Spline Grease - use the good stuff

[Vespa no more]

While pulling apart my bike, I noticed that the spline lube (Castrol Moly... in a long white tube) I used about 6 mths ago had proved inadequate.


It was sprayed around the inside of the final drive housing.


Cleaned it out and replaced it with the proper white stuff - which I didn't have previously.


So use the good stuff - as thick as you can get. There are plenty of discussions here about the final drive spline grease.


Guy

[Motorhobo]

That happens no matter what you use if you use too much. The only thing that actually lubricates the splines is what sticks on there when you apply it -- everything else gets slung to the outside and serves no purpose other than to force you to spend more time cleaning it out next time you pull the final drive.

For my first spline lube I had the guidance of a certified BMW mechanic who showed me what to do -- put some lube on the end of a toothbrush and smush it into the splines on the mating surfaces of where the gear splines actually interlock, which is maybe up to half the way back on the gear or even less. Smush it in between the spline teeth and work it in there good, then wipe off the excess. The front half of the gear should be fully coated but have no excess, and the rear of the gear should have no more than a very thin coating. What you don't wipe off now, you'll wipe off later from the inside of the cavity as yucky snot, so might as well wipe it off now.

It helps to use something sticky -- I'm not sure whether Guard Dog is still available -- I got a lifetime supply when I heard it was ceasing to do business. The stuff you're using looks pretty thin. I don't know whether anyone has found a good, internationally-available substitute for Guard Dog...any info?

[Chaos]

I'm getting to the bottom of my old tube of the old standby, Honda Moly 60, not sure about it's replacement M77.  However I just noticed Partzilla has some of the original M60 08734-0001 listed on ebay cheap.  Same part # as my old tube, http://www.ebay.com/itm/302287108562

 

[Chaos]

greetings...

good find chaos... i bought their last 6 tubes...

thanks so much for sharing...

j o

I didn't  share until after I bought  4 tubes.  I guess we got the market cornered now. 

[Martin]

Vespa you can get the new Honda paste from Honda car dealers, another possible source is Subaru.  Don't put too much on as per Motohobo. See this link http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,7698.msg54284.html#msg54284
Regards Martin.

[Vespa no more]

Did anyone spend some time reading the PDF Laitch attached?


"Notes to physician : Treat symptomatically and supportively.


For large spills, provide diking or other appropriate containment to keep material from spreading."


And we're putting it on with a toothbrush!


Don't you love Laitch's ability to direct us some piece of minutiae in the archives.


Swear he was a librarian in a past life


Keep it up


Guy

[Chaos]

Well crap!  The Honda Moly 60 I expected from the ebay seller showed up as Honda M77 .  They lied, screwed up, bait and switched, don't know, don't care.  Ebay's return policy came through and got a full refund + shipping.  Really would have liked some more of the old Moly 60.  Sad. 

[jay1622]

Grab your lanterns and pitchforks, cause I know what I'm about to say will certainly ire some of you...


I just walked inside (just now) after changing the "lifetime fill" in the FD of my 2005 R1200RT. Granted, I don't know how often you all do the final drive splines on your bricks, but I will be doing mine under the same schedule as my RT, which is at the longest: annually.  I do the motor oil every 6 months, and the FD and Gearbox oil yearly. Brake fluid and coolant every two years.


Anyway... the splines. I still use Staburags NBU 30 PTM. I've done it the same way for about two decades now with different BMW setups, and I have yet to experience the least bit of spline wear: ever. My application is simple, but detailed. I get the old stuff off the shaft and the pinion gear (takes about 20 min), and any remaining grease that has slung away from the spline chamber and, in the case of the RT, the pivot boot. I start with a pea size dab on a disposable toothbrush. Once I've got an even coat on the pinion gear, I put a little more on the brush and coat the inner splines of the shaft. That's it. The smallest amount necessary to coat the base, neck, valleys and ridges of the splines on both contact surfaces.


I've become fairly good friends with a BMW mech/tech at my Charlotte, NC shop; he's told me all sorts of stories. He says guys got all hung up on moly this and slippery-stuff that years ago, but he says what people fail to realize is the shearing pressure experienced by the contact points of the splines. He says BMW started shying away from the Staburags a while back, but more and more mechs are returning to it. He said it has to do with that high-pressure shearing more than being slippery. He goes on to say that while a lot of thick greases and oils are great at room temp, they just loosen up and get slung all over at operating temps. Staburags and (the timing is perfect Laitch, that stuff is spot on) M-77 paste not only coat evenly, but they maintain their composition at operating temperature.


I really should've taken pics.

[Chaos]

they're probably several  good greases for the splines, from what I've seen it's more important to grease them regularly than which grease you use.  Same with motor oils.  And filters.  trans lube. Tires. 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Well crap!  The Honda Moly 60 I expected from the ebay seller showed up as Honda M77 .  They lied, screwed up, bait and switched, don't know, don't care.  Ebay's return policy came through and got a full refund + shipping.  Really would have liked some more of the old Moly 60.  Sad.

Since M77 is the "update/upgrade" for the M60, it's possible that they thought you'd be excited about getting the latest version, without even asking for it...


Andy

[wardie]

You can purchase Staburags NBU 30 PTM at Amazon. $12.95 + $4.95 shipping made it $17,85 for a 30 gram jar. I've used Honda Moly 60 and was not impressed staying with Staburags.

[technostructural]

I've collected a bunch of different spline lubes over the past couple of years: staburags, Honda moly 60, bel ray assembly lube, etc.


I think I will be using stauberags on the forward splines and a mixture of honda moly and bel ray assembly lube on the rear splines / driveshaft.

[MAWhite]

After much research, I believe this grease has very similar, and perhaps superior characteristics of of staburags nbu 30.
http://www.swepcolube.com/products/swepco-103-moly-hi-plus-grease

[Martin]

Can't seem to find what size containers it comes in. It might only be available in handy 20 Lt take home containers.  :dunno
Regards Martin

[Laitch]

It might only be available in handy 20 Lt take home containers.  :dunno

Containers can be had—14oz. for 14USD. I think when SWEPCO 103 was discussed here last year was decided that it was part of a plot perpetrated by Canadians masquerading as Texans to take advantage of the demise of Guard Dog Moly although I'm unsure if that ever was substantiated fully.

It should work ok.

[technostructural]

it was part of a plot perpetrated by Canadians masquerading as Texans

Sounds like Alberta to me.