BMW R1250GS / R1200GS : Important but Often Overlooked Maintenance Item (Spline Lube Tutorial)

IMPORTANT: Plan to change your final drive fluid at the same time you do this job. It will leak out the speedo/ABS sensor hole when you lower the final drive. Also, there are varying suggestions about what kind of grease or anti-seize compound to use, so do your own research. I used a moly synthetic grease. Some say to use a moly paste. Also, beware of the driveshaft pulling out from the other end, which then would require complicated re-assembly. Finally, grease the boot to help prevent water intrusion.
NOTE: My bike had never been apart before, it came dry like this from the factory!
If you are lucky maybe you have heard about lubing the splines on your GS. It doesn't seem to be in the service schedule. This is NOT changing the final drive fluid.
My splines were RUSTY and NOT GREASED at just 3k miles. Here is step by step how to do this.
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[@TheSizzlingBadger]

You don't have to remove the ABS/speed sensor and drain the oil to do this maintenance, you can unplug it from under the left side cover of the bike and have enough slack in the wire to let the FD down. It is important to clean and use thread lock on the bolt that holds the FD to the Paralever arm. You should remove the rubber seal and clean it and then use white lithium grease to help it seal back on. Use a small wire brush to clean the splines if they are rusty and then coat them with a Moly based grease. You can spray anti-corrosion (ACF50/WD40 etc) over the entire shaft to help protect it. If you fit the FD to to the splines without the rubber seal in place (so you can see what you are doing) you can then tie the supporting wire off at the correct height first. It will then be much easier to fit when the rubber seal is in place and you won't need to hit the FD with a big mallet to force it on risking damage to the UJ bearings. LC Torques- Paralever link to FD 56Nm (Strong Thread Lock) Brake Caliper to FD 24Nm Rear Wheel 60Nm (tighten diagonally) Rear spray guard to FD 8Nm (Medium Thread Lock)

[@BigRockMoto]

thank you!

[@GeorgeBoot]

Yes, soo much yes. Regarding the reassembly: I always use my fingers to guide the shaft onto the spline. No hammer needed.

[@abazdarhon]

Do to spray entire shaft with acf50 can I pull it out of case?

[@xxxxxxxx455]

Anyone know where I can get a mx manual for 2020 gsa ?

[@EmsillCazm]

abazdarhon when I done mine I sprayed it with anti-fling chain Grease/lube/wax

[@norme5795959]

Hi, those splines are always going to look dry--the high heat and pressure squeeze out any kind of grease, leaving behind only the moly (metal) to lubricate the splines. (Moly is a solid, grinds itself into the surface pores of the steel and continues to lubricate after the splines are completely dry.) You must use a very high moly paste for those splines--50% or greater moly. That 5% moly grease you used will squeeze out under the tremendous pressure, with only the small amount of moly remaining behind. Your splines will be worn out in 50,000 miles using that. Suitable lubricants for this high pressure, high-temperature, sliding dry lubrication situation are: Castrol Optimol TA, Honda M-77 moly paste, Guard Dog GD-525, Dow Corning BR2 Plus MolyKote, LocTite Moly paste, TS-70 Moly Paste, Enduralast spline lube or DuPont Krytox paste (teflon). Don't forget to change that final drive fluid often too. It is under extreme stress and there is not much of it.

[@BigRockMoto]

Thank you this is extremely valuable!

[@reidschumacher2654]

What do you use for the final drive lube?

[@norme5795959]

@@reidschumacher2654 I use RedLine Heavy Shockproof. It seems to have reduced the amount of "paste" on the magnetic drain plug (final drive) to almost nothing.

[@jpaul4595]

Excellent point

[@skippynj1979]

@@reidschumacher2654 I use liquid moly 75w-90. I do mine every 6k... I do not do my splines often unless I have to take the rear off. Usually my boots gator fail than I do the line of the splines.. and for that use the BMW sources lubricant paste.

[@bobpreston1347]

I saw another similar video. When it came to re-attaching the spline drive, the guy had completely removed the final drive assy, and when re-fitting, he located the spline drive first, then the lower bolt. Seemed to go on quite easy.

[@garythompson2596]

one tip so that you do not loose the final drive oil is to put a foam earplug in the hole before dropping the drive.

[@billyvonbimble7902]

Top tip right there, ledge.

[@firstphoton655]

huh?

[@brads8459]

@@firstphoton655 he means legend :)

[@firstphoton655]

@@brads8459 thanks

[@Degenhardt450]

Just what I was thinking.

[@lucecannon]

I live in relatively dry north Texas. I have a 2014GSA. I did the lower final drive shaft splines at 12K service. It had lubrication and no evidence of rust, so I blew off lubricating the upper spline. At 24K service, I did both. The upper spline was fairly dry (no lube), but no rust. The lower spline looked well lubed and no rust. I’m well positioned for the 36K mile service.

[@michelperreault7376]

The M10 x 60 bolt you removed between the paralever link and the final drive is a one time use bolt. You need to install a brand new one torqued at 56nm. They come with Loctite 2701 already applied on the bolt inside a plastic bag. When you torque that bolt it stretches a bit and this is why you don't keep it to used it again. You loose that bolt you crash the bike for sure. Loctite 2701 is resistant to solvent like oil and gazoline and maintain the bound that Loctite 270 or 243 will fail to do. The shaft has to be completely removed and cleaned before applying any other grease. All the greases are not compatible and some react very poorly once mixed. The entire shaft must be covered with a thin layer or grease to prevent corrosion and more grease should be applied on the rotating parts but not too much. Some grease must be applied on the edge of the rubber boots make them water sealed. Here is a copy and paste about grease compatibility. "Greases are manufactured from both mineral oil and synthetic oil bases. Some synthetic base oils are incompatible with mineral oils and other types of synthetics, just as in the mixing of lubricating oils. Therefore, it is important to consider the type of base oil in the grease when determining compatibility. If the grease thickeners are compatible but the base oils are not, the resulting mixture can be problematic. Viscosity is critical when selecting any lubricant. Likewise, when greases are mixed where the base oil viscosities are significantly different, the resulting mixture will not be optimized for the application."

