Gear whine on CSC Conversion

[rhino65]

Now that I'm getting in some ride time on my trike I'm noticing some pretty good gear whine from the gearbox/ diff area. Its got a 2009 CSC conversion with the gearbox on front of diff. Is a good bit of whine normal? At 70 mph its really singing.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Now that I'm getting in some ride time on my trike I'm noticing some pretty good gear whine from the gearbox/ diff area. Its got a 2009 CSC conversion with the gearbox on front of diff. Is a good bit of whine normal? At 70 mph its really singing.

Can't remember what CSC calls that design. But it like a 4x4 transfer case sitting on the side of a P/U transmission. In this situation, it's a small cast housing with some idle gears inside, and it sits to the right front side of the diff. It's purpose is to make the drive shaft more inline with the output shaft of the engine.

If that is the design you have, singing is not good. Do you have excessive clucking when shifting gears or throttling on/off at parking lot speeds ??? The off-set cast unit has a small drain plug in it's bottom ... remove it and look for metal in the oil, or no oil at all.

CSC has an updated shaft assembly that removes the off-set housing. Also, sometimes "singing" can be caused from cupped tires.

 

[rhino65]

I drained fluid out of both gearbox & diff right after buying it. Called CSC to see how much to refill both. 1 qrt for diff & 6 oz. in gearbox or until it runs out check hole. To my surprise it was clean from both and not lo in either. Not getting any clunking & shifts smooth, even smoother not using clutch.

Replaced the driveshaft with one from Mountain Trike also. The CSC had slop in the shaft splines and rubber donut cracked SEVERLY in sevral places. Did a google search for CSC gearbox whine & some stated it was normal while others said shouldn't hear anything but wind. Kit does have 40k miles on it.

 

[ROAD DOG]

I have 08 csc cobra with the gear box remove it has no whine , I also have a 05 csc cobra with rubber drive shaft & the gear box it has no whine to it .

 

[rhino65]

I have 08 csc cobra with the gear box remove it has no whine , I also have a 05 csc cobra with rubber drive shaft & the gear box it has no whine to it .

Rear tires are cooper cs4 that were put on new with conversion. Conversion has 40k miles on it. Tread is little more than 1/2 used up. Could certain brands of tires that are wore down by half cause a whine very similar to a gearbox?

 

[ectrike]

We have Cooper cs4 tires on our trike. Don't make any noise at all.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Rear tires are cooper cs4 that were put on new with conversion. Conversion has 40k miles on it. Tread is little more than 1/2 used up. Could certain brands of tires that are wore down by half cause a whine very similar to a gearbox?

Did your whine change at all with the fluid change ???
Does the whine change pitch when the pavement changes ???

On a trike, many trike shops recommend new tires when the tread is half worn. As the tread depth lessons, and because there is not a lot of weight on the tires, water can't escape as well under the tread face as when new, and the tire becomes squirrelly on wet pavement ... basically they began to float. It sounds like new tires are needed anyway.

 

[rhino65]

Did your whine change at all with the fluid change ???
Does the whine change pitch when the pavement changes ???

On a trike, many trike shops recommend new tires when the tread is half worn. As the tread depth lessons, and because there is not a lot of weight on the tires, water can't escape as well under the tread face as when new, and the tire becomes squirrelly on wet pavement ... basically they began to float. It sounds like new tires are needed anyway.

I noticed it when I test rode it. Then for next 2-3 weeks I changed fluids, coolant, air filter, plugs along with new shaft from Mountain Trike. Thought @ $16500 it was good deal for 02 but live & learn. If worst comes to worse replace entire rear end. Its only $$

 

[CrystalPistol]

On a trike, many trike shops recommend new tires when the tread is half worn.

Yep .... if prone to ride in rain I'd say "not a bad idea" (might be easier "mentally" if the tires also fit your daily driver 4 wheeler). "Wife Unit" and I got caught in a sudden down poor one day, likely 3/4 of tread left on Lemans SR 215/70-15 rear trike tires, two up only (no trailer) reduced speed under 35 coming south out of Staunton, under overpass start up out of ever so slight dip, easy on throttle, RPMs went up and rear went to right and I countered ..... likely went a hundred feet like that .... already looking for a place to pull over, we did at SS Co-Op under their gas awning.

