Ok Chaps (and Chappettes),

I was looking for a drive shaft and diff assy on buy and sell yesterday, but I'll update here for those who aren't privvy to the story so far.

Broke down in traffic on the way to work last week. Back wheel now spinning free of the drive ouput shaft whilst in gear albeit with a "meshy" whirring noise. Noise I'm fairly sure is coming from the diff end of things.

So, I'm hoping it's just a drive shaft and the collar for the spline (anybody know, is the spline a harder metal then the collar? - I'm assuming that it would be so that one wears rather than both)(also forgive me if my terminology is a bit off, as I'm not the sharpest on the tools in the shed.)

I was going to get a mechanic specializing in older bikes to start on it in a hope of paying the extra to expediate the whole process. There is other stuff to attend to like alternator noise and some rubber to be replaced on the fuel/air input section. After an initial consult, I think it would be best to slow down and do it myself. $$ $$

So this weekend, I shall pick up the bike. get it home, set up a makeshift workshop, it'll be exterior, and get the back wheel off, the drive, inspect, organize the appropriate parts, remove alternator whilst the back wheel is off, inspect (hopefully just monkey nuts required but not counting on it) What else could be clatteringly noisey in further than the rubbers?

Then while awaiting bits and the like for those probs I will study up on the various rubber bits on the fuel delivery system.

Rossco and Klompy, you are quiet welcome to visit, stand and look over my shoulder and point out flaws in my technique.

Regards

The exasperated Jez.

Oh, this weekend?

Sorry. Paintball on Saturday and my first ice hockey game on Sunday (spectator).

Good luck with it.
Take photos. I am not suggesting you are as stupid as the rest of us but sometimes we forget where something SQUIRREL

Yes Jez the tailshaft spline is softer than the Final Drive spline, you can take the tailshaft to moto hansa and they can cut and replace the spline, not as pricey as a new one but pricey enough anyway or you can grab a spare from the wreckers, problem seems to be that the tailshaft is larger than the F/D splines and it dont seem to grab enough of the F/D spline to save itself but to counter that gus ? someone in America makes smaller splines to better fit the F/D splines, refference has been made of his excellent work in here somewhere. you can send him yours or he can send you the bit, so there is an option if you trust someone close to your place to do the replacement of the spline on your tailshaft. some of our muffler shops have bloody gifted welders or most engineering workshops would do it.

The person who can rebuild the drive shaft is:

Bruno's Machine & Repair
HWY 554 # 47
RR1 Iron Bridge Ontario
P0R1H0 Canada
phone / fax 705 843 0822
www.brunos.us
brunos@brunos.us

A new drive shaft and final drive from BMW will be big bucks -- around $1800. Forget that route. Parts from Beemerboneyard will be half the price of new, approaching the price of a rebuild but I think a rebuild is the better option. The benefits are that (1) you are getting splines 11mm longer than OEM meaning more surface contact and less wear (2) grease retention cup meaning no loss of lubrication into the drive shaft and grease is kept where it does the best job (3) hardened splines meaning less wear.

I sent my worn drive shaft to Bruno's and was very pleased with the final result.

Hey folks how about we give Jez a chance to get it out and inspect before we give him a fit of the vapors.
The spline on the drive is quite often OK and the shaft can be repaired here. I had one done recently for a friends K75.
I am sure we can scare up a drive for him at a reasonable price I know the wreckers at Emu Plains had one a short while ago.

Ah yes thats him brumo not Gus, jeez some days i feel like more of a menace than a mate on this forum, must remember to put brain in gear before using mouth

Yep, Thanks Fellahs,

Will know more by Saturday lunchtime, good lord and the missus willin'

Jez.

Ok so here it is (hopefully with some pics)

Pulled the FD off (snigger) last Sat. First thing off note, but probably not of consequence for this issue, was the rusty deposit in the housing for the FD input spline (feel free to correct me on any terminology).
Although, the following image is looking back up the drive-shaft housing. I have a feeling there will be something to attend to further back up the drive train, a seal or something?
rusty bit

The drive shaft splines actually look OK to me. Here's a couple of images, top and bottom.
bottom
top


Here's I guess my main problem. The Spline on the the FD, the one that I believe to be one piece that seves as the pinion in the diff is well and truly saw-toothed, more like a ratchet than a spline.
Saw tooth
I don't see this as a part available on any of the usual sights I visit and I guess that if it's replaced it's done with a new crown as well. (advice needed here) I assume they bed in with each other for life and don't work with a new partner (there's a life lesson there of some sort, I'm sure).
Is this a "too difficult" path to take?
Otherwise I'm quiet happy to just whack on another FD unit with a good spline, (pity mines got no play, although there was an alarming amount of shavings on the speedo plug!)

Well I'm getting back to digging down to the monkey nuts now, (I sure hope that's the rattle) I'm sure you blokes'll be all over this, thanks in advance.
(late addition) here is perhaps a better photo of the condition of the driveshaft spline socket.
Driveshaft spline

I hope the photos are accessible, I had to go through photo bucket as I was having all sorts with the other way.

Cheers,

Jez.

Get a final drive and shaft to match but remove the gearbox and lube the input spline at the clutch because if the FD spline hasn't been lubed then for sure the clutch is the same and while you are in there put a new rear main seal in, it's near 30 years old and service life is usually 10 years max.
You will probably find it easier to get a 20 spline unit but if you want a 16 spline shaft PM me and we will discuss it but I dont have a final drive unit. Try thr bike wreckers at emu plains or BM Shop brisbane or Graeme Jays at Bega.

Well, I got a second hand 31/11 16 tooth FD unit. Coming from the US, thanks to a buddy who lives part time in Calif.
I the mean time, I thought I'd explore further as I've had engine rattle issues,. I was hoping that it was the monkey nuts. I removed the alternator but the rattle persists. It appears to be coming from that area. So I guess that the aux drive shaft bearing are the next thing to have a look at.

I'm kinda committed now to keep digging, but I didn't sign up for this.......



Yours at the Coalface,


Jez

No-one else appears to have said so and you haven't mentioned sourcing a replacement but the shaft is goosed too.



The end of the splines shouldn't be casting a shadow like they are here:

https://servimg.com/view/18267183/10

Jez, keep this handy