Need help putting the final drive shaft back into the u-joint.

[cruisinthebackroads]

Hi guys,

 With Karsten's email help, I took my rear tire off, lubed my drive splines and changed the o-rings today and when I try to put my final drive shaft back up into the swing arm shaft to re-connect it to the u-joint, I seem to be running into a problem.  It seems to line up and get started into the hole, but suddenly seems to bottom out like it is hitting something.  I have turned it every which way trying to get it to go, but have not had any success yet.  Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?  I also had a little bushing fall to the floor when I was taking off the brake caliper and did not see where it came from.  Any ideas on where that might go would be greatly appreciated too.  If you prefer to call me instead of trying to explain with an email, my number is 608, five, six, seven, 9150.  Thanks, Dave

[Hook#3287]

Dave;

I went thru the same dang thing a couple a weeks ago.

You need to raise the swingarm as high as you can get it, some use straps or a car jack or just muscle, but once it's as high as it goes, you got to fiddle with it and it should just pop in.

Good luck.

Bill

[John Schmidt]

Got a picture of the "little bushing?"

[fantsybikr]

I have my rear apart presently. I have a ratchet strap holding up my swing arm to close to the position as if the tire were on it..only took just a bit of wiggling around to get drive shaft to go into u joint. the u joint will want to sit on the tube so you have to aim your shaft to the low side...no muscle, just patience. I do not see any bushing for the caliper in the manual, nor when I un bolted mine..did you completely remove it? There are compression washers on both sides of the brake line?

[Daniel Meyer]

Insert pumpkin/shaft in swingarm, Raise the swingarm above horizontal (way up), wiggle the heck out of the pumpkin. Should pop right in.

[art]

The bushing is probably the spacer collar between the brake caliper mount and the wheel.The one that gets cut for the rear bearing mod

[wiggydotcom]

Just a guess, do you mean the bushing that goes between the wheel and the caliper plate? Is it #3 in the pic?
It would go into the wheel next to the wheel bearing or dust seal, if there is one. Then the caliper swings downward against it.

http://www.hdlparts.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=2508591&category=Motorcycles&make=Honda&year=1999&fveh=132117

[F6MoRider]

Getting the shaft back in the u-joint can be difficult if the rear end is hanging.  Take a separate jack, like a little ton and a half floor jack, and place it under the swing arm.  Lower the bike with the main jack until the rear end starts to rise, then jack the small jack a little to get the rear end higher than the swing arm pivot point.  It should slide in easier.  This is how I do it and it works for me.

You can also use a wedge or place something large like a wood block standing on end under the swing arm and simply lower the bike until the u-joint is slightly lower than the pumpkin end of the shaft.  It should wiggle in without a lot of hassle if you get the rear end up.

Only tighten the four pumpkin bolts loosely. 

And when you install the tire, don't forget to follow the correct tightening sequence and do not run the bike in gear with the bike in the air and the rear end hanging.  Lots of folks like to test it out before lowering it off the jack but you'll get grinding noise and think something is wrong as the u-joint scrubs.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Also try to put the flange in the punkin so you can wiggle the shaft by turning the flange and help it line up. It is like and old standard transmission it will pop into place all at once when everything lines up. Also the right words and beer will help.

[Skinhead]

Make sure you hold yout tounge like this:

[old2soon]

All good advice.  One time the damn thing will practically fall together and the next time it's like your trying to use Suzuki parts on our Hondas.  Get the swing arm north of horizontal and you SHOULD be good.  RIDE SAFE.