Only one other time in my life I have had such a bad case of hydroplaning .... even in 31 years as a state police officer working in all kinds of weather responding in it .... and that was about 1971 in my '69 VW Beetle which had adapters on it for Chevrolet wheels and I had a pair of 14" wheels on back with then near new Sonic Maxima 60 G60-14 tires that stuck out the fender (pretty fat tire on rear of a light car, oem VW 5.60-15 on front) and at 45 mph in hard rain .... I suddenly was looking out the right vent glass at my direction of travel .... recovered .... but learned how easy it is with lightly loaded fat tires.

There were plenty of times as a responding officer I pushed the edge, but the car was heavy and I knew my tires and my roads.

 

[California Sidecar]

Please contact our Service Department to speak with a CSC Tech. They have a few questions and would like to speak with you to help you out with this. You can ask for Will or Shawn. 1-800-824-1523

 

[rhino65]

Please contact our Service Department to speak with a CSC Tech. They have a few questions and would like to speak with you to help you out with this. You can ask for Will or Shawn. 1-800-824-1523

Thank you. Will do

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Thank you. Will do

Glad to hear CSC stepped in. I wanted to share more, but didn't since you'd already talked to them ... they know their product better then any other. I've always dealt with Shawn, and he's always given me great advice.

 

[rhino65]

Glad to hear CSC stepped in. I wanted to share more, but didn't since you'd already talked to them ... they know their product better then any other. I've always dealt with Shawn, and he's always given me great advice.

I talked with Will 1st week I had trike on how much gear oil diff and gearbox held as well as just being sure the 2 Allen head bolts on gearbox was to drain & check for when it was full..

CSC customer/tech support is A+++ Both Will and lady I spoke with were very friendly and supportive. Don't find that much anywhere else

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

I talked with Will 1st week I had trike on how much gear oil diff and gearbox held as well as just being sure the 2 Allen head bolts on gearbox was to drain & check for when it was full..

CSC customer/tech support is A+++ Both Will and lady I spoke with were very friendly and supportive. Don't find that much anywhere else

Did they help you with your whine ???

 

[rhino65]

Working 10 hr days this week. Be Monday before I can call them on they're buisness hrs.

 

[CrystalPistol]

After reading threads and posts about this gearbox added to straighten a driveshaft ... I gotta ask ..... "what was they smokin?" when they decided to add such complexity. Most every car's rear has the shaft slightly to right of center ..... like the output shaft on a GL trans. It can't be that far out of alignment that U-joints can't handle it.

 

[rhino65]

Did they help you with your whine ???

Talked with Will @ CSC this morning. He said some noise is expected due to added gearbox & diff. I double checked my levels in both & all good. It pushes easily in neutral by hand. Shifts smooth,so for now going to ride.
May have they're new drivetrain version installed next fall/winter. It does away with the gearbox.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Talked with Will @ CSC this morning. He said some noise is expected due to added gearbox & diff. I double checked my levels in both & all good. It pushes easily in neutral by hand. Shifts smooth,so for now going to ride.
May have they're new drivetrain version installed next fall/winter. It does away with the gearbox.

I'm working on one that has your design now, and I'll be doing a final test ride tomorrow. It's in for a major service and today I drained and filled the front area of the diff. I was surprised to see how clear the fluid was, my guess is that it was recently changed. I'll let you know what I hear, however, on my first test ride, I don't recall noticing any whine.

 

[rhino65]

If it's possible I would like to know approximate mileage since triked. Also if gearbox & diff had thin film of grease/grime. Sprayed mine down with degreaser and rinsed off after getting it.

 

[michael2480]

May have they're new drivetrain version installed next fall/winter. It does away with the gearbox.

I had it done on mine last spring. Mine didn't have the gearbox but still had issues. This one is supposed to be the best one they've installed so far. To me it seems to be a better product then what I had before. If you take it to CSC it is supposed to take them a day to do it, at least that's what they told me. I took mine to an installer and it took them a day and half if I remember right. So you're really not down long if you pick the right place and well worth the money in my opinion.