oilhead driveshaft spline lube

[CJCS]

I'm greasing up the driveline splines on my 98R1100RT.
The rear U-Joint assembly locks on to pinion splines with a snap ring which according to
the Clymers and Haynes service manuals is then assembled to the driveshaft and
swingarm housing. It's impossible to see when installing the final drive housing
whether the driveline U-Joints are in time.
For those of you that do your own spline greasing, how do you time the drive shaft?
Or is this even an issue?

Thanks
Carl
BMWMOA 11,500

[PGlaves]

I'm greasing up the driveline splines on my 98R1100RT.
The rear U-Joint assembly locks on to pinion splines with a snap ring which according to
the Clymers and Haynes service manuals is then assembled to the driveshaft and
swingarm housing. It's impossible to see when installing the final drive housing
whether the driveline U-Joints are in time.
For those of you that do your own spline greasing, how do you time the drive shaft?
Or is this even an issue?

Thanks
Carl
BMWMOA 11,500

I put the transmission in neutral and turn the front half of the shaft until the front yoke is vertical and the rear yoke is horizontal. Determine position by shining a flashlight into the swingarm. Then I mark the top of the shaft at the back with a spot of paint.

Put the transmission back in gear to keep the shaft from turning.

Next I take the final drive and turn the hub until the front yoke on that U joint is horizontal and the rear yoke is vertical. Then I put a spot of paint right on the nose of that shaft - at the top to align with the other spot.

When inserting the splined male shaft into the splined female shaft, line the two dots up.

I also roll up a shop rag with one corner sticking back/out - to support the front shaft straight and level in the swingarm. Once the shaft(s) is/are engaged I pull on that dangling corner to remove the rag.

[bikerfish1100]

as usual- what Paul said. :thumb

[danielroth]

the handful of 1150GSA drive shafts i have seen are all the same in that they are built offset.
the rear sliding end is keyed into 1 position; but not at all in phase with the front. about 20deg off and on new and used shafts alike.
if the phasing is important, and i believe it to be as the physics seem to make sense, why are 1150GSA (possibly 1200GSA also?) shafts offset?

[harde44647]

I've just finished lubing the driveshaft spline and replacing the clutch slave cylinder that was leaking on my 03 R1150rt. I used the info in the BMW repair manual and the Haynes manual. There was nothing in either about phasing the u-joints. Are the instructions from Paul relavent to an 03 RT? Wondering if I should take it apart and put the u-joints in phase. Also would like to thank Paul for all the valuable info that I have used ln the past.

[bikerfish1100]

i believe that ALL paralever equipped BMWs need to have the front and rear u-joints properly phased. failure to do so will give a bothersome harmonic vibration at road speeds. It may lead to premature parts wear, but i would not swear to that.
your oilhead RT most definitely needs to be in proper phase. fwiw- my clymer's manual never mentions the procedure either.

[henzilla]

the handful of 1150GSA drive shafts i have seen are all the same in that they are built offset.
the rear sliding end is keyed into 1 position; but not at all in phase with the front. about 20deg off and on new and used shafts alike.
if the phasing is important, and i believe it to be as the physics seem to make sense, why are 1150GSA (possibly 1200GSA also?) shafts offset?

The Hexhead shafts are one piece and already phased...At least that's what I remember on my 05 RT when I pulled it..the fiche for the 1150's and the 1200s do not show the two parter...but the 1100 pic does
http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/fiche.aspx

I would wonder why the GS's you have seen are un-phased. Seems they should be for longevity...and that physics thing.


The angle in the driveline is steeper than the R and RT's. The GS and a few S's with a GS torque arm have a much more pronounced angle...which reminds me of the jacked up 4X4 trucks and very crazy angles of the drive shafts...they eat u-joints.


The 1200GSA shaft

[norton]

Phasing is important in many application; however, on the R1100 the drive shaft angle is quite straight and accordingly less of an issue. Before you do anything go for a spin and evaluate the situation. If it's smooth and no other abnormalities surface then:

A You might have gotten lucky
B You have proven that it doesn't matter
C If it's rough, be tough and redo

[Andy VH]

Even if the shaft on the RS/RT is near straight, proper phasing does make a difference in less vibration. And excessive vibration does lead to wear, so phase it properly like Paul says. Don't chance it.

[bikerfish1100]

Phasing is important in many application; however, on the R1100 the drive shaft angle is quite straight and accordingly less of an issue. Before you do anything go for a spin and evaluate the situation. If it's smooth and no other abnormalities surface then:

A You might have gotten lucky
B You have proven that it doesn't matter
C If it's rough, be tough and redo

referencing what Andy said- you can try what's behind door A, with the consolation prize of door C. Door B is not an option.

[PGlaves]

Even if the shaft on the RS/RT is near straight, proper phasing does make a difference in less vibration. And excessive vibration does lead to wear, so phase it properly like Paul says. Don't chance it.

Vibration is one issue. Stress on the joint is the other issue. It is hard to visualize but through a universal joint the"output" yoke accelerates and decelerates as the joint rotates one complete revolution unless the joint is perfectly straight. And, the greater the deflection angle of the joint, the greater the acceleration/deceleration.

Proper phasing through two joints has one accelerating and the other decelerating at the same time so the very back end of the shaft remains at the same speed as the very front end of the shaft.

The rubber cush in the drive shaft can absorb a little bit, and the rubber in the tire can absorb a little bit of the stress from an out of phase set of U joints, but only so much. And even then the stresses on the joints are greater than if in phase.