Swing Arm & Drive Shaft Maintenance - *Pics* UPDATED 2-22-07

[Plato]

Stop lurking and putting this job off people !!!

Now is the winter of your discontent (or something like that ), so get these pesky maitenence items done so you can do some serious cruising this spring.

[Kawa 1982]

Thanks for the excellent posts. I have a 1982 KZ1100 A2 shaft drive with 24,500 miles on the clock. I am the third owner. I have no idea if the drive shaft or the swing arm bearings have ever been serviced. I have studied these posts from beginning to end at least three times. I have studied my manual and am about to wade into this project. I am not clear on what the required torque is for the final gear case / swing arm nuts (The four nuts that connect the swing arm to the final gear case). I am of the opinion that it is the same as for the Vulcan’s that you guys have been working on. What should I torque these nut to?

Thanks

Roger

[Spok]

Originally Posted by Kawa 1982

Thanks for the excellent posts. I have a 1982 KZ1100 A2 shaft drive with 24,500 miles on the clock. I am the third owner. I have no idea if the drive shaft or the swing arm bearings have ever been serviced. I have studied these posts from beginning to end at least three times. I have studied my manual and am about to wade into this project. I am not clear on what the required torque is for the final gear case / swing arm nuts (The four nuts that connect the swing arm to the final gear case). I am of the opinion that it is the same as for the Vulcan’s that you guys have been working on. What should I torque these nut to?

Thanks

Roger

i listed torque values on the pictures where appropriate

[CaddmannQ]

Something I'll mention (and I don't know if I've mentioned it here before or not) is that when you take the swing arm off replace the rubber seals on the swingarm pivot bolt.

Even with high mileage, they will still seal out the dirt pretty well, but that's not the issue. These things are the side thrust surfaces for the swingarm, and as they wear they wear mostly on the exposed faces: not on the seal lip itself.

Nomads seem to have a bit of side slop on the swingarm right from the factory, and as these rubbers wear it gets rapidly worse. This side slop screws up the handling, and when it gets bad enough the bike will wander over any road imperfections. You will notice it mostly at low speeds on a lumpy street or one with road grooves, but it affects high speed handling as well: particularly when transitioning from a right to left lean in an "s" curve (or left to right for that matter) and if you hit a bump or groove while in a curve.

These things are cheap and easy to change, and you gotta take them out anyway to lube the swingarm bearings.

[RichLockyer]

Just a quick update on the swingarm lube procedure.

On the '06 1600, there are three hoops securing the brake line. The two on the top of the swingarm, and another just below the axle nut.

On the '06 1600, these hoops are not welded to the swingarm at both ends like the 1500. They are stiff wire and difficult to bend, but making a cut will result in half a wire being left on the swingarm.

Durnit... started the project without the 22mm socket to remove the swingarm bolt.

No biggie... gotta take the rim to the shop to get the new tire on anyways... Sears is only 4 miles up the road.


I did get an ounce or so of gear oil out of the end of the drivshaft when I pulled the final drive, but the inside of the final drive housing end itself seemed clean.

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by Spok

how do you think I got this haircut?

Good editing, the way you removed your prisoner number and WSPD logo

[RichLockyer]

Interesting... in comparing Spok's instructions with Gadget's, Spok indeed says to "move" the hoops to release the line. Gadget's page says to cut them.

Oh well... I only cut one, and I cut it at the very top, so the edge will never hit the line and it'll still keep the line from moving in and hitting the tire.

[Plato]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

l... I only cut one, and I cut it at the very top, so the edge will never hit the line and it'll still keep the line from moving in and hitting the tire.

On my 05 Nad, there are some that must be cut and of course some up near the front that can simply be spread.

CaddmanQ did mention doing the whole job without having to cut anything, he just lowered the swingarm rather than pull it completly away from the bike.

But a cut loom here or there shouldn't hurt anything, after all it now becomes great evidence to show you actually lubed the swingarm -you've enhanced the resale value

[Plato]

Originally Posted by CaddmannQ

Something I'll mention (and I don't know if I've mentioned it here before or not) is that when you take the swing arm off replace the rubber seals on the swingarm pivot bolt...

