Drive shaft service?

[Grumpy Goat]

Grumpy: Thank you for those maintenance videos on the R1200RS. BMW no longer sells shop manuals, so I've been using your videos as my primary reference for engine and final drive oil changes for my R1250RS.

You are very welcome. I am no mechanic as you probably surmised, just a DIYer owner who refuses to pay through the nose for basic maintenance service that one can do themselves, with a bit of guidance.

I'll be doing a spline check soon. I've watched some other videos that show only lubing the rear splines. They state that the front is held on my the snap ring, and never goes anywhere.

For me, one of the main reasons for doing the shaft service is to inspect the universal joint at both ends of the cardan shaft, in addition to lubing the splines. In order to do this the entire shaft has to be removed as you cannot inspect the forward end without doing so.

If the snap ring is fitted, then it is easier to remove the final drive (FD) end without pulling the front spline out before the FD spline. Not all bikes have had this snap ring fitted from the factory - mine was one such bike. I have since bought one but have not installed it.

Also, I notice that the snap ring, part number 33 73 8 556 245, is shown along with the drive shaft in the online parts fiche. I wonder if it's supposed to be installed inside the internal splines on the front drive shaft rather than on the external splines on the transmission output shaft?

I am not sure to be honest. I do have a shop manual but not with me at present. I do know that if one wanted to install it, it should be easier to put it on the external splines of the forward end of the cardan shaft, especially if the shaft housing were left in place. But like I said, I have never done this.