Drive shaft splines.

[knutk]

Update:

Apparently, BMW have been familiar with the issue for quite some time. So, in 2018 BMW issued information to their dealers to ask customers that serviced their bikes if their bike had been used for off-road riding, and if so, to suggest an inspection and lubrication. Thus, they limited the issue to LC GS/GSA and offroad riding only. The inspection was to be performed at every 10K service. I do not know if this information was issued world wide or to the Scandinavian countries only.

Since experience have shown that this issue also may apply to the R/RT, the two dealers (and probably others) that I bother to deal with now suggest lubrication to all the LC bikes. But I have not been able to confirm if this is blessed with the mothership or if they do it on their own initiative.

Bottom line though, the dealers i deal with now include the inspection/lubrication to all the LC bikes.

 

[Wierpig]

My 2014 RT LC rear shaft splines seized to the final drive.Suspension was rough and I could hear a knocking from the rear uj as the bike was wheeled around.Whole day job to remove final drive with shaft and separate. Proper suspension action was restored and gearshift improved.

 

[Deleted account 250319001]

Update:
Apparently, BMW have been familiar with the issue for quite some time. So, in 2018 BMW issued information to their dealers to ask customers that serviced their bikes if their bike had been used for off-road riding, and if so, to suggest an inspection and lubrication. Thus, they limited the issue to LC GS/GSA and offroad riding only. The inspection was to be performed at every 10K service. I do not know if this information was issued world wide or to the Scandinavian countries only.

Since experience have shown that this issue also may apply to the R/RT, the two dealers (and probably others) that I bother to deal with now suggest lubrication to all the LC bikes. But I have not been able to confirm if this is blessed with the mothership or if they do it on their own initiative.

Bottom line though, the dealers i deal with now include the inspection/lubrication to all the LC bikes.

So your earlier claim "BMW dealerships added drive shaft spine lubrication" to service schedule is actually bollox then !
As I thought and confirmed by my dealerships and your post above.

 

[knutk]

So your earlier claim "BMW dealerships added drive shaft spine lubrication" to service schedule is actually bollox then !
As I thought and confirmed by my dealerships and your post above.

Frankly, I don't care what you think. And I struggle to understand what you are trying to achieve. The fact that people/dealers have decided to start lubricating the final drive splines is merely done to solve an issue that has been initiated by poor judgment from BMW. It is not meant to pose a personal insult to anyone.

My BMW dealerships have added lubrication to their service schedule. What the rest of the world does is none of my concern.
You would be better of using your energy lubricating your final drive rather than wasting your time twisting words...

 

[Deleted account 250319001]

My "problem" is people posting bollox on forums.

 

[Micko123]

I lubricated my gearbox and final drive splines yesterday with Rocol Moly Paste, it all came apart easily as it's only 12 months since it was last done, also drilled and tapped for 5mm drain screw on bottom of paralever arm too whilst it was opened up. Cleaned magnetic drain plug, 180 ml of fresh oil in final drive, sealed both gaiters with Starburags NBU 30 PTM.

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

[knutk]

My "problem" is people posting bollox on forums.

Well, feel free to stop any time

 

[Deleted account 250319001]

I'll stop reacting when the bullshit posts stop. Which is unlikely !

 

[Micko123]

You lot squabble it out between yourselves.... glad I did mine during lockdown before we can start pleasure riding again, nothing else to do anyway .

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted account 250319001]

I understand individuals doing this. It's nice to know it's all greased and moving. What I
dont agree with is individuals blatantly lieing and exaggerating.
Crack on !

 

[malcopopolo]

I understand individuals doing this. It's nice to know it's all greased and moving. What I
dont agree with is individuals blatantly lieing and exaggerating.
Crack on !

It appears that a few examples and lots of opinion will not change your mind. That is fine, makes no difference to anyone.

 

[Deleted account 250319001]

A few examples .... no. The numbers are a piss in the ocean to those manufactured.
But also consider. A claim here recently that "BMW have finally acknowledged the fault and have now changed the service schedule to include drive shaft spine splitting and greasing" is completely false. A cheap trick to help bolster the obvious bollox posted here.
As I've always said. If it makes you feel better splitting and greasing the spines.... crack on. But please dont post bollox here that it's a persistent and acknowledged BMW fault.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

There's a tiny chance that my shaft will corrode and seize; small enough that I wouldn't go to the effort of greasing it specially or paying someone to do it.