[@Colorado-Tinkering]

And for that rather honest maintenance video you deserve multiple “likes”. Thanks for going through that.

[@eyezlikeydrums]

Unbelievable. A bike that cost that much to have an issue like that so soon. That should be a recall issue.Thanks for this vid and all of your other vids. Super cool and super informative to a current owner or possible owner.

[@meuswe]

TheronDerrick FeedingTheSoul I don’t think the dealer would ever check and relive if dry. I guess if you find this on your bike and the contact BMW, if 3k or under or warranty period and they will have to address.

[@leosullivan2118]

Agreed. I'm buying sometime in 21 ADV Bike, this alone would push me toward a CHAIN drive.

[@azr2d1]

Herman's local soccer team lost and the bike was built on a monday.

[@joost1183]

​​@@grantfoster994 just booked it in for a for me new bike 2014. I ll get a replacement either way because 73tkm (above 60). Its on backorder ~3-4 months. My 2011 looked mint but lubed splines every other year together with final drive fluid (every ~6000 km, I ride 3K a year at best...).

[@ralphwarom2514]

@@leosullivan2118 I've never had any issues with my chain drive. i'm not sure why there is an idea floating around that chain drives are unreliable and need a lot of maintenance.

[@grstudio8657]

Very useful. One thing that I want to add here, it is very important how you wash your bike, if you are using pressurized water jet, you should cover very well the boot, otherwise the pressurized water goes under the boot and might cause this in very short period of time (it is part of the instructions that the BMW dealers are giving when you are picking up your new 1200/1250 GS bikes and i tend to agree with that)

[@BigRockMoto]

Great point!

[@Alberto-ql2bh]

@@BigRockMoto Eso es cierto. Mi GS tiene 30000km y siempre la lave a mano, sin maquina a presión, y he desmontado el brazo y está como nuevo. La gente que conozco con estos problemas limpia la moto con agua a presión.

[@perrygosselin6594]

@@Alberto-ql2bh (some of us don't know Espanola) That's true. My GS has 30000km and I always washed it by hand, without pressure machine, and I have disassembled the arm and it is like new. People I know with these problems clean the bike with pressurized water.

[@westvinepartners9348]

Well I have to chime in a bit here. By now you have probably realized that you get to do this all over again! Key issues and some advice for yourself and anyone that reads this. 1) The "rust" that you see on your splines is moly residue...it is good stuff. 2) You and most everyone else I see do this work WAY too hard trying to save time. What you did is what I see so many others do and I shake my head. It was like watching someone rebuild a motor while leaving the block in the car! 3) Use the right tools for the job. You are not stuck along the road, you are at home...in your driveway. 4) Invest in the proper lubricant/grease whatever. Does not have to be the manufacturer stuff but at least equivalent. The grease you used was absolutely the wrong stuff. Do not know who told you to use that "grease" but you have now compromised the spline...worse than the rust. 5) Why struggle by just trying to take the bare minimum off the machine? Literally, you were one bolt away from cutting your time in half. There is a difference between a backyard mechanic and a mechanic...you did accomplish the task but you lost the plot on why you doing it in the first place and thus you get to do it all over again. 1) Now some may argue with me BUT when it all possible, let air and electricity do the work for you. Using socket wrench is fine except when they put the machine together at the factory..they don't. What happens is, you have to push in the line of the fastener, bolt or nut. Then you apply leverage out of center with the fastener. This usually means you start stripping the bolt or more often, whack your knuckles. I would use a cordless or electric driver since all you have to do at that point is steady the rotational force...and the energy is applied directly center to the fastener. Cheap too...Home Depot has them. 2) Pull the drive unit totally off the bike! Before doing so, you should remove your brake disc which is a good time to put a caliper on it and mic it to spec so that if you need to replace it..now is a good time. 3) Do not..heavens no, do not use those wire brushes like you did. No matter what, you now have little metal shavings and probably a few hairs off the brush down in face of your drive unit. That can be avoided if you pull the drive unit fully off the bike and put it on a bench. You then use a small tight bristle Dremel attachment to take of SURFACE rust. You do not want to remove metal from the splines since that is the whole thing about clearances and tolerance. 4) The lubricant you want is MOLY PASTE...not grease. One of the reasons you had issues lining it back up was because the grease was mucking with the clearances on your splines. The paste comes in a little container about the size of a film canister...it does not take much. 5) Do not pack on the paste like you did the grease. Use a mechanics brush (like a paint brush but with a metal handle usually and non-shedding bristles). BRUSH on the paste but lightly...do not get carried away. 6) Since you have the drive unit all the way off, use a can of compressed air..not an air compressor (unless you have a dry canister) because you could introduce water into the unit. Canned air like you use in cleaning computers and such is perfect and you get to blow all the crud out. 7) Why not replace the boot? If you have the drive unit all the way off, you can just put a new boot on. Also use some lithium or copper grease on the mating surfaces of the boot to seal it for water. 8) Imagine how easy it is to put the drive unit back on since you are not jamming it at a 45 degree angle and trying to line up a spline that is already at it's max apex. No wonder you and everyone else struggles...one bolt my friend..one bolt. Hopefully this helps you but what you have now is drive unit that has grease slung all over the inside now and since the moly you used was basically zip, you are already metal to metal. I bet you next time if you take the whole unit off and use the proper grease (tools aside), you probably can do it in HALF the time and probably never have to do it again. Just food for thought.

