Dive Shaft Lube

[Kiwi_Roy]

The manual says (picture of greasing the driveshaft)

"To lubricate the cardan transissions use only saphonifying greasers with lithium of a grade 2 consistency, 265/295 penetration and with a dropping point of about 180* The lubricants must not contain additives with MOS2-33"

Would someone like to explain that to me?

My grease container says Heavy Duty Lithium and a few words of warning about not eating the stuff. It looks like pretty normal yellow grease to me but the manuals warning has me worried.

 

Thanks in advance

Roy

[guzzimeister]

The manual says (picture of greasing the driveshaft)

"To lubricate the cardan transissions use only saphonifying greasers with lithium of a grade 2 consistency, 265/295 penetration and with a dropping point of about 180* The lubricants must not contain additives with MOS2-33"

Would someone like to explain that to me?

My grease container says Heavy Duty Lithium and a few words of warning about not eating the stuff. It looks like pretty normal yellow grease to me but the manuals warning has me worried.

 

Thanks in advance

Roy

 

Hi Roy, firstly cool balancing gauge, simple but very effective, true engineering.

 

Re the drive shaft, mine has done 47k miles with one grease at the rear end at 24k and another at the front end at 36k. I use general purpose grease for both, and have just bought another cartridge of it. No problems whatsoever. All commonly available greases are now lithium loaded, and frankly if your transmission gest up to 180C you've got other problems. Pundits tell me the transmission could warm up the grease and drop it out, but I suggest you feel the drive shaft and UJs after a good run, they stay pretty cool.

 

Incidentaly when I did my greasing, there weas plenty of old grease in the joints so it's not as critical as Guzzi would have you believe. I could only grease the front joint by removing the swinging arm despite using a needle. People tell me it can be done insitu so I'm going to give it another go.......

 

Cheers

 

Guzz

[Kiwi_Roy]

Guzz,

The gauge was a no brainer for me, I am an Instrumentation Designer.

It needs to have a few inches of rubber tubing at the ends where it connects to the

throttle body so it doesn't drop off when hot.I will make another that can be used

to check balance while the bike is in motion.

Thanks for the grease info, so it's referring to overheating, I didn't understand that.

I thought there might be some exotic seals or something. The PO was paranoid

about lube materials, he gave me a crate of the special Italian oil mentioned in

the owners manual.

Cheers

Roy

[docc]

Funny, we all like to say there's nothing much special about these oils and lubricants, then go on to list, discuss, and debate the infinite details and effects of various specifications. As it turns out, it's not all just yak fat . . .

 

RedLine makes a fantastic grease that, if you can get it into your U-joints, I am sure makes a proper 'greaser' with all the non-saponifying drop-point characteristics a fellow could hope for.

 

That said, it is, once again, the common wisdom that if you can get a little grease (any grease) into those joints pretty regularly, they'll do fine.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Guzz - I added my experience to another thread on removing the swing arm. Yes, I think I could lube it in-situ

next time now I have filed the gun's nozzle to fit. It turns out that someone had butchered the two pinch bolts

on the front universal so I'm glad I pulled it out.

Cheers

Roy

[Steve G.]

Any good u-joint grease will do.

Regarding the front u-joint, you don't have to remove the swingarm, I've done it twice without doing so. But it sure helps if you have a swivel head grease gun head, which you can bend to get access to the grease nipple on the joint. I have a Lubrimatic mini grease gun with optional variable swing head, and flexible hose, does the job super easy!!

 

http://www.plews-edelmann.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=1921&location_id=2723

 

http://www.plews-edelmann.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=2241&location_id=2726

 

If you want, stop by my place and have a look at the thing, I'm in Surrey.

 

Steve

[ponti_33609]

Any good u-joint grease will do.

Regarding the front u-joint, you don't have to remove the swingarm, I've done it twice without doing so. But it sure helps if you have a swivel head grease gun head, which you can bend to get access to the grease nipple on the joint. I have a Lubrimatic mini grease gun with optional variable swing head, and flexible hose, does the job super easy!!

 

Yes, it is very easy and many post here say it helps if the tire is off. I did not find this to be true. The key for me was the variable swing head and you also have to grind the heck our of it with a Dremel tool or the like. Start from the back through the tunnel and if you gring enough off (clearance issues) it will pop right on.

 

Bob

[guzzimeister]

Yes, it is very easy and many post here say it helps if the tire is off. I did not find this to be true. The key for me was the variable swing head and you also have to grind the heck our of it with a Dremel tool or the like. Start from the back through the tunnel and if you gring enough off (clearance issues) it will pop right on.

 

Bob

 

Well chaps, I've learnt something today. Always wondred how people claimed to lubricate the front bearing in situ, I didn't realise swivel head fitting existed. Always dropped the swinging arm down to do it. Can now do the whole op in 20 minutes, timed myself on Saturday. However it ain't a job you would do casually and therein lies the danger. You put it off until the joint goes pop. Can't wait to try this. Which swivelhead did you use, Steve?

 

Guzz

[ponti_33609]

Which swivelhead did you use

 

I bought mine at Ace Hardware ~$12 at the time. I know McMaster-Carr sells them as well. The "key" was to really grind the swivel head down due to the clearance issues. You only need to grind down 1 side. When you have it ground enough it will pop right on for you!

 

Bob

[Kiwi_Roy]

I think you can also do the job with a flexible hose if the wheel is removed.

I thought I had mine connected up over the swing arm but after removing

the shaft I found the nozzle needed a flat on one side before it would slip

in properly. A few strokes with a file is all it took.

The swivel is a better way

Roy