However, if I'm fiddling around with it anyway, it's something I've done on a few occasions (including today on my brand new bike). Yes, it's a bit fiddly (made more fiddly by my silly mistake today) and re-mating the shaft and final drive is something of a lottery. Three times I've done it. First time took 45 mins of fiddling, swearing and wondering what I was doing wrong. Second time it took approx 5 seconds. Today took somewhere between the two.

It's cold and wet outside, can't go anywhere anyway, so an extra hour in the garage with the radio on doing something that costs next to nothing, might not do much good but certainly isn;t going to do any harm, is not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

 

[Smedders]

Greasing splines.......

The way I see it. BMW have designed the paralever linkage to keep the final drive hub at the same attitude to the road (or as near as possible).

I can't prove it or find any decent animation, but I believe the shaft splines do not slide during normal movement of the suspension.

As the swingarm moves upwards, the rear gaiter expands and the forward gaiter compresses by a similar amount.

With the rear gaiter extending; it physically looks like the shaft is extending to match it, but the upper forward edge of the swingarm housing gets closer to the engine area. So in essence the shaft is static and the swingarm housing moves up and down (or for and aft) along the shaft.


I'm still trying to get my head around the location of the UJ's and whether their centreline is in line with the pivots above and below them?


What the splines might do is allow for any thermal expansion (of say the swingarm), stop any unwanted pressure on the UJ's and give some end float stopping pressure on the output shaft or final drive input. It may possibly compensate for any slight machining inaccuracies and/or linkage wear.


The splines are needed for assembly and removal of the final drive so greasing them isn't going to harm. If the gaiter does get damaged then it's a piece of cake to remove.


I have done mine, more of a nosey really and dropped the oil while I was at it. A round yellow foam ear plug fitted the ABS hole nicely too.


Comments welcome cos I could be talking shite!!

 

[dean0n0]

Greasing splines.......

Comments welcome cos I could be talking shite!!

Welcome, you'll fit right in.

 

[Smedders]

Welcome, you'll fit right in.

Cheers, I think

 

[GaryG]

Greasing splines.......

The way I see it. BMW have designed the paralever linkage to keep the final drive hub at the same attitude to the road (or as near as possible).

I can't prove it or find any decent animation, but I believe the shaft splines do not slide during normal movement of the suspension.

As the swingarm moves upwards, the rear gaiter expands and the forward gaiter compresses by a similar amount.

With the rear gaiter extending; it physically looks like the shaft is extending to match it, but the upper forward edge of the swingarm housing gets closer to the engine area. So in essence the shaft is static and the swingarm housing moves up and down (or for and aft) along the shaft.


I'm still trying to get my head around the location of the UJ's and whether their centreline is in line with the pivots above and below them?


What the splines might do is allow for any thermal expansion (of say the swingarm), stop any unwanted pressure on the UJ's and give some end float stopping pressure on the output shaft or final drive input. It may possibly compensate for any slight machining inaccuracies and/or linkage wear.


The splines are needed for assembly and removal of the final drive so greasing them isn't going to harm. If the gaiter does get damaged then it's a piece of cake to remove.


I have done mine, more of a nosey really and dropped the oil while I was at it. A round yellow foam ear plug fitted the ABS hole nicely too.


Comments welcome cos I could be talking shite!!

Hi, you make some good points, could you please clarify the yellow ear plug fitted to the ABS hole?

 

[Smedders]

Hi, you make some good points, could you please clarify the yellow ear plug fitted to the ABS hole?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/EAR-Classi...ocphy=9046299&hvtargid=pla-613456471392&psc=1

 

[GaryG]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/EAR-Classi...ocphy=9046299&hvtargid=pla-613456471392&psc=1

Hi, when you removed the sensor did it have an oil seal, o ring as mine does not have one?

 

[Smedders]

Hi, when you removed the sensor did it have an oil seal, o ring as mine does not have one?

Sorry, I can't remember. It was a snug fit, but easily removed using fingers.