[StreamRider]

We’ll, it’s time for v2.0 of my epic eastern tour! It’s 4 weeks beforehand, and i plan to really stick to the “Do nothing more to the bike for 2 weeks before a trip rule”😆. I’ve got a new rear tire already in the garage and even though my Angel GT front has 2.5mm left on the treads (of the 3.5 when new), I’m likely gonna swap it for a new one and finish it off later. I’m gonna do the oil/filter for sure…maybe clean the air filter if needed, and do the diff oil just to be nice. If brakes are needed I’ll do them too. My question is, should i bother with trying to grease the u-joint, if I’ve never attempted that before, while I’m dealing with the rear end, or could things potentially go awry with that job? Same with brake fluids, which I’ve never done the FULL way. I’m going to wait till after to check valves for sure…around 40k. It’s been running amazing.

I just did my entire drive including the U-joint, rear swing arm pivots and diff fluid for the first time following Mark Johnson's site. It was very straightforward and easy if you are into the work, don't be afraid of it. Lot's of cardboard, q-tips, bluecloths and WD-40 and you are good to go.

 

[StreamRider]

do you have a link to Mark Johnson's site?

Oh you know I do!!!

Mark Johnson's FJR Site (C) 1995-Present

Welcome to FJR-Tips.org. A Site Dedicated to Motorcycles and Other Things

www.fjr-tips.org

 

[StreamRider]

@AtlRiderrr If you are interested I took some pictures of mine and expressed some thought's when I did mine at about 58k IIRC. Relatively sure it had either never been done or only done early on after the break in period. After seeing what I saw, I will be taking Mark's standpoint and at lease checking the moly every rear tire change. Considering I run darkside I may have to just resort to 5-8k and making sure it is where it needs to be and slap the wheel back on. It is easily done in one afternoon and is the main power delivery system so why not take the time.

IT’S NOT A TICKAH!

The amount of grimey sandpaper “splooge” that came out of this gasket was shameful.

www.fjrowners.com

 

[StreamRider]

Given my luck so far this weekend, I’m not sure if I’m gonna attempt to break it open before the trip.

I mean it isn't going to kill the thing. You saw the pics in that thread so you can guess how far gone it can be and still work. Mine does run like a top though after doing it.

 

[StreamRider]

I noticed in the article that he mentions the rear splines are actually lubricated by the gear oil, so i feel like i can just leave that one alone. When you remove the acorn bolts can you keep the pumpkin attached to the shaft in the back without pulling it out. The front one scares me a little..lol. I feel like something is gonna happen 2 weeks before the trip…lol

You can remove the whole drive shaft and rear "pumpkin" as one unit as long as you don't go full Paul Bunyon and yank it out hard. After you remove the wheel and the 4 bolts you just kinda gently jiggle the whole thing and pull slightly and it will slide out easy-peasy. When I did mine I didn't even mess with the final drive splines other then to shove some moly in the small space between the retaining clip and the gasket that holds the oil in. I just wanted to make sure the rubber didn't dry out. The job is really easy, have confidence it is really straight forward.

 

[StreamRider]

Also you are rocking a GEN 2 and I think the U-Joint is easer to finagle out of its "spot" on the engine splines. I had to make a couple of my fingers bend in ways they didn't like even with both dust covers off but in all seriousness it's as easy as pulling Lego's apart, spreading some moly and then putting them back. It's super simple.

 

[StreamRider]

I have a Gen III. Pretty sure the 15’ is a Gen III but i could be wrong.

So once you remove that footpeg cover thing with 5 or so bolts…and the dust covers. The shaft with the u joint just kinda pops right out when you remove the acorn and shaft? Or the acorn and shaft come out of the ujoint, then the point comes out on its own?

I didn't remove the footpeg drop hanger. I just took off the U shaped dust cover and fenagled the other one to the side (probably easier to just take the drop hanger off and let it hang in retrospect)
The pumpkin and the shaft will slide out as one part
The U-Joint you have to slide out with your fingertips but that is easy as pie if you have the hand space.
I am not 100% what you mean by "acorn" but the whole thing is just the rear wheel, pumpkin and shaft as one unit, and the U-Joint. Thats it. None of it is connected in any way other than the moly, a spring you don't need to get to and wont get lost, and the grace of Papa Yamaha himself.

 

[StreamRider]

I have a Gen III. Pretty sure the 15’ is a Gen III but i could be wrong.

