CB400/4 Front Wheel Speedo Drive

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Good morning all , I took my front wheel off to fix a flat tyre and ended up taking the Brake Disk off to clean and paint centre .Well while I was at it I decid to clean up front brake caliper . All that is now done  but just wondering if I should grease wheel  bearings and grease or Oil up Speedo Drive .  I had a go at undoing the Centre bolt but after 45 years I won’t budge . Any ideas guys or should I just leave it alone .ie if it’s not broken leave it alone . Thanks for reading .

[TrickyMicky]

As a firm believer in "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", The wheel bearings are of the supposed sealed for life! type, so, if they are not making any untoward noises, there's no play in them, and there's no grease leaking from speedo drive, then definitely leave well alone. If you overpack bearings and their housings it will actually cause problems. If your tyre wasn't flat and was maintaining its pressure, would you have fixed a puncture that wasn't there? Stay Upright. Mick.

[SeanFD]

What centre bolt are you talking about?

The speedo drive is fairly easy to dismantle and reassemble, apart from the worm drive, which I'd leave alone. When I did mine the grease in there was pretty mucky, so if I was this far alone, I'd just clean it out and put fresh grease in.

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

When I took front wheel off I thought dismantle Speedo Drive and re grease but can’t see how to do it . Took the four bolts holding brake disc out . But that’s as far as I have gone . The spindle bolt  wont undo and that seems to hold Speedo dive in place ?

[hairygit]

Yep, the spindle needs to come out to release the Speedo drive.

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[SeanFD]

When I took front wheel off I thought dismantle Speedo Drive and re grease but can’t see how to do it . Took the four bolts holding brake disc out . But that’s as far as I have gone . The spindle bolt  wont undo and that seems to hold Speedo dive in place ?

Ah! I thought that was your speedo drive in the pic.

Can’t help much with the bolt, except to use some releasing fluid, heat and the the correct size spanners/wrenches. Just in case, no offence intended, you do know the long nut comes off the spindle? Once you’ve soaked and heated, a sharp blow with a mallet on the end of one of the wrenches might be needed to free up the nut.

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Thanks will give it a go tomorrow wish me luck . I will keep you posted !

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Call me stupid but it’s not left hand thread is it ?

[SeanFD]

No, it's not.

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Great , will get some heat on it later .

[TrickyMicky]

I stand to be corrected, but when I replaced my re-built front wheel, I noted that the grease in the speedo drive was black, and had the texture of something like a graphite grease. This seemed logical to me as the worm type drive has a sliding action against its partner. Graphite grease is specifically for sliding surfaces only, so don't go putting a little bit extra in, the excess may well work its way to the wheel bearing, and because it's so slippery, the balls in the wheel bearing don't turn but skid. Not Good!

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Well thanks for the info guys . I got the little bugger off with a little help from a Vice and Rubber mallet. Cleaned all the bits in Kero bath .  Now has anyone had the worm drive out or is it better to leave alone ?  The Oil seal seems OK at the back of the drive so wondering weather to just grease up from there  ? The graphite lube is good to know as well ! All this from a flat tyre Ha! Hope to be riding by the weekend fingers crossed .

[SeanFD]

Congratulations! A littlebit of hammer/mallet assisted persuasion goes a long way! 

The oil seal you can prize out with a big flat bladed screwdriver; then you can really clean out the grease that will be hiding behind it. You can reuse the seal. Underneath you’ll find a gear wheel and a shim (or two).

The worm drive I would leave in place. It is a bugger to get out requiring the removal of a tiny grub screw and much angst as the plug in the end is splined and very tight.

Nearly there.

[THUNDERDOWNUNDER]

Things are looking up now . Got the newinertube in and the tyre on Speedo Drive graphite grease up tomorrow . Sorry but worm drive is staying in place . Brake disc all shiny and ready for bolting on ..Weekend looking good for a ride . Watch this space !