1988 R100GS driveshaft and grease, grease, grease!

rxcrider

New member

• Aug 24, 2016

• #1

I rescued a friend's 1988 R100GS from the highway today with a failed front U-joint on the driveshaft. I just pulled it apart and there is grease everywhere like someone pulled out the front swingarm pivot pins and packed the swingarm / driveshaft with grease from both sides. Is this normal? The pivot pins and locknuts also had grease on them and were removed easily without heat. If it were an oil head I would know that is wrong, but this is my first dive into an airhead with the paralever and I don't have a manual on hand yet.

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rxcrider

New member

• Aug 24, 2016

• #2

I guess it would have been hard to get much grease past the caps behind the pivot bearings. Maybe someone pulled the boot back to put so much grease in there. The cavity leading to the left pivot bearing feels like it is packed full of grease.

The swing arm took a bit of a beating as well.

 

Last edited: Aug 24, 2016

brittrunyon

'92 R100GS

• Aug 24, 2016

• #3

WOW!
Sorry to see this and you are right, that's just wrong.
Have fun with this repair.
BR

 

rxcrider

New member

• Aug 24, 2016

• #4

Anyone have a feel for how forgiving these swing arms are for this level of damage or go with my gut and change it along with the driveshaft?


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C

cycleman2

Bluenoser

• Aug 24, 2016

• #5

You will get a few opinions, but mine is put a new driveshaft in and go with the swing arm you have.

 

chasmrider

not lost til out of gas

• Aug 24, 2016

• #6

that has happened to me twice. I replaced the driveshaft and reused the swingarm both times. the second time I got a rebuildable driveshaft. I have about 6000 mi on the new setup, works great.

 

guenner

Member

• Aug 25, 2016

• #7

I had mine rebuilt by Guy Henderson in Southern California. Still no problem after 40 Tmiles. Guy used u-joints with zerks so you can re-grease them. Also he used a blue polyurethane material instead of the black rubber for the damper filling which I think is better to keep the two shaft pieces better aligned.

When the u-joints disintegrate you get all kinds of scratch marks. I doubt this would weaken the swing arm. I never replaced it.

/Guenther

 

rxcrider

New member

• Aug 26, 2016

• #8

Unfortunately, this shaft is beyond repair - with one yoke splayed open and the other cracked, it is toast.


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brittrunyon

'92 R100GS

• Aug 26, 2016

• #9

Inspect the swing arm closely, if there's NO cracks I would think it is usable.

Many are using this shaft from Ted Porter http://www.beemershop.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TRA00012A

With that much vibration the output seal of the trani is probably toast.

Good luck with this repair.
BR

 

rxcrider

New member

• Aug 26, 2016

• #10

brittrunyon said:

Inspect the swing arm closely, if there's NO cracks I would think it is usable.

Many are using this shaft from Ted Porter http://www.beemershop.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TRA00012A

With that much vibration the output seal of the trani is probably toast.

Good luck with this repair.
BR

Click to expand...

Snagged a clean swingarm with 2k miles on fresh pivot bearings from a seller on ADVrider and the Emerald Island driveshaft is coming as well. May as well dive into the gearbox while I'm at it and check for / add the circlip if it isn't there. at almost 40k it is a nice time to lube the clutch spline anyway...