$300 for dealer to service driveshaft and final drive.

[snakemeister]

  I called a dealer and ask about having my driveshaft and final drive serviced.I was told it'd be about $300[ three hours labor]. How does that sound? I live in Clanton, Alabama if anybody close by has the tools [a lift] and the know how I'll be glad to pay you if you'll let me watch and maybe help.

[snakemeister]

BTW - My bike is a '97 Tourer.

[hubcapsc]

If they do a good job that seems like a fair price... seems like a good time estimate...

It is good to look at every tire... I started doing it with just on-line help from this board.

If you have a place to work and think you can put your bike on a jack without knocking it
off and some patience... $300 of iffy work every tire would add up... study the manual
and posts here and formulate a plan before you start... there's more than one way to go
at it.

Daniel Meyer will teach you how to do it in Asheville in June... can't get any better than that.

-Mike

[Valkorado]

chrisjcma made a great PowerPoint presentation showing step by step instructions with color pictures.  It's a downloadable .pdf file in the Shop Talk section.  I am kinda in the same boat --no garage to work in, few tools, zero mechanical skills and patience.  If I had to have a shop do the job, I would print a copy of the slideshow for their mechanic to refer to.  Also, round up the necessary o-rings, Bel-Ray waterproof grease, etc. in advance and bring those along.  One thing I did notice is Chris uses a pre-drilled bar to replace the removed shock so the exhaust doesn't have to be pulled.  It would be great to find (make?) such a bar and let the shop mechanic borrow it for the job.  Seems that would save some unnecessary labor costs.

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/

click on rear end service by ChrisJ

[snakemeister]

  I'd be glad to pay someone close by so I can watch.

[uturn]

i work for beer....and only drink it after the machine is running...

[snakemeister]

  Sadly, you're too far away.

[Cracker Jack]

Where Chris uses a bar to support the swingarm, I use a small cable with two cable clamps to do the same thing. I made the cable long enough to hold the swingarm in it's normal position for removing and replacing the chunk. I jack the wheel up to remove/replace the axel. The cable only restricts downward movement so it's easy to jack up to remove the axel. I've used this method for many years

If you elect to do it this way, the first time you use the cable, just remove the left shock and put the cable on snug. then remove the right shock. The cable is then the proper length to remove/replace the right shock for ever and ever.

The cable is easier to fabricate and probably cheaper to buy the material and only requires a small adjustable wrench and five minutes to "fabricate". Lowe's or Home Depot will have the cable and clamps.

chrisjcma made a great PowerPoint presentation showing step by step instructions with color pictures.  It's a downloadable .pdf file in the Shop Talk section.  I am kinda in the same boat --no garage to work in, few tools, zero mechanical skills and patience.  If I had to have a shop do the job, I would print a copy of the slideshow for their mechanic to refer to.  Also, round up the necessary o-rings, Bel-Ray waterproof grease, etc. in advance and bring those along.  One thing I did notice is Chris uses a pre-drilled bar to replace the removed shock so the exhaust doesn't have to be pulled.  It would be great to find (make?) such a bar and let the shop mechanic borrow it for the job.  Seems that would save some unnecessary labor costs.

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/

click on rear end service by ChrisJ

I'm not saying Chris' way is not good but this is just another way and may be easier for some.

[frosty]

If up around E.Tn. better known as the tail of the dragon area. I'd be glad to help ya out.

[Earl in Pensacola]

"Chris" lives in Crestview Fl. which is only 200 miles one way from you.  He is absolutely an expert and I know that he's be more than willing to help you out by giving you a "hands-on" lesson.
Drop him a note at chrisj(nospam)357@cox.net

[salty1]

Hang in there Snakmeister somebody will give you a hand and teach you the "ropes".

[snakemeister]

 I'll probably just let a dealer do it as I can't find anyone close enough to do it at their house.The driveshaft has never been serviced at 99,000 so one time should do it.No one rides or drives easier than me and I seldom go over 80mph so it probably doesn't need anything now but I plan on doing a lot of riding this spring and summer and just want to be on the safe side.

[Bighead]

Snake I have never done it myself either but I am about to give it a try and gonna do the front forks too while I have her down. I will let you know how it goes.

[Ken Tarver]

I use a ratchet strap for the swingarm.....cheap that I am.

[Valkorado]

The driveshaft has never been serviced at 99,000 so one time should do it.

Are you sure about that?  That would have to be a new record!   

[hubcapsc]

The driveshaft has never been serviced at 99,000 so one time should do it.

Are you sure about that?  That would have to be a new record!   

I've gotten some nasty old wing final drives to steal the ring-gear splines from whose
pinion cups (and the drive shaft end) showed no wear and were glistening
with final drive fluid. We don't seem to be able to count on it, but I wouldn't be
surprised by it. There was wear on my flange and ring-gear splines when I got my
bike, and I replaced the final with a "new" one from Pinwall... I don't remember what
the pinion cup looked like or how I serviced it, just that I had the manual and was
already reading this forum (I started reading here several months before I got my
Valkyrie). For all I know, I broke "the original Honda seal" at that time and everything
depended upon my maintenance after that point... to varying degrees of success...

