11-06-2019, 07:03 AM
This post is pretty informative on these types of failure, even if the original photo to which it refers is no longer available. The poster apparently is a mechanic, although his website is now defunct.
Drive shaft destroyed, post 20
He goes on to say that the joints (in our case the whole driveshaft, since it is one unit) should be replaced (in his opinion) at around 60k miles.
In post 33 he mentions that "removal of the complete shaft and thorough inspection by someone with driveline experience is best."
From what I have read so far, inspection cannot be in situ inspection - you have to remove the driveshaft and then move the joints all around, feeling for any lack of tightness / smoothness in the motion. Any sign of same and the joint (driveshaft) needs to be replaced. Critical is the maintenance of a good seal at the rubber boots at both ends, as water is not the friend of these joints. The shaft itself is uncoated for a reason and cal tolerate surface rust, but the joints (which are permanently sealed) should not be allowed to see water since water can displace the grease over time and once the lubrication starts to go the needle bearings start to wear rapidly and from then onwards it is a slippery slope.
So it seems to me that as owners we need to be inspecting these boots thoroughly and regularly (e.g. every oil change / 6k miles, or more often), and as the bike gets more mileage, we should be pulling the drive shafts out and inspecting the U-joints, with a view to preventive replacement at more than 60k miles - 80k miles. You do not want to have the driveshaft catastrophically fail and cause other damage and a potential crash while riding.
Looking at my Haynes book, pulling the driveshaft seems pretty straightforward for the handy DIYer, and I intend to make a video of this operation when I do it. My bike only has 43k miles so it is not yet in the statsitically significant mileage range just yet. If the dealership is to do it, I would think that it would not cost very much - should be no more than 2 hours tops for an experienced technician, one hour if s/he is good. Parts and shop supplies would be extra.
Drive shaft destroyed, post 20
He goes on to say that the joints (in our case the whole driveshaft, since it is one unit) should be replaced (in his opinion) at around 60k miles.
In post 33 he mentions that "removal of the complete shaft and thorough inspection by someone with driveline experience is best."
From what I have read so far, inspection cannot be in situ inspection - you have to remove the driveshaft and then move the joints all around, feeling for any lack of tightness / smoothness in the motion. Any sign of same and the joint (driveshaft) needs to be replaced. Critical is the maintenance of a good seal at the rubber boots at both ends, as water is not the friend of these joints. The shaft itself is uncoated for a reason and cal tolerate surface rust, but the joints (which are permanently sealed) should not be allowed to see water since water can displace the grease over time and once the lubrication starts to go the needle bearings start to wear rapidly and from then onwards it is a slippery slope.
So it seems to me that as owners we need to be inspecting these boots thoroughly and regularly (e.g. every oil change / 6k miles, or more often), and as the bike gets more mileage, we should be pulling the drive shafts out and inspecting the U-joints, with a view to preventive replacement at more than 60k miles - 80k miles. You do not want to have the driveshaft catastrophically fail and cause other damage and a potential crash while riding.
Looking at my Haynes book, pulling the driveshaft seems pretty straightforward for the handy DIYer, and I intend to make a video of this operation when I do it. My bike only has 43k miles so it is not yet in the statsitically significant mileage range just yet. If the dealership is to do it, I would think that it would not cost very much - should be no more than 2 hours tops for an experienced technician, one hour if s/he is good. Parts and shop supplies would be extra.
Regards,
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro