Drive Shaft Balance

[Crossrodes]

This afternoon I was cleaning up the drive shaft components getting them ready for re-insertion into the swing arm.  I noticed a couple of green dots on the thrust adaptor (that's the male fitting that interfaces with the part called the clutch bell housing (female fitting) on the parts diagram).  Usually these dots will indicate a balancing consideration...either the heavy side or the light side of the part.  I can't imagine that there would be any balancing consideration with the installation of  these parts.  

Does anyone have any idea what these green dots are all about?

[nhmaf]

I would expect that they may have been inspection dots - possibly for balance/weight distribution  but more likely that some operation, such as machining a surface or inspecting/measuring a clearance tolerance was done, and the dot color and/or number indicate the step was completed, or perhaps a "lot" or batch code?

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Paul Glaves wrote an excellent article on making sure that the "phase" of the drive shaft is correct.  This was in the BMW Owners News within the past year or so.  I'm afraid that I would do a poor job of explaining how to phase the u-joints although I did understand the concept.  Perhaps one of the more erudite of the illiteratii could explain this.  

Is it possible that the green dots were placed there by a previous owner to ensure the phase of the drive shaft is reinstalled correctly?

[Crossrodes]

I guess anything is possible.  Bengt I see in your profile that you have a Moto Guzzi.  I have heard that they have reliability issues...what's your take on them.  I really like the looks of those bikes.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

If you like the way they look you'll love the way they ride.  I've had zero reliability problems with my bike.  The consensus among the guzzistas seems to be finding a dealer that knows the brand and knows how to set them up.  I deal with Mike and Todd Havens at MPH Cycles in Houston for the most part.  Quality people with a national reputation.  

So many times I've heard people say they would buy a Guzzi but there doesn't seem to be much dealer support.  To that I would say you have at least as much dealer support with Guzzis as folks that ride airheads have.  So many 'authorized' BMW dealers don't/can't work on airheads any longer.  As a result an entire cottage industry has developed world wide to support airheads.  It's much the same with Guzzis.  You just have to find a mechanic/forum that you're comfortable with.  Go ahead and buy that Guzzi you've been lusting after.