Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Cush drive rubber

When should the cush drive rubber be replaced. I'm at 20,000
Mike

Don't know that they really need to be replaced at any particular interval. Inspection at tire changes and replacement as they need. 23k and my rear hub feels ok. They were fine at the tire change at 15k. Next tire change should be around 30k and they'll get checked again then.

Get your wheel off the ground. Grab the tire and the sprocket and twist against each other. If there's a lot of play, replace. Mind you, there should be a little movement but not much. I have no exact spec.

Mikemm, I think a lot of how you drive enters into the need to replace the cush drive rubbers sooner or later. I have good days when I introduce almost no lash into the drive line, and bad days when my clutch gas brake usage is not very smooth, and I cause some jerking as the lash is taken up in the drive. The bad days could not be very good for the cush rubbers.The good news is that I am getting much smoother as my seat time increases. Back in the seventy's my old Nora Nortons cush drive rubbers looked like crap after six months and about five thousand miles. I needed a lot of work on my driving smoothness. Vegas

Like it's been said, no set interval. Mine lasted until about 30.000 miles. I replaced it with a Thundebird rubber, and got a bit tighter fit than stock. There should be no play with the cush drive rubber. If there is, it could cause the chain to stretch. The Tbird part # is T2012211.

Whenever you change your tires inspect the cush drive. When I had my last tire change at 34K, it was recommended that I replace it on my next tire change. I just ordered one so I’ll have it when I’m ready….

Thanks sal, added that to the tech vault, great info for future needs.

Thanks should also go to member herbz. He's the one I got the part number from some months ago after he tried it out and found a slightly snugger fit.

I just changed mine with 14k on the bike.
there is a noticable difference in feel when checked
by hand.
I have not had a chance to ride yet, not all back together.
Does this say something about my riding

Pete,

Did you use stock or the Thunderbird rubbers?

I replaced my cush drive using stock rubbers on March 03, 2005 at 31648 miles.

Again Funny this comes up
My bike is in for the fifth set of rubbers in a little over 7000 miles. First set went at 3000 miles and it gets shorter each time, I did not even get a 1000 miles on this last set.I am hoping the dealer gets me the whole wheel replaced this time. I am already done with the warranty but the dealer is working with me because i have had this problem since new or 3000 miles anyway (first summer)I have no idea why this happens i ride like a ninty year old, but it happens. Anyway a good thing to keep an eye on them most guys dont even think to check

For me it was fairly easy to tell when the cush drive rubber went. The chain started to feel like it was slipping coming off the line from a dead stop. I didn't have that much play either, maybe half an inch or so.

Over the almost 3 years I've been on ba.com, I've read a handful of cases like yours...where the rubber wears out quickly. I sympathize with your plight, and I hope your dealer takes care of it. It's not something to be taken lightly, because it can cause excessive wear to your chain, sprockets, and even the gears in your transmission.

I got the stock.
never even thought about the thunderbird.
Someone needs to make a replacement out of poly.
Stiffer and lasts longer.
I am getting all new poly bushings to replace the old
rubbers on my firebird.