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Oh woe is me

I don't want to spoil your day but, I have an 04 rocket it has done 78,000 miles and I've just worn out the 4th drive shaft. After the third my dealer started to remove and regrease the shaft at the 10,000 mile service and every time it had a new back rubber fitted. And although it has lasted longer than the others (they were replaced at 11,000, 22,000 and 33,000 miles) it has not kept it from going the same way as the others. Up to yet they have let me have the parts free of charge. But each time the bike is off the road for 5 or 6 weeks while the dealer and Triumph haggle, and I still have to pay labour. And this time round it broke down on the second day of a two week holiday. Needless to say that was the end of the holiday.

drive shaft splines

About 3 or 4 years ago a rocket owner in the UK posted a story on this forum about how he was in belgium on a long trip around europe. I can't remember his name. He got on his bike and found that he had no gears. If I remember correctly, his bike was towed back to his dealer in the uk and they found that all off the splines on the drives shaft were gone. This is when triumph found out that the splines needed greasing roughly every 10k miles and that you MUST use at least a 60% moly grease.(Honda moly 60) paste is the easiest and cheapest here in the states to find. It does NO GOOD to use anything but <60% moly. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the rocket was the first shaft drive bike that triumph produced and that is why there isn't anything in the service manual. My manual is from 06. I would think that a newer version would have something about lubing of the splines and the rear end. Once again, 60% moly must be used. Regular grease will not do the trick. I think I got on a dupont's web site and read about moly. After reading about it you will understand why >60% must be used. It's all about shear force and heat build up. Remember, the driveshaft slides in and out of the final drive every time the back wheel moves up or down. Jesse, you need to find some honda moly and re-lube your splines. Is it possible that honda carries the 60% moly because they have sold alot of shaft drive bike? If you go into a bmw dealer will you find moly paste for their bikes. Hope this helps. I checked my splines this year after only putting around 7k on my bike last year and they looked find. Still, I think 10k is a good interval to clean and re-lube both the splines and the final drive. I do mine every spring to be on the safe side.

Could it be because Triumph doesn't have a lot of experience with shaft drive?

JoseyR3Wales said:

Drill it and tap it, why not.

Click to expand...

Good thought but You may find there are underlying problems with punping molly grease into the d/shaft tube..

The oils seals lips each end face to the engine output bearing or the bevel box pinion shaft.. so any grease or metal swarf would be pushed from the shaft tube, thru' the oil seals as the seal lip would collapse open and push crap into either the g/box/engine or into the bevel box and you dont want any crap in either.. also there would be no way of knowing if the grease has got into the spline assemblies.

The only sure way is to strip and service or have the driveshaft immersed in oil needing more seals a filler and drain plug and a vent to release intenal pressure..

Sorry wasn't trying to put the idea down... JM2CW

Get a tube of Moly 60 Honda lube, $10 at most Honda dealerships. Clean splines on shaft and reapply every time you replace the rear tire. Regular automotive grease won't cut it. You need the high moly content for the constant contact that occurs in splines. Automotive grease has 3-5% moly. Honda moly 60 is 60% moly in a paste carrier. The molybdenum is doing the work not the grease carrier. Similar to the way graphite powder lubes

BTW, it's about a 20 minute job, so you guys were well and truly greased (and hosed) by your dealers!

shaft greasing

I recon you will have to regrease it at least every 5,000 miles. As I said in my earlyer post I did mine at the 10,000 mile service or when it had a new tyre fitted. and that still did not save it. I thought the idea of shaft drive that it was supposed to be low maintenance.

result

Just had word from dealer said Triumph will give me the parts as a good-will jesture. Then they going to look at my old parts to see what if anything the problem is. Must say I,m very greatfull that they are trying to sort it out want to keep the Rocket for a while yet.

anybody have pictures on how to do this?