[Cumrat29]

Does anyone else get a lot of noise coming from their Angle drive?

 

[BKL]

Several folks have posted about this. General feeling seems to be that replacing the lube with a synthetic might make it quieter.
Search for whine.

 

[Cumrat29]

Thank you

 

[Noah Katz]

General feeling seems to be that replacing the lube with a synthetic might make it quieter.

Is there anything to support this or is it just speculation?

Since synthetics are if anything less viscous, I'd expect more noise, not less.

Also, I was getting the impression that the belt was the issue, though they could both be contributors.

 

[ed noga]

Does anyone else get a lot of noise coming from their Angle drive?

Yes.. Mine growls terribly under acceleration, and quiets down during cruising speeds. It almost sounds as if a bearing is worn, except it did it from day one. Doesn't sound like a quality 24k machine should.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Mine sounds just like how Ed Noga described how his sounds. Something ain't right!!!

 

[ed noga]

Taking my SS back to the dealer right after the Holidays and leaving it until they find out the cause of the low speed acceleration growling.. Will use Georgias lemon law if it isn't corrected. When u buy anything automotive here in Georgia, they tax you with a 4 dollar fee for the law...

 

[ed noga]

Mine sounds just like how Ed Noga described how his sounds. Something ain't right!!!

Before I take it back to the dealer, I am going to try changing the gear drive fluid from 75w-90 to 90w-140 like I have in my Harley gear box... Made the Harley 75% quieter.. What bothers me most about that growl is that its not a constant.. It comes and goes depending on how much acceleration is used.. cant really enjoy this machine like it is..

 

[Otter]

You guys with the loud 'gear drives' :

How have you verified that it is the gears and not the belt? Have you measured the lash in the belt and have you tried adjusting it to see if it affects the noise?

I don't have my SS yet but the videos sound like belt noise to me. I will be very unhappy if it does turn out to be gear noise. That would not bode well for long term reliability.

 

[Orangeman]

Will use Georgias lemon law if it isn't corrected. When u buy anything automotive here in Georgia, they tax you with a 4 dollar fee for the law...

"
Cars Covered in Georgia
In Georgia, only new vehicles are covered under the lemon law, and they must still be in the original owner's possession. This also applies to leased vehicles. If the car has changed ownership, it is no longer eligible for protection under the lemon law.

Additionally, the vehicle must have a defect that:

• Makes the car unsafe to drive.
• Lowers the resale value of the car.
• Causes malfunctions to the vehicle's normal uses.

NOTE: Defects caused by neglect, misuse, abuse, or alterations are not covered by the lemon law.

Cars Not Covered
The following vehicles are not covered by Georgia's lemon law:

• Your purchased or leased used vehicle.

• A car whose title indicates it is a used vehicle.

• Motorcycles.

• Trucks weighing 10,000 lbs or more.

• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

• Boats.

• Vehicles that do not legally qualify as a motor vehicle.
• The living area of a motorhome. "

http://www.dmv.org/ga-georgia/automotive-law/lemon-law.php

.

 

[ed noga]

You guys with the loud 'gear drives' :

How have you verified that it is the gears and not the belt? Have you measured the lash in the belt and have you tried adjusting it to see if it affects the noise?

I don't have my SS yet but the videos sound like belt noise to me. I will be very unhappy if it does turn out to be gear noise. That would not bode well for long term reliability.

Have had the dealer adjust the belt to factory specs using a deflector gauge.. It was slightly tight when I took it in, so he made it a little less tight. No change. This sound isn't a constant gear or belt whine, its a deep growl that comes and goes between gears.. I have even heard it during downshifts in the lower gears. The sound sounds like its coming from directly under the passenger seat.. No unusually wear marks on the best or fraying..

 

[ed noga]

"
Cars Covered in Georgia
In Georgia, only new vehicles are covered under the lemon law, and they must still be in the original owner's possession. This also applies to leased vehicles. If the car has changed ownership, it is no longer eligible for protection under the lemon law.