...These things are cheap and easy to change, and you gotta take them out anyway to lube the swingarm bearings.

Got a part number handy to order em with ???

[CaddmannQ]

Sorry, I don't have the number handy. I ordered a new pair myself and they are on back-order, so evidently everybody took my advice and bought up the available stock of these.

Plato is correct: I did not have to bend or cut any loops on my 1500. I just slide all the available slack forward through them. Then I pull the swingarm back just enough to unhook the shaft, propping the back end on jackstands (or you can hang it with a little rope.) Tip the front of the swingarm down, and slide the shaft out forward and down. just clearing the underside of the left engine case and floorboard.

As for the final drive oil, I think almost every one of these has leaked out the front seal because the factory overfills the oil. When you re-fill the gear oil, leave the bike on the side stand instead of standing it straight up. This will reduce the volume of oil so it doesn't "drown" the front seal. This will eliminate about 99% of the leakage problems.

Since you need to check that oil at (at least!) every engine oil change to see if it leaked out, I just change it each time I change the engine oil. It's cheap, and once you get the bag off and get down on the ground with tools and a rag, you might as well change it anyway.

FYI, I resigned as moderator over at Motorcycle-USA and joined the KawaNOW forum. Nomads only, all Nomads, all the time. I subscribe to a few of the most popular threads here, and I do pop by once a month or so, but you can always find me there or e-mail me at:

caddmannq at asdiengr dot com

[freightshaker]

I seem to recall someone drilled & tapped holes in the swingarm then installed zerk fittings so it could be greased w/o pulling the whole enchilada apart.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by freightshaker

I seem to recall someone drilled & tapped holes in the swingarm then installed zerk fittings so it could be greased w/o pulling the whole enchilada apart.

Ya... it involves a little more than that. The spacers also need to be slotted and grooved to allow the grease to actually get TO the bearings.

The way I figure, I need a new tire every 12-15k. The swingarm and driveshaft need to be lubed at least that often... the swingarm has to come off to remove the driveshaft.

Yes, you CAN slip the shaft back into the swingarm to lube the front joint, but to do that you need to remove the left engine cover, and you'll need a brush to get the grease in there, and even then, you have no way to inspect the u-joint. You do NOT want the u-joint to break on the road... you want to replace it at the first sign of vibration, noise, or notchyness.


To me, as much of a PITA as removing the swingarm is, half the job is done when you have the rear tire off... may as well do it right.

[Metalman]

I would have started a new thread but I cannot figure out how to start one on the forum.

I have the gear case removed from my 2006 Nomad. My intent is to lubricate the spline between the gear case and the drive shaft using grease. However, the spines are soaked with oil and some oil ran out of the drive shaft housing. I don't understand why it's necessary to grease the spline it is already lubricated with oil.

[RichLockyer]

The oil is gear lube from the rear end unit. It has leaked through the front seal, and some leakage is normal. It is NOT an active lubrication system, and you need the heavier grease on the splined joints.

That's one reason lubrication needs to be done periodically... the gear oil gets in there and washes out the heavy grease.

[CaddmannQ]

I agree with Rich except about the "normal" part. I'd say it's common, but not normal.

The oil shouldn't leak out. If it all leaks out you'll burn up a $2000 gearbox. What I think happens is that people put too much oil in the gearbox. Then it leaks out because of pressure building up behind the seal.

I only put 6 oz. on my box unstead of 6.7 oz. and it doesn't seem to leak out. Since it holds so little oil I change it whenever I change the engine oil.

I'd put just 6 oz. of fresh oil in, clean & grease the splines, and continue to check the oil level frequently. If it continues to leak out I'd replace the pinion oil seals.

[RichLockyer]

Well ya... the quantity makes a difference.
Mine had less than an ouch or so that dripped out of the slip joint itself. Nothing from the shaft housing.

[Metalman]

Thanks for the quick responses. I probably over filled the gear box. I will drain it and fill to 6 oz.

[Metalman]

Trying to post a photo. This is a test.