Engine won't engage

[kerrfunk]

to those who haven't checked their splines -- please do so NOW. Do NOT wait for yours to strip out in the middle of some busy intersection. Also keep in mind that the drive spline teeth on the final drive side take a real beating when the driven splines get thin and go blooey. It's well worth getting ahead of this problem ASAP.

Everybody knows that I don't have any experience wrenching, but I gotta say, pulling the wheel off and getting that hub out was a piece of cake. Especially after reading Basscliff's stuff.

I'm pretty lucky. The splines didn't give while I was actually riding, and I was only five miles away from home, and I had a buddy who was willing and able to come pick me and the bike up.

[kerrfunk]

These splines are the same size, I think. I think the only soft yrs were maybe '82 and '83. '80 should be good.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/80-Suzuki-GS850G-GS850-GS-850-850G-Rear-Wheel-Rim-Rotor-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3a5e798a7aQQitemZ250693126778QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

The wheel probably wouldn't do you any good. You're probably better off searching ebay for 850 stuff because the only yrs they made 1100gl's were '82 and '83. The soft spline yrs.

Guy selling this wheel seems to be under representing shipping cost. Looks to be a good deal.

I won. Total cost: $30.13. I'll let you know in a few days how it turns out

[four_shot]

Yay...more crap for me to check this winter...lol

Are these the splines we're supposed to grease every so often or are those on the driveshaft?

[1948man]

Those are the important ones. Honda Molypaste 60

[tom203]

The driven spline is the same in the 650 shafties, and yes, the 82-83 650G/GL models will have the exact same issue. They might make a few more miles than their torquier and heavier brethren before stripping the splines, but don't forget the 650 is no slouch at all in the power department --

Yeah but 650 drivers are supposed to be mellow!
Anyways, I 'll check my 39k spline over the winter- it sounds and turns well!

[Larry D]

Just so everyone understands in the future....the rear wheel and the spline MUST be completely seperated to inspect the wear. Just pulling the wheel and looking it over is not good enough. The spline must be removed from the wheel so one can see the entire spline.

[kerrfunk]

Just so everyone understands in the future....the rear wheel and the spline MUST be completely seperated to inspect the wear. Just pulling the wheel and looking it over is not good enough. The spline must be removed from the wheel so one can see the entire spline.

Good point, as evidenced by my pictures in post #20 of this thread. When that hub was still nestled in the wheel, the splines looked terrific! That is, the ends of the splines looked terrific. When I pulled the hub out, all that was left of the splines is those little ends I had seen. Not good enough!

[kerrfunk]

I did a search for "Moly 60" to read up on it and I liked the thread I found. And I called a Honda shop about 5 miles away from me and they've got the Honda Moly60 for ten bucks. I went to two auto parts places and they had never heard of moly60. One guy looked it up in a book and is having some delivered, but I'ma go with the Honda place 5 miles away.

from the Old Technical info forum...

24K on my 81 [when my splines failed...] I have a new tire for it but was hoping to get a couple thousand more miles out of the one that is on there now. I had better have a practice session on removing the rear wheel and inspecting the splines...then try to resist the temptation to put on the new rubber. Did anybody notice anything funny such as clunking or noticeable excessive backlash in the rear drive when up on the centerstand before you discovered the problem? Mine feels fine and makes no noises. It does feel like it has more resistance to freewheeling than I would have thought. [-o<

My splines were toast at 24,000 miles, too, and I experienced that funny clunking GSJohn described. Riding along and it suddenly felt like I picked up a rubber marble and let it clunk around inside the wheel for 5-10 seconds and then disappeared. I went to a bike mechanic but he was unable to duplicate the problem.

[Larry D]

So....do you have it all fixed up yet or are you still waiting for your wheel ?

[kerrfunk]

So....do you have it all fixed up yet or are you still waiting for your wheel ?

waiting on the wheel. FedEx tracking says it might come tomorrow. I hope so because then I don't have to wait til Monday, and what is Sunday afternoon for besides riding (or working on bike)?

[SqDancerLynn1]

There was a member here that was riding his purchased bike from So Cal to Canada. Lucky we were installing new tires and checked the splines, other wise he would have been stuck in the middle of no where. I just had to pull one out of my extra parts supply
and put it in..

[kerrfunk]

Woohoo, I?m rolling again!

So silver good, black good, gold bad. Honda Moly60.

Coulda bought the brand new silver piece for $142 + S/H
But decided to chance it with a wheel (1980 850g) from ebay for $30.

Here?s the wheel after it arrived from FedEx:


How it was packaged:


The necessary part (on the left) and my worn out part (on the right)


Close-up


Back in business. New tire, too, since I needed one and the wheel was off.


And while I was at it I added a sissy bar I got on craigslist for $25.


Happy rolling!

Thanks again to Basscliff for the nice wheel-removal instructions.