Driveshaft universal joint

John Roberts

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
7,286
Reaction score
518
Location
North Wales
I have a 1982 R100RS, and suspect that the UJ could be on the way out. (See my other thread, "Vibration over 70mph"' or something like that.) There are no instructions in the official BMW manual or Haynes on how to change the joints, and no repair kits for sale by Motor Works.

Everything points to having to change the driveshaft complete with bearing: is that right, or can the UJ itself be changed?
 
I had to look at the options when mine went.
long story short;
bought a standard s/hand one off Motorworks.
it was the most 'sensible' option.
as far as i know the standard one is not rebuildable.
there are alternatives / but all seem to be a lot of faffing about.

Good Luck.
EDIT:
just copped that you refer to an earlyish RS / i was thinking GS :blast - there are probably differences.
ignore me... i'll go away eventually. :pullface
 
John,

If you pull the driveshaft out it should be obvious if there's any play in it. Arkwright posted a link a few months ago to somebody that can replace the joint for you but to be honest and as of says its probably only going to cost £20 or so for a good second hand one. The splines where it joins the bevel box do wear and you can buy a replacement part. The other thing to check is the splines on the bevel box where they mesh into the rear wheel, these do wear badly on both the wheel and the bevel box. Rs bevel boxes fetch big money so the repair cost of £150 is worth considering. Make sure the spline cup on the wheel is good and that the rivets are still secure.

It could obviously be your gearbox as well. 70 mph is around 4k rpm on the rs so your just starting to make some power. Is it speed or rpm related?
 
Rob Farmer said:
John,

If you pull the driveshaft out it should be obvious if there's any play in it. Arkwright posted a link a few months ago to somebody that can replace the joint for you but to be honest and as of says its probably only going to cost £20 or so for a good second hand one. The splines where it joins the bevel box do wear and you can buy a replacement part. The other thing to check is the splines on the bevel box where they mesh into the rear wheel, these do wear badly on both the wheel and the bevel box. Rs bevel boxes fetch big money so the repair cost of £150 is worth considering. Make sure the spline cup on the wheel is good and that the rivets are still secure.

It could obviously be your gearbox as well. 70 mph is around 4k rpm on the rs so your just starting to make some power. Is it speed or rpm related?
Click to expand...
Rob, I had a look back through Arkwright's posts as far back as a year ago but couldn't find anything. Thinks: I could pm him? Yes, I think I will.

As for the hub-wheel splines, I do lube those at each tyre change, but, following your suggestion I shall have another dekko at them and also at the security of the rivets.

Speed/rpm related: I'm rather ashamed to admit that it didn't occur to me to investigate, TBH it didn't really sink in, it was when I got home that it dawned on me that it wasn't the first time it had happened. I'll let you know when I get the bike out again.

Any idea how quickly this sort of fault can deteriorate, do they go on forever, or do they fail catastrophically? Or completely unpredictable?
 
Rob Farmer said:
John,

If you pull the driveshaft out it should be obvious if there's any play in it. Arkwright posted a link a few months ago to somebody that can replace the joint for you but to be honest and as of says its probably only going to cost £20 or so for a good second hand one. QUOTE]

Where could someone get a good 2nd hand driveshaft for 20pounds please? i wouldn't mind a spare - or 3 for that money
Click to expand...
 
I've gone ahead and ordered a new one from Motor Works after first checking that they would indeed take it back if it wasn't required. They said that would be OK and without charge- well, I must be one of their best customers, looking back at my receipts over the last few years. My bike is like Trigger's Broom by now.

This unseemly haste is because I'm going on a holiday to Scotland with the local bike club in September and they want a full deposit, so that means making sure that the bike is in good fettle. I have to do the work ASAP because I'm off to Croatia (by air) for three weeks in the meantime.

Thank you all for the advice, I do hope the problem really does turn out to be the drive shaft, I've been so busy I haven't had the chance to confirm the initial diagnosis. Nuts, but there ya go.:D

As I said: Scotland, mid-September. Now would be a good time to reassure me that there will be NO midges/mosquitoes around at that time.

