transmission spline lube

[Bill Conquest]

I'm getting ready to do my first spline lube & am looking for any words of wisdom from everyone.I've read snobums article about 10 times & have all the parts gathered,I think. Do I need to remove the throwout bearing arm? (79'r65).Any ideas would help! Thanks, bill conquest

[Chris_in_BC]

. Do I need to remove the throwout bearing arm? (79'r65).t

Can't tell whether you are doing it properly or half assed, just pulling it back and greasing it.

If removing box completely for cleaning and re-grease.
Answer is Yes.  and bearing etc.Because you need to be able to pull the clutch pushrod out approx. level with back of gearbox. This stops it hanging out the front of the input shaft where it will hang up as you try to remove the gearbox.  Also you can't move box back far enough to clear the stud on top right of engine.

Undo 4 driveshaft bolts  FIRST, before you do anything else. This is because you can put bike in gear and hold down rear brake to allow you to undo bolts. Once you have taken off rear wheel or undone swingarm, you no longer have any leverage.

Basically remove rear wheel/ swingarm completely or fiddle around undoing shock mounts and pannier bag mounts to enable the swing arm to be pulled backwards. ( I find it easier to just remove everything)
Remove battery and battery box. Remove carbs and rest up on top of cylinders. Remove aircleaner housing. Remove clutch actuator arm etc. Undo gearbox bolts. Slip it back and disconnect neutral switch. Lift out to the left side. Do your stuff, then the reverse.

If just pulling it back to grease, think you will still have to remove the clutch actuator arm to get gearbox back enough. Remove carbs, airbox, battery/ battery box.  But you could leave drive shaft connected, undo swingarm, brake rod, shock mounts, pull whole assembly back and tie to rear fender. Remove gearbox bolts, pull box back as far as possible and grease splines with a toothbrush or similar.

[nhmaf]

I'd recommend pulling the transmission all the way out especially if this is the first time that you've done
this on your bike, that way you can get a good look at the state of things in there, and do a more
thorough job of cleaning.   If things check out well, you can do a good job of cleaning and set a baseline
for the future times you have to poke around in there - I'd recommend taking a couple digital photos.

I would also recommend the driveshaft bolt disconnect/swingarm pin removal/detach rear brake rod/
loosen rear shock absorber to pull back the swingarm approach.   You will have to remove the
clutch actuating arm from the back of the tranny next - you don't want to break or bend that arm, and you
also stand a chance of hooking it on something and dropping the transmission in a way to break off the mounting
boss for the arm - very expensive to fix.    When you unbolt the transmission and try to pull it out of the frame,
you will find that you'll need to slide the pushrod back into the transmission so the tip will clear the back of the clutch hub spline.
BE careful - don't  bend or bugger up the tip of that pushrod shaft or you'll be sorry !   The way to get enough "clearance to
slide the rod back far enough is to remove the rubber boot, and spring from the back of the tranny.  Put your hand back there
to catch the piston and bearing when they fall out the back side while you slide the pushrod back into the tranny from the input shaft end.

I found it easier when putting the transmission back in to reverse these steps - align and bolt up the transmission with the pushrod installed, but
leave the bearing,piston. spring and rubber boot off the back of the transmission until you have it bolted in place - it is easy enough to
put those in at the back afterwards and it leaves you more clearance for hands, feet, or whatever you need to use to hold the tranny in place
while you connect up the neutral switch on the bottom (before you bolt the transmission to the engine case).

This is what worked best for me, anyway...
 

[Ed Miller]

You need to clean and regrease the roller bearing in that clutch actuating arm anyway, and that's easy to do with it removed.  I don't know what type yours is, but on my  bike all I have to do is loosen the nut and bolt that hold it in place, and slide it out.  

On reassembly I like to fit the throwout bearing, the spring, and the rubber boot, then install the actuating lever so it pushes the rest into place.  That makes it easy for me to install the rubber boot hose clamp.  If I don't do it that way, the spring keeps pushing the rubber boot off before I can install the clamp.  

I guess Chris has probably only done this job about 6 times on Arlie's R65, if they've had it from new.

[Bill Conquest]

Wow! Thanks, guys for the great descriptions - guess i'll do the full job & not the slide it back & reach in idea. I'm having a tough time seeing how to undo the throw out bearing arm. It's a '79 r65 -the throw out piece has a grease fitting in the middle with a pin thru. Can't see a circlip anywhere, it's not a bolt w/ nut.Maybe i'm not seeing it but where would the circlip be? Thanks for the help.It's all a learning expierence! bill conquest

[Semper Gumby]

The circlip is on the end of the shaft the clutch lever arm pivots on.  There is a groove that the circlip fits into.  If its not there then go get one.  The grease fitting is just to put grease in the boot on the end of the throwout shaft between it and the clutch actuating lever.  The throwout bearing is actually underneathall that external stuff about 1/2" inside (forward) of what you are looking at.  Some people exchange the circlip and pivot pin for a bolt with a nylock nut (but not me - mine works just fine)    There is a square o-ring on the piston that sits on top of the throwout bearing.  If you see oil running down the back of your tranny you might want to replace  this ring.  Its probably original.  I think the book says to grease the throwout bearing but most of us just put some gear oil on it and make a habit of doing this every time we do the spline lube.  Look for wear and scorring on the rollers/surface of the piston.  Replace the rollers and sand the surface (400-600 fine grit) of the piston (?) if you see any.  Some throwout bearings have ball bearings (?).  I have not seen one.  I may try greasing this bearing next time I'm in there.  Clear as mud right?

Good luck.

[Chris_in_BC]

The circlip is on the end of the shaft the clutch lever arm pivots on.  There is a groove that the circlip fits into.  If its not there then go get one. .

Semper's writeup is good. The circlip is 'on the shaft the clutch lever pivots on' , BUT it is BETWEEN the bottom of the clutch lever and the bottom lug on the back of the gearbox. Generally it is covered in crap, but you can get in there with a small screwdriver. Quite often needs two, as the circlip wants to keep revolving around the shaft.

And if the circlip is not there, your pin would have fallen out long ago, which is I guess why in '81 they went to a bolt. But I do wish they hadn't got cheap and dropped the grease nipple.

My '78 is so much nicer with a grease nipple on clutch, gear shift, side stand and brake pedal. But the accountants said, 'four grease nipples times  X number of bikes, look at the profit!'