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How To: Replace Counter Sprocket Seal

44K views 81 replies 26 participants last post by  quibblingquoll 
#1 · (Edited)
I replaced my counter sprocket seal using tips from another member (simingx) and watching some videos on YouTube. Here's simingx's post from the ==update==Is there a How to for the Countershaft sprocket oil seal on 675R ? thread.

Tools required:

  • 36mm socket
  • 1/2" drive ratchet & breaker bar
  • Torque wrench
  • Hammer
  • Drill & drill bits
  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Channellock pliers

Other materials:

Removal:
1. Remove sprocket cover (I keep mine off so this step was skipped).
2. Bend the washer tab away from the sprocket nut. Tab washer can be used again by bending in another place.
3. Remove the sprocket nut (apply pressure on the rear brake to break the torque, NEVER REMOVE SPROCKET NUT IN GEAR).
4. Remove the tab washer.
5. Loosen chain to give slack to remove the counter sprocket.
6. Remove counter sprocket.
7. Drill some holes in the seal. Be careful when doing so not to damage anything behind it. The bearings have a cover to it so if the drill bit goes all the way through, you'll hit that and not the bearings.
8. Thread in some self tapping screws.
9. Remove seal by pulling on screws.

Installation:
1. Clean the area behind the seal for any metal shavings that may have gone through.
2. Apply some grease on the seal.
3. Press the seal into casing evenly. Be patient and take your time or you'll damage the seal and have to replace it again. I got it started by pressing it in by hand, then using the bottom of the handle (which is rubber) of my hammer to push it in. Once it was in majority of the way, I used the PVC pipe to push in the rest of the way.
4. Clean the area of all the lube/dirt build up.
5. Install sprocket.
6. Install tab washer. My old one was already used twice from the dealership replacing the CS Seal and probably could've been re-used but I opted for a new one.
7. Install sprocket nut.
8. Install chain, remove slack, and torque to sprocket nut to 85 Nm (63 ft lbs) [apply pressure on rear brake to torque].
9. Bend tab on tab washer. I'm sure there's different methods, but I used channel locks to bend the tab.
10. Adjust slack on chain - 1.1" to 1.5" and torque rear axle nut to 110 Nm (81 ft lbs).
 

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#2 ·
Here's some pics of what it looked like behind the sprocket after I removed it; and some comparison pics of the OEM seal and the shaft seal I used. Note that there's two aftermarket seals in the pic. I ended up using both because I f'd up on the first one, reason I say take your time. First one I just tried to get in quick and damaged the lip on the upper half because it didn't go in evenly.

The last pic is the OEM seal that was installed by the dealership. The lip is damaged so no wonder it leaked again; this is probably the same thing they did the first time.
 

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#4 ·
I've not done this project, but when I've replaced other seals I found it helped to put the seal in the freezer for a few hours before I installed. Depending on where the seal goes, one can also use a heat gun to heat the spot the seal slips into - be careful though. A cold/shrunk seal and a warm/expanded location help the seal go in easier/with less force.
 
#5 ·
i had to do that for this as well. i used an oem seal though. you make this look easy! i fought with getting my sprocket off for HOURS! then ripped one new seal all up. was extra careful with the second though.
 
#8 ·
Very awesome how to Easbaysav. You should be leak free, how is the bike?

If anyone needs this same exact seal please let me know. I bought it for $32 that's with tax and shipping but Didnt need it due to my leak was the case cover. I'll ship it to you for $25. PayPal accepted. Pm me your address if interested.

This is a brand new very high temperature Viton CS oil seal. You can see the difference in thickness from the oem pic.
 
#10 ·
I changed the seal out yesterday and it was a pain. It is nerve racking to tear into a new bike. I had to take the edge off the case by giving it a micro bevel with a needle file. I peeled the first seal because of the case and the fact that one side is always in farther then the other. I used all of easbaysav's procedure and worked the second in by hand very very slowly. The 1.5" coupling and plug should not be used to drive the seal until the very end just like easbaysav said. I hope it doesn't leak because the bike will be gone, too many leaks in one year. Mine was leaking from the center collar, the stock seal is weak with hardly any tension, compared to the new seal.

