Servicing drive shaft

[waynedudes]

Thought I would throw this out there. I have 94 GL1500SE, with CSC trike conversion. Bike has around 54,000 miles on it. It has been said that I should service the drive shaft. Because of the age of the bike. I do not have any symptoms of drive shaft failure. But to set my mind at ease I figured I should service the drive shaft.
Just wondering if anyone has any experience on how to do this on a trike? Just another winter project. Thanks in advance.

[DenverWinger]

I imagine you'll need to disconnect the shaft from the rear axle, the service points will be the other end of the shaft at the engine. These should still be original Bike parts.

You need to lube the splines of the driveshaft going into the U-joint at the transmission output shaft, and also the splines of the U-joint connection to transmission output shaft. Use the Honda 77% Moly Paste or minimum 60% Moly of other brand. OEM spec for lubing these splines calls for minimum 60% Moly.

As to the Trike axle end of the driveshaft, I imagine that will be another U-Joint which may or may not be serviceable. Depends on what sort of parts were used in the conversion. Look for a grease zerk in the U-Joint, it may or may not have one.

[newday777]

Thought I would throw this out there. I have 94 GL1500SE, with CSC trike conversion. Bike has around 54,000 miles on it. It has been said that I should service the drive shaft. Because of the age of the bike. I do not have any symptoms of drive shaft failure. But to set my mind at ease I figured I should service the drive shaft.
Just wondering if anyone has any experience on how to do this on a trike? Just another winter project. Thanks in advance.

Call CSC and ask them what they mean by servicing the driveshaft.

[newday777]

Thought I would throw this out there. I have 94 GL1500SE, with CSC trike conversion. Bike has around 54,000 miles on it. It has been said that I should service the drive shaft. Because of the age of the bike. I do not have any symptoms of drive shaft failure. But to set my mind at ease I figured I should service the drive shaft.
Just wondering if anyone has any experience on how to do this on a trike? Just another winter project. Thanks in advance.

Call CSC and ask them what they mean by servicing the driveshaft.

Or did you get the "It has been said that I should service the drive shaft" from someone referring to a 2 wheeler?

[waynedudes]

I am talking about removing the drive shaft and replacing the u joint with a new joint. I thought I might find someone that has replaced their drive shaft. Just looking for information. But after looking at it, does not to appear very difficult. Looks like I will just need to move the real axle back, or to the side for clearance. A Winter project.

[newday777]

I am talking about removing the drive shaft and replacing the u joint with a new joint. I thought I might find someone that has replaced their drive shaft. Just looking for information. But after looking at it, does not to appear very difficult. Looks like I will just need to move the real axle back, or to the side for clearance. A Winter project.

I have worked at a trike shop some doing trike conversions, I don't know that you'll be able to find just the ujoint to replace it like on a car. Some of the trike companies took the take off driveshaft as a core to use the ujoint. I haven't worked on that old a wing conversion to know if the yoke and ujoint slides off the driveshaft like the stock 2 wheeler 1500 does with the splines to slide in and out on the driveshaft so you'll have to investigate that further. If it does then you can order a new yoke from honda(part #1 in the link below).
Do you know what year the bike was converted to a trike?




https://www.hondaparts-direct.com/oempa ... 749484d0/y

[WingAdmin]

You can definitely replace just the universal joint: How to replace your universal joint (and driveshaft)

[newday777]

You can definitely replace just the universal joint: How to replace your universal joint (and driveshaft)

That is the ujoint part number in the link I posted from a 97.

But....... Some trike driveshafts don't have the slide off yoke/ujoint unit as the 2 wheel 1500s have to be able to easily replace the ujoint.

[newday777]

I am talking about removing the drive shaft and replacing the u joint with a new joint. I thought I might find someone that has replaced their drive shaft. Just looking for information. But after looking at it, does not to appear very difficult. Looks like I will just need to move the real axle back, or to the side for clearance. A Winter project.

You should just have to unbolt the driveshaft from the rear end yoke and slide the driveshaft forward to drop the driveshaft out, not move the rear end as you said.

[waynedudes]

Not sure what year the bike was converted to a trike? It is the old style CSC trike conversion with a straight axle. The front of the drive shaft that connects to the tranny, looks like it should just slide off of the spline. The other end that connects to the rear end. Looks just like any older U Joint that would be on a car. Still has grease fittings!

After looking at the trike drive shaft, and also how to replace a drive shaft on a two wheeler. I believe it will be easier to replace my drive shaft than it would be if it were a two wheeler? We will see after I try to remove it... Wishful thinking.