Final Drive

[Winger66]

well,my 2015 Valk with only 3682 miles fell victim to a manufacturing defect...check the underside of your final drive unit. if it looks like mine does then yours is a victim of (lack of sealant) of the 2 halves that make up the final drive assembly. ive already talked to my dealer and Honda Corporate today and looks like it'll be covered under "warranty" manufacturing defect. apparently this has been an issue since Honda left Ohio. its a known issue according to the GL Forum . check it out before it cost ya!

[Yellowbird]

Ya its pretty sad to still find issues like yours in todays world lets hope Honda jumps in and get it repaired for ya. Keep us posted on this thanks and good luck.

[Rocky]

well,my 2015 Valk with only 3682 miles fell victim to a manufacturing defect...check the underside of your final drive unit. if it looks like mine does then yours is a victim of (lack of sealant) of the 2 halves that make up the final drive assembly. ive already talked to my dealer and Honda Corporate today and looks like it'll be covered under "warranty" manufacturing defect. apparently this has been an issue since Honda left Ohio. its a known issue according to the GL Forum . check it out before it cost ya!

Honda doesn't use a sealant between the two halves.


While I was one of the few who had a seal leak on the Final Drive.

It was not a common occurrence.

Bearing failures were more prevalent,than seal leaks.

But not all that many reported cases.

Many chose to buy a Trike take off as a spare in case theirs ever failed.

As a precaution. some would just change a final drive around 100,000 miles, Because of what they read on the internet. (It must be true right? lol)


Part 25 is the double roller bearing set.
Part 29 is the Seal.




My original drive leak. (Wiped down a few times isolating the leak path)




There is a air flow vortex in the rear tire area,
That fools a lot of so called tech's into thinking the leak comes from where the Drive bolts to the Swing arm.
Gravity proves differently.

FYI-In all the drives I've replaced. I have Yet to see one leak from the front!!.(Where the Driveshaft slides over the Stub shaft.)

[ShooterF6B]

On the F6B site , most of us found that when new the final drive was grossly lacking in lubricant. Mine had a little less than 1.5 ounces. Dozens of members on the site had the same experience. Not blaming the OP at all but a little maintenance would have saved a problem. People tend to forget about that part of the bike.

[Rocky]

Dealers have been neglecting "Topping off ALL the fluids since 2001".

It's Honda's fault, that they haven't seen to it that Dealers do so at Set Up time!

Sadly - Dealer techs are of the mind set "It's new-it must of been checked at the factory"

[Winger66]

well it doesnt seem to be leaking from the "main seal". its dry all around that area. so mebbe it actually is the seam where the final drive connects to the shaft. guess time will tell since the shop is going to have me run it until locating new leakage.

[Rocky]

well it doesnt seem to be leaking from the "main seal". its dry all around that area. so mebbe it actually is the seam where the final drive connects to the shaft. guess time will tell since the shop is going to have me run it until locating new leakage.

That's the first order of business.

Wash all the residual grease/dirt off.

And keep checking where the leak originates from?.

What is wrong here, Is The Dealer cleaned off a dirty drive and is making you watch where the leak starts from?

When once they seen the grease/dirt build up externally.

They should of just replaced the Drive. and made a happy customer.


It costs more in labor, to replace a seal.
than it does to replace the drive itself.(Trike take off)

[cota]

well all comments are quite vague but its hard to be leave it's cost effective to replace the final drive unit when as far as I can see it's the O ring #21 on the parts list that's caused the leak by being cut on assemble by the outer casing. My 2014 GL1800C has only covered 7000KMS and I think it's pretty fair to say mine and everybody else's has been leaking since assemble at the factory. what do you all think about that, there are only three seal's # 31 21 & 29.

[Rocky]

You didn't say if you ever took a Drive apart?

I have, its a PITA,when a drive can be had for $50.

Even Honda understands the Concept.

[Dwayne Hopkins]

60k+ miles on my 2014 Valk, and no leakage noted. I have replaced the gear lube twice during this period. I check it regularly, ever since the final drive on my wife's' V-Star disintegrated internally due to a leak a few years ago.