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks for the feedback. I did do a follow up video covering some of that.

[@eyeguy511]

I just bought a 2015 with 26,000 miles on it. Bike looks great and runs well but since I don’t know it’s service history I think I will be visiting a dealer to go through it. Probably a dumb move to buy such an expensive used bike but I love it.!

[@scottleidy]

It will be very interesting to find out what it looks like in another 3k miles. If it is still lubricated you will pretty much know that BMW forgot a step when assembling this bike. I will definitely be checking the same. Thanks for making the video.

[@genowynn9273]

Very pleased I found your video. I have just bought a 2004 1200 GS and don't know if this procedure was ever done before so I will be doing it this coming weekend! Thank you.

[@ElementofKindness]

Recently picked up an '07 with 47,000 miles and unknown service history. The FD had a bunch of dirt/sand packed up in the opening underneath, and the swingarm tunnel also had quite a lot too. Front boot was showing signs of deterioration. Surprisingly, the splines were free, and there wasn't a terrible amount of rust on the driveshaft, but there was a bit of notchiness in the universal at the FD. Of course, being unserviceable, the options were 1) buy another unserviceable driveshaft from BMW for $1400, 2) Gamble buying a used driveshaft for $400~600 of unknown condition, 3) try pressing out the universal, and install and secure in some manner, a new universal, of unknown manufacturer, but most likely Chinese made, for around $50, or 4) buy a serviceable Ted Porter driveshaft with german u-joints for $750. I chose #4

[@edwardwatson8347]

I will pay the dealer, Im too lazy for that much grief. Great video and priceless information on the potential rust!!!

[@just_T4U]

Cuz ur hands grown from ur ass

[@macraemorse]

That's crazy. I have a 2013 RT and did this maintenance last year. No rust and still a bit of grease. Happy I did it regardless. I used Moly grease mixed with Honda assembly paste. Apparently it helps to stick the lubrication onto the splines.

[@garrydixon6123]

I changed the drive shaft in my r1200gs adv lc without removing the swing arm, there is a front boot that allows access to the front cv joint. Also if your greasing the spline make sure to grease both ends of the drive shaft, also check your cv joints for tight spots...... My bike had covered 17k miles and had a tight joint that created a vibration through my left foot peg, hence why I changed the driveshaft.

[@jonasmackevic2311]

I have same prob. Open up and its all rusted and full of water inside after wet ride. And cv joint same have tight spots so changing all shaft before it fails completly . R1200rt 24000miles .

[@ecv4647]

Thanks' for the video, I did this on my 2018 GSA at around 10,000 mi. and found no rust on the splines. And yes it takes some patient's to Align the splines on reinstall . Also I strapped the center stand so there was no possibility of the stand folding up while working on it, as that would really ruin your day if it folded. Also I plugged the sensor hole so I didn't have to change the diff oil, as I already had done it recently.

[@BigRockMoto]

Nice work!

[@vtfollett]

The reddish dust is the result of fretting corrosion. Because of the lack of lube on the spline, particles of metal are scraped away. They oxidize and form the characteristic color. This is actually a worse condition that rust from moisture, since it indicates a severe wear condition. If not corrected by relubing, the spline will be worn beyond repair in short order. I can't believe the factory or the dealership didn't address this.

[@michaelhayward7572]

@Joseph Marton grease nipple would not work in this situation. Only solution is a clean and regrease every 10-15k miles. Still better than changing chain and sprockets.

[@andrewbozhozr]

@@michaelhayward7572 that's your opinion. Chain set is roughly 120-130e, and on my VFR takes one hour to chainge and that's with cup of coffee and talking shit with friends... And Scott oiler wors perfect. I have more than 20.000km on my set and looks brand new...

[@michaelhayward7572]

@@andrewbozhozr correctomondo. That is, indeed my opinion. And a dab of grease, total cost 0.25E, is a tad cheaper than 130E. Nes't pas?

[@andrewbozhozr]

@@michaelhayward7572 :D agree. Everything has it's plus and minuses, shaft drive is not perfect and flawless, and I still think that 100e scott oiler excluded biggest problem for chain drive - maintenance and longevity... I hated chains, I was thinking of buying something with shaft drive, but now, I wouldn't change it for shaft... And when chain does fail eventually (as shaft also will unfortunately) I alone will be able to chainge it, no need for expensive parts... PS. You made me laugh with price of grease 🤣, tnx. Have a nice weekend 😊

[@michaelhayward7572]

@@andrewbozhozr you too. You also have the choice to change gearing with different sprockets with chain drive.

[@gsrider569]

Thanks for this great video! I've only got 3000 kms on my new GSA but have tge confidence to tackle this necessary job. I'm up in Canada and it's September now. This will be a winter project for me as well as the FD oil change. I just love your channel and the great informative videos you make I find invaluable. Thanks so much Big Rock! Keep up tge great work.

[@markhpluygers2226]

Reading back, I followed your advise, now 4 months ago. From memory, my drive shafter was well greased from the factory, so nothing like the horror you showed. Was worth doing though! Guess that should be done every couple of years or 30,000Kms........Today i changed the final drive oil. Very Very Easy Job, you can do this in 15 minutes and I think it should be done every 10,000 kms. BMW original oil is jet black!, I put golden 75W/90. 200mls. Keep up the good work!...

[@devilliers123]

I did this on my 1150. It is important that the front and rear joints are actually aligned in themselves in the interests of dynamic balance which if not carried out allegedly results in rumbling as the shaft reaches speed.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

For many in the premium ADV world, the big GS is the quintessential choice. How BMW manage to let such a basic flaw get out of the factory amazes me. How long have they been making shaft drive bikes??!?

