Drive Shaft -- Facts & Myths

[Bounce]

Hey, bounce? I have a quick question that I'm sure you're asked a lot, so please forgive, but why do you have links to the photo's in your write-ups instead of putting them on the page? Is it space related or simplicity for you or...??? Not dissing or complaining, just curious.
:dntknw:

Thanks,

TWN

I'm considering the people who are on dial up. They can choose to open the photo or not. The information page will load very fast otherwise.

 

[SkooterG]

FJRSTAR - When you say a little tug on the driveshaft pulled IT out, what exactly are you referring to when you say IT?

Did the rear of the driveshaft pull out of the gear coupling?

Or, did the whole assembly pull out of the pumpkin/final drive, so that you were looking at the pinion gear covered in final drive oil.

Just for FYI: On the several occasions I have taken apart the driveshaft/pumpkin assembly, I have pulled on the driveshaft while moving it around. Never has seperated or come apart. Not that it wouldn't, but on mine, it's going to take some effort.

 

[radman]

No Skoot, that coupling is attached to the pinion gear just like a flange on an auto differential.

 

[twowheelnut]

I'm considering the people who are on dial up. They can choose to open the photo or not. The information page will load very fast otherwise.

Dial-up? Wassat? :lol:

Actually, that's a great idea. Thinking about doing a web site of my own, which is why I asked. Good info. Thanks.

 

[twowheelnut]

Just for FYI: On the several occasions I have taken apart the driveshaft/pumpkin assembly, I have pulled on the driveshaft while moving it around. Never has seperated or come apart. Not that it wouldn't, but on mine, it's going to take some effort.

That's what I'm finding. Guess I'll hafta wait on rad's findings when he swaps hoops.

 

[radman]

It pulls out with little effort. Nice fit onto the splines, just like the ujoint-but larger and longer, combined with the dust boot, and the angle it hangs at when unsupported at the other end once the final is seperated from the swing arm is all thats holding it together. Boot keeps it clean and dry, so it's not as liable to get contaminated as the ujoint end. Watch out for the spring-just stand the final on end, locate the spring into the nut, and reinsert the shaft for assembly.

 

[twowheelnut]

Tanks, rad. Getting time to change the pumpkin juice again, so I'll give it a go, then.

 

[JimLor]

For any of the bees that don't fly out there (newbies) don't let this informative BUT confusing thread deter you. I took my wheels off last night for the first time and it's easier than you might imagine (ABS). The hardest part is loosening the damned reflectors (8mm wrench) on the front wheels so you can twist them and get to the caliper bolts with a socket wrench.

Taking the back wheel off literally took about 10 minutes and the front about 15.

I didn't have any corrosion on any parts although the grease wasn't overabundant.

Will pull the driveshaft tonight...

 

[FJRSTAR]

FJRSTAR - When you say a little tug on the driveshaft pulled IT out, what exactly are you referring to when you say IT?
Did the rear of the driveshaft pull out of the gear coupling?

Or, did the whole assembly pull out of the pumpkin/final drive, so that you were looking at the pinion gear covered in final drive oil.

Just for FYI: On the several occasions I have taken apart the driveshaft/pumpkin assembly, I have pulled on the driveshaft while moving it around. Never has seperated or come apart. Not that it wouldn't, but on mine, it's going to take some effort.

Exactly as Radman stated.

"It pulls out with little effort. Nice fit onto the splines, just like the ujoint-but larger and longer, combined with the dust boot, and the angle it hangs at when unsupported at the other end once the final is seperated from the swing arm is all thats holding it together. Boot keeps it clean and dry, so it's not as liable to get contaminated as the ujoint end. Watch out for the spring-just stand the final on end, locate the spring into the nut, and reinsert the shaft for assembly."

 

[tripletango]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm........... I've read a lot of posts over the past three years that said the oil lubed the splines at the pumkin. If what you say is true. these splines need to be regreased at some point. Anybody else want to verify this?
GP

Every tire change. No problem! They hit from 3000 to 6000 depending on tire and RH twist.

 

[FJRulzON]

Scoot -based on your pics; your drive shaft may be hesitant to pull out due to corrosion. If anyone is in dire need up getting it out and lubing it -it may be you.

I find this ironic because you originally posted how this was all an impossibility and no lube was required etc...

You came, you got the shaft, now you desperately need to get lubed. :haha:

PS -if corrosion build up is excessive, damage to seals etc... may occur when pulling out the shaft and neccessitate seal replacement. No?

