Rear tire , Final Drive and Drive Shaft

[MiCarl]

Here is the parts fiche:

 

(10), is the coupler. The oil seal (9) seals it to the bearing retainer (6), you can see the step in the coupler where the seal runs. The holes at the back of the coupler are exposed to the bearing (8). Oil needs to pass through the bearing to get in there. It takes some time for that to happen since it's not pumped, that's why it needs to be greased on initial assembly.

[Beau-Kat]

If you do pull the shaft out, buy a seal. Don't even think of using the old one.

You might get lucky, but I have been unlucky twice so far.

 

Also, my 2007 RSV has oil holes for the splines. I clean them with wire each time I destroy the seal .. errr replace the tire

 

That's probably the most helpful advice yet. I should have replaced my seal. Just didn't expect it to be easily damaged in the driveshaft removal and replacement procedure.

[Ron Melby]

According to the service manual the gears at both ends of the drive shaft are lubricated by greasing.

 

Mike

 

[ATTACH]86182[/ATTACH]

 

X2 , just got done removing mine this spring . Splines were dry and needed grease. My biggest fight was getting the front spline shaft into transmission yoke.

[MikeWa]

Ok my final post on this thread. MiCarl is correct. I decided to go ahead and change my stock pumpkin for the one I have with the v-max gear set in it. While doing so I inspected the drive shaft, coupler, and seal etc. It looks like MiCarl and several others were right all along. The pumpkin side of the drive shaft gets oil from the differential. My apologies to anyone I might have led astray. Boy am I glad the guys on this site keep me from totally screwing things up.

 

Mike

[Seaking]

Ok my final post on this thread. MiCarl is correct. I decided to go ahead and change my stock pumpkin for the one I have with the v-max gear set in it. While doing so I inspected the drive shaft, coupler, and seal etc. It looks like MiCarl and several others were right all along. The pumpkin side of the drive shaft gets oil from the differential. My apologies to anyone I might have led astray. Boy am I glad the guys on this site keep me from totally screwing things up. Mike

 

So you're installing the shaft in 'dry'? Good luck with that..

 

But please do refer to service manual pages 7-84 and 7-91 before you install your drive shaft..

[Neil86]

Yamaha issued a technical service bulletin stating the 83-85 rear coupler splines required greasing

and 86 and newer were lubricated by oil from the final drive.

The RSV uses the same design as the 86.

The bulletin is M92-006

 

Unfortunately rather than greasing improving lubrication, theres a good chance that

the grease plugs the oil holes that are supposed to allow oil to flow into coupler and

out again.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Neil86

[IronMike]

I am kind of amazed by the absence of an article on how to do this. I am about to change the rear tire and was going to grease this but can't really find any info on it.

 

I am also of the understanding that the ends have grease only on them and also not enough as with everything else on this bike. We should buy them new and take them apart to grease them.

 

According to the service manual the gears at both ends of the drive shaft are lubricated by greasing.

 

Mike

 

[ATTACH]86182[/ATTACH]

[Freebird]

This article that I did on installing the VMAX rear should help.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13266

[sldunker]

I have a 07 midnight. Everytime I have pulled the driveshaft out of the rear diff. there has been a little bit of oil on splines. Make sure when you fill rear diff with oil that oil is at proper level. This will insure that oil gets into splined area.

[Neil86]

http://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?act=ST&f=56&t=7530&st=0#entry90529

[CaptainJoe]

That write up, by the way, is for an FJR...

 

Lightly coating the spines will not hurt a thing....and in fact might save them in the event final drive oil cannot reach them...

[Prairiehammer]

That write up, by the way, is for an FJR...

 

Lightly coating the spines will not hurt a thing....and in fact might save them in the event final drive oil cannot reach them...

 

Yes, for a FJR. But the First Gen Ventures from 1986, all the Royal Stars, all the Second Gen Ventures have the same final drive design.

The trouble with lubing the rear most driveshaft spline by hand is that you run the risk of ruining the front final drive seal when removing and reinstalling the driveshaft at the final drive. If the final drive lube is lubricating the rear drive shaft spline (and it will if you maintain the correct final drive oil level), why risk damaging the oil seal when removing or reinstalling the driveshaft?

