Re: New guy message..

["David E.B. Smith" <davidebsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 12/7/03 9:10 AM, Michael D. Ash wrote:
> Re: New guy message..
> 
> The splines mentioned are the clutch splines at the transmission input 
> shaft.  The general consensus is that they should be lubed every 30,000 
> miles.  

With all due respect, I don't think any consensus would say that at all. 
On the K-bikes, the factory spline lube interval was 40,000 miles. 
Nothing about the Oilhead splines makes them need to be lubed any *more* 
frequently than the K-bike splines; if anything, they appear to be 
*more* robustly designed than the K-bike splines. The range of Oilhead 
spline lube interval recommendations that I've seen ranges from a very 
conservative 50,000 miles (from 2 people who had splines fail at 100K 
miles) to a realistic "wait until you replace the clutch and do it then" 
(which could be 100K-200K miles).

Lubing the clutch splines requires removing the entire bike behind the 
engine. Oilhead clutch spline failures are rare. If you lube the splines 
every 30K, you'll probably spend more money than if you risk the small 
odds of a spline failure before 120K.

- -- 
David E.B. Smith * Chicago IL 393 455 * BMWMOA BMWRA IBA AMA ABATE
1997 R1100RT Sine(us) Blue "No name" * Illinois IBMWR plate * 01, 03 IBR
1999 F650 Black (hers - no, really)
1999 Subaru Forester S "also a Boxer"
http://www.davidebsmith.org

------------------------------