swing arm and drive shaft

cndfireman · 04-14-2010, 03:44 PM

I have a 03 1500 bought it last year. The bike now has 70,000 km which is roughly 3500 miles. I think i need chain tensioner extenders replaced but was wondering when should the swing arm be lubed and also what sort of maint. is required for the rear shaft?

**ringadingh** · 04-14-2010, 03:52 PM

If your not certain if the swingarm and driveshaft have been serviced, Id take it apart and check it over regardless. If everything is still in good shape just add new grease and put it back together. You can check the chain tensioners to see if your out of adjustment or not.
There are great instructions on how to do all this stuff on Gadgets Fixit sight.

ndbigfish · 04-14-2010, 09:16 PM

I'm confused on the kilometers to miles conversion thing. I thought 70,000 km was about 43 miles or is it 43,000. ???
If it is 43 miles then no worries, if its 43,000 miles then.....

If you have no history of the bike, you need to inspect things that pivot, slide or rotate. Start to gather information about servicing the swing arm and lubricating the drive shaft splines. These two are best serviced at the same time. The final drive might need some attention also.

The rear tensioner is accessible for inspection by removing the exhaust pipe header. Be careful with the springs in the tensioner. 7 years old; the clutch and brake fluids could need changed also. A good service manual would be a valuable resource as is Gadget's Fixit Page.

AlabamaNomadRider · 04-14-2010, 11:11 PM

Kilometers to miles confuses me also. I would think 70,000 kilometers would be at least 40,000 to 50,000 miles. I would definitely check everything out. At each oil change be sure and change out the rear drive 90W oil. You will need to remove the left saddlebag to do this.

cyclecat · 04-15-2010, 07:58 AM

Times kilometers by .62 to get miles.

70,000 X .62 = 43,400 miles.

**ringadingh** · 04-15-2010, 08:13 AM

When I got my bike it had almost 28,000 miles on it. Since I didn't have the service history for the bike I went ahead and did everything anyways. That way you know what kind of shape things are in.

recumbentbob · 04-15-2010, 08:20 AM

Is it possible to remove the swing arm bolt without taking the exhaust off at the head ??

trosco · 04-15-2010, 08:39 AM

Nope, rear pipe has to come off.

recumbentbob · 04-15-2010, 09:15 AM

Darn, I ordered seals but forgot to order the exhaust gasket for the head.

trosco · 04-15-2010, 09:24 AM

check at your local HD dealer, they use the same gasket and are usually cheaper, or iif you got a little shop somewhere close that does HD work he'll have them even cheaper probably.

ponch · 04-15-2010, 10:47 AM

May be aftermarket exhausts don't. I am not sure. Factory, absolutely. I bought the gasket from the HD dealer. It wasn't much and I think it comes in pairs so you have one for the next time. It was less than $10. I always kid the HD guys that my rice burner has some HD in it. Gadget has the PN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trosco

Nope, rear pipe has to come off.

macmac · 04-15-2010, 11:49 AM

Well yes you can pull the long bolt, but then you need to work on the swingarm and so need to pull the bags and the bags frames and then you can't let that much exhaust hang free...

So the exhaust needs to come down pretty much. Breaking an exhaust studd will really ruin yer day. That could happen easy with a coat tail, or loosing a bit of ballance...

04-14-2010, 03:44 PM	#1
cndfireman Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: long sault ontario Posts: 113	swing arm and drive shaft I have a 03 1500 bought it last year. The bike now has 70,000 km which is roughly 3500 miles. I think i need chain tensioner extenders replaced but was wondering when should the swing arm be lubed and also what sort of maint. is required for the rear shaft? Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-14-2010, 03:52 PM	#2
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	swing arm and drive shaft If your not certain if the swingarm and driveshaft have been serviced, Id take it apart and check it over regardless. If everything is still in good shape just add new grease and put it back together. You can check the chain tensioners to see if your out of adjustment or not. There are great instructions on how to do all this stuff on Gadgets Fixit sight. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

