Broken hub = broken wallet

[acarter920]

Well here's the story... i was at Silver Lake Sand Dunes yesterday and about 1 hour into my ride, after just landing from a jump, i hear a SNAP! Was in 3rd gear at about half throttle and went from about 30-0 in no time at all. ?

After gathering my thoughts, i looked down and see a hub with only 3 of the 5 sprocket bolt holes, a sprocket not connected to anything with about half of its teeth left, and a jammed chain up around the CF sprocket. A big "D'OH"

Not only did it ruin a beautiful day of riding, but it seems like it will put me back a few dollars for a new hub, chain, sprockets, and bolts.

Here's my couple questions. First off, does anyone happen to have a hub, complete wheel, chain/sprocket set????

Second, when it all happened, the bike popped into neutral from 3rd gear and then died. I started it back up once i got the CF sprocket off and everything seemed fine. No dripping oil, no weird noises, and no apparent engine problems. It still appears to shift fine also. My question is... is there any possibility of further damage from what happened? I dont want to get everything back together and have my engine self-destruct. What should i check to make sure everything is all right? Thanks in advance

[The_Blue_One]

Try this guy he had a rear rim complete that he wanted $250 forhere is his email scott.freeman@alconlabs.com

[pwisz]

Another option is to check out the local racing teams. They may have some old stock from last year. A similar thing happened to pete stefrac. He broke his hub and the local race team got him a front and rear excel rim w/hub, spokes, single race tires, discs and sprocket for about 100 dollars more than the cost of new hub and restringing(???) of new spokes. Just a thought , good luck.

[moto_madman]

lacing not restringing.

[kfrosty]

What year bike was it? If you purchased it from a dealer I would go back to them and have them get Yamaha cover it under a goodwill warranty. I had the same thing happen. Just tell them you locktite the bolts and check them often and the thing just broke. They replaced the hub on my bike. You just need to have the old one for the dealer to send in if necessary. The down side is they won't just send you everything. They'll only send it to a dealer and the dealer won't do it unless they charge you labor and fix it for you. Still cost you around $250 either way you go. I think with my discounts, the hub was around $69, spoke and nipple set around $75. Rim around $80 something or so and then you have the bearings inside the wheel which were about $30 or $40 a piece. (I can't remember exact figures on these.)

[candlkirk]

I had the same thing happen to me. I was not even jumping when my hub broke. I was at the races this weekend and found 3 other guys this has happend to. I think this is a problem Yamaha needs to confront. I called them when I broke my hug and they just kind of blew me off. It cost me about $200 by the time I bought a new hub and sprocket and bolts. Yamaha needs to get its **** together before I sell mine and buy a KTM. I still do not understand why they use the same hug on a 125 as they do on a 426. Know wonder they are braking. My bike is a 02.

[Ga426owner]

Guys, I do not want to start a war here on this subject, but you need to tighten/check the sprocket bolts & Nuts before any & every ride or race. They are notorious for coming loose as they have for me and many other YZF owners. This is what causes the destruction of the hubs.....chain, sprockets, wheel & spokes.

[Thumpty_Dumpty]

I agree with Ga426 - I checked mine after my last ride and they were so loose the sprocket was actually rattling on the hub...!! very scary....

[Kirtwell]

Oh man ?

I'm glad I read this....I never check the sprocket bolts...ever....I'll check mine more often now...thanx for the advice. I can't afford the $$$$$$$$ for a new hub.

[candlkirk]

Dear Ga426owner,

When my hub broke, all of my sprocket bolts were still in my sprocket and they were still tight. My hub broke right where the bolts go through the hub. I called Yamaha about 5 minutes ago and they said they have had a couple of calls but nothing to be concerned about. I told him I was past concerned. I asked, why does Yamaha put the same hub on a 125 as they do on a 426. He said that they were made for a 426 and if they work on a 426 then surly they will handle a 125. I told him that my hub will fit from a 99-02 125, 250, 400, 426. I said this hub was used before Yamaha even made a 426, so dont tell me it was made for a 426 and then used on a 125. He did not have much to say about that. But when all was said and done, I got the cold shoulder. I hate a $100 hug to cause me to buy a different brand of bike in 03.

[ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: candlkirk ]

[acarter920]

The Blue One, that email address didnt work ?

I copied and pasted it, but it returned the message. Is there something wrong with the addy?

Unfortunately i purchased the bike used. It is an 00' model, so Yamaha would never cover it. I totally agree, a rear hub shouldnt just break like that, even if the chain is a little too tight. Definitely a problem area. I even checked the sprocket bolts before i left and tightened them.

I will check with the local team, but they really arent that big, so its doubtful they would have a hub.

Does anyone know what other Yamaha model rear wheels would fit on a Yz426? Anywhere i can find out? Because there is a motorcycle salvage yard pretty close to me and i would probably be able to pick up an older wheel cheap.

[Hick]

I believe the F uses the same wheels as the 250 two stroke.

[gtms34]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet so I'll throw it out there:

If the chain is too tight, it can break the hub.

The hub can take a lot of abuse, then, bang.

I see soooo many bikes with the chain stretched like a banjo string and the guys are only riding through the pit.

[timmorg]

I went through the same problem with my stock hub. Yamaha basically just laughed at me so I footed the bill for a new talon hub. However when my talon hub also broke they were just a bit nicer and sent me out a replacement hub for free. I still had to replace all the other parts such as the chain, sprockets, chain guard and such.

Joe

[Ga426owner]

CandlKirk, were the nuts (that hold the sprocket bolts) attached to the hub after destruction? How tight do you keep your chain? (3-fingers at the end of the Chain Slider - on top of the swingarm as the general rule)

I have had 4 YZF's 1999-2001 & 1 WR426. I have never had or heard of hubs exploding due to manufacturing flaws. Which side took the most damage? Sprocket or rear brake side? Was the chain broken or not?

[candlkirk]

GA426owner,

I keep my chain 3 finger lose on the back of the chain guide. My friend who has been riding since the 70's always say's I need to tighten my chain because it is too lose. Believe me, chain tension was not the cause. All the damage was on the sprocket side of the bike. All of the bolts were still in the sprocket after this happened. It broke my sprocket in half, so I slide it over the swingarm without taking the rear wheel off. All of the bolts were still real tight in the sprocket. I took the sprocket and hub to my Yamaha shop and they could not believe it. When they contacted Yamaha, they got the cold shoulder. This just sucks that Yamaha want even consider helping solve the problem after you spend this much money on one of there products. This also not how you treat people if you want there return business.

[kfrosty]

A follow up to my post, go through your dealer. Do not call Yamaha directly. From what I told they won't do anything directly with the public, however you're dealer should be able to get this covered for you. Technically, there is only a 30 day warranty on these bikes. (Better than Honda which has none.)

But the dealer I went through sales all the brands but Suzuki and indicated that Yamaha was really good about doing good will work. The downside as I said it will still end up costing you about the same because you then have to pay the dealer to build the wheel.

[cowboyona426]

I just checked the bolts on my 00 for the first time, and they were tight! No way they were coming loose. What would cause the bolts just to loosen like that?