I have 2 workshop manuals but can’t seem to find when, or if, to grease; swinging arm bearings, drive shaft spline, steering head bearings etc.
Any guidelines on how often, or links on how to do it would be welcome.
Also does timing chain have a tensioner? does it need maintenance/adjustment?
Do others grease wheel bearings routinely?
What is best for cable lubrication?
Just compiling a list of winter jobs to do, sure there must be others not listed in my manuals.
First of all you need to be a bit more specific on which model you have, especially regarding the timing chain. The splines etc do need greasing from time to time. But as long as you know they have good quality grease in them, they can then be left for quite some time. The norm is to grease things when you are working in that part of the bike. Things like the steering head bearings really only needs to be done once - properly. Unfortunately you can’t guarantee that out of the factory.
I have a 30 year old V1000G5. Done all the fluid changes, points and tappets. Don’t want to disturb things just for the sake of it but wondering if anything is important to stop expensive replacements needed later.
If you don’t know the history, ie. when these things were looked at last, then it would be worth dropping the swinging arm off and greasing the splines and SA bearings, also immerse the U/J in gear oil overnight (preferable that non throw stuff) and check the U/J support bearing.
The shaft comes in 2 pieces connected by a sleeve.The sleeve should be hollow all the way through.If it is not knock out the dry rust buildup.Advice from Dave Richardson and his Guzziology is well worth the read for this sort of stuff.
V1000G5
I grease/check the drive shaft splines any time the rear wheel comes off
Same with the swingarm bearings, never had to replace them in 25 yrs
OEM “tensioner” is a rubber type block so once every 6000 miles it needs checking. It IS replaceable with an automatic tensioner.
To check it you have to take off altenator and fromt case, Mind you it is ALWAYS worth putting blocks under the sump and taking out the front engine bolt Yearly to make sure it is free,clean then greased.
I only do the stering bearings every few years never yet had to replace them.
3:1 oil is brill to lube cables
I grease/check wheel bearings every time I take the wheel off usually for tyres.
Tappets check every 6000 (Use a metric feeler Guage .22mm inlet .23mm zorst) usually do not need adjusting, do the plugs at the same time and an oil change change filter every 2nd change
It does depend how many miles you do I tend to rack them up as I can cover 150+ miles/week in Summer just on the commute to work.
The haynes Manual is very useful for all the Tonti 850-1000 bikes and there is a Guzzi manual out there for the Spada and V1000 (Available online free from Greg Benders site see the link all the manuals you ever need that has extra info to the Haynes.
I have had my V1000 for over 25 yrs done most jobs/mods on it and a hell of alot of miles
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^ What they said, If you don’t know the history really should have a look. Re the wheel bearings, on mine they’re all sealed so not possible to regrease. Ditto support bearing in swing arm that UJ rides in, if play evident have to be replaced.
Oh yes the front engine bolt! Vital… Re drive shaft splines, have circlips on, also the pinion spline (total 3 off), if these are loose they should be replaced.
PS: when you put the final drive back onto the swingarm put the wheel spindle through before you finally nip up the 4 nuts, and make sure spindle slides as freely as possible.
But don’t do the ritual 6 months rotation.Grease it thoughaly and then forget it till you need to remove it.
I would strip & grease the splines every year. The best thing I have found to put on them, that STAYS put, is ceramic chain wax.
yep