Anybody? :augie
 
John Roberts said:
Scotland, mid-September. Now would be a good time to reassure me that there will be NO midges/mosquitoes around at that time.

Anybody? :augie
Click to expand...

Welllll . . . . You are getting towards the end of the season, but, if you are camping near still water you would be advised to take some "Skin so Soft" and a mosquito net for your head (that should read 'heid' of course :D).

Don't ride with the visor up if you are passing a loch - the buzzing in your ears will drive you mad :rob

Where are you going ??

Bob.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HxH
According to Snowbum (if I remember correctly) the early RS clutch/flywheel assembly has a reputation for vibrating as well.

My 81 RS vibrates at speed, about 90 or so, have had clutch apart but havent got round to removing the driveshaft yet and it has now also developed a high speed weave/wobble which I dont like at all, so Ive reverted to the R80 paralever while I think about getting round to sorting the problem with the RS.

Scotland starts North of Fort William, wish I was going!
 
My fav times for a Scottish holiday are the last week in May/ first week in June, and last week in August/ first week in Sept, but by the last week in Sept the frost/snow should have thinned the midges out a bit.

I agree that Scotland starts past the Great Glen, or on any of the islands.

Last trip back I went over the bridge to Skye, and lodged at Three Cog motorcyclists B&B about 20 km past the bridge.

Great people, and as it is combined with a motorcycle/ quad repair business and I was on an ancient Cagiva Elephant the back up from the Ducati owning prop was welcome.

I spent most of the time exploring Skye itself- there are enough roads, tracks and pubs to keep me busy for more than a week, and it is a decent base for exploring the western highlands too - they were very flexible on opening hours and long Scottish evenings made for some memorable16 hour days.
 
There must be more Aussies and new zealanders in Scotland than there are scots they'll think they have some new bar staff :D
 
I've just been to Dave Mac Props and had a U/J replaced, £42 per joint............excellent people!
 
Timpo said:
Did you use it in the end John, and if so, what did you do with the old shaft?
I'm after one to experiment with.....;)
Click to expand...
Yes, still got it in the garage, it has worryingly little play on the joint, at first I thought that it couldn't possibly be the cause of the vibration, but since I had it by then I went ahead and changed it anyway. Success!! The vibration has now gone, so the play must have been the cause. By the way, the reason it's still in the garage is because I broke my Achilles tendon on the pass up to Applecross ten weeks ago, so I forgot all about it when I got home, but Motor Works will take it back and give a refund. It doesn't have a mark on it, unlike the 'new' one which must have been so knackered once that it had been rubbing against the inside of the swing arm. :eek: IIRC the splines are like new. Any use to you?
 
John Roberts said:
Yes, still got it in the garage, it has worryingly little play on the joint, at first I thought that it couldn't possibly be the cause of the vibration, but since I had it by then I went ahead and changed it anyway. Success!! The vibration has now gone, so the play must have been the cause. By the way, the reason it's still in the garage is because I broke my Achilles tendon on the pass up to Applecross ten weeks ago, so I forgot all about it when I got home, but Motor Works will take it back and give a refund. It doesn't have a mark on it, unlike the 'new' one which must have been so knackered once that it had been rubbing against the inside of the swing arm. :eek: IIRC the splines are like new. Any use to you?
Click to expand...

PM incoming....:thumb2
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Deleted account 111026
Replacement universal joint.
Replies
1
Views
1,284
Beemerboff
Final Drive universal joint splines
Replies
18
Views
7,510
Ian J Hartley
Ian J Hartley
Rebuild your own driveshaft....
Replies
10
Views
3,190
Ojay
KAYCEE
Rear drive Universal Joint
Replies
6
Views
1,528
GSmonkey
GSmonkey
boxer
Universal Joint - Alignment?
Replies
11
Views
2,528
boxer
boxer


Back
Top Bottom