Greasy drive-shaft splines

mcatrophy · Mar 21, 2015

Over the years I've read many posts where people were saying that Yamaha failed to put enough (or even any) grease on the drive-shaft splines. So, because I needed to have a new rear tyre (1000 miles left before a 2500 mile trip doesn't do it for me), I took off the wheel and pulled the drive shaft.

I found that there was a plentiful amount of grease, similar in texture and colour to Honda's Moly 80 stuff, so much so that I decided just to put it back as it was.

(Click on image for larger view)

Note the rust on both ends of the shaft. I've smeared grease all over it.

I've also got rust on my silencer (muffler) inners, much more than I remember from my previous FJRs

And I learnt something else. Putting the drive shaft back in, it stuck, presumably with the splines not engaging. So I sat beside it, held it, fiddled and jiggled, eventually in snapped in nicely.

Except I'd got my finger in just the wrong place. "Ouch" said I. Or words to that effect.

It's a good job I don't have to operate a clutch lever.

bluesdog · Mar 21, 2015

Wow! Someone was feeling generous with the moly paste!

jeremyr62 · Mar 21, 2015

Been there done that. It smarts.

HotRodZilla · Mar 21, 2015

Ouch man. That made my finger hurt.

escapefjrtist · Mar 21, 2015

LOL...not at you, but with you!

BTDT too, great reminder to keep track of the fingers when she slides home!

--G

wfooshee · Mar 21, 2015

No, I've never done that.........

Especially not EVERY STINKING TIME I HAVE THAT PART OFF THE BIKE!!!!!!!!

Oh, yeah: grease on those splines is not anywhere near as important as everyone makes it out to be. There's some motion back and forth (the ol' in-and-out....) as the rear wheel moves on the suspension, MAYBE, but there's no meshing of teeth like you'd have with gears, and therefore almost no friction at all. The only reason that part is made where it can slide in the first place is so you can disassemble it to check for grease......

mcatrophy · Mar 22, 2015

wfooshee said:
No, I've never done that.........Especially not EVERY STINKING TIME I HAVE THAT PART OFF THE BIKE!!!!!!!!Oh, yeah: grease on those splines is not anywhere near as important as everyone makes it out to be. There's some motion back and forth (the ol' in-and-out....) as the rear wheel moves on the suspension, MAYBE, but there's no meshing of teeth like you'd have with gears, and therefore almost no friction at all. The only reason that part is made where it can slide in the first place is so you can disassemble it to check for grease......

So I'm not the only stupid one? I'm not sure if knowing that makes it any less painful ...
And I was only really checking that there was some grease there as opposed to none. And sometimes I simply get a little inquisitive.

And sometimes I get bitten

.

ScooterZ · Mar 22, 2015

You also need to check out your U-joint.

On my brand new 2014 the rear section that the drive shaft attaches to had too much grease (the grease was all spun out all over the plastic shields).

The front that attaches to the engine output shaft was COMPLETELY dry. Zero grease at all.

I relubed everything with Honda Moly 60 Paste.

Ride safe,

Z

Twigg · Mar 22, 2015

wfooshee said:
Oh, yeah: grease on those splines is not anywhere near as important as everyone makes it out to be. There's some motion back and forth (the ol' in-and-out....) as the rear wheel moves on the suspension, MAYBE, but there's no meshing of teeth like you'd have with gears, and therefore almost no friction at all. The only reason that part is made where it can slide in the first place is so you can disassemble it to check for grease......

This is a question best put to owners of paralever suspension.

Ask them how important it is that the splined halves of the driveshaft remain free, and do not bind.

The best time to ask is when they are sat at the side of the road with a destroyed UJ and a swinging arm with a big hole in it.

It does matter that those splines, even on an FJR, remain free to move, and Moly grease is the way to do it. If it can't move because it seizes you are setting up a world of hurt. That said, a little goes a very long way, and lasts a long time. So check it, but don't stress about it.

mcatrophy · Mar 22, 2015

ScooterZ said:
You also need to check out your U-joint. ...

I accept what you say, but this will have to wait for another time as it involves a little more disassembly than I am prepared to do at the moment, too many other calls on my time. Maybe when I've worn out the new tyre.

bluesdog · Mar 22, 2015

mcatrophy said:
ScooterZ said:

You also need to check out your U-joint. ...

Click to expand...

I accept what you say, but this will have to wait for another time as it involves a little more disassembly than I am prepared to do at the moment, too many other calls on my time. Maybe when I've worn out the new tyre.

No sign of lube, or any wear, when I checked mine this winter for the first time. The thing comes out real easy once the plastic dust shields are removed.

Put a little moly paste on there just because.

Haven't pinched any fingers, (yet), while wrenching the fjr, but I whacked the top of my hand pretty good a couple of years ago when removing the shock. Swelled up real nice, and had a bruise for a month.

bergmen · Mar 25, 2015

bluesdog said:
mcatrophy said:

ScooterZ said:

You also need to check out your U-joint. ...

Click to expand...

I accept what you say, but this will have to wait for another time as it involves a little more disassembly than I am prepared to do at the moment, too many other calls on my time. Maybe when I've worn out the new tyre.

Click to expand...

No sign of lube, or any wear, when I checked mine this winter for the first time. The thing comes out real easy once the plastic dust shields are removed.

Put a little moly paste on there just because.

Haven't pinched any fingers, (yet), while wrenching the fjr, but I whacked the top of my hand pretty good a couple of years ago when removing the shock. Swelled up real nice, and had a bruise for a month.

Same here (2014A when I removed the rear wheel to get it's first new tire). There was an almost imperceptible amount of grease on the U-joint splines so I greased 'em up.

Dan

Warpdrv · Mar 25, 2015

When I pulled apart the 15 for a new tire - there was plenty of moly on both ends of the shaft and drive spline of the wheel.... had the lube all ready to go, but no need on mine...

art miller · Mar 30, 2015

Interesting to know some of the Genlll owners report no grease on the splines while others report well greased. Is the rear wheel and shaft a dealer assembly item?

Queensland Ken · Mar 30, 2015

Nope, it is assembled from factory.

And yep, no grease.

dcarver · Mar 30, 2015

Ouch I said.

escapefjrtist · Mar 30, 2015

Bone-dry I'd say.

So Q'K, did you check the front splines / u-joint first thing...right out of the crate?

--G

n7myr · Mar 31, 2015

did a search and had no luck

has there been a reported failure from no grease at 10k 50k, 100k

seems when checking some people say its fine while others say no grease. I wonder how many failures there have been

HotRodZilla · Mar 31, 2015

That's an easy question the answer is: None. No one had reported an FD failure.

Greasy drive-shaft splines

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