Lessons Learned while lubing shaft splines..

[epoche]

Thanks for the tip to Mark Johnson's web page. Guess i should have done my homework. I now see that if the U-Joint is in the horizontal position that the aft end will drop down. Not so if it was in the vertical position. Removing the rear tire and pumpkin was such as easy procedure I think when I'm finding myself with some free time the U-joint clean job would be satisfying.

By the way, it was recommended that the 4 pumpkin nuts be tightened after the tire was mounted. Question is how would you get a torque wrench into those tight areas. I needed to use 14mm box end wrench to access the interior 2 from the right side-- through the open wheel area. Can't see how one would get anything larger into the area.

 

[fjrupnorth]

With the rear wheel installed, and the axle nut moderately tight, I snug up the 4 acorn nuts just enough to hold the pumpkin in place. Then I remove the rear wheel and torque the acorn nuts. This way I feel confident that the pumpkin is properly aligned.

 

[Constant Mesh]

You can easily get proper rear drive alignment with the wheel off by just positioning the axle through the drive and swingarm. The axle nut and washer can be left off. You can then tighten/torque the four acorn nuts on the drive. Remove the axle. Position the wheel and install the axle.

 

[Geezer]

I was able to get the 14mm socket on thre of four with no problem . I had to use a flexible attachment between the socket and torque wrench for the fourth. Not sure how mportant it is to actually use a torque wrench on these bolts but I don't have a lot of experience working with aluminum parts so I use the torque wrench whenever possible.

 

[jkarp]

You can easily get proper rear drive alignment with the wheel off by just positioning the axle through the drive and swingarm. The axle nut and washer can be left off. You can then tighten/torque the four acorn nuts on the drive. Remove the axle. Position the wheel and install the axle.

Doh! Clever guy!

 

[SkooterG]

You can easily get proper rear drive alignment with the wheel off by just positioning the axle through the drive and swingarm. The axle nut and washer can be left off. You can then tighten/torque the four acorn nuts on the drive. Remove the axle. Position the wheel and install the axle.

+1

Has worked for me so far. Remember, K.I.S.S.

 

[Yambone]

You can easily get proper rear drive alignment with the wheel off by just positioning the axle through the drive and swingarm. The axle nut and washer can be left off. You can then tighten/torque the four acorn nuts on the drive. Remove the axle. Position the wheel and install the axle.

That's a keeper! Printing hard copy of this thread now and adding it to my vast if somewhat disorganized *Supplemental Internet FJR Service Manual.* :agent:

 

[user 357]

Did you all happen to notice that the 4 washers under the acorn nuts seem to have a slightly rounded side on one side of the washer, and flat side on the other side of the washer......I noticed this today when I was putting everything back together....

So I put the flat side toward the housing and the rounded side next to the acorn....

I am not a great mechanic like you all, so if I didnt do it right let me know.....

However when I pulled the pumpkin to check the splines the shaft stayed in the rear side and did not fall out, and the front spline was still lubed ok from my last tire change and inspection........I did clean and re-lube it tho........

 

[Yambone]

2Wheeler, I've had mine off 6 or 7 times, and don't think orientation of the washer would matter. Torque to 30 ft-lbs should reshape the washer.

Someone might also encounter this washer adventure: I once spent a couple of hours searching for what I though was a lost acorn nut washer... turned out to just be sitting there in the housing after I slid the pumpkin assembly off of the mounting bolts. Doh.

 

[user 357]

Yambone.....

Thanks for the reply.......

One of my washers did the same thing but I found it right way....DOH

 

[pfhague]

I took my drive shaft out to do the splines and was not planning on removing the shaft from the pumpkin. While holding the shaft the pumpkin fell off on its own,, sooo, when removing the shaft hold on to both the pumpkin and the shaft. Ended up with a small indentation on the outer ring as a result>

 

[user 357]

I guess I lucked out, cause I held onto the shaft as soon as I could when pulling mine apart.........