Oh ya, thanks easbaysav
 
#11 ·
No problem, glad it helped you out.

Put another 130 miles on her yesterday and still holding up fine. I'm hoping it holds up in the long run cause it's been too many leaks in a year for me also. Warranty will be up in a few months and I doubt I'd want the dealer to replace it again anyhow so I ended up buying a couple more seals to have on hand.
 
#13 ·
Good to hear it is holding up. Had a leak on my 06, installed a new triumph seal and it leaked within a hundred miles.
used a seal from Napa (13966) and it was fine after another 5xxx miles when I sold the bike. have kept a spare on hand ever since.
 
#14 ·
Changed mine out yesterday with the industrial Viton one, no issues at all. Warmed the bike up well, and the old seal came out smoothly. With the case warm, I greased the outer and inner parts of the new seal, and for the most part could almost push it in by hand. I got a small piece of wood and tapped around the edges to get it the rest of the way in.

The new seal looks much stronger, I doubt there will be any issues like the OEM ones. I'll post an update after some miles and some track time.
 
#15 ·
Well I tackled the CS seal replacement job today...

It went great except for one particularly bad hiccup.

First and foremost, thanks to easbaysav for the tremendous writeup.

Just as feedback/confirmation if you follow the instructions carefully, this will go very smoothly and take no more than a Sunday afternoon. Be sure to grease the inside and outside surfaces of the new seal, as I found that made it a lot easier to work into its place. Also, it looks like easbaysav has an aftermarket sprocket so if you are using the stock sprocket, when bending the washer tab back, you can't fit linemans or even tiny pliers in there. You need to gently bend it back by prying and then get it flush with the sprocket nut by tapping with a deadblow or rubber mallet on some kind of nail punch or wide head screwdriver. just use care and don't rush anything

Personally I found it worthwhile to disconnect the quickshifter to make a little more room. don't lose those ball joint cotter pins!

Now... about that hiccup. Check out the attached image. I drilled into the old seal with ABSOLUTE care and ease. I've worked years in construction and on vehicles... i'm pretty handy with a drill. Still, to my dismay I just barely punched through and came in contact with the bearing cover on the other side. I'm furious with myself. So - how screwed am I? It is indeed a bearing cover, correct? Not the bearing itself? My other concern is, does this now jagged surface come in contact with the inside of the new seal, potentially wearing it away? DANG

I guess what's done is done, but i'm hoping as it appears to be the bearing cover, i'm in the clear. Any and all feedback welcome.

Thanks!
 

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#16 ·
A little update, I'm around 2k + miles now with 2 trackdays and the seal is still holding up fine.

First and foremost, thanks to easbaysav for the tremendous writeup.

Just as feedback/confirmation if you follow the instructions carefully, this will go very smoothly and take no more than a Sunday afternoon. Be sure to grease the inside and outside surfaces of the new seal, as I found that made it a lot easier to work into its place. Also, it looks like easbaysav has an aftermarket sprocket so if you are using the stock sprocket, when bending the washer tab back, you can't fit linemans or even tiny pliers in there. You need to gently bend it back by prying and then get it flush with the sprocket nut by tapping with a deadblow or rubber mallet on some kind of nail punch or wide head screwdriver. just use care and don't rush anything

Personally I found it worthwhile to disconnect the quickshifter to make a little more room. don't lose those ball joint cotter pins!

Now... about that hiccup. Check out the attached image. I drilled into the old seal with ABSOLUTE care and ease. I've worked years in construction and on vehicles... i'm pretty handy with a drill. Still, to my dismay I just barely punched through and came in contact with the bearing cover on the other side. I'm furious with myself. So - how screwed am I? It is indeed a bearing cover, correct? Not the bearing itself? My other concern is, does this now jagged surface come in contact with the inside of the new seal, potentially wearing it away? DANG

I guess what's done is done, but i'm hoping as it appears to be the bearing cover, i'm in the clear. Any and all feedback welcome.

