Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles

OK, I did it. Since no one else has........... 


SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE  JOB OF REMOVING THE REAR DRIVE CASE
IN ORDER TO GREASE THE DRIVESHAFT SPLINES ON R100GS

May also apply to R100R. This is an item peculiar to Para-Lever rear
suspensions.

Mechanic's Note:

This procedure was carried out on a 1988 R100GS with no saddlebags.
The bike has 16,000 miles including many serious gravel roads. 
The purpose of this was to ensure good spline lube since my suspension
gets more than average workout per mile. 
This is supposedly a 40,000 mile maintenance item.
I did it early. So sue me.

=====================================================================
CAUTION!!! My lawyer advises me to tell you that you should never even
           consider doing this. You might hurt yourself. Sell your bike
           to avoid temptation. Sell it now, while you still can.
====================================================================

Time Required: Your guess is better than mine. 
               (The first run thru this took me about 2.75 hrs. This
                included figuring out what brushes to clean with and
                40 minutes fiddling with the splined parts on reassembly.)

Tools & Material Required:

   * Staburags grease (same stuff as for clutch spline lube)
   * anti-seize paste (Never Seez or whatever)
   * 27 mm socket
   * 17 mm sockets & wrenches
   * assorted other wrenches & sockets
   * 12mm Allen bit (you may have to go to Snap-On or Mac to get)
     ($ 16 from Mr. Mac)
   * 6 mm Allen bit
   * Long wrench handle to fit the 12 mm bit. 
   * Pipe extender for the wrench handle (optional)
   * Torque wrenches - 100 ft-lb  and 10 ft-lb ranges
   *  scissors jack(large stable landing area), tie-down strap
   * Loctite 273 (red bottle, blue juice)
   * clean lint-free rags
   * small toothbrush-sized wire brush
   * used nylon toothbrush that you'll never use in your mouth again

   Precautionary material that would be nice to have on-hand, just in case:

     * One (or two?)  pivot bearing (33 17 1 452 672 "needle sleeve"; $30)

     * New, steel inboard pivot pin (33 17 1 310 890; $30). Use only
       if your bike has the shiny aluminum pivot pin. This is the
       black, steel one used on the newer bikes.

     * New dust boot.

Prerequisites:

   * Bike is clean. Pay special attention to the pivot pin and locknut
     on the outboard side of the swingarm.
   * Bike should be cold (don't need to add muffler burns to the expected
     casualties)
   * Mechanic is in a good mood and ready to be patient.  
   * Strong helper  available to help steady the bike during severe
     torque application. (optional?)

Procedure:

A. GETTING STARTED

1. Position bike on centerstand where rear gearcase and swingarm is accessible 
   from both sides.
2. Remove seat, tool box,  R side panel. Set aside.
3. Remove rear wheel. Set aside
4. Drain gear oil from the rear drive if desired. This will let you
   set it down as desired. 
   (I recommend putting some duct tape across the fill plug to remind you
   to refill it.)
5. Secure tie-down strap around frame to support the swingarm forward of
   the rear drive joint. Pad frame to prevent paint damage. Do not strap
   under the brake torque arm.
6. Position scissors jack so as to be correct to support the rear gear case
   when shock and torque arm are disconnected.
7. Remove rear brake cable from brake actuating arm. (the wingnut, pin and
   rubber boot must be removed)
8. Remove the black plastic cover from the outboard pivot bolt. Set aside.

B. THE HEART OF THE MATTER

1. Crack loose the outboard pivot bolt locknut. (do it now while the shock
   and torque arm hold everything steady)
2. Crack loose the inboard pivot with the 12 mm Allen key. Unthread about
   1/4".  (Both Haynes and Clymer report that a 3 foot breaker bar was
   required due to Loc Tite on the threads. Mine only required the 24"
   bar for 1/2" sockets, and less than super-human strength) 
3. Disconnect shock bolt (2 17 mm wrenches) at top of shock. Keep washers 
   and spacers in order.
4. Disconnect shock from stud on gearcase. 17 mm (may have to wiggle shock 
   and/or lower the rear gear case to get clearance) Replace washers and nut for
   safekeeping.
5. Unbolt torque arm. (17 mm and one smaller) Set parts aside.
6. Remove the dust boot clamps from the joint boot. Set aside.
7. Peel the boot down the swingarm and onto the gearcase. Be careful 
   with this unless you have another one handy. 

8. When the rear gearcase is unconnected to anything except the swingarm
   at the pivot bearings and is resting on the scissors jack, you are ready 
   to risk everything and get into trouble.

============= POINT OF NO RETURN =================

** Be especially careful to not put greasy hands on the exposed brake shoes at
   any time. Also note that brake dust isn't very good for greasy parts.

9. Check that the floor under the joint is padded with a clean drop cloth
   to catch stray pivot bearing races.

10. Back out outboard pivot pin ( 6 mm Allen)

11. Back out the inboard pivot. It'll probably feel gritty rather than smooth.
   This is loctite messing up your swingarm threads. 

12. Carefully support the gear case as you remove both pivot pins.
  
13. Set the pins aside with room to add the bearing races when they 
   come out.
 
14. Slowly lower the scissors jack a little ways to allow the gear case to 
   extend away from the swingarm. Guide the brake cable out of the support to 
   clear the gear case.

15. When the gear case is free of the swingarm, remove the pivot bearing
   inner races from the gearcase. (before you drop them). Set aside IN ORDER.

