Hey all, I have been trawling through the history of spline related topics on here before I post this I promise!

just after a few opinions really....

just picked up a new project. K100 1987, 22,000 miles.

Have taken of the FD, you can see the splines have been used but in pretty good nick, still some grease around but looked pretty hard.

Pulled the drive shaft out - broken spring clip that holds the universal joint in place and some grease blobbed about suggests someone may have been in here before (new clip on order). Female splines on UJ appear very good, which is nice.

Something  things struck me as a little odd. the front part of the UJ was a slightly different colour to the rear. It all looks undamaged and original but would this suggest a replacement? or just different batches from new? Also, the UJ had an odd "feeling" to it. Like it was freer in the straight ahead position and more resistant as you bent it. not rough, or tight, just like it has either worn a bit freer in the position it sits in normally or that it is supposed to be like that to help keep the thing straight when re-assembling ...?

Finally, what's the opinions on digging a bit deeper to do the clutch splines? I am tempted to go a bit deeper but I also reeeally want to get on the road! 22K miles...?

I read on here about splitting at the bellhousing using longer bolts to get in. I take it I'd need to undo the rear frame mounts to achieve that? much else?

Thanks all in advance and apologies if its all been covered 1000 times before

Do the splines and go for a ride.
See how it feels.
Get it nice and warm before you go pulling off the gearbox.
If it is going to leak it will do it then.
Save you wasting your time doing it twice.
Unless of course you want to pull the gearbox off.

And welcome to the forum

Bear in mind Johnser it's the age of the grease not the mileage that will determine it's condition. We can all relate to the urge to get out and ride but it will nag at the back of your mind until you do itif you pass on it now. Ask me how I know

88

Hi Johnser,

I am new to both this forum and to K bikes, so I thought I would pass on my experience, as a novice.

I took my bike for several rides before I pulled it apart.  It helped point the items to me that needed most attention.  The first was the suspension, the second was an oil leak and the third was the clutch.

It can be hard to know what a foreign bike is meant to feel like, but I felt that the gearbox was clunky and awkward to change gears, especially downshifts.  Changing the gear oil, didn’t improve the situation, so I thought it might be the clutch splines.

Having decided that I needed to check the clutch splines, I did a bit of reading and found the Chris Harris videos on youtube useful.

The further I investigated, the more I found that the clutch and splines had been neglected.  While it seems the rear splines had been lubed, the clutch splines had been ignored.  Presumably because they’re harder to get at.

As for the pins, in the crankcase, I think the idea is to not let the gearbox drop, so the clutch actuation rod doesn’t get bent.  This is long skinny rod which runs through the centre of the input shaft.  Once the bolts have been removed the gearbox needs to be supported after it comes off the dowel pins.  Rather than making special bolt-on pins, I just used a trolley jack and wheeled it backwards, until everything was clear.

It helps to have an extra pair of hands.  I had some willing help from my teenage son.  This, of course, is my experience.  Can’t guarantee that every case is the same.

Thanks for all the replies.

I ended up pulling the gearbox back. not too difficult with the bike as dismantled as it is and splines in decent enough nick and not totally dry.

... seems a fairly involved procedure for what my haynes manual recommends is a yearly activity though!

cheers

How can an almost 30 year old vehicle only have 22K miles on it.

RobinW wrote:How can an almost 30 year old vehicle only have 22K miles on it.

All seems pretty original. lots of paperwork, 4 Previous owners, og toolkit and handbook, matching keys e.t.c.

Its not that odd - especially in the UK where distances are pretty small. may have only ever been used as a summer toy and parked up for long periods...

.. its not in that great a condition though, looks like it has had a spell as a daily commuter for someone. I've had to clean up and repaint the stands and rear frame as quite rusty. the frame up front is pretty rusty too, but that will have to do with a paint of waxoyl for now until such a time comes to remove the engine.

hopefully it'll do for me for a while