Greasing the drive shaft

[80CX100]

On 7/21/2021 at 9:57 PM, cash1000 said:

That's a pity. Would have been great to have a photo to show how you had solved the problem that's vexed many owners of short frame V11's 

I apologize if I've falsely raised hopes for short frame owners, this worked for me on that hidden grease nipple on my LONG frame bike.

Imho, if there is any coupling that MAY work on short frames, this would be it.

Take a look at the photo on this link below; that short 4" pipe to the left on the 180 degree swivel coupling with the spring over it, has male threads on both ends;remove it; you now have a 180 degree swivel with female threads.

Remove the coupling from whatever type of grease gun you have, exposing the male threads and screw the 180 swivel on, in it's place.

On my LONG frame, I could see the top of that hidden grease fitting, but it was welded in so close to the shoulder of the driveshaft, I needed a coupling approximately 45-60 degrees (WAG), this cheap swivel worked like a charm for me, on my LONG frame;

I make no promises it will work on a SHORT frame, but for $10 Canadian funds, I'd take the gamble and try, fwiw ymmv.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-180-degree-swivel-grease-gun-coupler-0282760p.html

[cash1000]

Success. Got drive shaft greased at the weekend. Feels smoother or is that just my imagination 

[4corsa]

I was able to get a standard grease gun fitting on the front nipple on my '03 Le Mans. Was not able to bend the hose successfully through the obvious direct path, but when I routed it through a crevice over the top it was easier. I had to use a pair of pliers to push it down onto the nipple once aligned.

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[docc]

Is that an angled tip or a "flex" tip or straight?

[4corsa]

Just a straight tip Docc

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[docc]

Fascinating. One of the remaining, unsolved mysteries of the V11 series is specifically why the early ShortFrame are so notoriously impossible to grease that front U-joint. I cannot see how that set-up would make the correct angle to connect on my RedFrame Sport.

Is the shaft shroud, or collar, shorter on the LongFrame V11? The early collar is 64 mm . . .

[4corsa]

Mine is the same 64mm (2.5")

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[docc]

@4corsa, Is your wheel hanging (suspension extended) in those views? It looks like a swingarm stand  . . .

[4corsa]

Yes, it's on a rear stand.

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[FreyZI]

Speaking of shafts ...

I would imagine that a nicely greased unit  would be a bit more flaccid.

Does this coupler standing proud indicate that the grease is beat?

 

[Scud]

Whack it a while and see if settles down.

Seriously, if you tap the castings around the four u-joint caps it may loosen up a bit, and you can force a bit of fresh grease through it as well.

[Lucky Phil]

1 hour ago, FreyZI said:

Speaking of shafts ...

I would imagine that a nicely greased unit  would be a bit more flaccid.

Does this coupler standing proud indicate that the grease is beat?

 

Here's a tip before you write off any sealed bearing because it feels stiff esp after greasing. use a small screw driver watchmakers or tooth pick or similar and lift the grease fitting ball off it's seat a fraction and release any pressure in the bearing. Sometimes they will actually let out a pssst and shoot a little squirt of grease. The bearing will now turn freely. Internal pressure on the seals is the issue. Used to happen greasing aircraft regularly.

Ciao 

[FreyZI]

1 hour ago, Lucky Phil said:

Sometimes they will actually let out a pssst and shoot a little squirt of grease.

It did pssst.  Surprised me.  Squeezed out the old grease and it's swivelling much better (was only one direction it seemed to hang up).

[Weegie]

5 hours ago, Lucky Phil said:

Here's a tip before you write off any sealed bearing because it feels stiff esp after greasing. use a small screw driver watchmakers or tooth pick or similar and lift the grease fitting ball off it's seat a fraction and release any pressure in the bearing. Sometimes they will actually let out a pssst and shoot a little squirt of grease. The bearing will now turn freely. Internal pressure on the seals is the issue. Used to happen greasing aircraft regularly.

Ciao 

That's a good idea anyway, even if the grease hasn't pressurised the bearing. I found that just poking the ball on the fitting loosens it up. Usually there's all manner of crap that gets thrown onto the fitting from the road and then even a small amount of corrosion will "weld" the ball onto the static part of the valve.

Mind you I'm referring to Magni's shafts which are slightly different but reasonably confident the same logic will apply to Guzzi's set up

[docc]

Be ever diligent threading in those pinch bolts, perhaps clamping the collars so that the fasteners line up perfectly with the holes. Otherwise, they tend to cross thread and potentially fail later. Torque in steps and back forth across the pinch collar.