[@babayaga1767]

since 1923

[@Mtthwpez]

BMW have been building in failures to their shaft driven bikes since the 80's at least. This is nothing new.

[@martinboskovic4143]

Going into premium segment has nothing to do with reliability. It is pure image that owners will pay for whatever is needed.

[@tomjenkins2742]

Now THAT’S a video done well! A pleasure to watch even though I sold the r980 pd years ago.

[@markhpluygers2226]

Nik, thanks for the tips too. I have to say, mine was already nicely greased from the factory, so I guess a few were unlucky. Never the less, these sorts of video's are extremely helpful indeed & I want to do ALL the servicing on my 2017.5 myself. Next job will be the oil and filter & final drive oil. Next week!......... Thanks again.

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad it helped!

[@renatogrillo1265]

I had the same issue of you but mine when I realised it was to late, the final drive was stick because of rust. I had to leave for one day under the wd-40 to melt the rust. Than I could split the schaft and final drive. I cleaned very well and used MO2 grass to lubricate the crown. After that I have inspected and serviced by myself each 5.000km. Also is very important when wash the bike to protect the rubber and avoid water

[@fertiglustig6122]

I used to own Africa twin Adventure sports 2018 sold this year around 30.000 km never had problem but was intrested in Shaft drive gs 1200 2018 rallye or 1250 hp but now i have to rethink 🤔Thank you so much for your honest video. I really appreciate 🙏

[@robertlantiegne7511]

Fantastic video. I would never had the confidence to attempt this job, or known about the rust issue. Mine is also a 17.5 R1200GS. Awesome video man. Thanks so much.

[@billwaterhouse5894]

Thanks for the video and all the good comments. My 2023 GSA has 27 miles on it (drove home from dealer and parked it…temps at 113° last couple days). Guess I’ll check/lube with 50% or better moly.

[@brianharradine8130]

Definitely add to service schedule. I do mine every 10,000 km approx 6200 miles. Have 2018 model as you have but with TFT. Currently have 45,000km (approx 28,000 miles) on it, ridden both on and off road, spline well lubricated and looks good. Keep up the great videos.

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks for the tips!

[@BigRockMoto]

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[@ytnim321]

Thank you for the video, I find it ridiculous that BMW seem to ignore what an obvious service issue. Don't forget that the Engine end of the drive can be similarly affected, best to do both ends.

[@hawkwood6405]

Agreed that this is an essential item to service. That is not a speedo sensor, it is the rear ABS Sensor. BMW recommends and aluminum based anti seize compound for the splines, not a grease based moly lube. If you use moly grease you will have to do it far more frequently, better than not doing it though. Permatex makes an aluminum based anti seize that works well and is cheap. I find I can get my hand in behind the gator and hold the drive shaft into position and guide it onto the rear drive splines with some fiddling You are right, it is a tricky little operation, no need to force it or hammer it. You should have changed the rear drive fluid while you were at it. You need a high quality 75-w90 synthetic hypoid gear oil. Those rear drives are particular about the volume, you want to use exactly 180ml. If you put in more than that you could blow the rear drive main seal.

[@BigRockMoto]

Yes you are right on all accounts, thank you!

[@TheSizzlingBadger]

@@BigRockMoto Its the ABS and Speedo sensor

[@theonlyDougBlack]

Looking to get back into motorcycling and collecting info on different models. Man, I wanted to say thanks so much for taking the time to document this procedure. Really informative.

[@wayneh8767]

Very cool, usually if you hold your tongue right its helps too😂 Ian I know you have some good out- takes you have to give it up! 😀 always a good time watching, final drive video went well with my ☕️ coffee and eggs. Looking forward to new bike reviews!

[@KevinBecker27606]

I've done this several times on my '07 R1200S. My splines have never been rusty. One step that you forgot was you should apply some grease to the boot before you reattach it. I think that is supposed to keep water out of the final drive.

[@MM-wo8wh]

This has not always to do with just rain. Furthermore it has to do with rain and salt and when you ride alot in the winter. You can see this massive corosion what is most likely caused by salt. This also can happen when your drive shaft rubber sealing has the smallest rip and water can get in. In Germany there are call backs of older GS models to fix the problem but also on some newer 1250 models this problem can occur. All what you need is a good service, or you have to check it on your own (what on new bikes voids garanty)

[@bm7760]

I did this job for the first time yesterday. Pulled the shaft completely to service both ends. Getting it back on at the gearbox end took seconds. Just put a screwdriver under the UJ and lift it a bit. Quickly lines up. I put the screwdriver through the UJ to stop it slipping off whilst I tackled the other end. Actually took longer to align the wheel end but even that was less than a minute. Easy job that'd be unnecessary if BMW would spend 5p on grease.

[@tordamsleth7460]

The final drive on my 2011 RT was replaced under warranty at about 23000 km, the splines were very dry but not rusted. Hope you remembered to top up/replace the oil in your FD.🙂

[@murrayhouck2349]

Great learning video and so helpful to read following comments. I have a ‘96 1100GS and these videos help me keep her in the shape she deserves. Keep them coming! Thanks

[@PhG1961]

Now that was a really interesting video. I've learned something here. My GS is from 2008 and has always been serviced at a BMW dealer. So far, no complaints. To my knowledge, never had issue's with the drive shaft so far. Thnxs for sharing and good luck with your GS, which is by the way very nice.

[@alred6568]

Dude, you should lube the rear. The recommendation is every 10000 k. While there, change the tranny and the rear oil. Not very difficult at all. If you have time, lube the other end of the shaft as well.

