Stabbing drive shaft in U-joint

[rowdy7]

I researched 3 different RSV forums for suggestions for stabbing the drive shaft back into the U-joint after molycoting it. Long after frustration set in trying to stab the drive shaft with the final drive attached I finally figured out how to remove the drive shaft from the final drive.

I folded a towel in my vise and put the shaft in it and tightened it up. Pulled hard on the final drive and it popped out. (I needed to do this anyway to moly lube the rear drive shaft splines) I did not know this at the time since there have been some erroneous posts about the rear splines being lubed by the final drive oil.

I stuck a 1/4" drive socket extension in the spring hole at the rear of the drive shaft for a handle on that end for my right hand and stuck my finger in the hole over the u-joint to manipulate the u-joint with my left hand and it took me about 10 seconds to stab the drive shaft in the u-joint. How could anything previously so hard be so easy?

I saw a Yamaha Tech Exchange for aligning the final drive. It basically said to install the axle without the rear wheel, adjust the final drive so that the axle is free and tighten the 4 acorn nuts.

I hope this helps someone with this little chore.

[djh3]

There is a guide/access hole up front by engine you can use a screw stick or drive extension in to help with front floppy u-joint. Of course I didnt find this anywhere until I figured it out myself.

[CaptainJoe]

There is a guide/access hole up front by engine you can use a screw stick or drive extension in to help with front floppy u-joint. Of course I didnt find this anywhere until I figured it out myself.

 

 

I used the access hole and a bent coat hanger and used a flashlight ..

 

 

I could see how it would be a PIA to install based on Yamahas instructions...LOL

[Yammer Dan]

I just stuck it in there.....:whistling:

[rowdy7]

There is a guide/access hole up front by engine you can use a screw stick or drive extension in to help with front floppy u-joint. Of course I didnt find this anywhere until I figured it out myself.

 

 

That is the hole I used to stick my finger in to wiggle the u-joint. The biggest help was removing the drive shaft from the final drive. I finally found a write up by a guy in France on how to shim the final drive gears that said to just pull on the drive shaft to remove it. I had been carrying it around the garage holding it by the shaft. I'm sure glad it didn't fall off on my foot. Mighta damaged my Crocs.