Spline check and lube

[Texer]

Did a check on the splines (zero paperwork came with the bike). They look ok to me as a novice. Any worries I should note? (Pics are after cleaning, the junction was still wet with lube when opened).

[natalena]

Those splines look outrageously fabulous. How many miles are on your brick? It's easy to pop the shaft out to lube the opposite end while the drive is apart. If the rest of the brick looks like the splines, it's cherry! :)

[Texer]

Cool - Thanks for the vote of confidence. My only confession is that I started the project before I could get a hold of the standard Starburags lube and so opted for CRC brake paste from oreillys (since it listed Moly as a main ingredient and also when I opened the jar it had that thickness that I saw on the videos). I’ll order up some Starburags and am happy to redo the process since I may update the rear shock soon. Any red flags on the CRC as a temp stopgap? (as I understand it, the starburags is great for keeping the Molly on the plates under pressure)

[Texer]

Those splines look outrageously fabulous. How many miles are on your brick? It's easy to pop the shaft out to lube the opposite end while the drive is apart. If the rest of the brick looks like the splines, it's cherry! :)

Clock says 77k. It had a few issues: leaking hose, seized fan motor, bad intake rubbers and a dirty starter. I think I’ve addressed most of the found issues, added new tires. Need to service the forks still. It’s good to have it back in service.

[volador]

Use what you have. There are lots of alternatives, 'Honda 60' was probably most popular but discontinued, 'BMW RED' grease not recommended, OPTI-something...

Ask Past-My-Prime, he tell you what best to use on the splines.

The Kluber Staburags NBU 30 PTM has a binder agent that is like chewing gum to keep grease from getting flung off or working its way up the drive shaft.
Need mineral spirits or the like to get it off your fingers.

I have ordered the links below 25grams or 50gm will last a long time. A little goes a long way.

Amazon Staburags 25gm

Amazon Staburags 50gm

[Texer]

Thanks for the links 👍. And to Natalena, will address the north side next time too.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

The female splines on the final drive show a very tiny bit of wear.  The matching splines on the shaft look almost new. 

HondaMoly 60 has been replaced with a 77% Molybdenum Honda paste.  The brake stuff you have is probably okay if you don't try to go more than a couple thousand miles and if you aren't an aggressive rider slamming the throttle on and off in 4th and 5th gears.

[Texer]

The female splines on the final drive show a very tiny bit of wear.  The matching splines on the shaft look almost new. 

HondaMoly 60 has been replaced with a 77% Molybdenum Honda paste.  The brake stuff you have is probably okay if you don't try to go more than a couple thousand miles and if you aren't an aggressive rider slamming the throttle on and off in 4th and 5th gears.

Thanks - honda moly m-77 just ordered.

[Texer]

I also ordered Staburags in addition to the M 77.  Do you folks make cocktails of percentages of those two for a super lube by chance?

[Laitch]

I also ordered Staburags in addition to the M 77.  Do you folks make cocktails of percentages of those two for a super lube by chance?

Undoubtedly, some do that. You can join their ranks. Have you heard about TS-60 SG? What about Loctite LB 8012? Break out the Vita-Mix! Time's a-wastin'!

[Past-my-Prime]

Use what you have. There are lots of alternatives, 'Honda 60' was probably most popular but discontinued, 'BMW RED' grease not recommended, OPTI-something...

Ask Past-My-Prime, he tell you what best to use on the splines.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

My hint: lube your splines. My object lesson can be found at: https://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,12817.0.html


I have a new FD and driveshaft waiting for me just over the border which I am unable to access due to the current closure of the border.

So I'm riding the F650 which I have decided to sell once Rocinante is up and fully functional.

[Texer]

Hey, thanks for that link! I had just used anti-seize on my final drive bolts, now as I understand it, I should’ve used blue Loctite which I do have. So I should use blue Loctite when doing the upcoming lube change?

