Shaft Greasing

Ok sim for me and everyone else who doesn't know! If shaft greasing isn't on the service schedule does that mean it doesn't need to be done, or is there a set mileage/age that it should be performed.
thanks

It's more a 'preventative medicine' greasing the shaft at the final drive end, Although I've never heard of any failures over here in the UK/Europe? it's been an issue over in the USA where people have gone out on their bikes miles from home to experience a failure, ie. the teeth have worn off so the shaft just spins within the drive without propelling the bike forward, Now here's the tricky one? They're greased up from the factory which is all fine and dandy and people experience no failures with 50'000 miles on the clock, but there isn't a great deal of grease in there from my findings (minimum required on assembly i suppose) so it won't harm the bike by doing this bit of maintenance for the sake of a tenner or two, this brings me back to the 'tricky bit'? Are the shafts wearing out due to lack of grease? or rusting away at the hardened coating due to water ingress at the joint where the drive fixes to the swing arm? The seal which goes over the end of the shaft is a dust seal for keeping dirt out of the grease 'NOT' for keeping water out. So yes it would be wise to grease the shaft end and fit a new dust seal but on the same note it's just as important to use a good quality gasket sealant on the plate between the drive and swing arm on reassembly to stop water ingress.

I thought it was recommended that you grease the shaft every 12,000km or 7,500 miles (approx) as I recall it. 'Icetechaus' has got a thread on here regarding it called 'Drive shaft warning'. Mind you he's an Aussie, so the climate might need to be considered too?

I thought Justin would understand the virtues of a well greased shaft !

Its all about ensuring the transmission splines are well lubed ... it can be an issue on several shaft drive bikes, and whilst the term 'grease' is used, you are better using a 'paste' as it has a higher molybdenum loading (I.e. better percentage content of 'moly') Grease is only about 10% - paste is much higher & it is the 'moly' that does offer the main protection.

as Sim says - problem will be worse in USA where bikes could be subjected to more frequent longer rides and temperature/operating conditions. Worth doing, or having done if you get chance ..... but many main dealers can be ignorant of what is required ..... I've always done it myself & when a rear tyre is due to be replaced is a good opportunity to do work on the bike. I've always taken a loose wheel for tyre fitting, then done jobs on the bike whilst the wheel is off.

    Yam

OldManYam wrote:

I thought Justin would understand the virtues of a well greased shaft !

Its all about ensuring the transmission splines are well lubed ... it can be an issue on several shaft drive bikes, and whilst the term 'grease' is used, you are better using a 'paste' as it has a higher molybdenum loading (I.e. better percentage content of 'moly') Grease is only about 10% - paste is much higher & it is the 'moly' that does offer the main protection.


    Yam

60% Moly Paste is recommended 

Is there a sticky for this or right up with pics? not that I plan on doing it anytime soon mine only has 4k miles on the clock after 2 years but I would be handy to know for the future. Things like best brands! of moly, is one better than the other?
And yes yam I know all about lubing up my shaft in fact this posting is getting me quite hot under the collar! ooo errr misses

Skidalot wrote:

I thought it was recommended that you grease the shaft every 12,000km or 7,500 miles (approx) as I recall it. 'Icetechaus' has got a thread on here regarding it called 'Drive shaft warning'. Mind you he's an Aussie, so the climate might need to be considered too?

No mention of Greasing Shafts at all in the service schedule Skid, it says Inspect final drive oil level at 7500 miles.

I have an easy to follow set of instructions which I downloaded from an American site - unfortunately, I have it stored as a PDF file. I'l trying to find the link, but no joy so far.  If someone can tell me how to upload a PDF file I can do that, or if you send me your email in a PM Justin, I'll fire it over to you

Can you screen shot the file and use photo bucket?

I'll try that - I'm at work at the moment, so it may be tomorrow

Just out of interest - where do you get your Moly Paste from?  I had some left over last time I did the job, but will need some next time - bloody expensive stuff !!!!

Got mine off eBay Dave, I just searched Honda 60% Moly Paste and found an equivalent at about half the price of the Honda stuff, I can't seem to find it in my eBay history though?

Just found this Moly Slip AS60 which Honda owners say is an alternative.  Ironically, I've also found this [url=https://www.ajsutton.co.uk/product/SUZUKI/99000-25140-000/SUZUKI MOLY]Suzuki Moly Paste[/url] which is a reasonable(ish) price.  Bit concerned as last time I rebuilt my shaft unit, I only used grease - only a few months back, so I'm hoping it'll be OK (working on the basis that me & Pete put shit-loads in there (fingers crossed) !!!!

Just tried to do a screen print - only captures the top half of the page - bugger.

Here's a comparison of fooked and new, I could be wrong? but I'm sure water ingress has a part to play in this scenario, 'Dry' metal to metal would cause filings and not rust, surely? I'm open to education on these things 

I have seen some shaft pictures on Facebook from other Intruder sites(not as good as ours though) that show the shaft splines stripped almost totally on the shaft section where it goes into the diff end.
Not seen any other pictures though like Sim's & the stripped shafts are almost all from the states!
When I did mine I literally smothered the shaft at both ends & spread a little along the shaft itself to stop rusting possibilities while it's inside the swing arm tunnel, also rather overdid it on the wheel/diff' splines & had it 'migrate' over the wheel but when I take the wheel off next time I'll wipe it off from the inside as well as off the paintwork on the cast wheel.