[CaptainJoe]

Every time I install a new rear tire, I tear everything apart and inspect, grease and oil.

 

I hear what your saying.

 

But would rather be surprised at inspection, than on the road.

 

Have close to 30 k on my 07 midnight and am on my third tire.

 

The first separation was hard but subsequent separation's had nothing more than a "vacuum" feel.

 

seals are still good (original) with zero leaks.

 

Thing that really has me baffled is, although I wire wheel and grease the fingers as part of the tire change, there is a little rust on the fingers "every time"....

 

Takes me about two years to wear a rear tire out...

 

My 650 V-star let me sit a few years back as the spline on the rear of the driveline had zero grease on it... was nothing left of the splines but brown powder. Very expensive fix...

Edited August 20, 2014 by CaptainJoe

[IronMike]

This article that I did on installing the VMAX rear should help

Sure might have, But I am done, I chickened out! I could not get the speedo Cable out of the hub, I thought if I force this thing its going to break. I have a spare hub and even got to looking at it with no speedo cable in it and it convinced me I was about to break something. So I am in same boat as Dave Wells, And we caught nothing! Ill hack at it when I know more and have more time. 1 day off in 7 aint cutting it.

 

OK so that Chrome Vent looking thing at the top, I thought it might spin, but it don't How do I know its venting properly? How does that come off?

[Beau-Kat]

My 650 V-star let me it a few years back as the spline on the rear of the driveline had zero grease on it... was nothing left of the splines but brown powder. Very expensive fix...

 

Yup! Been there done that when we had a VStar 650. Pinion spline teeth were reduced to dust. New rear dif (with drive shaft) was over $500 just for parts.

[Neil86]

Just out of curiousity, this afternoon I went to the RMSportmax site that handle the

final drive gear changes (VMax gears into Venture case). They have a Tech Question

email section where you can ask John Furbur tech questions....got a reply a few minutes ago.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

John....

 

since your company tears down several VMax & Venture final drive units each

year, could you answer a question for me and several others on a Venture forum.

 

 

On the 86 and newer Venture final drive, are the rear driveshaft splines that

sit in the coupler receiving lubrication of gear oil from final drive.

 

 

 

Thanks

Neil.

 

his reply...........

 

Yes, they do

 

Thanx for asking SportMax!

 

John

http://www.RMSportMax.com

1-610-509-VMAX(8629)

.............................................................................

[IronMike]

After looking over my Spare Diff I was thinking yes thats how it works. And now I am thinking like someone else said earlier. To put grease in there certainly could clog a hole and starve it for Lubrication. So, we have that Ironed out! Thanks!

[dave_wells]

Had it all apart again today. Went and had an Avon Cobra installed on the rear

 

Thanks to all your input , I was able to get the shaft separated today in just a few minutes.

Sitting on a stool I just put two feet on the diff and pulled

 

Thanks again

 

I am just trying get everything quite as I can

[Great adVENTURE]

I just got finished mounting new Michelin Commander II's front and rear, lubed the drive shaft, and replaced the final drive gear oil. I can't believe the difference the smaller front tire gives me, it's like a whole different bike. I can whip the bike around in figure eights like its 500lbs lighter. And of course the satisfaction of doing it myself really puts a smile on my face. Thanks to all who have posted how to's and all the discussions that give so detailed and experienced information to make this possible. Also we got a set of Sena SMH10 Bluetooth headsets and we're loving them. Still trying to find a helmet that I can be happy with, taking a lot longer than expect since there are very few bike shops that carry a decent inventory. Ride safe!

[Bob K.]

It sounds like the consensus is that '86 and newer driveshaft splines in the differential are supposed to be lubricated by the differential oil.

 

If one's differential-end driveshaft splines are dry, should one then look further to see why the splines are not getting lubricated by differential oil? Such as checking the differential oil level or making sure that the oiling holes are clear?

 

What else should be checked if the splines appear under-lubricated or dry?