Shaft drive newb question

[Guest]

I just picked up a '79 GS850G last weekend and ran across an '81 GS850G in a parts yard today with the final drive ready to unbolt. Once I had it off there was about 1/8in of slop total when I turned the input by hand. Does this sound okay? I can proably get it cheap since this is mostly a car yard and they have a few bikes and mowers etc off to the side. Should I get the driveshaft too and if so what do I need to pull it?

FYI there is also a Pacifica fairing in good shape minus the windscreen mounted on this bike, located at Gary's U-Pull-it in Binghamton, NY.

/\/\ac

[Dave8338]

Sounds about right as far as the play is concerned, maybe a little more slop than new but I've seen worse. Not sure of the year cutoff but somewhere around 78-81 (I think) they changed the metal composition of the splines and not for the better.

[TheCafeKid]

Mid model year of 81 they switched over...

Though the NEW splines you can get (they still use this same drive design in a few of their current shaft drives) are GOOD. mid 81 and on STOCKERS are trash. I blew thru 2 of them in less than 10K miles.. 79 and 80 units are fine. Can be had on Ebay as well...

[doctorgonzo]

I assume I have a mid-year 81 because I have the old style splines. 30K on them, and no visible wear.

[TheCafeKid]

I assume I have a mid-year 81 because I have the old style splines. 30K on them, and no visible wear.

The old splines, the "good" ones, are black...the bad ones are a goldish colour. the NEW ones are supposedly silver.

[doctorgonzo]

Hmmmm....... mine are not black, closer to silver than gold... maybe replaced at some point by PO and I didn't know it.

[Macmatic]

Huh. I THINK this had more goldish splines but I didn't look at them that closely other than to make sure they were not chewed. They were dark but not BLACK I don't think. Are the gold ones "gold paint gold" or blackish gold?

How about the drive shaft, should I get that? Do I need snap ring pliers or something to pull it? I'm away from home right now and have a fair number of tools but not the whole shop.... and this computer is really, really slow for downloading manuals.

/\/\ac

[doctorgonzo]

The drive shaft, once unbolted from the engine, just slides out. It's not secured at the wheel end, just slips into place.

[Macmatic]

So is that the six or eight bolts going into the case or is their a pinch bolt? I guess I'll just look and see, I'm sure I've got the wrenches for that.

Maybe I'll pop the head off and get that too if the cam journals look good.

Thanks!
/\/\ac

[doctorgonzo]

Shaft comes out of case ending in a plate with 4 bolts. That plate bolts to a plate on the engine end of the shaft.

[TheCafeKid]

Huh. I THINK this had more goldish splines but I didn't look at them that closely other than to make sure they were not chewed. They were dark but not BLACK I don't think. Are the gold ones "gold paint gold" or blackish gold?

How about the drive shaft, should I get that? Do I need snap ring pliers or something to pull it? I'm away from home right now and have a fair number of tools but not the whole shop.... and this computer is really, really slow for downloading manuals.

/\/\ac

If you clean the grease off of them, they will have that gold annodized look you see on hardened bolts from the hardware store... shiney metalic gold, with sort of a rainbow hue in the light...

[Macmatic]

If you clean the grease off of them, they will have that gold annodized look you see on hardened bolts from the hardware store... shiney metalic gold, with sort of a rainbow hue in the light...

Thanks, I'm going to guess they are gold but we'll see when I take a rag to them and get a better look at the splines.

/\/\ac

[TheCafeKid]

Thanks, I'm going to guess they are gold but we'll see when I take a rag to them and get a better look at the splines.

/\/\ac

If they are gold, dont waste your time, and replace them ASAP. It WILL eventually leave you stranded somewhere.

[Dave8338]

If you clean the grease off of them, they will have that gold annodized look you see on hardened bolts from the hardware store... shiney metalic gold, with sort of a rainbow hue in the light...

The color of fall leaves, as they rustle in the Autumn breeze. The smell of harvest well under way. Hoppers bulging, augers blazing... Oh wait, wrong fourm!

[Steve]

The drive shaft, once unbolted from the engine, just slides out. It's not secured at the wheel end, just slips into place.

So is that the six or eight bolts going into the case or is their a pinch bolt?

Shaft comes out of case ending in a plate with 4 bolts. That plate bolts to a plate on the engine end of the shaft.

If I recall correctly, you have to remove the swing arm and pull the shaft out the front end of it.

.