Shaft Gear Oil

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Now I use the Mobil 1 75W-90 gear oil that many around here use. Probably just as good if not better, cheap, and easy to get.
My local auto parts store stopped carrying the Mobil 1 75W-90 gear oil.

Has anyone ever used Valvoline SynPower 75W-90 gear oil in their pumpkin?

The SynPower brake fluid seems to work well.

As an aside: I got my bike last March. When I changed the clutch fluid a couple of days ago, it was already quite nasty. Basically cloudy and foul looking while the front and rear brakes were fine. I just wonder if there is some reason for this since Warchild's aritcle in changing fluids on fjrtech.com is the same way. I'm not going to pull off the clutch slave cylinder just to look but it does seem a bit strange.

Cheers,

Jim

 
I've got Valvoline Synthetic in mine as we speak; no problems though I don't think any good quality rear gear fuid, at the proper spec. would give you any problems. I'm even thinking of putting Walmarts synthetic rear gear oil in next time.

 
Keep in mind that the FJR is a bit unusual in the bike world with that much power and torque, a chassis that allows high speed/track operation and with a shaft drive.  So there is not much to compare it to out there for lubrication use in the final drive.
I agree with the bulk of your post: Essentially, "pretty good Gear Oil" will work just fine.

Of the quoted section, I have two things to point out. First, the BMW K1200RS is powered, and operated, quite like an FJR. BMW offeres a synthetic gear oil in 75W-140 which I used in my BMWs, and now in my FJR.

I chose it because it's formulation makes sense, like several commercial products. Secondly, it was available in dealerships which I frequented.

Third, I have not heard of a BMW rear gear set failing, despite severe use. Rear drive failures that I've heard of, and my own too, have been of the crown wheel bearing, which is not lubricated by the gear oil- and then the BMW propensity for seal leaks the empty the oil out. Consequently, I felt that since "BMW oil" was used in some large percentage of their bikes, it was working quite well.

However, I note the FJR rear drive is different from other Long Distance and Heavy Duty rear drives (BMW, Honda, Kawasaki): It only contains one cup of lubricant. That means any one ounce of that oil is going to be heated to higher levels that the oil in other final drives. Hence, it makes sense to me to use the best available gear oil back there.

The "proven" best I've found is "BMW oil". Other's testaments "about their favorite gear oil" on this board fall short of inspiring confidence in me. While riding an XS11 "hard", and "across the desert a few times" is a positive thing to hear, it is not very exact, and not well corroborated (though I too did the same thing with an XS11 as did my friends). I'm riding my FJR in 110F temps, ten hours at a time, for at least three days in a row, and then 7 to 10 days of 90mph Interstate work in cooler temps, and then back across the desert I started from - to the tune of 50,000 miles a year. Hearing that, "I've used XYZ gear oil for the last 5,400 miles", is not to be dismissed out of hand, but just doesn't pertain to the problems some of us rider's create.

While I do like "great" engine oil, I'd never intervene in a thread to espouse it as more than desirable in special circumstances: Top retail oils will do fine.

However, "out back" in our Yamahas, there's plenty to warrant choosing a premium gear oil, and being quite certain it contains as much high temp, anti-foam properties as are available. The more you enjoy using the performance of this great FJR, the more important I think that becomes.

Best wishes.

 
When I bought my 03', I was shocked by trhe cost of Yamahas 'Snake oil', so I called Yamaha USA.

after a day, I got another call to them and was told any gear oil with a 'GL-5 rating'

will work.

As for Hi-speed use, after 2 Track days in 95 degree heat down a streight at 147 mph, lap after lap. The rear end doesnt whine (never has), the bikes, not mine.

Im using Mobile 1 syn. 28,000 miles. :D

 
Keep in mind that the FJR is a bit unusual in the bike world with that much power and torque, a chassis that allows high speed/track operation and with a shaft drive.  So there is not much to compare it to out there for lubrication use in the final drive.
I agree with the bulk of your post: Essentially, "pretty good Gear Oil" will work just fine.

Of the quoted section, I have two things to point out. First, the BMW K1200RS is powered, and operated, quite like an FJR. BMW offeres a synthetic gear oil in 75W-140 which I used in my BMWs, and now in my FJR.
FWIW, when I went to buy some gear oil for my 2005, I was pointed to some Golden Spectro GL-5 hypoid gear oil at the second shop I went to.

The first shop asked me if the FJR1300 was a two stroke or four stroke bike. :dribble:

Bob

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

 
I've used "AMSOIL Series 2000" 100 percent Syn. 75W-90 from the first time I changed the rear end oil. I think it keeps the pumkin cooler than the OEM stuff. ;)

 
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Beauty....we finally have some sensical amsoil fans in here. Minus me, of course....I just use the stuff.

 
doesn't volume mainly address how much contaminate can remain in suspension?
...the only contaminate of any consequence, in this case, is magnitized to the drain plug. Volume, more importantly, will affect the rate of heat dissi

pation. :assasin:

 
Obviously they want to sell their own stuff. Reason I heard was that if you use regular gear oil in hot weather it foams and leaks out leaving gear dry.

However that said I had a new tire put on by the dealer and they greased the splines and added some kind of synthetic gear oil.

Last wheel change they had the Yam lube in stock and put that it!

The bottle is 18+ bucks but will do a few changes if you take it with you after they try to keep it having charged you for it!! They make lot's of money that way! Every sucker pays for the full bottle and they keep it !

 
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The bottle is 18+ bucks but will do a few changes if you take it with you after they try to keep it having charged you for it!! They make lot's of money that way! Every sucker pays for the full bottle and they keep it !
Actual list price for the stuff, as I recall, is 28.00 for the pint; maybe they think they're 'giving you a break' charging you less than list for it.. <_< The few dealers I've seen that even carry it in this area sell it for list; FJRGoodies sells it online for 19.95, FWIW.

 
My local Yamaha partsman sold me a quart of the "YAMAHA SHAFT DRIVE GEAR OIL, SAE 80W-90, API SERVICE GL-4, GL-5" for $7.95 and said that is what their dealership uses in all their shaft drive models. No part number on it. Good enough for my first fluid change, might consider upgrading next time. Not trying to start a new oil thread here [ = fear & dread = ] but i went with the BELRAY EXS SYNTHETIC 0W-40 SUPERBIKE MOTOR OIL which is the one BELRAY recommends for the FJR.

 
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