[@Fruchtniger]

Check if there's a hole in the rubber between the final drive and the swing arm (could be really small) most rusty driveshafts are caust by a hole in it ;) The reason of it is because it is too sealed to get the overpressure out of the swingarm and when it cools down the rubber touches the driveshafts and then the rubber gets a hole :)

[@JEEP-N-DIRT]

Also, improtant to point out that when dropping the final drive, you must be carefull not to pull the shaft off the other spline on the transmission side. That said, that spline should be looked at as well but that requires pulling swing arm, or just split the bike in half. Been there done that and not so bad if your mechanical minded or an engineer. BMW service DVD is spot on. My 05 RT now has 140000 and running great. Splines were checked on both ends at 134000 when i split it in half to fix a trans issue, and also found splines at clutch were in good shape as well.

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks for this! I don't feel in the mood to pull the other end but that makes sense!

[@BlackdogADV]

I pull my driveshaft annually to lube both ends and never pulled the swing arm. This is on a 2010 GS.

[@rottieman347]

If that was my bike, I'd be taking it back to BMW. I have a 2012 R1200RT and I lubed the Splines this summer past. No evidence of any rust and as far as I know, They should be lubed at assembly in BMW. Thanks for the video

[@RiojaRoj]

To see the state of that Ian, at only 3000 miles isn't good. As some have said, beware of power washers ! I never use em, I don't even Soak my bike when clean it anyway. I bought an 07 oilhead ( one of the last built 06s ) about 18 months ago with 27000 miles on it. According to its history the axle oil was changed at 600 ? miles as I recall, ( if you believe dealer ). One of the first things I did, was a major service and inspection. My spines were fairly dry, and a bit of surface rust but it all cleaned up fine. One slightly worrying thing, and Highly Recommended action is, Change Your Axle Oil ! Although mine wasn't too bad in appearance, put a magnet under your oil tray and comeback a couple of days later. You'll be glad you changed it ! Trust Me ! Well worth doing. And don't forget to seal the boot with waterproof white grease 👌 Cheers Roj UK

[@marknovackmoto]

I’ve done this twice on my new to me used 2010 R1200RT, basically the same setup in most ways as the GS and similar bikes, the pre-2014 bikes have driveshaft on right side for those years but procedure is very similar. I have made it a habit to do when I changed the rear differential fluid, which is about every year or 10-12,000 miles. My understanding is to use a Moly fortified grease or some have used a Honda M-77 assembly paste in combination with a Moly based grease. Also, Ted Porter’s BeemerShop sells a specific Molly grease for the driveshaft splines. It is also recommended to use a waterproof Lithium or white Lithium grease around the seals of the gator, rubber seal to help keep water out and create a better seal between the gator and the swingarm. Both times I have checked mine, with 12K and 10K miles the splines and area have been dry, clean and still with grease. I have generally found that by holding the driveshaft in place with my hand or a wire, rocking the rotor back and forth as pushing the assembly back together it will go into place. It is a bit of multi-tasking with both hands and all but I’ve usually been able to get it back into place quickly. Sometimes a piece of wood or something to hold it in place until you get the bolt back in can also help.

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks this is great advice!

[@JEEP-N-DIRT]

My friend, the point was to help share the fact that 1. It shouldn't look that way even at 40k miles if it was correctly lubed from the factory. 2. Due to the specific properties of the designated spline lube, proper application is essential in order to benefit from the extended life expectancy of the lube. i.e., dirty splines won't allow the lube to bond adequately. 3. the final point was to again share with any new or potentially new boxer owner that this was a one off situation so as not to fear that you'll have to lube the splines every 3 or 4 thousand miles. (note: Common to see more than 30 or 40k miles on non GS shafts before lube may need to be inspected / re-applied, but do agree that on a GS with regular exposure to water / mud that it should be inspected annually or if unusual riding circumstances warrant more frequent interval. The gator should also be lubed to help seal out any water penetration. ) Note: Bearing grease is not for splines.

[@rickbates9232]

I was in pain watching you on your knees on bare concrete. Please get some knee pads or put down some soft rubber ... your older self will really thank your younger self for it in 15 years time. Great video, thanks.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

I practically live on my knee pads!

[@markhpluygers2226]

@@keyboarddancers7751 I rarely get on my knees (62). I can sure bend them well, no problems. It's my shoulders! Fuck, they are hell. Never lets them dangle out of bed. It's a second arm job to unlock the first!...... You either get it in the knees or elbows! Welcome to old age. Yup, Great Vid. I am still driving a GS at my age and I love it. What a great bike, accept that rusty shaft!. OMG.

[@multibusa]

Jezebel your making my eyes water bashing the FD up and down against the spline. Thanks for the heads up on the service though. You had me worried as mines a 2013 first liquid cooled so I was expecting bad corrosion. However as you state it may be a later bike issue as my spline was still lubed with a paste type grease and happily no corrosion. However I didn’t feel it was enough so I cleaned off the existing grease and re applied new. I also think your right in suggesting changing the final drive oil as draining the oil first removes the issue of hypoid oil leaking out. Thanks for the video.

[@TheRumrunner101]

Nice video, I got a 2017 GSA last October with 18.000 miles. Just turned over 21.000. So glad I saw your video, just hope mines in good shape. Ride safe.

