Rear Drive Splines Lubrication;

[painman]

Being a "waiter" I've had little to do but research the fine-bike-to-be. One area of concern is the articles on lubrication or lack-there-of on the rear drive splines coming from the factory on previous years models. My question is should it be a good idea to make sure these splines are properly lubed "before" I take the bike for a ride with the dealer? I'm not familiar with how the bike comes from the factory and is assembled at the dealer and if the "lube-check" process would be possible during assembly or if I would have to take the back tire off at home myself per Warchilds info page on this proceedure. It seems senceless to be taking a brand new bike apart before riding. Any thoughts on this? Painman. :blink:

 

[Bounce]

It comes in the crate with the windshield, front wheel, and bags off.

There would be a service fee assiciated with an R&R of the rear drive spline. The steps would include removing the rear wheel and pulling the shaft. Maybe an hour tops for R&R for anyone who's done it once (including clean up).

Not a bad idea if your are motivated. Alternately, ride it home, pop it up on the center stand, and do it yourself. Plenty of places document the process. Just one example is at Bikes-N-Spikes and includes links to other web sites that discuss it.

 

[ionbeam]

To see how new FJRs arrive and are assembled click here..

Alan

 

[FJReady]

I wouldn't let the spline lube issue be a deterent whatsoever. Just plan on inspecting and relubing at first tire change. My 05 had acceptable amount of lube at 9000 mile rear tire change. The extra work to clean and grease splines and remove, clean and lube U-joint too was maybe an hour. I bet that Yamaha has improved the lube issue since the early bikes were reported lacking in that area.

 

[Randy]

Just curious, other than the picture that shows some surface rust on the splines, has anyone ever heard of any damage done to an FJR as a result of insufficient spline lubrication?

 

[ionbeam]

has anyone ever heard of any damage done to an FJR as a result of insufficient spline lubrication?

+1

Being clear here -- speaking of DRIVE SHAFT splines, not WHEEL splines. The end of the drive shaft slip fits into drive shaft universal. Rust may cause surface galling but wear should be fairly minimal. It is bad form that any moving joint has little or no lube. If you have an opportunity to lube the drive shaft, great, but haven't done it yet don't sweat it.

As the rear wheel goes up and down the drive shaft moves up and down through an arc of motion causing it to very slightly 'change length'. The universal is effectively the same as a fulcrum point. Though the wheel end of the drive shaft goes through a large arc of motion the fulcrum end only makes a very small arc. Because the arm of the lever is fairly long and the moving wheel has a lot of weight and momentum the force at the fulcrum is very large. Rust will never seize this connection. The splines will work as guides for the joint.

The drive shaft and half-shafts on your car/truck work the same way. When was the last time you lubed the shaft ends on those? Lubing a universal isn't the same as lubing the shaft ends.

Alan

 

[MCRIDER007]

Just curious, other than the picture that shows some surface rust on the splines, has anyone ever heard of any damage done to an FJR as a result of insufficient spline lubrication?

The Yamaha Venture had a similar shaft spline but also had a grease fitting to lube the splines -- except that the grease fitting didn't actually lube the splines and they went dry. The splines would wear until they got thin and razor sharp and start failing after 40,000 miles. My dealership had never heard of the problem until I told them about it and by that time my Venture had about 30,000 miles. They started lubing the splines when the rear tire was replaced but there was enough wear before it was lubed the first time that the shaft had to be replaced (by the next owner) at 60,000 miles.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Being clear here -- speaking of DRIVE SHAFT splines, not WHEEL splines.  The end of the drive shaft slip fits into drive shaft universal.  Rust may cause surface galling but wear should be fairly minimal.  It is bad form that any moving joint has little or no lube. 
As the rear wheel goes up and down the drive shaft moves up and down through an arc of motion causing it to very slightly 'change length'. 

Thanks Alan, that was a very good explanation of why the shaft splines will wear without sufficient lubrication.

 

[Ignacio]

I think it was more of a problem in the '03 and '04 series. I don't remember seeing or hearing of many (or any) '05 without a thin layer of oil on them.

I took mine off because it was a guinnea pig at a TechWest seminar. Thin layer of oil.

Yamaha seems to be lubing them now.

I'd wait until the first rear tire change.

 

[madmike2]

Actually, the lubrication of the splines does include the drive splines between the differential and the wheel, not just the driveshaft. That being said, my '05 was adequate @ 5K. Now it is well lubed thanks to Bounce and FJR Tech fopr their excellent articles.

 

[Randy]

Thanks for the responses. I did mine for the first time last weekend at 17.5K miles. When I took it apart and looked at it, it was pretty dry, but, there was no evidence of any wear - regular or irregular. I put some Honda Moly 60 paste on it and bolted it back up. Once the wheel was off, it was simply a matter of removing the 4 acorn shaped nuts and pulling it out, greasing it, and putting it back together. 5 minutes at the most.

 

[painman]

Wow! You guy's are great. Thanks for all the input on this. Painman.