04-14-2010, 09:16 PM	#3
ndbigfish Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Braunfels, Texas Posts: 1,162	swing arm and drive shaft I'm confused on the kilometers to miles conversion thing. I thought 70,000 km was about 43 miles or is it 43,000. ??? If it is 43 miles then no worries, if its 43,000 miles then..... If you have no history of the bike, you need to inspect things that pivot, slide or rotate. Start to gather information about servicing the swing arm and lubricating the drive shaft splines. These two are best serviced at the same time. The final drive might need some attention also. The rear tensioner is accessible for inspection by removing the exhaust pipe header. Be careful with the springs in the tensioner. 7 years old; the clutch and brake fluids could need changed also. A good service manual would be a valuable resource as is Gadget's Fixit Page. __________________ Brik VBA #1047 07 Electra Glide Ultra (43,300 & counting) 03 Nomad - 37,972 (traded 5/6/13) 99 Nomad - Only a memory since 4/27/13
	0

04-14-2010, 11:11 PM	#4
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	swing arm and drive shaft Kilometers to miles confuses me also. I would think 70,000 kilometers would be at least 40,000 to 50,000 miles. I would definitely check everything out. At each oil change be sure and change out the rear drive 90W oil. You will need to remove the left saddlebag to do this. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

04-15-2010, 07:58 AM	#5
cyclecat Advanced Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Magrath, Alberta Posts: 648	swing arm and drive shaft Times kilometers by .62 to get miles. 70,000 X .62 = 43,400 miles. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-15-2010, 08:13 AM	#6
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	swing arm and drive shaft When I got my bike it had almost 28,000 miles on it. Since I didn't have the service history for the bike I went ahead and did everything anyways. That way you know what kind of shape things are in. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

04-15-2010, 08:20 AM	#7
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	swing arm and drive shaft Is it possible to remove the swing arm bolt without taking the exhaust off at the head ?? __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
	0

04-15-2010, 08:39 AM	#8
trosco Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,464	swing arm and drive shaft Nope, rear pipe has to come off. __________________ trosco: just call me Ross 2007 Black & Titanium Nomad (Nomad made 65K but got replaced 2014) 2010 Titanium Goldwing 2014 KLR 650 New Edition
	0

04-15-2010, 09:15 AM	#9
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	swing arm and drive shaft Darn, I ordered seals but forgot to order the exhaust gasket for the head. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
	0

04-15-2010, 09:24 AM	#10
trosco Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,464	swing arm and drive shaft check at your local HD dealer, they use the same gasket and are usually cheaper, or iif you got a little shop somewhere close that does HD work he'll have them even cheaper probably. __________________ trosco: just call me Ross 2007 Black & Titanium Nomad (Nomad made 65K but got replaced 2014) 2010 Titanium Goldwing 2014 KLR 650 New Edition
	0

04-15-2010, 11:49 AM	#12
macmac Sr. Contributor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Tamworth New Hampster 06 1600 Posts: 12,484	swing arm and drive shaft Well yes you can pull the long bolt, but then you need to work on the swingarm and so need to pull the bags and the bags frames and then you can't let that much exhaust hang free... So the exhaust needs to come down pretty much. Breaking an exhaust studd will really ruin yer day. That could happen easy with a coat tail, or loosing a bit of ballance... __________________ 06 1600 Nomad Just call me Mac molon labe come and get it
	0

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Swing arm and drive shaft maintenance Update	desertdog	1500 & 1600 Nomad	48	12-17-2015 09:20 AM
Help with grease: swing arm (&drive shaft)	blackdogbrian	1500 & 1600 Nomad	12	12-10-2015 06:34 PM
Moved: Help with grease: swing arm (&drive shaft)	blackdogbrian	Vulcan Nomad/Vaquero/Voyager	0	08-09-2011 05:54 AM
Swing Arm/Drive Shaft DONE DONE DONE	ballast	1500 & 1600 Nomad	23	02-21-2011 10:52 PM
Lubed swing arm and drive shaft		Vulcan Nomad/Vaquero/Voyager	2	03-30-2008 09:07 AM