CVT Case bearing failure

[dem0nk1d]

So just got new rollers in and while swapping them out I noticed how easy the cvt cover went on. Inspected the rear cvt bearing and it has actually gotten worn out on the center race. So odd, I guess this is another wear part.

[maddiedog]

The bearing looks fine to me from this pic, is that a spacer in the middle? It's hard to tell from the picture.

I recently had my CVT cover off to mess with the variator weights, and my bearings looked brand-new. Bearings shouldn't be a wear part, even over 100k+ miles, on the CVT or drivetrain. Honda did do a recall on some transmission bearings (Mel had one fail too) though, so this isn't a huge surprise to me.

[dem0nk1d]

You are right it looks like a brass reducer / shim or spacer. But is not displayed on the online parts catalog. I'm going to inspect things shortly. However I have another bearing on order.

[dem0nk1d]

here is a photo i took back last year.

ZOOMED in


notice the brass sleeve is in the center of the inner bearing race. it's so odd because i don't see it on the parts diagram.

[mtheall]

I'm fairly certain my service manual shows the brass sleeve. I'll have to double check when I get home. I've never encountered a bearing that didn't have a brass sleeve, but the only bearings I've worked with were on 60-year-old pinsetters at a bowling alley.

[dem0nk1d]

most of my bearings that i've ever used do not have brass sleeves or inserts. for example, skateboard bearings, or wheel bearings on a car.

[you you]

From the subject line .. Has the case or bearing failed?

[dem0nk1d]

From the subject line .. Has the case or bearing failed?

you you,

the bearing has officially failed. i'm trying to remove it as we speak. no blind bearing puller, have to come up with something clever. =P

more to come.

[homie]

Tempted to look at mine to see if its a brass insert or steel. Maybe its obsolete and only steel is available now. That looks really molested, like it wasn't giving much support at all. Remember the time I rode a bench mark run without the cover not realizing there was support from a bearing in the cover oO. That day could have been all she wrote.

[dem0nk1d]

yea i was going to run without the cvt cover but it is the main support for the rear drive shaft. since our motors create a good amount of torque it's needed. Or the drive shaft can freely move forward and backwards. thus the reason behind this bearing. now i'm thinking since it comes factory with the brass insert it's brass for a reason. If it's metal on metal you'll end up needing a new rear main drive shaft, because they will just destroy each other.

[mtheall]

Yep, my service manual indeed has the bearing with the brass bushing. In my opinion, the bushing in that first pic looks a little beat up. It might be prone to cracking in that state.

[mtheall]

I think it's somewhat common because brass/bronze should have a lower friction that steel-on-steel or Steele on aluminum. Could also be there so it wears out instead of the shaft/bearing. Also apparently it makes a lower cost point, which is a common theme on this bike.

[dem0nk1d]

**Update**

tried several old school methods of getting the bearing out and they all failed. best and only method is to use a blind bearing puller with a slide hammer. That did the trick under 10 seconds. Once you get the new bearing placed into the case it's ideal to use a press.


Side by side of the old and new bearing

[Valiant]

Wow, definitely obvious once you put them side by side.

[fun2scoot]

Bearings go in easier if they are frozen overnight and the case around where it goes is heated with a heat gun.

[Slickvic]

Hey dem0nk1d, how many miles do you have on your scooter?

[dem0nk1d]

i have to go check i think it's around or over 17k. i bought it what last year in Feb with 3k on it. =P

[Mel46]

Brass is a somewhat soft metal so i am surprised that they used it where they did. I had a little sports car once that used brass in the manual transmisdion and it had known issues with wear. Still, i am surprised at the wear on that particular one. It had to have a lot of stress on it to wear like that. I am glad that you were able to replace it.

[maddiedog]

Wow, that spacer is trashed! You can really tell from the second pic. It just looked dirty to me in the first pic.

Crap, I should check mine...

[seedy]

Got my outer belt cover chrome plated this spring. Needed to use the die grinder to remove some of the spill-over remnants from the plating process.

Went a little too far - can push bearing in with my thumb. But a shot of brake cleaner, and red Loctite worked well