Loud Chatter/Vibration

Local time
10:28 AM
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
89
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
Riding my Happy Time to work this evening, I started to notice a rattle coming from the motor. I thought at first it was my imagination, but soon, it was clearly a major problem. Clacking, metallic chatter, clutch in, or out, it chattered away. Rolling the throttle on made it worse, and it felt as if it were slipping. Got it to work, pulled the clutch plate and it was LOADED with pulverized metal dust, and the ring gear teeth were worn down to nubs. The pinion is fine.

What caused this? The bike acted absolutely fine until the failure. No grabby, slippy, lurchey surging in the drive, no vibrations, nothing. The clutch felt like it was adjusted fine.

I wonder if it's cost effective to replace this ring gear, or if it's new engine time. I've barely run 2 gallons through this thing.

Glad it happened only 2 miles from work!
 
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Oh man, this is a bummer. I've got no place advising you to get another motor, but I hate to see someone drop out, too.

Good luck whichever way you go.
 
I don't have a HT and I don't want to run them down but from a quality / reliability standpoint, it's a roll of the dice. Many factories producing varying quality, possibility varying from engine to engine from the same manufacture. Before you give up, consider some alternatives.

Members have identified HT vendors that seem to increase ones chances of having a good HT experience. Might want to give them a look. Also there are other options to HT, such as Staton or GEBE.
 
hope that it's not to late to consider

Also there are other options to HT, such as Staton or GEBE.

Donald
not sure of your thoughts or if the monies right
but -- hope that it's not to late to consider
buying one of the ones mentioned above

I think Iam at about the 2 thousand miles mark on my Station set up
that thing runs like a cream dream
sure would like to see you get something that you would

ENJOY MUCH and be able to RIDE THAT THING
 
the gear does not come lubed from the factory, remove cover & apply high temp grease to gears periodicaly it works!
 
I was looking online for a clutch with some of the listed vendors and didn't see any. Guess I'll hafta call around.

Wavy, I thought of the same thing when I took the access panel off. A little grease could at least prolonged its life.

This one looks like it could be my fault. My clutch was apparently adjusted inward (in other words, slightly disengaged with the lever all the way out). Looking at the ring gear, there is about a .25 inch strip of unworn teeth on the inside part of the gear. My guess is, no lube, partial engagement, stripped off a couple teeth, then it was off to the races.

I feel better knowing it was at least partially my fault, so that I can learn from it, and maybe make the next one better.

Now I just need a clutch.
 
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