I've spent most of Thursday changing over the drive unit.
Getting the one off the bike only presented with two issues and that was I had to remove the rear shock and clearance issues for the tools I had for the nuts holding on the drive unit.
I ended up using the torque wrench, a universal joint extension fitted to a socket and that was ok for three nuts. The hardest one was the top outer nut so by removing the shock I could raise the swing arm to maximum height which gave just enough room to loosen the nut with one click at a time on the torque wrench.
It looked like I might have had a problem with the ABS sensor bolts but a little bit WD 40 did the trick and just to be different the dust cover that mounts the gear case cover has three bolts on the ABS model, not one like the base model.
Before I took the drive off the swing arm I drained the oil and after 30,000 plus kms looked near new.
Drive is then taken off the swing arm, placed on the table and the gear case cover cleaned, bolts removed and then the cover and crown wheel come out together. These need to be separated and very gently so as not to damage anything. A thin bladed screw driver suited.
My drive flange/spider showing worn splines.
I replaced the oil seal on the gear cover though the old one looked ok. Removed and cleaned the distance collar from my stuffed drive and placed said collar in the new unit. Next is to make sure the crown wheel sits in the gear cover and I hope I got this right. The gear cover placed on the drive unit and then the bolts tightened.
Sticking out the end of the swing arm is a little drive shaft so that comes out and is cleaned up. There's also an oil seal on the drive shaft which was replaced and then moly paste was put on both ends of the drive shaft which is then replaced in the swing arm. More moly paste put on the input drive shaft for the pinion wheel before the drive is placed on the swing arm. The seal is there to keep the grease on the driving splines.
Nuts placed back on the four studs of the drive unit and hand tightened. The next critical part is to align the drive unit. Wheel is replaced as per usual procedure and axle bolt tightened which keeps everything lined up while the nuts that secure the drive unit to the swing arm are tightened. Once that is done the wheel is again removed as there’s usually one nut that can’t be tightened with wheel in place.
Before I put the wheel back in I gave it a clean up (miracle) as it’s easier off the bike.
On Thursday I couldn’t complete the work as at about 4pm it looked like rain so I had to stop work and Friday it rained most of day.
Last week we just about melt with the heat and 40C plus temps this week it’s raining and down about 20C.
As in a post or two prior I had an issue with the re-fill plug. Since the rain had stopped for awhile on Friday afternoon I thought it best to at least put the oil in before I forgot about it but that was not to be.
Today as posted before the plug is finally removed, the oil put in and the plug off my original drive unit is installed.
Only items needed to do now is to refit the tow bar and rear fender/mudguard and while I’m at it I checked and adjust tyre pressures.
While I was doing that Heather gave the bike a quick clean-up
So, it’s all done. A short test ride down the shop and all seemed ok. No unusual noises from the rear end and maybe a little quieter if anything. On Sunday we’ll do the 40 km ride over to Jamestown and see how it goes...
