The countershaft seal failing issue....

[weekendtoy98DR]

When you guys say the "spacer" behind the sprocket do you mean the bushing that slides over the countershaft and into the lip of the seal?

[dendrz]

Yes

Ash has an illustration on the other post somewhere that shows it.

[dendrz]

23 Seal

39 O ring

34 Spacer

[ November 30, 2001: Message edited by: dendrz ]

[Victor_Venturo]

This is a perfect example of how overengineering can backfire.

The xr Hondas seal is exposed and seals directly on the shaft just like the shifter and kick starter. The seals weep then eventually leak but not without fair warning and they are cheap and easy to replace.

The XR sprocket is semi-floating on the shaft splines. Self aligns with the rear sprocket and does not seem to clog solid as readily. Way easier to change gearing with only a 10 mm socket. Some aftermarket sprockets just have a C clip and are full floating but I do not like that setup.

[weekendtoy98DR]

The trusty DR 350 has the same spacer,seal,sprocket set up as the DRZ as I remember.This was never an issue with that motor and it was around ten years.None the less I'm checking mine out.Thanks for the diagram it dont get any better than that for an explanation.

[TOM_BECKETT]

stainless spacers are ready if anyone wants one please just contaCT ME

[DR.billZ]

Just remove the countershaft cover so crap doesn't get trapped in there?????

[perryg114]

Bill I think most folks have already removed that cover.

Perry

[perryg114]

Yes that thing is a mud trap.

Perry

[Lolley]

The sprocket cover may trap mud but it also protects the case if your chain ever derails or masterlink falls out or whatever. My sprocket cover is staying on the bike. I have seen the effects of a chain comming off and going thru the case on another bike. Maybe some well placed holes in the cover would let mud and crud out.

I don't know if XR countershaft seals run directly on the shaft but I doubt it, that would be a poor design. All the bikes I have seen are basically the same, they use a spacer over the shaft, and the seal spins on the outside diameter of the spacer. The seal wears a grove in the spacer eventually, I would hate to wear a grove in the shaft.

I don't see this problem being specific to the DRZ, since so many bikes use the same method. On an older bike I had years ago, I had oil leakage between the spacer and the shaft, but since the DRZ uses a nut on the sprocket I don't think that problem I had will occur on the DRZ. That bikes sprocket was held on by a circlip. I noticed the shaft was spinning inside the spacer. The seal grips the outside diameter of the spacer thus friction tries to keep the spacer from spinning. The sprocket wasn't really contacting the spacer to force it to spin, because it was just held on by a circlip. The slip fit of the spacer on the shaft seemed ok but it was not enough to make the spacer spin. The oil seal is made to spin and contail fluid, the O-ring is made to seal the spacer to the shaft but not made to spin, those two parts are supposed to move together. I welded a blob on the inside of the spacer, filed it into a spline and now my spacer was forced to spin the same as the shaft. Leak went away instantly and never came back.

Sorry for the lengthy story on a non DRZ bike but it provides info on how all these parts are supposed to work together to make it seal. The shop couldn't solve my leak, it took me a while to figure it out, so now you know.

[Chris_Flip]

Perry

Are you referring to the plastic cover that is over counter shaft and chain??

Thanx

[Ash]

To stop the crud build up around the sprocket it makes sense to remove the plastic cover. This does leave the case open to damage should you break a chain.

I can recommend this case saver:

It can be bought from Case saver

[ December 06, 2001: Message edited by: Ash ]

[grayfox]

No way is the stock plastic cover gonna save your cases if you throw a chain! It might keep out pants legs, big rocks, or small babies from becoming entangled in the chain/sprocket, but that's about the end of it's usefullness in my opinion!

[dendrz]

I remomoved the stock cover after my first trail ride i could not believe the mud that was packed in there, it took quite a job to hose it out.

I did keep the chrome chain guide on and the spacers so that i just used the standard bolts.

The metal spacers push out of the plastic easily.

I do like that Aussie case saver, its on my list ?

[NEOhioDRZ]

I have the same guard that Ash shows above. It is cheap - US dollars go far in OZ. I emailed them, asked for info on how to order it. I just faxed them my address & credit card, and they had it to me in under two weeks. It's light, doesn't clog up with mud, and protects the case from chain disasters. Highly recommended esp for how cheap it is!

[Alex]

NEOhioDRZ, can you post a pic?

[quikrnu]

I have the Aussie case saver Ash show, I am very happy with it and it looks cool!

[DWJC]

If you don't think that the case saver is necessary, but don't want to completely remove the cover, I took a Dremel tool and cut out the front of it. It does not allow mud to build up but it still offers some of that "protection". It actually keeps does still keep debris and chain lube from accumulating on other parts.

[dendrz]

The only piece of that cover worth keeping imo is that chrome chain guide, keep the plastic piece if you wear bell bottoms.

Take a look at the design of the Aussie case saver it does not have any brittle plastic on it or anything outside to keep the dirt in.

If i took a dremel and cut out the stuff that held in the mud and grass on the silly Suzuki one thats what i would have left, the chrome chain guide.

[DWJC]

True, the only purpose I saw for cutting the thing was cosmetic. I took the whole thing off for a while and crap just flung off the chain onto the back of the ignition cover. If you don't care about that then it may just be a waste of time (although it only takes minutes).