[Texer]

And Mighty, we don’t have like buttons but I did like your comment!

[Laitch]

Hey, thanks for that link! I had just used anti-seize on my final drive bolts, now as I understand it, I should’ve used blue Loctite which I do have.

I use a dab of copper anti-seize—not Loctite—on each screw. The screw threads and the hole receiving threads get cleaned first and then the screws are torqued sufficiently. The tool I use for that is a wobble extension of the correct length on the torque wrench. It gives enough angle to engage the screw with the allen head socket but still allows a relatively accurate value on the torque wrench.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I use a dab of copper anti-seize—not Loctite—on each screw. The screw threads and the hole receiving threads get cleaned first and then the screws are torqued sufficiently. The tool I use for that is a wobble extension of the correct length on the torque wrench. It gives enough angle to engage the screw with the allen head socket but still allows a relatively accurate value on the torque wrench.

+1  I never use LocTite on any fasteners that need to be removed for maintenance.  Copper anti-seize on every fastener I touch.  In fact, the only place I can recall ever using LocTite on my bikes is on that damn grub screw in the transmission.

[Texer]

Thanks gents, good to know about no loctite.  I have some German copper antiseize that I use on my R75/5 headers that I can use here.

[Texer]

So I received my staburags 50gram vial almost instantaneously from the e-commerce site. I’d like advice on the quantity to apply and best technique. When I applied the CRC paste, I slathered it on both male and female surfaces liberally ( after watching the Chris Harris video).  At a little over $400 per pound for the lube, I don’t want to be wasteful but I want to do the job right.

[Laitch]

When I applied the CRC paste, I slathered it on both male and female surfaces liberally ( after watching the Chris Harris video). 

Slathering? In the attached video, Harris meticulously cleaned the input shaft with picks, solvent and compressed air. That type of cleaning is essential for moly, graphite or barium to bond into metallic surfaces. He then brushed the lube thoroughly and carefully over and between the splines. Slathering it liberally is clearly not what he was doing. Enlarge your screen view.

[Texer]

Ah I see. I saw a different video where Chris’ video was intercut with the youtuber’s upload. Please see at 6:09 min.

[stokester]

I use a dab of copper anti-seize—not Loctite—on each screw. The screw threads and the hole receiving threads get cleaned first and then the screws are torqued sufficiently. The tool I use for that is a wobble extension of the correct length on the torque wrench. It gives enough angle to engage the screw with the allen head socket but still allows a relatively accurate value on the torque wrench.

+1 - be aware a lubed fastener will read a bit different than a dry one so do not overtighten

Be sure to get a quality torque wrench.  I find the Precision Instruments line works well for me, I have an inch-lb dial, 3/8" and 1/2" split beam.

[Laitch]

Ah I see. I saw a different video where Chris’ video was intercut with the youtuber’s upload. Please see at 6:09 min.

Those are differing applications we've been watching so maybe now we'll get on the same page.

This migrating-up-the-driveshaft-from-the-rear-drive condition is what makes slathering on the lube acceptable on the rear drive splines. He's not using Staburags in that application either, but he could. The prudent application of Staburags in the video I attached is based on the output shaft's location near the clutch friction disc so slathering there won't work. Moly and graphite in lubes are burnished into clean dry metal by rotation then form a low-friction protective surface. Staburags seems composed of barium soap complex in a thickener and is just a durable and tenacious lubricant with good history. Finding other ingredients cited for it is elusive. BMW seems to indicate the life span of effective use for these lubricants on input shaft splines is ~40,000 miles in later model monolever motos.

Unlike the transmission input shaft splines, the monolever rear drive splines are subject to constant sliding friction so must be lubricated more often.

Regardless, you've got the right stuff available for either application. The main thing with either application method is to clean the metal thoroughly first for optimal results, like Harris is doing.

[Texer]

Thanks - I appreciate the additional information and comments. Looking forward to dialing this in.