rubber blocks in my rear wheel?

[Anonymous]

I've got the wheel off my '84 GS450LE to change the tire. While I was at I figured I 'd have a lookee see at the brake shoes. When I pulled the axle out and was look in in the drum, the rear sprocket slid off the other side onto the floor and lo and behold rubber bits inside the wheel! 8O

I'm guessing this is to moderate driveline lash or something. My clymer manual doesn't mention these and I don't have an owners manual (bought second hand). How do I tell if these are in good shape? They don't seem rotted or anything right now.

Sam

[Anonymous]

Is the bearing and race ok?

Is it a sealed bearing. The only rubber I can think of might be the sealed bearing dust covers. Are they chewn up or gone?

[Anonymous]

Re: Is the bearing and race ok?

Is it a sealed bearing. The only rubber I can think of might be the sealed bearing dust covers. Are they chewn up or gone?

The bearings seem fine. there's no free play and they rotate smoothly. What I'm trying to describe ( I think) is: when I slid the sprocket off, the part that it bolts on to has large metal flanges that slid into these rubber blocks that sit in the wheel hub. This is probably a poor way of explaining it. When I bring the wheel in to replace the tire I'll get the mechanic explain it to me.

[Anonymous]

What you are seeing is sometimes called a "cush drive".....little shock-absorbing rubber cushions. These rubber blocks absorb driveline shocks or "snatches" transmitted into them by the metal "vanes" or tabs on the back of the rear wheel chain sprocket. Both chain-driven GS's that I have owned had them....don't know about shafties, as I have not taken a rear wheel off one of them. My 1983 GS750 has 6 such cushions in the rear wheel hub......each has a slot to accept a vane on the back of the sprocket assembly.

[Anonymous]

Cushions

Those are the drive cushions. If they look good and aren't hard they should be OK.

[Anonymous]

Re: Cushions

Those are the drive cushions. If they look good and aren't hard they should be OK.

thanks...Sam

[Anonymous]

I believe that is exactly what they are. I had a Yamaha 180 back in 69 that for some reason ate up the cushions and the metal vanes ground each other to pieces. Had to replace the hub and relace the wheel. If the cushion is not in good shape by all means replace it. you don't want the same thing happening to you. Trust me!