Re: Spline Lube

[Bob Hadden <kbhadden@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,  The drive shaft in a rear wheel ddrive car has a spline where 
it enters the transmission.  They are typically about 6 inches long and 
most certainly do move with the action of the rear suspension.  In BMW 
cars, they usually have a two piece drive shaft with a center bearing 
under the floor of the car.  Additionally, in manual transmission cars, 
there is a spline for the clutch, just like on our bikes.  Every one I 
have ever taken apart was dry.  This was, for me anyway, the reason I 
replaced components.  The clutch got so hard to work that the cable 
would snap, or the clutch would refuse to operate (in the case of 
hydraulic linkage).  I never had ruined splines, but while the thing 
was apart, I would replace the clutch parts.

On the new GS, if you look at the pictures at the front of the drive 
shaft, you will see a bellows type of boot.  Guess what is inside?  I 
think I know, but only time will tell.  You need a spline here, if only 
to allow for expansion.

Bob Hadden '98RS

On Feb 26, 2004, at 12:10 PM, Steve Makohin wrote:

> It's different in car vs motorcycle: the BMW Paralever design is such
> that the pivot point is designed in a way that necessitates the
> elongating and shortening of the drive shaft, and therefore requires a
> spline. My understanding is that this does not occur in a car which 
> has a
> fixed-length drive shaft and universal joints connecting the bits
> together.
>
> The good news, assuming that the new GS is painting a picture of things
> to come, is that BMW redesigned the Paralever with a pivot point that 
> is
> colocated with the rear universal joint, and therefore does not 
> require a
> spline (and it loses some weight, too).
>
> -Steve
>
>  Oakville, Ontario, Canada
>  2000 R1100S/ABS, Mandarin

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