and amount of slippery you've got on it from previous attempts it might not pop this time. But if you keep it long enough to need another, I'd bet it will. Hopefully you are good to go now if it now feels okay and better yet, if it looks okay. Plus, they all don't pop. If you watched it though, you might have seen it sneak in rather than pop.
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