Additionally, the vehicle must have a defect that:

• Makes the car unsafe to drive.
• Lowers the resale value of the car.
• Causes malfunctions to the vehicle's normal uses.

NOTE: Defects caused by neglect, misuse, abuse, or alterations are not covered by the lemon law.

Cars Not Covered
The following vehicles are not covered by Georgia's lemon law:

• Your purchased or leased used vehicle.

• A car whose title indicates it is a used vehicle.

• Motorcycles.

• Trucks weighing 10,000 lbs or more.

• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

• Boats.

• Vehicles that do not legally qualify as a motor vehicle.
• The living area of a motorhome. "

http://www.dmv.org/ga-georgia/automotive-law/lemon-law.php

.

 

[ed noga]

Because they actually charged me the lemon law fee on my bill of sale, I would image they are classing this as an automobile, even though Polaris states it is a bike..

 

[Otter]

Have had the dealer adjust the belt to factory specs using a deflector gauge.. It was slightly tight when I took it in, so he made it a little less tight. No change. This sound isn't a constant gear or belt whine, its a deep growl that comes and goes between gears.. I have even heard it during downshifts in the lower gears. The sound sounds like its coming from directly under the passenger seat.. No unusually wear marks on the best or fraying..

Thanks Ed, useful info.
Lots of gear noise would indicate lots of losses that would show up as heat. Any of you owners driven the SS hard then immediately felt the gear housing to see if it is getting hot?

We may not know if this is a real problem until many thousands of miles driving. I usually keep my toys until they are pretty worn out, so it matters to me.

 

[jdskycaster]

Because they actually charged me the lemon law fee on my bill of sale, I would image they are classing this as an automobile, even though Polaris states it is a bike..

How is it licensed? That would indicate actual vehicle classification. The fee was put in the dealers pocket.

 

[ed noga]

Thanks Ed, useful info.
Lots of gear noise would indicate lots of losses that would show up as heat. Any of you owners driven the SS hard then immediately felt the gear housing to see if it is getting hot?

We may not know if this is a real problem until many thousands of miles driving. I usually keep my toys until they are pretty worn out, so it matters to me.

The growling appeared during my initial drive away from the dealership.. It was 28 degrees outside.. The noisy growl doesn't get worse or better with drive time.. I checked the drive unit with a laser thermo gauge and it doesn't get unusually hot after a long drive, and the belt just slightly warm and no fraying anywhere.. The dealer said the belt should track close to center, but a little to either side is normal. The drive pulley is crowned a little to get the belt to track better ..

 

[ed noga]

How is it licensed? That would indicate actual vehicle classification. The fee was put in the dealers pocket.

Actually bought it in Tennessee, and titled it in Georgia.. The Georgia title classes it as a bike. Didn't look at the MSO I got from the Tennessee dealer, but the fee was on the bill of sale..

 

[Otter]

The growling appeared during my initial drive away from the dealership.. It was 28 degrees outside.. The noisy growl doesn't get worse or better with drive time.. I checked the drive unit with a laser thermo gauge and it doesn't get unusually hot after a long drive, and the belt just slightly warm and no fraying anywhere.. The dealer said the belt should track close to center, but a little to either side is normal. The drive pulley is crowned a little to get the belt to track better ..

Interesting.
FWIW, I use an IR thermometer a lot for product development. To give accurate readings you sometimes have to paint the spot being measured black. White or raw aluminum can give inaccurate readings.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Ed Noga you SL problems sound just like mine. Did you have the belt looked at Cycle Nation in Canton?

 

[Noah Katz]

This sound isn't a constant gear or belt whine, its a deep growl that comes and goes between gears.. I have even heard it during downshifts in the lower gears. The sound sounds like its coming from directly under the passenger seat.

I wonder if there's a U joint under there that's bad.

Overall though it sounds like it might just be the nature of the beast(s); gears and belts generate a sound pulse every time a tooth engages.

If the bevel drive tooth clearances are sloppy that might cause the noise between shifts as they rattle against each other w/o load.

Straight-cut gears are the cheapest, most efficient, and noisiest; as far as I know it doesn't affect reliability, it just sounds like it would.