I don't know the state of the splines (front or rear).
I don't know how it's supposed to sound or feel.
I don't really know the history of the bike.

I don't know any of the warning signs of a failing driveshaft?
Does it just seize up, lock the rear wheel and put me down at 200 km/h, or does it let me know something's wrong?

I talked to a shop today and they said 500$ to inspect it, plus 800$ if they have to replace it.
Is this something I can check on my own? (I don't have a garage, so I'd be doing the work out on the street with a minimal tool set).

Thanks.

At $500 to inspect that should be the last time you ever even talk to them and $800 to replace, well the dirty thieving scum should be run out of town.

Its not difficult to check the two splines on the shaft there is a section here on the forum about doing it.

Should take about 1/2 day plus time out for a beer.

You won't usually know anything is wrong till its too late so they need to be inspected at least every 20,000km or 2 years. The shaft usually doesn't lock up but will make some horrible sounds.

SittingDuck, I did mine a couple of months ago, after putting it off thinking it was too hard. It was very straight forward using the instructions from this forum. The lube on mine had gone like old spilt cream (hardened and cracked) but no damage to the splines, so I got to it in time. Well worth doing for piece of mind.

Can anyone point me to the instructions on this forum?
Sorry, but being a n00b I don't know my way around yet, and the search function is not submitting to my will.
Thanks.

Can get a good moly lube from a Honda m/c dealer/parts dept

With the spline lube (and yes, I'm opening a can of worms), people use the Honda moly paste (60% moly I believe). There are some that think that this is a bit too thick ("dry" if you will), so people mix it (half and half) with a good general purpose (NLGI 2 rated) grease to make it stick better.



Or you can buy Guard Dog Moly (GD-525) with 30% moly mixed with a high grade grease (that is NLGI Rated 3). A 4oz jar is US$24.90.



I've had some posted out to me here in Oz and it is excellant!

Shell Optimol grease is every bit as good as the OEM stuff. I use Penrite moly grease and have beem using it for years and never had any problems.

So long as the lubricant will take the extreme pressure generated at splines and be resistant to water it will do the job. The one thing that you don't use is the antisieze stuff like loctite and never sieze because it won't take the pressure. Spline always amaze me as to how much torque they will take.

I couldn't purchase any spline lube in small amounts from anywhere, but the dealer sold me a zip-lock bag with enough to do it more than once for $2.00. The dealer had also tried to get it in smaller amounts for customers with no luck.

we used to be able to buy molydenum disulfide in tubes for really cheep ...but over the last ten years if has dried up (become hard to get ) this is the grey stuff that you get when you refill your cv joints (primarily on front wheel drive cars)

i have bought {some better go check the tube, might take me a few days as im away ) ,,,,castrol lmx i think ....
really high moly disulfide content and lithium as well ...looks blackish actually



but will be searching for the molydisulfide when i get more time ...

i wont use that 3% moly crap thats for sale just about anywhere

I've posted on this previously, you may need to do a search. I use Molybond GA50 Assembly Compond, it's 60% moly,... yes 60%. I mix it with some Dixons powdered graphite and Castrol Optimol Optipit grease (very heavy base oil, consistency of margarine).

You can also buy a Loctite moly spray lube in a can, it contains 60% moly and dries like grey primer. I thoroughly clean and dry the splines (male & female) then spray with the Loctite moly, let dry, then apply my "cocktail" with an icy-pole stick. Just used the same brew on my K12LT, it seems to work well for me. Hope this helps.

nice dennis .....im starting looking tommorrow

This one's just turned up cheap on OZ eBay. It's an earlier 16 spline (up to 2/86 models) in fairly good nick.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BMW-K100-Drive-Shaft-/260835052146?pt=AU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cbafb0a72

Worth buying you reckon? I'm dying to win something.

RT, I wouldn't bother unless you want one to repair...look closely at the 'teeth' of the splines and you'll see that in fact they're quite rounded off.
It's worth ten dollars.

I go with TWB on that RT don't touch it.

The 16 spline shafts last much better for some odd reason.

I have seen some with 250,000ks and still going strong, they will see the distance if kept lubed.

The uni joint can be replaced, Munich are doing an exchange one now.

Thanks guys, just thinking about doing a grease up before we go away and know I'll be in for a surprise when I get in there. I don't have any suspicions
of wrong goings on but my track record says it won't be so easy as it looks.
I've seen a 85 k75 for sale, maybe I can get the missus comfy on that if K Freak's better half is not 6 feet tall and can handle it.

Marg is 5'3" and with short legs. The seat hight is 720mm as it stands and the 75 is a low seat model. I fitted a 30mm shorter shock from Hagon and dropped the forks through by 40mm by raising the bars about 25mm. The bike does ground out easily but as in all compromises there is a down side.

The bike is fairly heavy at 249kg and she has to be careful with it.

i have taken mine off a few times now rt ...it isnt hard ...i think i can do it and back on in under an hour these days

just remember to undo the tail mudflap (2 nuts in the rear cowl ....and 2 screws on the rear of the mudguard) ....makes it awfully easy

Honestly, if I can do it, anyone can. I've done it twice now with no stripped threads! Bloody miracle is you ask me!

Or put a 1" piece of wood under the centre stand and you can easily remove the wheel without further dismantling of mudguards etc.

nice work blakey ...!!!

Good point Rene, one less thing to worry about.

I'm with you, Charlie, it's only two nuts slightly loosened in the tailpiece and two screws slackened under the tail lamp and the entire back part of the mudguards falls off along with the number plate, giving the mechanic total access to the back end. I'd say that's a whole heap of a lot easier than fiddling with any other method of removing the rear wheel.