1rooster Posted March 23, 2008 Share #1 Posted March 23, 2008 I replaced the rear tire on my 99.While I had the tire off I did all the maintenance known to mankind.My friend wanted his done also so we got started.After greasing the driveshaft we attempet to reinstall it.No go.The driveshaft wont line up with the yoke.Guess I got lucky with mine cause it went in the first try.Not so on his.We spent 2 days and still dont have the driveshaft in.We tried everything we can think of.Any suggestions or help will be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flb_78 Posted March 23, 2008 Share #2 Posted March 23, 2008 My yoke fell down as well when I pulled my shaft....he,he,he,...pulled my shaft.... anyways, It's just a matter of getting the yoke centered again. You'll need a long, skinny stick, or a car or CB antenna will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1rooster Posted March 23, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted March 23, 2008 I tried a car antenna but the yoke keeps falling down.How did you get it to stay up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEER30 Posted March 23, 2008 Share #4 Posted March 23, 2008 I tried a car antenna but the yoke keeps falling down.How did you get it to stay up? Viagra !!!!!!! Thought you knew about that "Limpie" ! :rotf::rotf: BEER30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1rooster Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted March 24, 2008 Viagra !!!!!!! Thought you knew about that "Limpie" ! :rotf::rotf: BEER30 Tried that too but it's still limp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary N. Posted March 24, 2008 Share #6 Posted March 24, 2008 How about a coat hanger or small welding rod bent in half? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted March 24, 2008 Share #7 Posted March 24, 2008 Did you pull the Shaft out of the final Drive ? It's much easier to get the Shaft fitted without the Pumpkin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1rooster Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted March 24, 2008 Did you pull the Shaft out of the final Drive ? It's much easier to get the Shaft fitted without the Pumpkin. No I didn't.Havent seen instructions for this,keeping in mind I am no bike mechanic,so I need instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted March 24, 2008 Share #9 Posted March 24, 2008 Sorry, i didn't want to offend you in any Way. I just know that this can get very annoying with the final Drive connected to the Drive Shaft. Just grab the Shaft good and pull it with one sharp move out of the Pumpkin. After you greased the front Spline and fitted(fiddled) it into the U-Joint, just make sure the small Spring is on the Tip of the input Gear on the Final Drive. Then proceed with bolting down the Pumpkin and Tire ... If you can't get the Drive Shaft in Place now, you may consider opening the Bolts on the outer Stator Cover and turn the Crank with a T or Wrench, as you would do when you work on the Valve Clearances. When the Trans is in Gear, this moves the U-Joint and thereby also your Chances to find the Hole in the U-Joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted March 24, 2008 Share #10 Posted March 24, 2008 On the early 1st gen where the drive shaft comes out of the coupling when you remove the differential, it only takes me about 2 seconds to put the drive shaft back in the universal joint. What I do is to take a pair of Vise Grips and clamp them over the lip on the outside of the drive shaft where the coupling teeth are, just tight enough to be able to hold up the front of the shaft. I then stick the shaft in to the hole and wiggle it around enough to be able to pick up the end of the universal joint. I have never had to work at more than just a couple of seconds to get the drive shaft to slide in. You should be able to do the same thing on the later style drive shafts that have the seal at the differential coupling. But you do have to pull it out of the differential coupling first. RandyA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DragonSlayer Posted March 24, 2008 Share #11 Posted March 24, 2008 You're working on a second gen Venture right? Just remove the plastic plug on top of the swingarm above the u-joint. You can use your finger or a piece of wire to reach the yoke and align it with the shaft as you put it back in. If you remove the shaft from the pumpkin the seal will probably come out with it and you probably won't be able to get it back in good enough to seal the oil from leaking out into the swingarm. At least not without removing the pumpkin and shaft from the bike again. Oil from inside the pumpkin works it's way into the shaft coupling to lube the splines on the end. Sometimes the seal gets destroyed when removed too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leland