More Drive Shaft Maintenance

[Lamedog]

Too cold and wet to ride, so I elected to have a good go at the drive line U-joints, which I've never been satisfied I'd lubed well. At 21,000 miles (33k-kms), I'm past the shop manuals recommended replacement mileage (~13,000 miles, can this be right?). So I pulled the swingarm, shaft cover and shaft ends, then cleaned off the accumulated grease. In my vigor, I foolishly started at taking the snap rings off to access the crosses.

 

This was a bad move, as I broke the end off a snap ring trying to get into the U joint crossover. The Guzzi catalogue doesn’t list a replacement part. Too late, I opened "Guzziology" to find shafts can last “much longer” than mfr recommended depending upon spline wear. That Dave, always with the clear and concise guidance. More important (for an amatuer) 'ology clarifies you need a punch to do the job in any case and will replace the crosses as part of the job.

 

So I abandoned the ill-considered effort and pumped grease into each cross until I’d displaced the snotty black stuff and what was coming out looked fresh. Then worked the joint for a few minutes to see if the bearings felt OK. They did, but then they weren’t bad at the start either. Am considering putting the shaft back in the bike (the snap ring will hold but would never be able to be removed again), run it another 10,000 miles and replace the entire shaft at that time.

 

Interested in what others use to determine the need to replace the shaft. Appreciate if comments are experience based. I am sure catastrophic spline failure could happen, but I'm checking splines at tire changes ~ 5k miles and would think this an unlikely outcome......

[pasotibbs]

Too cold and wet to ride, so I elected to have a good go at the drive line U-joints, which I've never been satisfied I'd lubed well. At 21,000 miles (33k-kms), I'm past the shop manuals recommended replacement mileage (~13,000 miles, can this be right?). So I pulled the swingarm, shaft cover and shaft ends, then cleaned off the accumulated grease. In my vigor, I foolishly started at taking the snap rings off to access the crosses.

 

This was a bad move, as I broke the end off a snap ring trying to get into the U joint crossover. The Guzzi catalogue doesn’t list a replacement part. Too late, I opened "Guzziology" to find shafts can last “much longer” than mfr recommended depending upon spline wear. That Dave, always with the clear and concise guidance. More important (for an amatuer) 'ology clarifies you need a punch to do the job in any case and will replace the crosses as part of the job.

 

So I abandoned the ill-considered effort and pumped grease into each cross until I’d displaced the snotty black stuff and what was coming out looked fresh. Then worked the joint for a few minutes to see if the bearings felt OK. They did, but then they weren’t bad at the start either. Am considering putting the shaft back in the bike (the snap ring will hold but would never be able to be removed again), run it another 10,000 miles and replace the entire shaft at that time.

 

Interested in what others use to determine the need to replace the shaft. Appreciate if comments are experience based. I am sure catastrophic spline failure could happen, but I'm checking splines at tire changes ~ 5k miles and would think this an unlikely outcome......

 

A believe RossoAndy was able to source replacement joints, its mentioned at the end of the Pinion bearing thread (http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9794&st=45)

You may be able to PM him for more advice ?

 

Dave