Thanks!
Thanks, I did get some info from another member and from watching some YouTube videos so I can't take all the credit.

That is the bearing, but the part you made contact with is a cover plate to the bearings. If there's nothing protruding further than the top of it, you should be fine. That's just my opinion though. First hole I drilled pushed through even though I was careful, but luckily it barely nicked the cover and didn't leave a mark.

Good catch with the counter sprocket, I did change my sprockets and chain while I was at it. As for the QS/shift rod, I just disconnected it at the fwd ball joint and pushed the rod back; if you have the sprocket cover installed, the shift rod would have to be moved out of the way to remove the sprocket cover IIRC. Good tips, nonetheless. Thanks for posting.
 
#22 ·
Liability issues and warranty coverage. Triumph wouldn't cover it under warranty because it's not an OEM Triumph part and the mechanic could be held liable if anything were to happen with a non-OEM part you provided.

I'll be attempting this install fairly shortly. Just tore my bike down to see that it is indeed a CS seal leak. Thanks for the write up.. no way in hell i would be doing this job without some instruction.

I do still have my warranty but after reading this thread it seems like the best long term solution is to install it yourself with the aftermarket seal so that you can KNOW that it is in there correctly.
No problem. Most of the info was provided by other members, I just took the time to take some pics and added my 2¢ from experience during the install.

You can have the dealer replace the seal for you if you're willing to part ways with the bike for a few weeks and if you can trust the tech to do it right the first time. Otherwise order two seals (just in case the first doesn't go in right), and do it yourself.
 
#21 ·
I'll be attempting this install fairly shortly. Just tore my bike down to see that it is indeed a CS seal leak. Thanks for the write up.. no way in hell i would be doing this job without some instruction.

I do still have my warranty but after reading this thread it seems like the best long term solution is to install it yourself with the aftermarket seal so that you can KNOW that it is in there correctly.
 
#24 ·
Well I completed the job today. Have to say it wasnt always 100% straight going in, but its flush now. I used the rubber end of a hammer to push it in after getting it started with my thumbs. Made the circle a couple of times until it was flush.

Hopefully i didnt do it wrong or mess it up while sliding it in. Were yall able to have it even going in the whole time??? Gonna upload some pictures when i get a chance. Either way, this seal is way more heavy duty than the original. Looks better than the oem one for sure

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#27 ·
Well I completed the job today. Have to say it wasnt always 100% straight going in, but its flush now. I used the rubber end of a hammer to push it in after getting it started with my thumbs. Made the circle a couple of times until it was flush.

Hopefully i didnt do it wrong or mess it up while sliding it in. Were yall able to have it even going in the whole time??? Gonna upload some pictures when i get a chance. Either way, this seal is way more heavy duty than the original. Looks better than the oem one for sure
As long as it didn't pinch the rubber coating and/or tear any off on the sharp edges of the CS housing, you're okay. You would know. I used a lot of grease and a PVC pipe fitting the same diameter as the CS seal to gradually tap it in. But yes, mine did start going in slightly uneven. I worked in the perimeter with my thumbs using moderate pressure until it was engaged, then taps with a rubber mallet to fully seat it flush with the housing. While the OEM seal was slightly recessed inside the housing, this one is clearly flush, so I doubt it has the same opportunity to get lodged at an angle, which i believe is what caused the leaks with the OEM seal in the first place. about 1k miles of pretty hard riding and my new seal has not leaked yet.
 
#28 ·
I used this one:
http://www.ultimateindustrial.com/35x62x7-metric-oil-shaft-seal-single-lip-viton-high-temperature/

damn thing was $5 more when I ordered it hah! I bought two of them just in case. first one installed fine so I'll keep the other as a backup.

