lubrication of final / mid drive?

[tab1324]

I don't know much about bikes but I've been wrenching for quite a few years on cars... Trying to figure out how to lube the final and middle drive and with what? This bike has been sitting for 2 1/2 years and before I put some real miles on it, I want to change all fluids and properly lubricate items necessary.

Photos of the middle drive and final drive ass'y would help as I can only assume what they are. I can't find a manual either. (82' XJ)


Thanks,

Tom B.

[mitch]

Tom

Hi Tom , ok stand back and look at your bikes left side, the rear end is the final drive where the drive shaft ends. There is a plug you can remove on the bottom to drain it and a plug mid way up on the rear of it to fill it. Follow the drive shaft back to the front to the rubber boot , ahead of that you will see a chrome cover thats where the middle drive is drain is on the bottom filler is on the top. I will have to check to see howmuch fluid it holds and will let you know but any good hipoid will work. I will get back to you with amounts .................MITCH

[mitch]

Fluid

Both drives will use sae 80w90 the final drive takes .3liters or .32 USQts i dont know how much goes in the middle drive as i have a venture royal and its diffrent but im sure some one will chime in and tell you good luck and welcome to the site .....................MITCH

[Underdog]

The middle takes .375 lit or .40 Qt. I might add that on mine there are black plastic covers on those fill plugs. You pop them off with a thin screw driver and it will reveal a allen recess. There's a dipstick for measureing included in the tool kit. I you don't have one, there's a diagram of one here somewhere. Try the mainenence forum under oil & lubrication. BTW, mines a XS & I was fortunate to get one with the manual & tool kit intact. I assume the drive is the same.

[jkgrubbs]

fluid levels

If you look at the final drive as a clock face, the drain is at 6:00. the fill is at the 3:00 position. The top is a vent, do not try to take it out, it will break. There might be plastic plugs over the hex holes in the plugs. Follow the drive shaft back to the engine. There will be a matching plug aroung 6 inches past the drive shaft for the mid case. In the tool kit, there should be a dipstick about 4 inches long with a wide place about 1/3 of the way. This is the dipstick for the cases. One end is for the mid, one for the rear. If it is not there it should be available from Yamaha, P/N 2H7-2815A-00-00 (Gauge, oil level). I bought one last year. If it has been sitting, be sure to check the brake lines and calipers prior to getting on the road. Before you crank it, do a hand turn of the crankshaft without the plugs, and see if there are any seizures. If it has been stored outside, one cylinder has been exposed to the outside atmosphere, and might need to be lubed before running. Be prepared to clean the carbs, and I use STA-BIL every now and then in the tank, it seems to keep things clean.

Welcome to the site! There is knowledge and expertise here to fix just about anything on these things, good luck and enjoy!

[John]

If you don't have the dipstick, then 10 oz is suggested for both components, but I have never been able to get the final drive to accept that much. Every one has told you where the fill plugs are and where the final drive drain plug, but nothing about the middle drive drain. It is at the rear of the ENGINE, approximatly in the center. It can be hard to locate, but it is a large, 17mm hex I believe. It should be above the center stand. One trick to getting the oil in to the middle drive is to heat the bottle like you would a baby bottle. It will flow much easier.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey John,

When mine is on the center stand, the rear wheel drive is angled downhill from front to back, so the filler hole is not level, actually sitting lower. I had to just put it on the back wheel, have someone hold it straight so the back wheel has weight on it to help level it out, was able to get the ~300cc's (10 US oz) in!?
T.C.

[thumperjsa]

Any idea on how to loosen as stuck allen screw on the final drive?

I have tried several allen wrenches that are the correct size. The screw won't budge. I have bent two wrenches trying to free the screw. I have tried a couple of penetrating liquids to no avail.

Can anyone offer some help?

[crunchbird]

There is also some greasing that can be done. When the rear wheel is off you butter up those gears, but I have found that a lot gets flung out around that big plastic plate, I guess it's a dynamic dust barrier. Also, there is a grease fitting where the drive shaft joins the final drive. Mine broke off, so I hammered in a piece of lead to close it and just undo the four bolts to remove the drive and refresh the grease there.

[Underdog]

Mine were really stuck too. Probably not out for a long time if ever. I was able to break them by hitting the end of the allen with a hammer. Sometimes a sudden jar will work when constant pressure won't. I believe they are a metric size. If you can get a hold of a metric allen/socket, the kind that goes on a 3/8 drive, perhaps you could use a breaker bar on it. The penetrant should help. Good luck.

[John]

Originally posted by thumperjsa
Any idea on how to loosen as stuck allen screw on the final drive?

I have tried several allen wrenches that are the correct size. The screw won't budge. I have bent two wrenches trying to free the screw. I have tried a couple of penetrating liquids to no avail.

Can anyone offer some help?

If you're not too concerned about the paint, or don't mind repainting the final drive once, then try heating it with a PROPANE torch. The flame won't be hot enough to melt the aluminum, but will apply enough heat to help break it loose. Also, try putting the end of a tapered punch inside the recessed hex hole in the filler plug and give it a few good whacks with a hammer. That sometimes works, AND it can be good therapy

[John]

Originally posted by TopCatGr58
Hey John,

When mine is on the center stand, the rear wheel drive is angled downhill from front to back, so the filler hole is not level, actually sitting lower. I had to just put it on the back wheel, have someone hold it straight so the back wheel has weight on it to help level it out, was able to get the ~300cc's (10 US oz) in!?
T.C.

Thanx TC. Good point. I'll try that on my next oil change.

[ratbyk]

Frozen Drain/Filler Plugs

thumperjsa, I would suggest a meteric allen socket and an impact gun or one of those impact screw drivers with the socket.. The shock effect of either will really help in breaking those plugs loose.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

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[Ken Talbot]

I've had good luck removing a stuck middle of final drive fill plugs with just a set of slip-joint pliers. There's just enough of a lip that a plier with good sharp teeth can get enough of a grab to do the job. Then just be sure not to crank it down too tight when you put it back in. Some guys have resorted to beating at it with a cold chisel to get it loose, but then you're pretty much committed to finding a replacement.

[jkgrubbs]

stuck bolt

I like, and have used the hand impact, not the air type, the one you hit with a hammer with much success. I managed to keep the one I bought 25 years ago when I had the KZ900.