rear Drive Unit Drain Plug

[Battersea]

I have been thinking for a while now about making a stronger drain plug for the rear drive unit and v*twins last post has prompted me to go for it.

The style would be like the images below, made from st/st, would be much stronger and have a face 'O-ring' to seal better. I'm thinking a price of about £12 each. I have to purchase a minimum of 20 rod magnets so I will be making that number, is there anyone who would interested?

 

[scot in exile]

What is wrong with the stock one? if you use the correct torque setting you will never have a problem.

 

[xhdskip]

I'll take 2, one for each R3.
Thanks, we doing paypal or just waiting?

 

[ponters]

Gday mate. I'll grab one.

 

[Battersea]

What is wrong with the stock one? if you use the correct torque setting you will never have a problem.

Nothing wrong with the stock one, but what if you don't know if anyone has overtightened it beforehand. If I had known how weak they were, mine would have been replaced when I changed the oil earlier this year.

As it is I'm going to make a stronger version to put in next oil change and then the problems gone, for me and anyone I sell the bike to.

 

[Battersea]

I'll take 2, one for each R3.
Thanks, we doing paypal or just waiting?

I have a PayPal account if that's how you want to do things.

I ordered the magnets and st/st today but need to get some cutting tools so it will be a week or so before they will be available. Also, I will be destruction testing a couple first before sending them out. Will put a post on here when ready.

 

[scot in exile]

Be very carefull with the italian rear end you start putting to much pressure on it and well you know what could happen.

 

[ponters]

and one other thing, was chatting to a couple mates about it. a few issues are, the clearance internally is very small so be careful, 2 ss may be a problem as the casing is alu and the two metals will likely create electrolysis causing rusting which is a major problem, 3 the 2 metals have different expansion qualities which could either create binding leading to potential treading or 2 it may weep when the two metals are at different heats. 4, its much cheaper to put in a fresh plug every time you re-grease it. apparently they make them that soft to ensure its the first thing that damages as it is easy to throw away and replace.

if you think it is worth proceeding after considering these issues let me know, if not im happy to just buy a couple spares and treat them as throw away pieces.

let me know your thoughts

 

[CanberraR3]

I would have thought it better the plug gives than the housing.....

 

[Battersea]

Be very carefull with the italian rear end you start putting to much pressure on it and well you know what could happen.

Just have to use the same torque setting as per the original.

and one other thing, was chatting to a couple mates about it. a few issues are, the clearance internally is very small so be careful, 2 ss may be a problem as the casing is alu and the two metals will likely create electrolysis causing rusting which is a major problem, 3 the 2 metals have different expansion qualities which could either create binding leading to potential treading or 2 it may weep when the two metals are at different heats. 4, its much cheaper to put in a fresh plug every time you re-grease it. apparently they make them that soft to ensure its the first thing that damages as it is easy to throw away and replace.

if you think it is worth proceeding after considering these issues let me know, if not im happy to just buy a couple spares and treat them as throw away pieces.

let me know your thoughts

I think your mates were doing a bit of 'nay saying' to be honest, but you asked for my thoughts so here goes.

1> No problem with clearance as the replacement is the same length as original.

2> I do know about periodic tables and the effects between dissimilar metals, however electrolytic action is promoted mostly when subject to saline or water immersion, the drive unit contains oil. The plug should be fitted with an anti-seize compound anyway like all stainless fasteners, most mechanics know that. Anti-seize gives protection against corrosion.
Ask your mates how many bikes they have owned and fitted stainless fasteners to, I have fitted hundreds of stainless nuts and bolts to mine - never had one instance of electrolytic action with any of them.

3> '...... different expansion rates' - yes they are different but they actually work positively, when heated the casing will expand away from the plug, cant see how that would cause binding, plus the use of anti-seize.
'......... weeping when hot' - the sump plugs don't weep and they are steel in alloy with much the same expansion differential.

4> '.............Its much cheaper to put in fresh plugs every time' - cant see how. Pay out for one replacement against paying out a similar amount every time. Worse still replacing bad with bad.
'.............apparently they make them that soft to ensure its the first thing that damages as it is easy to throw away and replace.' - So they are saying that a broken plug left in the casing is in the best interest of the owner, really? I don't think so.

I would have thought it better the plug gives than the housing.....

Yes for sure, but that doesn't mean a plug that wont break is a bad thing. If that was the case wouldn't it be better to have the sump plugs do the same?