Question on driveshaft lube or oil?

[dolphans1]

Hi dolphans1,
Most of us believe greasing the zerk fitting in the shaft drive to be useless. There is gear oil in the final drive, check level through the filler cap which is about axle height at the back. Drain plug is at the bottom.
Brown/mud colour indicates moisture contamination from heat cycles.
Middle drive is also gear oil with the same (if original) fill & drain plug.
ALWAYS LOOSEN FILL PLUGS FIRST.
Wheel to drive splines should be greased too. Use high moly content grease.

Phil

MaxPhil, when you say final drive, do you mean the actual wheel hub its-self or the black casting holding the drive shaft?

I notice a silver metal cab at the top center of the rear wheel hub (how does that come off?),
then, a black plastic cap hiding a recessed round head bolt of some type on that same rear wheel hub toward the end of it, how is that bolt removed, what sort of tool is used to take it of and is it hard to loosen?

Then there's a similar black plastic cap on the left side of the engine block, is that for adding gear oil too?

And the drain plug is removed how and what tool is used?

Thanks for your help.

I don't have an owners manual.

[dolphans1]

[dolphans1]

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This one is for the Firefox browser...
You should be able to view Photobucket pictures again on this and other forums. Worked for me.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...otobucket-fix/

[motoman]

I am surprised the grease is not coming out at the middle drive/driveshaft boot. That whole tube and housing will hold a lot of grease before it will venture to those splines. Eventually it would have to go there due to gravity if nothing else...
I also suppose it would keep your swing arm bearings greased as well.

Post #20 may have yours and my answer.

[Schming]

MaxPhil, when you say final drive, do you mean the actual wheel hub its-self or the black casting holding the drive shaft?

I notice a silver metal cab at the top center of the rear wheel hub (how does that come off?),
then, a black plastic cap hiding a recessed round head bolt of some type on that same rear wheel hub toward the end of it, how is that bolt removed, what sort of tool is used to take it of and is it hard to loosen?

Then there's a similar black plastic cap on the left side of the engine block, is that for adding gear oil too?

And the drain plug is removed how and what tool is used?

Thanks for your help.



I don't have an owners manual.

Silver metal cap on top of FD is a breather and shouldn't be removable.

Black plastic dust/dirt covers are on top of hex (allen) headed fill screws, to the Middle drive and final drive, that always should be removed before draining either just in case you can't get them loose and you have to take the bike to your buddy's house for removal.

It's best to use a ratchet driven hex key to remove the cap screws as they, most often, are really tight.

The FD and MD gear oil is checked with the plastic dipstick included in the stock tool kit but if you don't have it you can print one here:

http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/tech-tips/maintenance/25/61-make-your-own-middle-gearfinal-drive-dipstick.html

The drain plug is removed with a socket and ratchet or wrench of your choice.

[MaximPhil]

MaxPhil, when you say final drive, do you mean the actual wheel hub its-self or the black casting holding the drive shaft?

I notice a silver metal cab at the top center of the rear wheel hub (how does that come off?),
then, a black plastic cap hiding a recessed round head bolt of some type on that same rear wheel hub toward the end of it, how is that bolt removed, what sort of tool is used to take it of and is it hard to loosen?

Then there's a similar black plastic cap on the left side of the engine block, is that for adding gear oil too?

And the drain plug is removed how and what tool is used?

Thanks for your help.

I don't have an owners manual.

1) You need a manual 2 Final drive is what the manual calls the large lump of aluminum at the left rear some are black others silver. Top cap is air breather do not remove. Filler is the one at the rear. Drain is a Hex drain plug 19mm from memory, be careful when tightening easily stripped and use a fresh washer.
Wheel Hub is what the spokes attach to and axle goes through.
OEM plugs are METRIC Allen key. and easily stripped if the wrong tool is used.
Middle drive is the other end of the drive shaft where the rubber bellows is.
drain for that is the same size METRIC allen key. Filler looks same as rear filler bolt.

Phil
someone please post a link to Catatonic Bugs manual site

[motoman]

After removing fill caps on both the final and middle drive, I highly recommend replacing them with socket type or box-end wrench type, as this will ease removal and replacement. They both are same size, and can be had at your local Ace or Tru-Valu in those specialty drawers along with the thicker dense fiber material for a sealing washer. The thicker sealing washer WILL be needed for the final drive fill plug as this area is slightly recessed.

[motoman]

BTW, if meteric allen wrench fails to loosen either fill plug, take a shrarp chisel and hammer and make an indentation in top shoulder of plug, then cock chisel at angle in indentation and tap it with hammer. This will loosen fill plug every time. Then replace it with a metric hex type fill plug as stated in previous thread.

[MaximPhil]

BTW, if meteric allen wrench fails to loosen either fill plug, take a shrarp chisel and hammer and make an indentation in top shoulder of plug, then cock chisel at angle in indentation and tap it with hammer. This will loosen fill plug every time. Then replace it with a metric hex type fill plug as stated in previous thread.

Hey Brant you take all the suspense out of it
Phil

[motoman]

Hey Brant you take all the suspense out of it
Phil

Well Phil, figured the suspense like the ole' radio suspense mysteries(Mystery Theatre) with the creeking door was not needed at this point, along with unneeded choice vocabulary by those who may have issues removing those fill caps.

[Schming]

Manual

1) You need a manual

Phil
someone please post a link to Catatonic Bugs manual site

You got it Phil, Happy T-Day !!!

http://www.ringler.us/family/yamaha.html

[Rickrod3]

At the very least it can't hurt.

I'm going to try lubing the splines from the zerk fitting. The manual calls for NLGI #2M but that was written some 36 years ago.

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...grease-nlgi-2/

Would any of you use this? It states applications include drive line components.

Last tire change I used a Moly paste removing the the final drive method.

[motoman]

I'm going to try lubing the splines from the zerk fitting. The manual calls for NLGI #2M but that was written some 36 years ago.

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...grease-nlgi-2/

Would any of you use this? It states applications include drive line components.

Last tire change I used a Moly paste removing the the final drive method.

Would'nt necessarily be my choice, but any of the brands will work fine.

[MaximPhil]

Hi Rick why not just pull the 4 bolts and use some of that Moly paste you have?

Phil

[Rickrod3]

Hi Rick why not just pull the 4 bolts and use some of that Moly paste you have?

Phil

I was looking for an easier way to service the the splines. I was under the impression the wheel had to come off before removing the final drive.

I realize the forum is divided on the use of the zerk fitting but it is much easier to get a grease gun and service the splines every oil change instead of removing the wheel, Final drive and servicing them.
I did this every tire change which is less frequent than every oil change.

I'll be due for a tire change by the middle of next season it would be a good test for myself to use the zerk fitting and when I do the tire change see if it was an effective way to service the splines.