Sprocket shaft bearing walked?

[xlfan]

Is it possible that a 55-57 sprocket shaft bearing can walk outward,  if sprocket nut tension is lost? Or is it just caused by sloppy assembly work?

[Ohio HD]

A loose sprocket nut or compensator can definitely cause the Timken to move on the sprocket shaft.

[kd]

   Absolutly

[xlfan]

A loose sprocket nut or compensator can definitely cause the Timken to move on the sprocket shaft.

It isn't the timken that has moved on the sprocket shaft, it is the timken bearing race that has moved in the engine case bore. The 55-57 timken is a bit different than the 58-UP timken.

[Ohio HD]

A loose sprocket nut or compensator can definitely cause the Timken to move on the sprocket shaft.

It isn't the timken that has moved on the sprocket shaft, it is the timken bearing race that has moved in the engine case bore. The 55-57 timken is a bit different than the 58-UP timken.

Pretty sure that the Timken is the same all the way to 1968, they change in 1969. But in any case, the race can walk out of the case if the sprocket nut is loose. Eventually the case can get wallowed out and the race will not be a press fit any more.

This is a case where the sprocket nut was loose and the crank beat the races loose and damaged the left side case. Now can they be installed wrong, not pressed all the way in, sure. But once things are loose, kinda hard to say what caused it.

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[xlfan]

You are right of course, the timken changed after 1968, I stand corrected. From the wear marks on the pinion bearing race, it looks like the onepiece left side timken race hasn't bottomed on the inner retaning ring. I don't know how to compress pictures enough to get accepted her.

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Those can be repaired.

[xlfan]

The reason for bearing "walk" was actually that the sprocket shaft seal wasn't bottomed against bearing race😩