Posted March 25, 2008 Share #12 Posted March 25, 2008 Like DragonSlayer said, remove the plastic plug on top of the swingarm. I couldn't get my finger in the hole and do any good, so I took a piece of #14 copper wire and bent a hook on the end. I then snaked it through the hole and around the universal. Sighting down the swingarm with a flashlight where the driveshaft goes, I lined up the universal with the wire and while holding the wire steady, inserted the driveshaft. Now I don't know if this is possible, but it seems to me that you would have better luck if the universal's U-joint is vertical. That way, it only flops side to side instead of up and down. That being said, if you could sight through the plastic plug's hole before you pulled the driveshaft and get the universal in the proper position (by turning differential gear), one might have an easier time. Maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigShell Posted March 25, 2008 Share #13 Posted March 25, 2008 First time I did this, I used some heavy wire I had laying around. Heavier than bailing wire... lighter than a coat hanger. I bent a 'U' in the end and used that to cradle the yoke while I stabbed it. The last time I used a magnet inserted in that swingarm hole. The only magnet I had that would fit in the hole was pretty small. It would hold the yoke... but just barely. I had my son use the magnet to lift the yoke and I stabbed it. He dropped the yoke a few times before I could get it stabbed, but it worked in the end. For the next time, I'm going to try and find a stronger magnet and find a way to lift the yoke and tie it off so I can do it by myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinto Posted March 24, 2010 Share #14 Posted March 24, 2010 You're working on a second gen Venture right? Just remove the plastic plug on top of the swingarm above the u-joint. You can use your finger or a piece of wire to reach the yoke and align it with the shaft as you put it back in. If you remove the shaft from the pumpkin the seal will probably come out with it and you probably won't be able to get it back in good enough to seal the oil from leaking out into the swingarm. At least not without removing the pumpkin and shaft from the bike again. Oil from inside the pumpkin works it's way into the shaft coupling to lube the splines on the end. Sometimes the seal gets destroyed when removed too. I will be replacing my rear tire later this month and was studying up on how to lube the drive shaft ends. I found this post from DragonSlayer about the seal not fitting properly when re installing the drive shaft in the pumpkin. I don't understand how to either avoid this problem or how to make sure the seal is properly fitted so I don't create an oil leak. Please clarify the step of re installing the oil seal driveshaft into the pumpkin. The other posts only seem to talk about a "spring" the must be properly positioned but nothing about a seal. I think I get how the rest of this works but this oil seal makes me very nervous. Thanks for your help, Can't wait to get back in the saddle:Venture: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteSquid Posted March 24, 2010 Share #15 Posted March 24, 2010 You're working on a second gen Venture right? Just remove the plastic plug on top of the swingarm above the u-joint. You can use your finger or a piece of wire to reach the yoke and align it with the shaft as you put it back in. If you remove the shaft from the pumpkin the seal will probably come out with it and you probably won't be able to get it back in good enough to seal the oil from leaking out into the swingarm. At least not without removing the pumpkin and shaft from the bike again. Oil from inside the pumpkin works it's way into the shaft coupling to lube the splines on the end. Sometimes the seal gets destroyed when removed too. I agree, but I use a magnet to pick up the yoke after I remove the little silver plug. the plug is Reference No 12 on page E-1 of the parts manual. and I KNOW you used Honda Moly60 on all the splines (three places) and the drive pins on the clutch hub(connects the final drive to the rear wheel). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted March 24, 2010 Share #16 Posted March 24, 2010 Besides using a wire to lift the yoke I ground a slight bevel on the end of mine while making sure to stay away from the splines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoyinMS Posted March 24, 2010 Share #17 Posted March 24, 2010 I know how you feel. Th first time I pulled the shaft on mine I spent 4 hours trying to get it back in. Tried EVERYthing. Finally got it. I've had it apart 2-3 times since and it takes 3 seconds. I don't know why the first time was so hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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