1500 final drive and rear wheel re-assemble. What am I doing wrong.

[Quick Cal]

I hope I can explain this where it makes sense,,lol.

This is on my 96 with a sidecar, Taxi tire, and coil over rear shocks. I also installed a leading link front end later on.

I took the bike apart to put on the taxi tire and rear coil over shocks. I discovered I needed a new final drive. I bought a used 93, installed new drive flange and bushings. Test rode it WITH OUT the sidecar. I discovered my rear axle was hitting the muffler on the right side. Long story sorter, I cut 1/4'' off the axle to make it clear. I thought all was well. Put the sidecar back on.

Then last week I was getting ready to go on a long trip. All that week I notices a rubbing, grinding sound. It only did it when I made a fairly hard right hand turn. I kept getting worse. Something in the rear was rubbing or grinding.

I tore it apart today. I found that the rear wheel is at least 1/4'' off center to the right. I also found that the taxi tire is rubbing up top, and more on the right side. The whole axle is off center to the right 1/4''. The brake caliper stay has a space in it and the brakes are riding at an angle. How can this be. I have all the spacers installed correctly.

When I assembled this originally I followed the manual. Torque axle nut to 80ftlb, then tighten pinch bolt. I didn't know it at the time but this moved everything to the right 1/4''.

Today I found the only way to keep everything like the caliper stay correctly aligned was to tighten the pinch bolt first, then the axle couldn't move to the right. But when I tried to torque the axle nut it would lock the rear wheel. I figured the 93 final drive is just wrong.

So I loosely installed a 95 final drive I got in a package deal with the leading link. If I torque the axle nut first, then the pinch bolt, I get the same 1/4'' movement to the right, and the brake stay is out of alignment. But if I tighten the pinch bolt first, then the axle nut, every thing will stay in place and the wheel will rotate fine. But I can see the head of the axle is now no longer flush with the swing arm on the left side like it originally was. It's stick out that same 1/4''.

I did put new wheel bearings and seals in the wheel. I'm 99% sure I did it all correctly.

And today I adjusted the coil over shocks to the firmest setting so hopefully the tire won't rub anymore.

You guys got any kind of clue what the hell is going on here?

[Rambozo]

That you felt you needed to cut off the end of the axle should have been a giant red flag.
It's pretty obvious that you have the wrong stackup on that axle. There are a bunch of spacers that go in between various components. I believe some changed year to year, so you will have to check part numbers to be sure. If you mix and match, you may have to use the matching spacers or even make your own to allow all the clearances to be right.
Someone posted here not that long ago with the same thing, but they figured it out when they tightened the axle nut and the wheel locked up. They were missing the final drive distance collar. It doesn't help that Honda spreads these parts over 3 or 4 diagrams in the parts books. Rear wheel, final drive, rear brakes, and swingarm on some models.

[Quick Cal]

That you felt you needed to cut off the end of the axle should have been a giant red flag.
It's pretty obvious that you have the wrong stackup on that axle. There are a bunch of spacers that go in between various components. I believe some changed year to year, so you will have to check part numbers to be sure. If you mix and match, you may have to use the matching spacers or even make your own to allow all the clearances to be right.
Someone posted here not that long ago with the same thing, but they figured it out when they tightened the axle nut and the wheel locked up. They were missing the final drive distance collar. It doesn't help that Honda spreads these parts over 3 or 4 diagrams in the parts books. Rear wheel, final drive, rear brakes, and swingarm on some models.

I checked all the part numbers for the spacers and what not. They are all the same.

The only thing left I can do is to put the 96 final drive back in and see if anything changes.

[Rambozo]

You should have 6 spacers/washers on that axle.

[Quick Cal]

You should have 6 spacers/washers on that axle.

I count 3 here. Numbers 5,6,9.

What do you see that I don't?

[Rambozo]

There are also 18 and 12, and the caliper mount on yet another page.

[Quick Cal]

There are also 18 and 12, and the caliper mount on yet another page.

I have checked those as well and they all interchange.

BUT!!!!!

If you look up part 17 in your diagram it shows it as a spacer and there are several different thicknesses for the same part number. If I'm understanding the diagram right I think that thickness would change how far the final drive engages into the wheel? Do you agree?

If that's true that tells me if I put the original final drive back on and it fits, I may have found my problem. Unless of course it just HAS TO BE a 96 final drive. But I can't find a part number for it on partzilla.

Where are you looking up parts?

Oh I see partzilla watermark. What year are you looking up. Because that is not the same diagram I come up with,,,,lol.

[Rambozo]

No, 17 is the shim that sets the bearing placement. The is to adjust the ring and pinion clearance. There are also shims that adjust the pinion depth. This is standard for any hypoid gearset be it a bike, car, or truck.

Quite a few folks have swapped the final drive, but I believe most have swapped the whole rear wheel assembly from a parts bike. Unless you know where the parts came from, you never know what may have been altered or removed.
The last person that had this issue turned out to be the COLLAR B, RR. DISTANCE was missing from his "new" final drive. You might want to measure both of yours and see if they are the same.

I know one version of the rear wheel also requires a different dust shield, to keep things from rubbing. Pretty sure that was just a styling change, not really a mechanical thing as all the final drive part numbers were the same.