Never Grease The U Joints, Lifespan?

[The Monkey]

Having spent a frustrating morning in the garage pipe bending-burnt forearm! I'm no nearer that bloody nipple!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I guess its wheel off, will the bevel and shaft just slide off? I have the alignment marks already on it, just line them up on re assembly? thanks

 

It is awkward and not all bikes seem to respond the same, but if the bike is on a stand so the rear is suspended and the grease zerk is at 12 oclock you do have a chance at getting a gun tip onto it. If you do disassemble the rear of the machine make sure the alignment marks are good (trunnions actually do line up) and reassemble with care.

[jrt]

As a follow-up-

wrap a piece of cardboard around the driveshaft at the cardan joints. Tape it together (to make a tube). That way, any grease that is flung out after you "fill" it with grease will be caught on the cardboard rather than going out to the tire. Easy, cheesy cleanup.

[docc]

Docc,

I think someone on the MGNOC website rebuilds them . You can Google the repair also. What is wrong with yours ?

The fasteners should last a long time. If they scare you I'm sure Fastenal can fix you up.

 

I don't think it's the bolts themselves or even the U-joints. After several remove/refit operations by several, um, technicians, I don't think the collars retain the fasteners well any more. The factory change interval on the shaft is worrisome, and I can only be sure I've got grease in the front U-joint a couple times, even after trying, over the last ten or eleven years. I've got to remove the rear drive for seals and I just can't trust the shaft at the typical speeds I might approach (90-100 mph).

 

Sure, a new shaft is six or eight hundred dollars. New bikes are ten or twelve thousand and an MRI or CAT scan ranges 600- 5,000 USD.

 

I'm looking forward to the confidence of having a fresh new drive shaft.

[rossi46]

Ok finally got time to tackle this, after several tries I had to remove wheel, bevel box and still remove the shock bolt!!! I then needed to adapt the gun fitting ('Moscow bend') however when I removed the bevel the alignment marks on the shaft were on the same half!!!!! there were 2 notches in the end ,one bigger than the other, is there a way to check that I have assembled it correctly(I know guzzichrondria)

[The Monkey]

Simply a matter of ensuring each end of the shaft is operating in the same plane. You can do this by eye either assembled or disassembled. If its all together, turn the rear wheel so the shaft trunnion is straight up and down (12 and 6) look forward to the other end of the shaft and its trunnion, does it correspond. If it is at say 2 and 8 you need to pull the bevel box back and rotate so they do correspond. Keep in mind you either align each end of the shaft OR you align the bevel and transmission trunnion. While you're at it pop out the spacer (and washer if fitted) and put a little wheel bearing grease in the wee needle bearing located in the nose of the bevel box where it comes up against the swingarm. Use a marker and put your own alignment mark on the shaft for ease in the future. Hope that helps

[stefano]

Simply a matter of ensuring each end of the shaft is operating in the same plane. You can do this by eye either assembled or disassembled. If its all together, turn the rear wheel so the shaft trunnion is straight up and down (12 and 6) look forward to the other end of the shaft and its trunnion, does it correspond. If it is at say 2 and 8 you need to pull the bevel box back and rotate so they do correspond. Keep in mind you either align each end of the shaft OR you align the bevel and transmission trunnion. While you're at it pop out the spacer (and washer if fitted) and put a little wheel bearing grease in the wee needle bearing located in the nose of the bevel box where it comes up against the swingarm. Use a marker and put your own alignment mark on the shaft for ease in the future. Hope that helps

my driveshaft has alignment marks, 3 punchmarks with paint lines over them. kinda wierd, they're 90 degrees off from each other,(or 270 deg depending on how you look at it) which means they're actually still on the same plane. (yeah i've looked)

i've had the '02 le Mans about 8 mos. haven't had the rear wheel off yet but plan to soon to grease front u joint.

scf

[The Monkey]

A classic example of Mandellarian mischievousness! Careless bastards. While producing the last of the line of beautiful motorcycles that came out of that little factory beside the lake- the question remains- Were the early 2000's the worst in 80 years regarding quality control? Maybe they were just broke and depressed, dutifully cobbling bikes together with what they had... whatever, if your shaft trunnions line up with the marks 90 degrees out then it is just a mismatch- redo the marks.

[Chet in MI]

I also have had success (after multiple failed attempts ) with the needle-type fitting. I made a slight bend in mine, maybe 30 degrees or so, no heat required . The bend probably wasn't necessary though. Once you get the wheel off it's not bad. The hardest part is holding the needle fitting on the zerk while pumping, since it doesn't "snap" on like the more traditional fittings. But that's easily remedied with a one-handed, pistol-grip type of grease gun.

 

Cheers!