Drive shaft service?

[af1-windy]

How difficult is it to remove, check, clean, re grease etc. the drive shaft? 

It's my first shaft drive and I'm thinking, while the rear wheel is off and the rear shock has been serviced, I may as well do this job, then I'll know it's all good to go next year. 

I have 2 main trips, one to the Alps, 2 up and a lads trip to Bovec in Slovinia, plus UK stuff (wild Camping etc.) 

Any tips or things in particular to watch out for.. I hate it when something falls to bits when you're not expecting it and stuff flies all over the place, with no idea of how it goes back together..   

Cheers, windy.

[Motorhead1977]

Windy, this video on prop shaft maintenance by Grumpy Goat of this site. https://youtu.be/huJd3205_sY?feature=shared
Check out his other videos as well. He's got a lot of useful information to share.

[Grumpy Goat]

How difficult is it to remove, check, clean, re grease etc. the drive shaft? 

It's my first shaft drive and I'm thinking, while the rear wheel is off and the rear shock has been serviced, I may as well do this job, then I'll know it's all good to go next year. 

Once you get it done once you'll have the hang of it. The trickiest bit is getting the front spline back onto the transmission output shaft. Thanks to Motorhead1977 for sharing the link to my video. Guess what, I look at it when I am going to do the job again as a refresher.

[Oldrider51]

One word of caution, do not let the final drive drop quickly because if it does it can break off the tab on the driveshaft housing that is located on the bottom to hold the final drive at an angle once off the splines. I don't think this was mentioned in the video by Grumpy Goat but was in a video by Boxflyer over on the BMWSportTouring.com website.

[Grumpy Goat]

I do not believe that mine has such a tab. My final drive is free to hang down as it wants. I usually support it with a floor jack and then let it down smoothly.

[Oldrider51]

I do not believe that mine has such a tab. My final drive is free to hang down as it wants. I usually support it with a floor jack and then let it down smoothly.

Interesting since watching your videos our bikes are the same, 2016 RS Gray/Black. The tab/tang I mentioned runs inline with the shaft housing and another on the FD. Mine will only tilt down until these two touch. I also support mine with a scissors jack after I get the splines to disengage.

[Grumpy Goat]

Interesting since watching your videos our bikes are the same, 2016 RS Gray/Black. The tab/tang I mentioned runs inline with the shaft housing and another on the FD. Mine will only tilt down until these two touch. I also support mine with a scissors jack after I get the splines to disengage.

Well, I will admit I must never have noticed these since I recall gently lowering mine until it stopped. Never looked to see what it stopped against.

[af1-windy]

Thank you all for the replies, I'm loving this forum. 

I saw the grumpy goat video and assumed it was one and the same ..   great vid, instantly made me feel I could tackle this job. Thank you!

I have already bought all the necessary greases, just need the gear box oil, which I'll pick up this week and I'll do the job over the Christmas break. 

Unfortunately, it means I'll have to wait to fit the rear wheel, so no photos of the bike with Red wheels fitted.. 

But, here's a taster of what they'll look like.. fire away chaps, like'em or hate'em, just let me know..  I think it'll look better with both fitted and the Red frame in the photo..

Cheers, windy

[Grumpy Goat]

Thank you all for the replies, I'm loving this forum. 

I saw the grumpy goat video and assumed it was one and the same ..   great vid, instantly made me feel I could tackle this job. Thank you!

Great to hear that you are having a good time here. I am also chuffed (to use one of your terms) at your inputs so far - thanks!

On the videos - that is exactly the outcome I am hoping for with my videos from the garage … if I can do it you can too. I learn as I go along and whatever tips I can pass along that would help another DIYer, then that’s the value. (sotto voce: the videos are also a reminder for me for next time I have to do the job again )

[Duccrazydave]

Nice to see a different cosmetic upgrade on the RS, windy. Looks great 
GG's multitude of videos have been very helpful to quite a few of us on the forum.

[af1-windy]

Nice to see a different cosmetic upgrade on the RS, windy. Looks great 
GG's multitude of videos have been very helpful to quite a few of us on the forum.

Thank you, I'm looking forward to posting photos of the bike with both wheels fitted, but it'll have to wait a few more days because I've decided, after watching GG's video, to service the drive shaft. 

Cheers, windy

[af1-windy]

Thanks to GG's video tutorial on the shaft service.. all done, along with the final drive oil change, went like a dream. Cleaned everything I could get to while I had stuff off the bike.

So, a list of what I have done.

Front and rear suspension serviced, rear spring powder coated.
Wheels powder coated, new bearings and seal in the front, new road 6gt on the rear.
Shaft drive serviced, well, checked, cleaned, greased.
Final drive oil change.
Lots of bits cleaned.

I'm really pushed for space in my garage, especially until the xr sells and the weather is pretty awful so I'm not taking it outside for a photo shoot today. Managed to lean back and get a couple of shots, not the best but I feel like I'm getting there.

[Grumpy Goat]

Coming along nicely.

[Paughco]

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. 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. 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?

So my questions are:

1. Do you consider it absolutely necessary to fully remove the drive shaft from the housing? and

2. From your observations on the internal splines on the front part of the drive shaft, do you think it might work if you installed the clip there instead on the external splines?

Thank you
 ATB

[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.

[Paughco]

Grumpy: Now I convinced more than ever that the C-ring goes inside the internal splines on the front of the driveshaft, where it snaps on to the external splined tranny output shaft during reassembly. Check out this video, at about 3:40 driveshaft C-clip discussion.

Seeya
 ATB

[Grumpy Goat]

Grumpy: Now I convinced more than ever that the C-ring goes inside the internal splines on the front of the driveshaft, where it snaps on to the external splined tranny output shaft during reassembly. Check out this video, at about 3:40 driveshaft C-clip discussion.

Seeya
 ATB

Thanks for the comment. I actually have a new driveshaft sitting in my garage but never checked to see whether it has a C- clip already installed. This guy suggests it is there so if I use the new shaft I guess I will eventually have the C-clip on my bike. 

I am happy without it, and I know what it was designed to be there. Just that where my bike never came with one in the inner splines on the front end of the cardan shaft, and I no longer have any issue removing that original shaft, it really does not matter much. 

I am not near to my new cardan shaft at the moment and when I am if I remember I will check to see if it does have the C-clip pre-installed.

If the universal joint of the cardan shaft will fail it won't have anything to do with the presence or absence of this C-clip ... just crap material in the U-joint, and that is what bothers me more.