[@wrigman]

Wow! One can tell those that have never owned a BMW K bike. I started on a 1989 K100 rsa. Those bikes would strip the final drive splines if they were not lubed 10,000 miles. Just normal maintenance on one of those. The other bike I had was a 1998 K1200 rs. Every final drive service required a rear drive shaft clean and regrease. Again standard maintenance. I now ride a 2007 R1200 G/S I bought new. Since new, I have serviced the rear drive every 12,000 miles and done drive shaft spline service as well. The bike has 62,000 miles on it and the shaft splines look good as new. Just did the service today. Final drive oil was clear and the magnet in the drain bolt had very little metal dust in it. No matter what, if you want your bike to last, SERVICE THOSE REAR DRIVESHAFT SPLINES every 12,000 miles when you change final drive oil……

[@kaykay8686]

Many riders mention on KZbin that maintaining a chain drive is a pain the butt. Hmmm. After watching this video, I'm not so sure. I'd much rather have a chain that is visible and accessible to maintain easily and quickly. After 3000 miles, this is what your shaft drive looks like? Speechless. It's a good things that you checked it.

[@davidmeadows4272]

A little tip drain the oil before you start and remove the calliper before removing the wheel. Also support the weight of the final drive with a car jack and then you’ll have both hands free to align and rotate the splines. You shouldn’t have to force these together as once it’s aligned and splines are mated it will go together easily

[@BigRockMoto]

All good tips!

[@Porsche996driver]

Yes the extra jack can also support a boxer motor for a Bug ha.

[@kraaylandis]

I thank you for taking the time to put this video together for all to reference. May I however make a suggestion? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE provide torque values when you are making a how-to video. Providing this information would put the finishing touch on your work. It also would make your video a one stop reference so your viewers don't have to go elsewhere to dig for information. Again, thank you. :)

[@BigRockMoto]

You are right. Thanks.

[@russelllocke7180]

Caution though, torque values for one model may differ from others. Always check service manual for your particular bike.

[@paulotex19]

Thank you for the video. I ride a K1300R in UK, and this is very useful for me too! (Also the comments are very helpful)

[@neilhutton1528]

I have a 2017 GS Rallye. At 12,000 miles I noticed an issue with the rear rubber gaiter (it had a hole in the top which appeared to caused by friction from the inside). I took it to my dealer who advised me that the rear drive shaft was rusted and seized to the final drive. It took me 5 weeks of threatening emails and phone calls and I finally got a new final drive and drive shaft fitted and paid for by BMW UK (as my dealer said it was not a warranty issue because they incorrectly diagnosed the rusty seized joint as being caused by water getting into the hole in the rubber gaiter). If you watch a video of these bikes being assembled on the production line in Germany you will see that hardly any grease is used during assembly. The tech that repaired mine has assured me that he greased the replacement parts properly so I'm quite happy. It will be a year this summer and 5,000 miles since that repair so I will be asking for it to be checked at my next service in the autumn. I strongly suspect that mine had been seized for some time. The lack of movement of this joint as a result of the seizure I believe caused the drive shaft to bend when the suspension was under load causing the UJ to lift slightly and foul the underside of the rubber gaiter causing the tell-tale hole (not the hole causing the moisture/seizure) which alerted me to the issue. For balance I would like to add that this is the only issue that I have had with my bike and I love it and plan to keep it for many years and miles. I ride it every day to work and travel all over Europe on it several times a year. The drive shaft has never been under water. I do ride the bike in all weather. Thanks for posting the video.

[@slipthegreyhound]

Mine seized solid, bike was just 3 yrs old. Dealer quoted for new Drive Shaft and Bevel Gear assembly+ Labour at £2600($3000). I kicked off, so the service manager said he would try for a 'goodwill' claim against BMW. They agreed to pay for parts, and me labour= £350($400?) so very lucky. This is an important maintenance issue.

[@eriknash8783]

Just another testament for Chain Driven Drivetrains. If these really come dry from the factory, then I would be doing this service the moment I get it home from the dealership. Chances are, they are rusty before you even take it home...

[@NoName-ds5uq]

Thank you for this! I have an R1200R with the same drive and about 18000km on it. I’ll be taking your advice very soon!

[@kwspearo6540]

Super important and I can't believe it's not in the service cycle, and not mentioned anywhere. My 2019 1250 GSA drive shaft assembly disassembled itself on the highway at speed.....not fun. Still under warranty at 27,000 miles. Would have been over $7,000 in parts plus labor. This should NEVER happen. Hats off to Palm Bay Motorrad in Florida. They totally took care of me.

[@BigRockMoto]

that's crazy. I will be checking mine on my new 21 GS

[@richardthomson203]

Yes it's the same for the K50 oil/air cooled R12GS. He's right, the hardest part is getting the two parts re-aligned after lubing them.

[@thewoodster8607]

I rotate the disc bsckwards and forwards. Helps to align the splines.

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

Hmm.. I remember doing something like that but I used a floor jack to lift the rear and hold it as I fiddled the pieces into alignment.👍 Good job

[@berticusmaximus8381]

Great video. I'd rather have a video like this than something expertly edited.

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad you liked it!

[@michaelhayward7572]

Concur. I like warts and all vids, a trained BMW tech who removes wheels all day long would do this job in an hour with his eyes closed, but thats not the point.

[@maksimiliankiefergregl]

Excellent job man ! But, I'd rather extract the entire driveshaft and inspect the other side, as well as the U-Joints both sides. I live in Brazil and this sort of issue is pretty common over here. BMW doesn't care, you have to ask them during periodic maintenance to check this out. As you said, most common reason is riding on rainy, muddy and high humidity conditions. Years ago BMW would recommend, based on their Instructions & Repair Manual to check the driveshaft each 15.000 km. Don't know why they give up recommending this simple and important maintenance. I heard dozens of cases of driveshafts cracking due to poor or no driveshaft maintenance. Another thing, it is paramount to grease both splines and U-Joints with Calcium-Based grease, to avoid water to contaminate and rust these components.

[@BigRockMoto]

thank you this is very useful info!