No leaks after about 1k miles since install. And that includes a 500 mile day trip at high sustained speeds :whistle: desert highways are fun :grin2:

Important to note - while I did this install I also tightened every single oil pan, stator cover, clutch cover, etc 8mm bolt around the engine. Many were loose even after tightening them once before when the bike was brand new. Keep your eyes on those, oil leaks come from there too.
 
#35 ·
just replaced my seal and swapped to 15t sprocket. took a little less than 3 hours. everything was straight forward like the instruction here said. my seal seemed to be leaking pretty bad. once it was removed, i smeared grease on the inside portion of the case and on outside section of new seal. also put some grease on the center double lips. the seal pushed in by hand easy enough but it was very hard to keep it even on all sides. i used a wooden dowel to tap it in the rest of the way. i noticed it wont sit in the case exactly flush because the case halves are not machined exactly level or mating up to each other perfectly. i tapped it pretty hard so i know its up against the race inside the case. left the sprocket cover off and did a test ride. no leaks as of yet and wow do i love that 15t sprocket. im gonna take it for a 140 mile torture ride sat and look again. i will button it up if its still dry. was kinda worried that the seal might start pushing itself out after using so much grease due to pressure inside the engine. if it leaks or starts to push out, im going to do it again and maybe use some rtv sealant mixed with grease or something. i did notice i had to turn my chain adjusters out quite a bit to get 1.5 inches slack. 1" seems too tight.
 
#37 ·
i noticed it wont sit in the case exactly flush because the case halves are not machined exactly level or mating up to each other perfectly. i tapped it pretty hard so i know its up against the race inside the case.
I'm actually thinking this might be a major part of the issue. The factory KOYO seals are good quality seals, but I think since they are only 5mm thick and don't go all the way back to the race, it's easy for the factory/dealers to misalign them when installing, so that they aren't squared up properly. Since the case halves are not flush and level, you can't use them as a guide to align the seal.

The 7mm thick industrial seals sit against the bearing race, ensuring it is installed perfectly square. I replaced the seals on both my Daytona and STR (which was already replaced once by the dealer and started leaking again shortly afterwards), and while the seal does not look aligned to the cases on the outside, it is perfectly square up against the bearing race. No more leaks, even on the race bike.
 
#38 ·
I think your right. So glad I found this thread and the aftermarket seal. It wasn't bad to change at all. Only bad thing I did was reuse the large washer. Its on its third bend but on fresh metal. I'm sure it will be ok. I'll post a status update after hitting 1000 miles but bet money it will be all dry.
 
#39 ·
Looks like I'll be attempting this repair soon as well. I seem to have blown my front sprocket seal on my 08 Street Triple. I found a ~6 inch piece of rubber hose (looks vacuum / breather hose) wedged behind the sprocket. It had torn off of somewhere and wrapped itself around the shaft. This likely came from when I raised the tank earlier this week to check the fuses. It's similar to the hose that runs down from the tank. I'm not sure where What a nightmare.

Anyway, are the seals universal across all years? I see most people are 2013+.

Also, where would that hose have come from? I'd read a post elsewhere about losing crankcase breathing via a kinked hose and causing the failure. Don't want to put in a new seal only to blow it in a similar fashion.
 
#40 ·
Picked up two from Napa. Ruined both. I even froze the second and heated the engine case. Not sure how anyone got them started using their fingers. At least I didn't ruin the industrial seals that are 3x the price. Hopefully a local Napa will have another one I can take to a shop unless someone has a trick I haven't tried.
 
#41 ·
Not trying to be a prick, but maybe the ones you got from Napa aren't up to par with the viton seals linked in this thread. Mess up one more Napa seal and there's the cost of one viton seal. If you succeed with one of the Napa seals, it might not last. So far there's been several members who have had good results with the viton seal. Might cost 3x more, but mine is still holding up fine and bike has been track only since March - April with 7-9 trackdays during that time.

Apply some grease, be careful and try to install it evenly. The only way to botch up a viton seal is by pushing the seal in unevenly and/or too fast.
 
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