play in splines?... how much is too much?

[beaver]

Hi All

Been inspecting part whilst in bits today... Bevel box appears good, but can just feel a tad of play in the input bearing... but nothing leaking... but the bottom UJ spline onto the pinion splines does have a bit of play as its run without grease i guess for some time....
Any thought on how much play is accepable?

Cheers

 

[mikeyboy]

I find the best way to inspect the spline is to remove the shaft and degrease the splines then you can take a better look at the profile and asses the wear,there should be an unworn part at the top,
You don’t say what year your bike is,the pre 2008 bikes have the same size spline top and bottom so you can flip it around and compare play onto the pinion.
When the splines fail it generally wrecks the input pinion as well.
The play in the input shaft should be minimal,0.1 mm.any more and it’s an indication that the pinion nose bearing is wearing.

 

[beaver]

Thanks Mike... its a 2010... so bigger one end than the other... I'd say 0.1mm as you can just feel a bit of play so happy with that... but as the lower one has run dry it does have play on the splines... will wash everything down and see if I can get a referance point to how they looked originaly....
I understand you do the bevel box.. can you do the drive shafts also?... Cheers

 

[beaver]

Input shaft I think ok.. But splines on lower driveshaft UJ worn...
What's best to do... Can you buy the bottom bit?

 

[Hoff]

Send it to Mikeyboy he will sort it out for you.

 

[mikeyboy]

Input shaft I think ok.. But splines on lower driveshaft UJ worn...
What's best to do... Can you buy the bottom bit?

The early prop has the same fitting on both ends if someone can donate a buggered prop with one decent yoke I can make a decent one from the two with new u/j ,s as needed

 

[beaver]

Intersting..

Anyone got a broken prop with the other end good?

I'm sure I saw them for sales somewhere??

 

[mikeyboy]

Intersting.. are we talking welding here or taking the UJ in bits and using the new yoke?....

Anyone got a broken prop with the other end good?

I'm sure I saw them for sales somewhere??

I can fit new u/j trunnions and bearing kits,but the yokes have to be undamaged,there are no individual parts available from bmw.

 

[mikeyboy]

Intersting..

Anyone got a broken prop with the other end good?

I'm sure I saw them for sales somewhere??

Might be worth calling motorworks,they May have an unserviceable unit for notalotacash

 

[beaver]

Here are the picks.. it has silt in the arm... wonder if its be caught in a flood or used in a river a lot?... anyway.. all cleaned out now and new swing arm bearings fitted....

think the pinion splines will be usable.. they have a bit of wear towards the back shoulder but only the last 1/4 or so.. the problem one is the bottom drive shaft splines...

 

[mikeyboy]

Pretty much agree with your assessment,either find another prop or a donor to refurb your own,

 

[mikeyboy]

This is one of the issues with the later fd,because there is no need to drop the fd to change the oil ,the splines never get cleaned or lubed,
Essential maintenance every service,drop fd ,clean / lube ,check prop uj and and pinion float.
Also gives a lot more confidence when longer trips are planned

 

[beaver]

Yes... top one is pretty mint... funny how its kind of rocked on the pinion shaft... obviously 80% damage on the rear of the prop splines but has done 20% on the pinion shaft also.
Its got bigger in the back of the prop resulting in the front loading the shoulder area of the Pinion shaft.
Be warned... 26K and FSH bike... obviously they never check and lube these splines!!

Thats interesting.. whats the thing behind the nut?... assumed it would be a seal, but is more like a felt washer?

 

[beaver]

So... called Motorworks

they had 3 options

1 Buy a new BMW one, and they were quoting £550 for that
2 Buy one of their after market units £490 these have grease nipples (anyone any experiance of these?)
3 Buy a used one At £300... but they don't have any in stock and are few and far between...

Sherlocks have one at £400...

EEEEk


So does anyone have a U from a broken unit I could try

 

[Bendy toy]

It looks to me like the splines on the FD input shaft are worn at the bearing end. If that is the case (I can't be sure) a new drive shaft won't make much difference.

 

[beaver]

Input shaft has some wear right at the back... But by far the worst is the back of the prop shaft... New prop should be fine ��