Lubricating 86-93 drive shaft

[frankd]

I'm sure it's been discussed somewhere before, but I probably didn't use the correct wording when I searched .......

 

 

Do you grease the driveshaft couplings on a 89 VR like I've been doing for years on my 83?

 

I bought a low mileage (30K) 89 and I'm getting it PM'd and ready to ride.

 

Frank

[Condor]

Do you grease the driveshaft couplings on a 89 VR like I've been doing for years on my 83?

 

Frank

 

YUP!!!

[Venturous Randy]

I'm sure it's been discussed somewhere before, but I probably didn't use the correct wording when I searched .......

 

 

Do you grease the driveshaft couplings on a 89 VR like I've been doing for years on my 83?

 

I bought a low mileage (30K) 89 and I'm getting it PM'd and ready to ride.

 

Frank

 

You should only have to grease the splines that go into the u-joint. The part that goes into the rearend is greased from the rearend lube.

RandyA

[MiCarl]

You should only have to grease the splines that go into the u-joint. The part that goes into the rearend is greased from the rearend lube.

RandyA

 

No, it's not. The service manual calls for molybdenum disulfide grease grease on those splines. Same as the u-joint end of the shaft.

[mm482]

I am with Randy A on this one.

 

Earl

86 VR

00 RSV

[GeorgeS]

Are you talking about the forward end of the Drive Shaft ??

 

If so, you need to remove the pumpkin, and pull out the drive shaft to Hand Greese

the forward end Splines. If never been done on this bike, its needs to be done.

[frankd]

The forward end is probably identical to the 83, so yes it should get greased. However, my question was with the rear coupling. I remember reading in the 'olden' days when the Venture web pages were just starting on the internet how the 86 was lubed by the 80W in the shaft unit. After I bought the 89, I looked at the service manual online, and it mentioned to lubricate it. So I wasn't sure what I had to do.

 

So now I gather that I pull the shaft unit just like I'd do on the 83. Although if the rear driveshaft coupling is lubed by the 80W, it'd make sense to drain the shaft unit first. Then I pull the driveshaft and grease the front with molybendum-disulfide grease.

 

BTW, 30K probably isn't a bad interval for the front coupling because the driveshaft and the universal joint are a tight fit and there isn't much movement between them. However, on my 83, the rear coupling needs grease much sooner. My rear tires (Avon now, but formerly Dunlop) last 22-25K. I usually grease the shaft every time I change the tire, and also about 1/2 way through it's life. When I pull it apart, it's ready but not dry.

 

Frank

[GeorgeS]

The Only place there is SAE-90 gear lube is in the pumpkin, drain and change.

 

There is no oil in the drive shaft.

 

Just pull off the Pumpkin, pull out the shaft and Lube the splines with Heavy Greese!

 

And put it back together.

[Venturous Randy]

The Only place there is SAE-90 gear lube is in the pumpkin, drain and change.

 

There is no oil in the drive shaft.

 

Just pull off the Pumpkin, pull out the shaft and Lube the splines with Heavy Greese!

 

And put it back together.

 

On the 86/93 rearends any grease that you put on the rear splines will end up in the rear end lube. The area that the rear end of the driveshaft splines go into is lubed by the rearend oil as there a couple of holes that feed lube into that cavity. This is why there is a seal. And, if you pull the driveshaft out, it can damage the seal.

This was the fix that the MKII's had because of the MKI's not having grease added often enough and damaging the splines. And, I bet you that if you pull the driveshaft out and turn the rearend up on the mounting bolts, lube will run out.

RandyA

Edited March 25, 2009 by Venturous Randy

[Pappa Bear]

Can you use Moly Lithium grease on the six posts and hub on the 1st gen rear wheel for lube when they are dry?

[frankd]

Yes, I'm sure molybendum disulfide grease would be fine, but the manual of my 83 says to use Lithium based grease (regular wheel bearing grease). I believe that part of the MkII is the same as the Mark I.

 

Randy A....Thanks for the information about the drive shaft.

 

Frank