I broke this piece..

[GPRIDER]

I had a Yamaha Venture before getting into FJRs. This was before I knew about much maintenance. My Venture never had any splines greased and at 60,000+ miles it sheared the splines after they had rusted and corroded to a very bad stage. I did a lot of riding in the rain so I'm sure that contributed to the demise of the splines. They need to be lubed at least once in my opinion to help keep the rust away.

GP

 

[bergmen]

Hmmm. Maybe the real question is, was this procedure really needed on a 2014? Even lubing the often dry splines is a feel good procedure. The splines do not move relative to each other.

Agree. I don't see any upside operationally to lubricating the drive shaft spline since there is no relative movement. The only thing I can think of to justify lubing these splines is that it would ease disassembly after tens of thousands of miles in the event it must be removed in the first place. I've seen some pretty rusty spline pictures from different owners over the years.

There is no movement on the rear wheel drive splines either but if they run dry they can chew themselves up. Seen that happen (Kawasaki Concours and Yamaha XS1100). On the U-joint splines greasing them is at least good corrosion protection and it doesn't hurt at all to have them lubricated. Every shaft drive motorcycle I've owned has a maintenance item to lubricate the splines. It's an easy job, especially if the rear wheel is already removed for a tire change, etc.

Dan

 

[bluesdog]

Even a small amount of moly paste applied to the shaft splines and those in the pumpkin mitigate galling and corrosion. The FSM, calls for lithium soap grease on the u-joint end, and moly on the pumpkin end, but I prefer to use moly on both, as it offers superior galling protection. If the moly isn't 'splooged' on, it won't fly off and make a mess or get into places where it shouldn't.

 

[FXRS]

I was pulling the wheels today off my '14 ES to take them in for new tires at 6900 mi. While in the neighborhood I pulled the pumpkin and took peek at the shaft splines.

There was a small amount of grease on the splines, thin but not bone dry. Anyway, cleaned it up & put on a nice light coating of Honda Moly 60. Figure it can't hurt and someone at the factory thought it was worth putting some on there to begin with so why not?

I will admit the You Tube video on two wheeled obsessions web site on pulling off the wheels was helpful for my first time on this bike.

Funny story, none of my fancy front end race stands fit the FJR but I had a 20 year old Lockhart-Phillips front wheel stand from an old EX-500 race bike up in the rafters that fit the FJR perfect!! Beats jack stands & a prayer.

I was pulling the wheels today off my '14 ES to take them in for new tires at 6900 mi. While in the neighborhood I pulled the pumpkin and took peek at the shaft splines.

There was a small amount of grease on the splines, thin but not bone dry. Anyway, cleaned it up & put on a nice light coating of Honda Moly 60. Figure it can't hurt and someone at the factory thought it was worth putting some on there to begin with so why not?

I will admit the You Tube video on two wheeled obsessions web site on pulling off the wheels was helpful for my first time on this bike.

Funny story, none of my fancy front end race stands fit the FJR but I had a 20 year old Lockhart-Phillips front wheel stand from an old EX-500 race bike up in the rafters that fit the FJR perfect!! Beats jack stands & a prayer.

 

[palerider]

Funny story, none of my fancy front end race stands fit the FJR but I had a 20 year old Lockhart-Phillips front wheel stand from an old EX-500 race bike up in the rafters that fit the FJR perfect!! Beats jack stands & a prayer.

Funny story, none of my fancy front end race stands fit the FJR but I had a 20 year old Lockhart-Phillips front wheel stand from an old EX-500 race bike up in the rafters that fit the FJR perfect!! Beats jack stands & a prayer.

The first one was funnier.

 

[FXRS]

Hmm, not sure why my reply double posted. Sorry about that. Must need to grease my keyboard

.

 

[SweetPotato]

As a helicopter mechanic, I see a similar design in tail rotor drive shaft and other driven splined areas. On aircraft, greasing these splines regularly is essential to not only fight corrosion, but to prevent the splines from eating at each other. Many of these designs are meant to allow for minor variations in axial play, and I wouldn't doubt the Yamaha design to be terribly different even if the play is minuscule. Different applications require different grades and viscosities of grease. Ignoring this can cause sever damage, and over-greasing can cause an out of balance situation - on aircraft. We see a little less torque, lower RPM, etc. on the FJR, so it may not be quite as critical.

I'll do mine when it comes due, and that's good enough for me.

 

[palerider]

As a helicopter mechanic, I see a similar design in tail rotor drive shaft and other driven splined areas. On aircraft, greasing these splines regularly is essential to not only fight corrosion, but to prevent the splines from eating at each other. Many of these designs are meant to allow for minor variations in axial play, and I wouldn't doubt the Yamaha design to be terribly different even if the play is minuscule. Different applications require different grades and viscosities of grease. Ignoring this can cause sever damage, and over-greasing can cause an out of balance situation - on aircraft. We see a little less torque, lower RPM, etc. on the FJR, so it may not be quite as critical.
I'll do mine when it comes due, and that's good enough for me.

