middle drive unit question

[650mark]

my all stock '80 xs1100special has about 15,000 miles on it. after a ride this morning, on the center stand, in neutral, i rotated the rear wheel just a bit in both directions and i can hear the gears in the mid drive unit click as the slack is taken up in both directions. just how much slack(lash) is acceptable?
i do hear 2 distinct clunks when shifting from neutral into 1st gear but no problems when riding the bike. just changed the fluid in both units to royal purple 75w-90and found no debris or sludge in either unit. thanks

[DAVINCI]

You may be hearing the u-joint, inside the rubber boot. remove the spring clip and pull back the boot, check the joint. There shouldn't be any play in the joint.

[James England]

my all stock '80 xs1100special has about 15,000 miles on it. after a ride this morning, on the center stand, in neutral, i rotated the rear wheel just a bit in both directions and i can hear the gears in the mid drive unit click as the slack is taken up in both directions. just how much slack(lash) is acceptable?
i do hear 2 distinct clunks when shifting from neutral into 1st gear but no problems when riding the bike. just changed the fluid in both units to royal purple 75w-90and found no debris or sludge in either unit. thanks

I really wouldn't worry at this stage. They're a clunky components anyway. The whole dricve train is a bit that way. If you found no debris and no sludge, it's unlikely there's any significant wear or damage. It can be easy to get a bit over-worried about the clunkiness of the XS1100 if you're not careful.....

[motoman]

my all stock '80 xs1100special has about 15,000 miles on it. after a ride this morning, on the center stand, in neutral, i rotated the rear wheel just a bit in both directions and i can hear the gears in the mid drive unit click as the slack is taken up in both directions. just how much slack(lash) is acceptable?
i do hear 2 distinct clunks when shifting from neutral into 1st gear but no problems when riding the bike. just changed the fluid in both units to royal purple 75w-90and found no debris or sludge in either unit. thanks

Know you just likely spent the money for the 75w-90 purple stuff, but I HIGHLY reccomend if using the synthetic that it be the 75w140 for the middle and final drive. Without going into a long verified explanation, the 75w-140 is the correct synthetic replacement for the dino 80w90 gear lube.

[650mark]

i have plenty of reading time. please explain the difference and/or advantage of the heavier weight lube. thanks

[CaptonZap]

i have plenty of reading time. please explain the difference and/or advantage of the heavier weight lube. thanks

While you are waiting for Motoman to respond, go here http://www.ringler.us/xs1100/ShaftDriveManual.pdf
and learn all about how to check the clearances on the middle and final drives. CZ

[jwhughes3]

Here is the last discussion on 75-140.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...Shear+gear+oil


John

[DAVINCI]

Not meaning to be a pest, but...

Have you checked the U-Joint yet?

[James England]

Not meaning to be a pest, but...

Have you checked the U-Joint yet?

You can sisassemble the UJ joint, clean out ther old grease and replace it.Unfortunately, the bearing cups are not available. However, this UJ joint was used on the Datsun Sunny car and these are available, especially in the USA. Presumably, Yamaha just used a readily available UJ joint when they developed the XS1100 and the Datsun Sunny was a very common car at the time.

I did find several retailers of this UJ joint, all in the USA, and they were selling for about $60. However, after cleaning mine, and buying a used spare here in teh UK, it didn't seem worth buying a brand-new one.

[skids]

I have never heard of a Datsun Sunny here in the USA. They must have marketed it under a different name...

[crazy steve]

I have never heard of a Datsun Sunny here in the USA. They must have marketed it under a different name...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Sunny

Datsun (Nissan) used different names in different countries (as did other makers). The 240Z was known as a 'FairLady' elsewhere...

James, what would be helpful to know is just which years/models used that u-joint so we can 'translate' into the US versions...

[CaptonZap]

I have never heard of a Datsun Sunny here in the USA. They must have marketed it under a different name...

My first wife had one (B10) when I met her. I didn't have an XS11 then, so I never looked at the u-joint. Might be worth a trip to NAPA, just to irritate counterman. CZ

[jetmechmarty]

What's wrong with this u-joint?

The U Joint Store

I saved this when BikerPhil posted it.

[skids]

My first wife had one (B10) when I met her. I didn't have an XS11 then, so I never looked at the u-joint. Might be worth a trip to NAPA, just to irritate counterman. CZ

I had a Datsun B210 Honeybee and when the ujoint went out, the dealer said it was part of the drive shaft. I couln't replace the Ujoint alone...

[CaptonZap]

I had a Datsun B210 Honeybee and when the ujoint went out, the dealer said it was part of the drive shaft. I couln't replace the Ujoint alone...

Aw, come on, you know how those dealers are. Just trying to jack the price up.
I wonder if there is still such a thing as an interchange manual for auto wreckers? CZ