I am pretty sure you are right. Look at it this way, if you do it it will be good for the bike and I assure you it isn't hard or complicated. If you don't your bike cam off the showroom floor only 6 years ago and obviously had dealership service since then. Mine is 19-20 years old and I don't think when I did it (a month ago? maybe?) it had been done in over a decade at least. The metal they made these things with (again going off the GEN 1 I am not sure about gen 2 or 3) is extremely hard. Japan is renound for it's metal creation and perfection. I buy and sell the finest Japanese golf clubs and while the point is not to make them that solid the tolerances that they set on a batch of metal for creating anything rivals even the Swiss. This is not Chinese pot-metal it's Japanese hardened STEEL. Even if yours is dry and covered in rust dust it won't hurt it for a long while of abuse. #justsayin

 

[StreamRider]

I feel ya. Just belly flopping my bike today really took the gusto out of me for the weekend😆

Dropped it or what's a "belly flop"?

More importantly is your human squishy form okay?
Fuck a bike you can have a story, your body on the other hand only gets one shot and parts are stupid expensive.

 

[StreamRider]

Came off the track stand and the center stand at the same time in my garage…the one time i wasn’t usinga block under the headers.

Oh FFS if I had a dollar for every time I dinged or scratched a bike while the motor wasn't running I would have a bike as nice as yours bough in paper bag cash.

Literally I would have like close to $100 from just installing my MX bars clamps. You add salt and pepper to your food don't feel bad about a little "seasoning" added when working on it. You also probably learned a good valuable lesson about what you won't do next time and that is literally the core of riding a motorcycle. I ride a lot more frequently then most of the crowd but if a day goes by where I don't at least observe something unexpected or experience something that makes me make a mental note then I assume that is the day I get side swiped by a 19 year old Tweeting.

For instance today I learned that if I get tired and I let my right foot com up just a little too late it is the perfect size of shoe to get caught and twist my ankle off or break it. Will never do that again. Irony being that I always keep my right foot up but I am getting back into practicing with a pillion that has no experience so I am remembering my mechanics to teach them to ride with someone. I almost never put both my feet down EVER unless I am first in line and I am just stretching out and then right back up. BUT I learned something.

Yeah it sucks your bike hit the ground but you got something from it and you are safe. Nothing else matters.

 

[StreamRider]

I couldn’t resist, so i did the shaft and u-joint service today as well as new gear oil.😆

Also did brake pad swap in the front. I took everybody’s suggestions and made my own choice as far as pads. I did a “mirrored” swap. Basically mirrored one caliper for the other. If i go flying off a ravine, my last post will be to tell everybody not to do that with their pads😊. I got new Galfer double HH’s for the rear.
View attachment 86043
View attachment 86044

That U-Joint looking hella sexy after a WD-40 wash!!! You must be glad you got moly in there and cleaned it up! While it wasn't near as bad as mine she does look a little dry.

Wasn't too hard right?!?!?!?

 

[StreamRider]

I dunno boys . This, to me looks like my rears are at 45-50% still..lol. And that’s after 31,500 miles. I feel like they have another 3.5k in em! Plus rear brakes look annoying compared to the fronts. You gotta take the caliper apart? View attachment 86048

I would take those pads to Florida and back and not even bat an eye.

The brakes are different on my GEN 1 so I am of no help there.

 

[StreamRider]

The rear brakes are identical on all Gen FJRs.
They are just not linked to the front right lower pistons on the Gen 1.

dan

Didn't know that! I just know I got sexy blue caliper bolts and y'all got matte black Nissan and are all jealous.

 

[StreamRider]

Don’t you tighten the pinch bolt last after the axle?

Someone said it best when I asked the same question. "Wherever it ends up is where it ends up. Just tighten the pinch bolts last and its okay."

 

[StreamRider]

The outside of the axle is wherever it winds up after torquing the axle nut. (May or may not be flush)

 

[StreamRider]

Lol take a photo of yours…i have this much thread through the nut too which feels like too much…
View attachment 86070

I sense the presence of channel locks at some point in time.

 

[StreamRider]

I don’t think so….
View attachment 86069

Are you 100% sure the bearing spacer (Part 5) is in correctly?

 

[StreamRider]

And the wheel rotates freely in N between the pads on the rotor?

 

[StreamRider]

How the heck would part 5 come out? Isn't that captured between the bearings that are pressed into the wheel? (2 and 9)

Yeah but he just did the entire shaft and had it all apart. Mine fell out when I took the pumpkin and wheel out

 

[StreamRider]

Actually no. That thing came out during the craziness and i had the dealership put it back in for me. How would they have put it in wrong?

If it is in backwards it will go together but IIRC another member (I think @ReRose maybe) had an odd spacing issue