-Mike

[snakemeister]

  The only thing that's been serviced is the splines on the final drive.

[snakemeister]

  Bump

[MrStankie]

Snake... I live just down the road in Prattville.  I have one of the $99 Harbor Freight jacks and a Service Manual (Interstate) I can loan you if it will help you.  Sorry I don't have the know-how or a place to do the service.  That being said, I will gladly help in any way I can.

Donald  (MrStankie)

[snakemeister]

  Thanks but let me see if I can find someone with the tools and know-how. I'll probably just let  a dealer do it.

[Daniel Meyer]

It's about an hour's honest work.

[hubcapsc]

It's about an hour's honest work.

You can do it with one eye shut and a crowd of people interrupting you
asking questions and giving "helpful" suggestions...

Some Honda tech who was still in high school when they quit making Valkyries might
honestly do it by the book, taking the pipes off, and whatnot... I wouldn't complain about
a Honda shop charging several hours labor, if they could just manage to do a good
enough job...

I can't anywhere near do it in an hour, but I might have learned something about all
that "moving the swingarm up and down" to get the driveshaft back in there...

I take the rear fender section off, like you do.

After I take the shocks off, I sink the bike down on the jack until the axle clears the mufflers.
and roll the tire out. The last few times, I've just left it that way until and while I'm putting it
back together. Maybe I've just been lucky, but the driveshaft has gone right in with no
effort the last few times...

-Mike

[frosty]

One thing to. Is that when you get it apart you most likely will need some parts. So if were away from home you most likely would have to leave it apart til got your parts in.

[Chrisj CMA]

"Chris" lives in Crestview Fl. which is only 200 miles one way from you.  He is absolutely an expert and I know that he's be more than willing to help you out by giving you a "hands-on" lesson.
Drop him a note at chrisj(nospam)357@cox.net

Thanks Earl.  I wasnt following this post too closely...........but absolutely no matter what is wrong with the drive-train, I can show you how to R/R any part and I have all of the parts on hand........didnt know if you could go the 200 miles or not.

[9Ball]

It's about an hour's honest work.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the driveshaft has gone right in with no
effort the last few times...

-Mike

famous last words...if I said this I'd be worrying about the next time...

[Chrisj CMA]

chrisjcma made a great PowerPoint presentation showing step by step instructions with color pictures.  It's a downloadable .pdf file in the Shop Talk section.  I am kinda in the same boat --no garage to work in, few tools, zero mechanical skills and patience.  If I had to have a shop do the job, I would print a copy of the slideshow for their mechanic to refer to.  Also, round up the necessary o-rings, Bel-Ray waterproof grease, etc. in advance and bring those along.  One thing I did notice is Chris uses a pre-drilled bar to replace the removed shock so the exhaust doesn't have to be pulled.  It would be great to find (make?) such a bar and let the shop mechanic borrow it for the job.  Seems that would save some unnecessary labor costs.

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/

click on rear end service by ChrisJ

This is what I made.  If I make another one, Id make it 10.5" hole center to hole center......would make getting the wheel in and out easier.

[Daniel Meyer]

It's about an hour's honest work.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the driveshaft has gone right in with no
effort the last few times...

-Mike

famous last words...if I said this I'd be worrying about the next time...

Heh...goes in effortlessly every time...if ya know the trick. Shaft installed in pinion cup (make sure seal is seated well), insert shaft/rear end into swing arm, lift swing arm all the way up (ABOVE horizontal), and sort of get the rear end studs started in the bolt holes on the swing arm...then just wiggle the crap out of it. Wham. It if goes home, it's in. 10 seconds. Every time.

[matt]

Hey Chris I like that flat bar idea will be taking rear of bike apart  and between work and life it will probally be a bit.

[hubcapsc]

lift swing arm all the way up (ABOVE horizontal)

That's the part I get to skip. With my no-shock bike sunk down on the
lift, the swing arm is in that position statically...



-Mike "really effortless"

[Mildew]

It's about an hour's honest work.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but the driveshaft has gone right in with no
effort the last few times...

-Mike

+1 that's the way I do it. I figured this trick out by throwing a temper tantrum for an hour or so after the first time I done it.

famous last words...if I said this I'd be worrying about the next time...

Heh...goes in effortlessly every time...if ya know the trick. Shaft installed in pinion cup (make sure seal is seated well), insert shaft/rear end into swing arm, lift swing arm all the way up (ABOVE horizontal), and sort of get the rear end studs started in the bolt holes on the swing arm...then just wiggle the crap out of it. Wham. It if goes home, it's in. 10 seconds. Every time.

[8Track]

You should do this work yourself. Get a friend, a bike lift, the parts, and use the powerpoint presentation.

Its the only way to really know what condition your rear end is in, and you won't have the anxiety of wondering whether the Honda apprentice did the job correctly!

Roll up your sleeves and dive in. Help is here on this board if you get stuck!

Cheers,

Mark