Thanks for the perspective. I'm propably wrong (just ask my wife), but I think someone said that for Gen 3 there was no greasing requirement for the splines. So the question is, "In the absence of a factory defined greasing interval, is greasing the splines necessary and/or a good idea anyway?"

 

[rbentnail]

Yes, it's a good idea anyway. Don't forget to clean/lube the universal joint splines too.

 

[idfc]

As a helicopter mechanic, I see a similar design in tail rotor drive shaft and other driven splined areas. On aircraft, greasing these splines regularly is essential to not only fight corrosion, but to prevent the splines from eating at each other. Many of these designs are meant to allow for minor variations in axial play, and I wouldn't doubt the Yamaha design to be terribly different even if the play is minuscule. Different applications require different grades and viscosities of grease. Ignoring this can cause sever damage, and over-greasing can cause an out of balance situation - on aircraft. We see a little less torque, lower RPM, etc. on the FJR, so it may not be quite as critical.
I'll do mine when it comes due, and that's good enough for me.

Thanks for the perspective. I'm propably wrong (just ask my wife), but I think someone said that for Gen 3 there was no greasing requirement for the splines. So the question is, "In the absence of a factory defined greasing interval, is greasing the splines necessary and/or a good idea anyway?"

Not sure where you got the idea that Gen 3 doesn't need grease? See post #15 https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/164563-i-broke-this-piece/?do=findComment&comment=1250583, that's a page from the Yamaha Service Manual for a 2014 FJR-1300A. It specifically specified grease on both ends when assemble the driveshaft.

Some people here they thought they know more than the Yamaha design engineers.

I linked to that page here:

 

[palerider]

As a helicopter mechanic, I see a similar design in tail rotor drive shaft and other driven splined areas. On aircraft, greasing these splines regularly is essential to not only fight corrosion, but to prevent the splines from eating at each other. Many of these designs are meant to allow for minor variations in axial play, and I wouldn't doubt the Yamaha design to be terribly different even if the play is minuscule. Different applications require different grades and viscosities of grease. Ignoring this can cause sever damage, and over-greasing can cause an out of balance situation - on aircraft. We see a little less torque, lower RPM, etc. on the FJR, so it may not be quite as critical.

I'll do mine when it comes due, and that's good enough for me.

Thanks for the perspective. I'm propably wrong (just ask my wife), but I think someone said that for Gen 3 there was no greasing requirement for the splines. So the question is, "In the absence of a factory defined greasing interval, is greasing the splines necessary and/or a good idea anyway?"

Not sure where you got the idea that Gen 3 doesn't need grease? See post #15 https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/164563-i-broke-this-piece/?do=findComment&comment=1250583, that's a page from the Yamaha Service Manual for a 2014 FJR-1300A. It specifically specified grease on both ends when assemble the driveshaft.

Some people here they thought they know more than the Yamaha design engineers.

Is that what I said?

 

[rPGoatBoy]

I'll just leave this and this here.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I do not see how anyone thinks $.05 worth of grease isn't worth the time, simply for peace of mind. Growing up in a machine shop, any time metal came in contact with other metal, there was some type of lube/oil/grease in there to reduce heat, wear and corrosion.

Seeing as how I've never had any tool or machine break down because something seized together or something corroded through, I think I may be on the right track...for once!

 

[palerider]

I think I may be on the right track...for once!

Weird feeling, huh?

 

[kaitsdad]

Hmmm. Maybe the real question is, was this procedure really needed on a 2014? Even lubing the often dry splines is a feel good procedure. The splines do not move relative to each other.

Agree. I don't see any upside operationally to lubricating the drive shaft spline since there is no relative movement. The only thing I can think of to justify lubing these splines is that it would ease disassembly after tens of thousands of miles in the event it must be removed in the first place. I've seen some pretty rusty spline pictures from different owners over the years.

We have a winner. Over time they will rust together - and become very difficult to remove. As in try removing the u-joint from the tranny output shaft when it's rusted on. You really want to have all those splines lubricated.

 

[art miller]

OK, that's it. Everyone will lube their splines at both ends!!! There will be a white glove inspection. Anyone not in compliance will be required to read this thread 100X10-50! No excuses.

 

[just roy]

Just thought I would throw in this experience. I had a 1978 GL1000. At the mid 450,000 mile range in Montana the rear wheel locked up and I slid off the road. at the time Honda said the driveshaft was maintenance free. Honda was interested in my bike because of the mileage and took it in on trade. I was later told the splines had fused into the shaft causing stress on the universal causing it to seize. Honda now calls for driveshaft maint. I now always lubricate driveshafts.

Roy

 

[odot]

As a widget mechanic I suggest lubing all splines at every possible instant when said splines are available to lube. Twenty years of working widgets have taught me that extra lube will never hurt the situation. That being said, the part that has been pried off and broken looks to me to be the jesus nut linkage which holds the back part of the motorcycle to the front part of the motorcycle. Good idea to replace said part. It may also play a part in gear switching and kick stand support.

 

[OkieBikerDude]

Many old BMW owners, myself included, became aware of neglected spline lubrication the hard way. I had mine lubed when I had new tires installed and it's been smooth as silk for 50k miles. better safe than sorry.

OBD