In this video, Chris Harris installs the drive shaft first and then the swing arm.

https://youtu.be/EKfD76cF8bk?t=1481

However, the Haynes and Clymer books instruct you to do it the other way around. So, which one is the way you guys follow?  TIA!

Personally, for me it's six of one and half dozen of the other.  I've done it both ways but prefer having the swing arm in place first.

When I do the annual spline lube on my bikes, I just remove the final drive and pull the drive shaft.  I use Vise Grips clamped on the end of the shaft to pull it out.  Putting it back, I slide the drive shaft into the swing arm and line up the splines onto the transmission output shaft, then drive it home with a rubber mallet until the clamp ring locks onto the output shaft.

If I'm not mistaken, Chris Harris has also removed and reinstalled the drive shaft while leaving the swing arm in place.

I always take the swingarm off, then I can inspect the splines and other hidden things, also adjust the bearings again when I place the arm back.

Arlina wrote:Also adjust the bearings again when I place the arm back.

What do you mean with adjust the bearing? Replace them if they are not rotating freely?

The swingarm pivot on the right side of the bike (the one with three small allen-headed bolts) WILL seize if it isn't pulled and greased. The one on the left isn't so prone to seizing but it can still corrode on quite badly. If the right-side one is corroded in, it will take a lot of patience and penetrating oil (NOT WD-40 or similar) to remove it. I had one that was so bad it didn't finally give up until attacked with an 18" pipe wrench. The pivot is still in use  

To answer your original question: if the swingarm and the shaft are off, I always put the shaft back on first so that I can be sure it is locked in place. There's enough clearance at the bevel drive to allow you to twist it about a bit to slide into the driveshaft.

bmwk100rs wrote:

Arlina wrote:Also adjust the bearings again when I place the arm back.

What do you mean with adjust the bearing? Replace them if they are not rotating freely?

The pivot on the right is fixed, the pivot on the left is to adjust the bearings of the swingarm.
There is a torq setting for, altough I never use that (feeling).
That is because some idiots use Loctite, the leftovers from it work against the low torq setting, wich make the pivot too loose.

Arlina wrote:The pivot on the right is fixed, the pivot on the left is to adjust the bearings of the swingarm.

Gotcha. Thanks Arlina for the clarification.  Do you also check that the bearings are fully packed with clean grease?  If so, then what kind of grease/lube do you use on those bearings?

Ofcourse.... No half job  
Every bearing grease is good, no special shit needed.

I think you're having two different conversations.

- any bearing grease will do for the swingarm pivots
- the bearings in the swingarm are the 2RS type (fully sealed), so there's no regreasing involved.

Dai wrote:I think you're having two different conversations.

- any bearing grease will do for the swingarm pivots
- the bearings in the swingarm are the 2RS type (fully sealed), so there's no regreasing involved.

Yeah, I was confused about what they were talking about because I have sealed bearings on the swing arm pivots and never greased them.  The retainers are given a wipe of anti-seize as a rust preventative  just to make disassembly easier.

Dai & Point-Seven-five,

Thanks for the clarification. Besides the pivots, I wanted to know if I also had to remove the black plastics dust cover, add grease, and place it back (see arrows below). It seems that it's not necessary since they are 2RS type beatings, correct?

Both bearing rotate freely and I know a special tool or a slide hammer is needed to remove them.  However, they have a small play if I gently try to pull them out of the swing arm casting. They come off ~1-2mm out of the swing arm.  Is that normal?
 

bmwk100rs wrote:Thanks for the clarification. Besides the pivots, I wanted to know if I also had to remove the black plastics dust cover, add grease, and place it back.
However, they have a small play if I gently try to pull them out of the swing arm casting. They come off ~1-2mm out of the swing arm.

What you'll see if you remove the "dust cover" is likely to be what is in the left-side image below. It's the seal of the sealed bearing. The photo is from Max BMW's parts fiche.

The play you've encountered is some of what the adjustable pivot adjusts when it's adjusted.

Laitch wrote:What you'll see if you remove the "dust cover" is likely to be what is in the left-side image below. It's the seal of the sealed bearing.

The play you've encountered is some of what the adjustable pivot adjusts when it's adjusted.

Got it. Thanks a lot Laitch!

The play is taken out when you install the swing arm pivot pins.  First is the right side with the three 6mm screws.  Tighten them to 6 or 7 foot pounds.

Then the left side is installed.  Tighten the adjustable pivot pin with an Allen key to 5.5 foot pounds and then tighten the lock nut to 30 foot pounds while holding the pivot pin with the Allen wrench.  I cheat by giving the lock nut a good tweek with an open end wrench/spanner while holding the pivot pin, and then following up with the final tightening with a socket and a torque wrench.

Just for clarification, before you all have the idea I drink too much wine  

The original bearings are sealed, I only check if they run smooth or feel dry, sits well in the housing, etc....

Sometimes I face an old K wich had the bearings replaced, but not the originals wich BMW uses.
They have 1 sealcap, behind it can see the rolls.

Once I found a ballbearing   on only the right side...... (replaced both bearings to make sure bike is good again )

It's easy to see how bmwk100rs took to a trip to the weeds, especially if b had read threads like this one, this one and this one. Context is everything, especially when inexperience and trust issues are involved.  Clarity came through in this thread though. 

I followed all the steps and sequence to install the swing arm and the only resistance it seems to be from the rubber boot. Is the space gap between the left vs the right bearings within spec?

bmwk100rs wrote:Is the space gap between the left vs the right bearings within spec?

The right side gap is fixed. The left-side gap and pin length make adjustment possible. The only "spec" is the left-side torque value. Attached is a photo of the left-side gap of my pristine Brick's swing arm. I couldn't ask for a more comfortable and responsive moon rover for navigating the gravel wastelands we call town roads here.

Laitch wrote:The right side gap is fixed. The left-side gap and pin length make adjustment possible. The only "spec" is the left-side torque value.

Gotcha.Thanks Laitch!  Lubed shaft and final drive are now installed.