[@gerttichelaar8441]

I have a 2017-1/2 GS too and this was a recall in Holland in 2021. Apparently it has the attention of the dealer and was taken care of. All was fine then (3800 mls).

[@isaacharrison6014]

Thanks for the video. Seems like it could possibly be a good idea to add a little bead of silicone caulking around the entire seam of the final drive gaiter. That would probably help keep a lot of debris and moisture from getting into the final drive system.

[@dilligafmofoker]

Isaac Harrison Another commenter recommended Staburags grease for that purpose; it’s a sealing grease, not traditional lubing type grease. I just found some on Amazon,here: www.amazon.com/Genuine-Lubricating-Assembly-Grease-Spline/dp/B07D6DMTFQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3FSBP7WEY8IL4&dchild=1&keywords=staburags+grease&qid=1601821205&sprefix=Straburags%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-2

[@mitchc499]

That would also have a tendency to TRAP moisture where you don't want it. BMW are now doing some warranty repairs to final drives by installing little rubber check valves to vent any trapped moisture...dunno if that will work though-

[@robinsongguitars]

God job... I scratch my head a lot when I look at how most Euro bikes seem to have half baked designs on some of their critical stuff. They seem to over engineer less important parts and under engineer important parts. Seen this for years.

[@jpaul4595]

You should also grease the splines on other end of the drive shaft.

[@tordamsleth7460]

Here i Norway certain Bmw models with driveshafts have had a recall to drill a drainage hole to let moisture out, on newer bikes this is standard here. This goes for all boxers from certain years, aka Rt, Rs,T9 and Gs,/Gsa.🙂

[@Hogdriver88]

Nice job. Good to see that a non-pro can do this. I don't know how TF BMW can let something like this out of the factory when they have to know it's an issue. Then again, Harley is the same way. The question I have is, what about the transmission end of the drive shaft - if the back end can be a problem, what about the front end?

[@keithsmith7855]

Transmission output spline to drive shaft needs maintenance also, well said.

[@patjoyce]

Love your work! I’m due a service and this will now be part of my procedure, I’ll let you know what I find. I had a rusted seized rear brake calliper sliding pin a short while ago, that took work and a BBFH to free it! Cheers from Australia!

[@BigRockMoto]

Best of luck!

[@desertdaveadv404]

nice video no one ever covers this type of maintenance and i also try and put the bolts back in if possible not only for you but if someone other than you puts it back together they know where most of the bolts go thanks

[@mrcreative6020]

On higher mileage bikes you also need to check play in the Dry driveshaft CV joints as it could be worn.

[@astrobusa]

Really well done. Much appreciated. Note : There is a duplication of about 25 seconds - the section leading up to and including where you talk about having oil on your rear brake disk is repeated.

[@BigRockMoto]

Sorry about that! I missed that in editing.

[@Fatcatztravel1250]

@@WpgBarry Had any fuel pump failures?

[@gerrypowell2748]

For safety it’s a good idea to zip tie the front brake✌️

[@1dancier]

Thanks for the insight, thought there would be more complexity inside that swing-arm, but seems fairly basic. Only shaft driven bike I've had was a Honda CX500, all good until some drunk rear ended me.

[@Boadhion2wheels]

Forgive me if this is mentioned elsewhere but I glanced through the comments and didn't see any mention of this......This is a recall campaign by BMW. I had watched this video two weeks ago with plans to do it after my 36k service. When I took the bike in, the service advisor said my 2016 was part of the driveshaft recall. They looked at it and it passed the test. If it hadn't passed the test, they would install a new driveshaft. He said after 37k, all bikes would automatically get a new driveshaft.

[@frankvanderjagt2441]

I really enjoyed the video, i recently bought a 1200GSA with 6.000 miles on it at a BMW dealer. But after seeing this i feel it might not be a bad thing to check this.. Kinda amazed BMW didnt come up with a way to grease these spline in the factory.. or if they did to do it better. Its not that they have no experience in shaft drives.. You didnt mention on the assembly part where to apply threadlock or not but the comments did so thats sorted ;) thanks for this valuable info and keep up the vids :)

[@BigRockMoto]

thanks I am going to do a follow up vid to address some things I missed

[@frankvanderjagt2441]

@@BigRockMoto Sounds like a plan, but even so this was already An interesting vid, Def made me a follower 😃

[@stevemccarthy1973]

Excellent video and highlighted an issue I wasn't aware of on my2016 1200, will check it over tomorrow 👍

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad it helped

[@sfayers3361]

As an aeronautical engineer I am quite shocked to see that BMW apparently do not lubricate the final drive splines during assembly! A very useful video and great tips in the comments. Thank you all.

[@carlgeorgtsigakis498]

Would have been great to list all the Torque settings required or a link to the information. Thanks for a informative video!

[@Gaz1za21]

A vey real world instructional video so thanks for sharing. I’ve a 2018 bike and done 22K so far while keeping to the regular BMW service schedule so I will be asking my garage is doing this or not🤔

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad it helped!

[@adityayitda]

Great video yet again! It's so good to see your channel grow.

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@zooskifilms]

I feel your pain. I was squirming when you were pounding that final drive onto the drive shaft. I used a screw drive to lift the drive shaft which also let me rotate the shaft a little when mating them together. Glad you got it on. My 2016 splines were just as dry and rusted as yours.

[@motocomfort_de]

I watched your great video and made an own one in german. I've checked and greased the upper splines, too. There was less rust, but no grease. You can watch it, by clicking on the left avatar.

[@zooskifilms]

@@motocomfort_de - Great video! Yes, several people asked why I didn't service both ends of the drive shaft, need to make an update video one day. Nice job!

