Rear Tire Change

[smstone]

Hello,

I have a 1980 XS11 SG. I have never changed the rear tire on a "Shaft" Bike before. Do I need to drain the rear diff or not? Also I just bought this bike and don't know what type of oil goes in the rear diff. Also what type of grease should I use on the fitting for the rear end? Syntetic? or Not?

1980 XS11 SG
19,000miles

Thank you for all of your time and have a great day!
Steve

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Stone,

IF you'll follow this link in the LINKS section, you'll find a PDF file of an 81H/SH owner's manual, very similar to the 80, and you'll find lots of maintanence info as well, like the fluid types, amounts, where they are located, etc.!

Along with the Final Drive needing 80/90 hypoid gear oil, synthetic is just fine, you should also check, drain/refill the MIDDLE drive gear box with same!

You do NOT have to drain the FD to change the rear wheel, the wheel will slide off the splines, and they are where you also want to apply a good bearing grease before reassembly. IF you have just gotten the bike, you will want to loosen the 4 bolts that hold the FD to the driveshaft, and pull it apart from the swingarm so that you can also GREASE the driveshaft to FD splines, the zerk fitting above the driveshaft is totally INEFFECTIVE!!!! DO this WHILE you have the rear wheel OFF!!!
T.C.

[prometheus578]

Rear differential is a closed unit.
A good idea to drain and change it anyway. 80/90w gear lube.
The grease fitting on the shaft is useless. It won't put the grease where it's needed.
While you have the rear tire off, take off those four nuts holding the rear differential on. grease those splines manually. Doesn't matter which type of grease you use.
Don't forget about that spring on the differential when putting it back on.
Hey... while you're playing and have the 80/90w handy... Under the middle drive there's a drain plug, too. The middle drive take gear lube, as well.
I hope you have the measuring tool that came with the bike. Usually stored behind a side cover.
It's needed when refilling the middle and final drives. (no, they don't get filled to the top!)

[prometheus578]

"Oh, thanks T.C.!"

I'm just wasting my time here....
I know when I'm not needed.
(I did mention the tool, though... got ya there!)

[smstone]

Thank you!

I will change all of the fluids in the bike Tuesday.

Also, Is it normal to get 20-21 MPG? I do have the full Vetter Package. But this bike get worse fuel mileage than my car! Is something wrong?

I have a 4-1 Jardine pipe if that helps or harms fuel econ.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Prom,

Sorry 'bout that, me and John were also vying on another thread! I just pick ones that I know "something" about and post!

Stone, that is a bit low, most folks can get at least 30 mpg, but there are MANY factors affecting mileage. Without knowing more about the bike...like we asked earlier, is the bike NEW to you. The carbs on these things are very fickle, and if it's been sitting around a while, they get gummed up badly, and require a good disassembly and cleaning to get them right, along with a proper VACUUM synching so that all 4 carbs are working together, not against each other. Other tuneup things like clean airfilter, new spark plugs, proper tire inflation, how hard and often you twist the throttle, etc.!!!
T.C.

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by smstone
Is it normal to get 20-21 MPG?

It is if your engine is way out of tune, and had its stock jets changed out for aftermarket units that are way too big. Properly jetted, with clean carbs well tuned and synchronized, with no dragging brakes, you might sneak as high as 40 mpg (US gal) even with the full touring package. That's what I can get with Tsunami and SWMBO's H (photos here ) when they are both in perfect tune.

[Axel]

dipstik

Link no work

Dipstik for middle and final still available at Yamaha last I checked

[Ken Talbot]

Link works now...

[BrianB]

If the middle gear is overfull, could it cause problems?

[prometheus578]

The excess will blow out the vent hose... all over the side of your bike.
Not that I know this... uhmm.. it's just what I heard somewhere.

[Dragon Tamer]

Rear wheel removal on one of these is FAR simpler than doing the same thing on a chain drive bike. Check the tech tips. After the first time you should be able to remove the wheel, change the tire, and replace the wheel in well under an hour.
Mileage seems to vary considerably. The Dragon will do 40 to 42 mpg IF I am on a steady run at 60mph or less. Any faster or around town it will do more like 36mpg. That is with a full Vetter fairing and saddle bags. I must point out that it will ONLY do that if it is in GOOD tune with the carbs carefully synced. Tire pressure can also make a large difference along this line. It is also capable of doing much less than that if I am feeling too frisky and twist her tail too hard.

[fredintoon]

Not necessarily

"Rear wheel removal on one of these is FAR simpler than doing the same thing on a chain drive bike."
Hi Dragon,
go buy yourself a 1950s BSA. Undo one nut, pull out one shaft and catch one spacing collar as it drops down. Pull the rear wheel sideways off the spline to leave the brakedrum and chain drive undisturbed on the bike. Oh yeah, hinge the rear fender up to roll the wheel straight back. Sometimes "Improvements" are no such thing.

[Dragon Tamer]

Hi Fred,

I know, I owned a beezer! Still the XS is very simple, don't even need to hinge up the rear fender as the tire will roll right out from under it when the bike is up on the center stand. Of course I am not real sure how the center stand works with a sidecar, does that have a stand too or does the whole rig just lift up and lean on the sidecar tire? Drove a trike for a couple of weeks and after I got back on two wheels I first forgot to put my foot down at the first stop sign and then forgot to put the kickstand down, in front of about twenty witnesses of course! Still bear a small scar from the burn of the muffler laying on my leg for about 45 seconds from that trick, good thing I am a tough old fart. (That means I didn't scream and swear until I got home)

[fredintoon]

Lifting the rig

Hi Dragon,
my rig don't have a centrestand, I took it off and used it's frame mountings to bolt on one of the sidecar attachments. To get a wheel out I just take the 1-1/2Ton hydraulic jack out of the sidecar trunk and lift up the appropriate corner.
BTW, I have retained the sidestand. For major maintenance work the chair has to be removed and that's when the sidestand gets put to use. Another thing is, how to see the oil level window with a sidecar in the way? Carry a small telescoping-handled mirror.