Monday 12 November 2012

Disconnecting the Shaft Drive (Day 85)

So on day 84 I was getting stuck as to how to get the shaft drive off the engine so that it would allow the engine to be removed.  See posting for Day 84.  I do have a Clymer Manual (which generously says "remove bolts securing drive shaft flange" and nothing else).  I do have a brain too and have worked on bikes many years when I was younger.  But I could not see a way to do this. (click photos to enlarge).

I decided to remove the swing arm (which contains the drive shaft) and see what that would do for me.  I had not realised that at the wheel hub end the drive shaft was simply "splined" into the drive hub of the wheel.  So the drive shaft was free but still attached to the engine.
So OK the shaft is hanging free, I can get the rubber boot off and I can easily access all the bolts.  So now lets try getting the bolts off the shaft at the engine end just north of the universal joint.  Get the spanner on nicely and try and turn it.  The shaft and the engine just goes round!  Of course.  There has been advice at this point to put the engine in gear and try that.  But with no rear wheel and the brake being removed (it was seized in any case) this was not an option either.
 
I know what to do, I will remove the silver bolts that go into the engine and see if that will get the shaft off.

These are much easier to get off because this part of the shaft assembly does not turn.  These bolts go into the engine casing and are fixed so they come out with anything spinning.  That'll do it.  Except this in not actually part of the shaft, it is the shaft housing.  Never the less it does come out.
 Here she comes.  This might work.  Or not......
No it won't.  Nearly out.  Then it hits the frame right here.
This wasn't going to work either.  So we pushed that piece back in and had another go at getting the other bolts out again (the ones connected to the universal joint that I was trying before).  The problem was; how to stop the shaft turning in order for the bolt to come undone.  I finally sussed it by getting a spanner across 2 of the nut heads, then turning the nut you want to undo with a ring spanner and when the shaft turns, the opened ended spanner being held across the 2 other nuts will hit the frame.  This provides the leverage.  We were able to get all the nuts loose and eventually off.
 On this photo above you can just see the 2 spanners at work (click photo to enlarge).  This set up did not work.  I had to lay the open ended spanner across 2 nut heads and jam it against the frame.  This provided enough leverage to crack the nuts (get the first movement) then it was reasonably easy although at no stage could you turn them with your fingers.  This is probably due to the bolt cement they use to stop them coming loose.
 The nuts are coming off.
 And we are free.
 Now back to engine removal.