TA splines: how to avoid the worst?

[Warthog]

Whynot's thread made me think: How could one limit the chances of / rate at which output splines might wear down?

Something like smearing a gasket sealer over the splines to give a resisitant, elastic cushion to the sprocket's movement on acceleration/decceleration?

[piguglyshandydrinker]

I'd say, don't overtighten the chain & use a decent quality front sprocket and assemble the sprocket without oil or grease as this encourages movement.

Truth is, I don't think anyone actually knows what makes the odd one wear it's splines.

Phil

[dysan]

I've been using the exact opposite approach. Oil or grease isn't going to promote movement, lets face it 55hp going through it is going to make anything that isn't solid move.

I've been working on the principle that the two main causes of the spline wear problem are corrosion and wear from movement. Grease will help to stop both, rather than grind away at a surface the grease will make any movement less harmful to both surfaces.

[piguglyshandydrinker]

I've been using the exact opposite approach. Oil or grease isn't going to promote movement, lets face it 55hp going through it is going to make anything that isn't solid move.

I've been working on the principle that the two main causes of the spline wear problem are corrosion and wear from movement. Grease will help to stop both, rather than grind away at a surface the grease will make any movement less harmful to both surfaces.

Purely a personal view, but I disagree with you.
Lube the splines and you encourage movement between the sprocket & shaft as you accelerate & decelerate - irrespective of how much power is transmitted.

I lubed the front sprockets on my 600 Alp years ago, there was slop on the sprocket & slight wear of the splines at the next sprocket change. I now assemble them dry & they are very tight to remove & no slop or wear after 60,000 miles.

Maybe luck, as I say no one really knows the reason but everyone has a different theory/solution, if yours works for you thats great!

Phil

[StumpyFingers]

I would say stick to the original Honda front sprockets and make sure the chain is correctly adjusted.
This will limit the strain put on the shaft and prolong it's life.

[btbloke]

GOOD front sprockets is the way to go and regular chain adjustment and lube,and by good I mean hondasprockets.The lube issue,can't be proven either way,but I put a light smear of copper grease just to ease the removal and to allow any movement if it has to move but without two metal surfaces coming into immediate contact.

[subby]

My TA has sufferered somewhat with wearing on the splines.. approx half of my spline threads are worn off the shaft... That was 3 years ago.. since that time what i have done is stick with the original honda front sprocket and grease both the sprocket splines and the shaft splines before putting the sprocket on then clean up any left over before putting the fixing plate on. I check every now and again and regrease but since initially noticing the wear there has been no extra wear on the shaft.

I also had trouble setting the chain slack correctly for my weight but since reading in forums to get someone of similar weight to sit on the bike and check it under load it because much easier and gave piece of mind i wasnt running it too tight.

I guess everyone has their own opinions but for me this works.. my TA has nearly 74000 miles on her and no problems to report. Great machines!.

alex

[T ALP]

Just to add my two penath to this ----- I myself do grease the splines but if you are going to grease the splines its essential you use the correct grease, as in a lithium based extreme pressure grease, using copperslip will promote movement between sprocket and splines BUT WILL NOT provide any protection against wear as it is a anti seize compound and NOT a lubricant.

With regard to what Phil has done running sprocket to splines dry and having covered 60,000 miles with no wear, this says it all to me and it HAS been proved this is at least one correct way of doing things.

[pdsquire]

Isn't the problem limited to the 1986/7/8 TA 600s? Those were the ones with the occasionally soft output-shafts before Honda sorted it. Has anyone with a later bike had the problem?

[btbloke]

Nope, all of them and the twins as well.