R3 Factory Updates

[zenbiker]

I called my Triumph dealer about factory updates for my 07 Classic. According to my VIN, the only update not in the bike is the bevel box. My dealer says he has only seen two failures there so far. One bike with 60K miles on it and another with only 6K.
My question is, I have a Carpenter build with 208 hp and 168 lbs torque but have experienced no problems there so far. My bike has 14K on it but only a few hundred with the Carpenter build. Should I do that update which could be quite expensive..requiring engine removal etc,. or just wait and see? How often does this failure happen?
What should I look for to know I am looking at a failure?
Thanks for any input.

 

[Captain Rich]

Hmmm, I'm not familiar with an update for the bevel box itself but there have been problems with the bearing on the torsional shaft going to the bevel box. If that's what the dealer is referring to, you'll get an early indication when you hear a scraping/metal-on-metal sound before anything siezes up (but then again, you might not hear that over sound of the Carpenter Kit). Depending on your mileage, if it hasn't failed yet, it may not. There was a report floating around that some R3's had that particular bearing installed backwards and therefore starved for lubrication...I'm thinking mine went out at about 8K miles.

 

[Paul Bryant]

From what I have been told the out-put bearing, which has a seal on one side and open on the other side, was being installed by one particular "technician"(or what ever you would like to call this position ) backwards at assembly.
This meant that instead of having the open (non sealed) side facing inwards therefore open to the oil enviroment, it was open to the outside getting no lubrication and being open to the crap from outside.
This was a particular batch as done by this particular operator.
Once rectified, no more problems.
I was told that the bearing lasted about 25-30K Kms, but bikes with noisy exhaust pipes the bearing lasted about 35K Kms !
How much "Fact" is in this who would know. When you consider just how strong the rest of the trans is, this does make sence.

 

[Blastedbones]

From what I have been told the out-put bearing, which has a seal on one side and open on the other side, was being installed by one particular "technician"(or what ever you would like to call this position ) backwards at assembly.
This meant that instead of having the open (non sealed) side facing inwards therefore open to the oil enviroment, it was open to the outside getting no lubrication and being open to the crap from outside.
This was a particular batch as done by this particular operator.
Once rectified, no more problems.
I was told that the bearing lasted about 25-30K Kms, but bikes with noisy exhaust pipes the bearing lasted about 35K Kms !
How much "Fact" is in this who would know. When you consider just how strong the rest of the trans is, this does make sence.

You said

I was told that the bearing lasted about 25-30K Kms, but bikes with noisy exhaust pipes the bearing lasted about 35K Kms !

You mean the dodgy bearing? or regular? cos 25k aint sounding good!!!!!:eek3:

 

[zenbiker]

Hmmm, I'm not familiar with an update for the bevel box itself but there have been problems with the bearing on the torsional shaft going to the bevel box. If that's what the dealer is referring to, you'll get an early indication when you hear a scraping/metal-on-metal sound before anything siezes up (but then again, you might not hear that over sound of the Carpenter Kit). Depending on your mileage, if it hasn't failed yet, it may not. There was a report floating around that some R3's had that particular bearing installed backwards and therefore starved for lubrication...I'm thinking mine went out at about 8K miles.

You are correct, Rich. That was the item, not the bevel box.

 

[Paul Bryant]

You are correct, Rich. That was the item, not the bevel box.

What he said Bones.

 

[BRich]

You don't even need the bike running to hear it. Roll the bike forward and back while engine off and listen about six inches behind the shift shaft entering the engine. The bearings were definitely installed backwards. The warranty claim will most likely include the entire update kit. Cases will be split, new lock-tighted bolt on shift shaft, new second gear, new torsional damper bearing and many other things.