Engine end driveshaft lube?

Koko3052

.040 Over
Joined
Jun 5, 2023
Messages
65
Location
Alberta Canada
Ride
'08 Rocket 3
I'm a newby to the rocket 3 & to Triumph in general, have been riding Harleys for near half a century. I recently purchased an '08 Classic that had no history from the seller. I did know enough to ask the seller when he had a new tire installed on the rear if the driveshaft splines were lubed.....he had no knowledge.
So the other day after a short ride I decided to change the oil in the bevel box. The drain & the filler plug were both very tight. I left it drain overnight as it was pretty dirty. The next day when I put in the drain plug I thought that I stripped the threads but actually broke the plug which led me to search with google & connected me to an online manual.While searching this manual it states that the motor end of the driveshaft doesn't need servicing. Not how can that be when I've gained enough info to know that at every rear tire change, the bevel box end of the driveshaft needs to be cleaned & lubed? To lube the engine end requires considerable work, which I will probably do this winter as I'm from Canada and we do have a bit of winter.
What is everyones opinion on that?
Thank you
 
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jake shaw said:
We come to the forum. There is a sealed universal joint at the engine end with no grease or oil nipple. the swing arm has to be removed to gain access.
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To the two that replied to my post & question, you have both only confirmed what I've read in the manual. My question is, how is the engine end of the driveshaft any different from requiring lube than the bevel box end? It has splines on that end also. Has anyone had a failure on that end from not being lubed as I've encountered a few posts where people had failures on the box end?
 
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stingray said:
I think because the bevel box end moves slightly in and out during swingarm arc needing lubrication. The u-joint end is fixed to the transmission output shaft.
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I would disagree with that statement as when cleaning the box end I could push & pull the driveshaft, I'm guessing about an inch, but will measure it before putting it back together. Also the manual shows a splined shaft protruding from the engine. I think that this is a poor design on the engine end as I would think that having it fixed on that end would be a cheaper manufacturing option and just lengthen the box end shaft & coupler. From an after sales maintenance point for labor it would also be cheaper. I would assume that the engine end splines would "fret" as much as the other end.
 
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mexican said:
You can lubricate the splines in the engine side, swing arm comes off, then pull the driveshaft.
There is a spring at the end of it, be careful not to lose it because it has to go back in.
seen it done plenty of times.
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I did that a couple of years ago when I changed the rear tire on my touring. When you pull the final drive gear box off and pull the drive shaft out, the u-joint will drop slightly near the engine. Use GOOD moly grease on the drive shaft splines and inside the wheel hub. It takes a bit of maneuvering to get the shaft back in to the u-joint, but it will go.

I just serviced the drive shaft on my Suzuki M50 and the gear box end of the shaft behind a grease seal was dry and rusty. Glad I looked at that. I'm not sure if the Rocket has that, but I'd check. If there is a seal and c-clip holding that in, you will need to get new ones if your take the old ones off.
I don't suppose the engine end of the shaft parts need servicing unless there's an obvious problem.
 
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stingray said:
I think because the bevel box end moves slightly in and out during swingarm arc needing lubrication. The u-joint end is fixed to the transmission output shaft.
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the drive shaft u joint end which requires No service has a female yoke that slides onto the output shaft, the output shaft has a seal that will go bad and leak oil, the female yoke of the drive shaft needs lube. I am referring to a 2300 as the title doesn’t specify so I cannot say this about 2500 model which i know you have. As i was posting @mexican and @Starmanut answered.
 

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I can see that you are man that craves knowledge so i will try to explain what i know.
The early rockets had a smaller pinion shaft so they wore out mostly from lack of lube.
My friend with an 05 (small spline) was wore out at 150,000 the driveshaft yoke was also worn but not as much as the final drive side.
Not much reported failure on the ujoint or yoke splines.
 
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