[@motocomfort_de]

@@zooskifilms Thank you!! Greetings from Germany! 😄

[@sambirtwistle]

only use a high level of moly grease, or it will simply fly off. honda produces one with 77 percent. simply rotate the rear disk to get the spines to reseat. You can use a foam ear plug, to stop oil from leaking from speed sensor. I lube mine at every final drive oil change. I would use a good synthetic oil in their as well, such as amsoil 89/90 wt. Also, the first two final drive oil changes are the most important to remove excess metal shavings, after that, it remails quite clear. If your bike doesn't have a magnetic drain plug, get one.

[@BigRockMoto]

I did a follow up video explaining just that, thanks,

[@dsquires16]

My ‘05 had never had the rear diff oil changed nor the splines serviced until last year. I replaced all the rubber boots, changed the diff oil and greased the splines. It was tricky for me to get the shaft splines all lined up and back together in the front and the rear.

[@BlenderBends]

The drive shaft sweats inside the housing from the heat of the bike and general running. Atmosphere has moisture in it. Shaft housing is sealed piece. So the moisture staying in there sweats and attaches to the shaft. Its not going to dis-solve the shaft. Just needs it looked at every 20k at major service. Most shaft drive bike have this issue, You can buy a breather to assist with keeping the housing dry. But a touch with wire brush and some WD40 or silicon spray will be fine. Remember to replace the FD oil. I have removed the rear mud guard as these can snap off and crack the rear FD housing at the bolt holes. That's a bad day on the trails when that happens Its only there for EU regs. Please use thread lock.

[@chriscraft999]

Thanks for the do it yourself video, gave me the courage to check the splines on my 2015 GS. Everything was good, so I just relubed the splines. The design of the driveshaft on these motorcycles is not good, and does not have a seal as in the automotive world to keep the grease contained, and from being flung away as the shaft spins at high speeds.

[@_JimS]

Good job...looks like it was a bear for a little bit there...appreciate your candor.

[@6pot]

I took my gs ls 17 with 10k kms to open driveshaft and yes it was rusty. The mechanic told me it was hard to remove the driveshaft because of rust. they cleane it, painted and greased. But i got pissed that this was happening so early with the bike, so all those people on the web telling about this were true. I love the bike but a bike shown doing dirty stuff on the adds couldnt have this problem.

[@miltwempley]

Future Ian will be happy when he finally gets that Harbor Freight bike lift

[@Popgunner101]

My 2011 R1200 GSA (oil cooled) had never had the splines lubed when I did it at 18,000 miles. It still had grease on the splines. The local (SLC) BMW dealer didn't have any grease suitable for the splines and recommended I go to the Honda dealer where they sold me lithium assembly grease. I also changed out the FD lube and noticed it looked way dark which worried me. Found out BMY at the factory adds some black lithium grease to the lube.

[@ijaxon6675]

So now there's a social media induced panic about a "recall." It's not a recall, it's a service notification (#0033130000). They are going to simply a small duckbill valve. It should prevent ingress through the valve, but since water could get in elsewhere it's simply a point of exit for anything that gets in at the lowest point of the swing arm. Installing it isn't going to change anything, you'd still need to release the water and periodically check and lube the splines. I would note it could pop out or be pulled out. I've seen one photo of a fitted bike where it popped, likely due to being struck. You're still going to keep an eye to see if the duckbill valve is there, else water ingress can occur. If you actually do service it's something to take the time to check, especially if you are fording streams and only ride in the rain. If you're riding to Starbucks on a sunny days you likely don't need to worry about anything.

[@phillippayne8170]

BMW just replaced my Cardan drive on my 2020 GSA as a factory recall whilst it was in for a service here in Western Australia and the put a drainage hole in the case.....kind regards Phil

[@TheWanderingGeezer]

Why most people don’t service the front splines when they are servicing the rear splines is a mystery. Half a job done is not a job done at all.

[@bjejoh]

Thank you for your guide. I will do this when I have 2 days to finish the job.

[@badpants]

Remove the brake caliper first and the tire won't get in the way. I think you see rust because you've most probably submerged that spline. I hate to say it, but perhaps BMW should warn people about this and require service more frequently for off-road use.

[@BigRockMoto]

I don't think I've submerged it that deeply... but I have ridden in the wet.

[@badpants]

@@BigRockMoto If that's not it, I don't know how else to explain the rust. I would think the boot would be sufficient for riding on a wet road or splashing from small puddles. I haven't seen this issue on my 2016, but I don't ride like you. In Florida it's mostly sand and I stay away from the water, especially the salt water.

[@adammfharris]

I enjoy your videos! I have to say, I’ve never taken the rear caliper off to remove my rear wheel.

[@motocomfort_de]

Nice video, but you have to check the upper splines, too!

[@thehexter1]

Having the 2-year service done on my ‘18 GSA & my dealer does that inspection & the service if required. I could only imagine how many F-bombs I’d yell out if I did that myself! 🤬 I like your patience.....or editing. 😄

[@waldo_s]

thehexter1 super easy to do 👍

[@thehexter1]

Waldo For you maybe. I of little patience would probably torch the bike when I got fed up with it. 🤯

[@thehexter1]

Waldo For you maybe. I of little patience would probably torch the bike when I got fed up with it. 🤯

[@listerthat]

What does if required mean... It should be inspected at X miles. Not 'if required' ... What, are they gonna ask if you've every been in a rain shower

[@thehexter1]

James Comerford I meant the dealer is inspecting it then servicing it if needed. Wrong choice of words by me. They always inspect it & if it’s ok, they button it back up. If not, they would perform the necessary service on it.

[@ownyourworld]

Just came across this video 2 years on but thanks for the info I’ll be checking mine asap