16. Find a place to gently park the gear case.

17. Breathe. Mourn for what you've begun.

C. THE WORK YOU CAME TO DO 

1. Wipe the old grease off the driveshaft ujoint socket and from the inside of
   the swingarm housing. You should be able to do a great job of getting
   the old grease out of the splines with the old toothbrush.
   Use solvent if you want to be fastidious. But don't get solvent in the
   u joint.

2. Clean the splined shaft inside the gear case.
   Be careful not to put grit or dirt into the pivot needle bearings.

3. With a lint-free cloth, wipe and inspect the bearing inner races.
   Look for a nice clean, shiny, happy bearing race.

   ** I found my outboard bearing to have shiny spots corresponding to
      each roller. This is probably bad or wrong. I've ordered a new 
      bearing set to replace this one. Yippee! I get to retry this
      procedure.

4. The manuals say to clean the bearings with solvent and dry with 
   compressed air. (I didn't since this was done at 16,000 miles for
   spline lube. I wiped them some.....)

5. IMPORTANT: Use the wire bristled toothbrush to cleanup the inboard
   pivot threads in both the swingarm and the pivot pin. Get these 
   REAL clean. The swingarm is aluminum. Aluminum threads can be damaged
   very easily by leftover loctite binding in the threads.    
   For test, thread the pivot pin into the swingarm to test for cleanliness.
   Keep cleaning until it threads all the way in smoothly.

6. By whatever means you wish (I spread it with a clean finger) , apply a 
   thick coating of Staburags to-

     - the driveshaft Ujoint socket splines
     -  the splined shaft in the gear case

D. GETTING READY TO PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER

1. Apply a thin coating of Staburags to the needle bearings in the gear
   case.

2. Apply a thin, neat coating of anti-seize (I said ANTI-SEIZE) to the pivot 
   surfaces of the pivot pins.

   Place the inboard bearing race onto the inboard pivot pin. Apply
   a neat, thin coat of Staburags to the outside of the bearing race. 
    
   Position the pivot pins ready to hand near the swingarm where you 
   will need them.   

3. Figure out a way to fix the driveshaft u joint relatively rigidly inside
   the swingarm cavity. The manuals recommend a thin, long screwdriver
   thru the u joint from swingarm pivot hole all the way across. More than
   one tool may be required to keep the little bugger in place. 
   The important point is to use something that won't damage the u joint and can
   be withdrawn after the splines have mated and as the gear case is pushed
   into position. 

   (This step needs a better solution. It was the longest, most frustrating,
    part of the job. Perhaps stuffing the cavity with a clean rope would
    work better. Idea for next time.) 

E. PUTTING THE SOB BACK TOGETHER

1. Move the gearcase to position on the scissors jack. Thread the brake
   cable back into the housing. (The cable will be an annoyance from now on.)

2. Find a stable position in which to rest the gear case.

3. With clean hands, apply a thin coat of Staburags to the outboard race outer
   surfaces. Don't slop it to the inside of the hole where the pivot
   pin goes.

   Stick the race into the bearing on the outboard side. (The one on this side
   can't be installed after the gearcase is inside the swingarm.)

4. Gently fiddle and fuss with the gearcase to get the driveshaft socket
   and the gearcase shaft to mate. 

   Considerable foreplay may be required.

5. Once the splines have gotten together, ease the gearcase on up into
   the swingarm. Raising the jack gently will help with your hold.

   Remove whatever you used to fix the u joint in place. (ALL OF IT!)

6. Visually align the outboard bearing and the pivot pin hole. Thread in
   the outboard pivot pin about one third of the way.

7. Visually align the inboard bearing with the pivot pin hole. Insert the
   inboard pivot pin WITH RACE into the bearing and thread the pivot pin
   all the way on by hand. Wiggle the gear case while inserting the pivots 
   to help seat the bearings and races. 

8. Reinstall the torque arm (hand tight) bolt to the gear case.

9. Reinstall the shock (hand tight)

10. Reinstall all the brake cable parts. Don't tighten up much.

11. Now that you have something to wrench against, Thread the inboard
   pivot pin all the way in.

   Unthread it about 2 turns and dab 1 or 2 (your risk for next time!) 
   small drops of Loctite 273 onto the pivot threads and then torque to 
   spec (75 ft-lb)

12. Hand tighten the outboard pivot pin "firmly" to pre-load the bearing.
   Unthread a little then torque to spec (5 ft-lb ??).
  
   Use a big box or adjustable wrench to seat the outboard locknut while 
   holding the pivot pin steady. Then, torque the locknut with the 27 mm 
   socket to 75 ft-lb.

13. Remove the shock again.
   Move the gear case up and down feeling for binding or play as best you
   can to confirm good bearing settings.

F. RECONSTRUCTION

1. Reinstall shock.

2. Put the rear wheel on properly but leave the shock and torque arm
   fasteners hand tight.

3. Take the bike off the stand and bounce it on its wheels a few times.

4. Now torque all fasteners to spec. Double and triple-check all fastener 
   torque settings and the brake adjustment. 

5. Refill the gear case if you drained it.

6. Put everthing back where it went (tools, seat, etc)

7. Pickup your tools and put them away. Wash your hands and face. (don't forget
   behind your ears)  Have some milk and cookies. 

8. Carefully pre-flight the bike.


9.  CAREFULLY TEST RIDE.

10. For the next few weeks, your preflight should pay special attention to
   the areas you messed with. 

=========================================================================
Disclaimer: Hey! I told you to sell the bike! 

             YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN
=========================================================================
Ron Miller
DoD # 0693

Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles