Rear End Grease Fitting

[GtrMn]

I was checking out the Merriam Cycle site and it was mentioned that the rear end grease fitting actually doesn't get grease where it needs to go.....and it needs to actually be taken apart and greased by hand. Never heard of that...and never done it either. Anyone know about this one? Thanks

[Axel]

Grease where it counts

Heard of it and did it . Most times when you change a rear tire - you do it when you have the wheel off . There are a great many posts /tech tips on this operation at this site . Use the seach function and I'm sure you will find them .

[GtrMn]

Thanks I'll check it. Does it mean the grease fitting doesn't do the job?

[Axel]

fitting doesnt do it

Thats right . Seems the fitting falls short of the desired effect.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...se+drive+shaft

There are more i'm sure

[Axel]

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...se+drive+shaft

[Axel]

Yes

http://www.xs11.com/tips/maintenance/maint29.shtml

This is the one I like from the Tech Tip menu on the left of each page .

[GtrMn]

Thanks Axel....I thought maybe Bob Jones was trying to scare people...haha. As far as I know mine's never been done. (I got it with 11k on the odometer)..has almost 20k on it now......Time to do it! And damn just changed out the back tire too...geeeez

[GtrMn]

I can't believe I never saw that tech tips....Gonna do it tomorrow though....Looks like a really bad thing to have go bad! Thanks again!

[Axel]

maintenance

If you're anything like me - I can't relax or ride easy if I dont have these things done .

I have been keeping up on maintenance and feeling good about it when last night I snapped the throttle cable - stuff happens

[GtrMn]

Yeap..I am that way....'pecially on a 27 year old bike...sure as hell don't want the rear wheel locking up. If you checked my other thread..having a problem with 5th gear too...working on that though. Damn never had a throttle cable break though.

[prometheus578]

Won't lock the rear wheel.
What the deal is....
The final drive housing has a splined shaft that mates into a splined tube at the end of the drive shaft.
The proceedure is to remove the final drive and apply grease to the splines.
These splines are made to slide in and out to compensate for the movement of the swing arm as the bike bounces down the road.
With no grease, these splines wear and slack developes between them. Then, instead of being perfectly meshed together, the splines start slamming into each other, further accelerating wear, till you then have to replace the drive shaft.
The grease fitting's position only allows grease to fall onto the shaft... not "in" where the splines are.
Remove the tire, take off the left shock, and take off the four nuts holding the final drive to the swing arm shaft tube. Grease and reassemble. Don't forget to put that spring back in between the final drive gear and the drive shaft.

[GtrMn]

Done deal....wasn't to hard to do either. I also saw where the grease fitting puts grease...not in the right place that's for sure. At least it wasn't bone dry like I thought it might me. Thanks for the tips!