 

[JimLor]

Undid the 4 x bolts on the punkin' last night and pulled the driveshaft - no problem. Splines were greased, lightly, with no corrosion anywhere. Easy job and worth doing whenever you take your rear wheel off.

 

[SkooterG]

Well.............

I just pulled the pumpkin. Then, I pulled like hell and that driveshaft will NOT pull out of the gear coupling. What am I doing wrong? Nothing to un-do, correct? Just pull. I knew it would not come out easily. IIRC, I have carried the whole assembly by the driveshaft before.

It's late, I am going to bed. Will figure it out tomorrow.

 

[radman]

Remove the circlip, so the that the front of the boot is exposed. Stick the wand of a light penetrant, like Deep Creep in there, and fill the void with it. In an hour or so it should come apart. There's no risk of it getting into the final drive or anything, so no worry there. As an aside, I lubed the boot well with silicone spray so as to protect it from ozone etc, and to facilitate easy removal as the years tumble by.

 

[FJRulzON]

Scoot,

You may need to use a little persuasion from a good heavy semi-hard mallet.

I suspect yours is corrosion welded.

A little bit af banging and WD-40 may loosen it up enough to let go.

Good luck -and keep us posted.

Anyone else have a sticky one that they got to slide out want to offer up some help to Scoot...

 

[SkooterG]

Deep Creep? Never hoid of it! I'll see if I can find some. Any alternative products? Guess it's time to go and buy a circlip removal tool, too.

Hmmmm......banging on a hammer does not sound appealing to me. I may just end up leaving it alone.

Corrosion welded? Not exactly sure what you mean by that. From the way it sounds, I doubt it though. I can move the driveshaft forward and aft within the gear coupling (as designed to do with the spring providing tension) easily enough. Somehow I think I just have one honker of an oil seal? Having no experience in these matters, I am not sure the best way to proceed.

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[SkooterG]

Well, before heading to the auto parts store, I went out there to try and pull it apart one last time. It took all of my strength, but it finally popped out..........

Along with a bunch of final drive oil!!!!

WTF? I thought that the rear drive shaft splines were supposed to be free of the final drive oil and lubricated with grease? I ain't so sure all the experts out there got this right.

The service manual is not clear on this. So, are the rear driveshaft splines supposed to be lubricated by final drive oil? (I mean, if not, why have that oil seal there?)

Or, do I have oil getting through that is not supposed to be?

FJRSTAR and FJRMGM - When you pulled the rear of your driveshaft out, did it have grease on the splines? Or oil?

 

[SkooterG]

Arrrrrrghhhhhhhhh!

Disclaimer: I could be completely wrong on this. If so I will apologize. Until then...........

Me thinks some experts around here are full of caca! Constant Mesh has it completely wrong! You too radman. And as for all you guys that had the shaft pop out, why didn't you say it was covered in OIL and NOT grease!

From what I just saw, there are two holes or passageways that let the final drive oil through the gear coupling to lubricate the rear driveshaft splines. Raise the forward end of the pumpkin, oil drains back into the final drive. Lower it, and oil starts coming through those passages to where the splines are. That's why there's a ***** oil seal there (Not a dust boot as the Rad called it). Duh!

So, there was no need for me to pull the shaft out of the gear coupling and make such a nice mess. And.....unlike Constant Mesh's assertion.........

THE REAR DRIVESHAFT SPLINES ARE NOT GREASED!!!!

They are lubricated by the final drive oil in the "pumpkin".

So, turns out the "fact" is "myth". And the "myth" was quite freaking correct in the first place.

Can you tell I am just a wee bit perturbed? :angry: Oh well, guess I got to learn something about my FJR today that I really didn't need to.

Will post piccies later.

 

[radman]

My final drive was drained before I pulled anything apart, so nothing came out-and nothing went in. I just popped-and reassembled. Things looked fine, and I never investigated further. Unless we have 2 different designs here (which might be-but I doubt it-I don't see any different part numbers in the final drive selection). When I pulled mine, the drive was out and sitting on end when I popped it, which might explain why some see lube-and some don't. I also don't have umpteen thousand miles on it. Mines coming off again tonight or tomorrow night.

Edit-should add that the inside looked lubed-I didn't bother to check to see with what. My forward end had been well done from the factory when I first pulled it apart winter of 04-05, so I wasn't surprised to see the *** end well done to. Looks like I should have checked more diligently. Sorry.

 

[Groo]

Skoot,

Sound like you got shafted dude... gotta learn something new every day.