Greg Bender

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/gtbender

Spline lube

I've found that typical grease on any of the Guzzi splines (clutch input hub, drive shaft, u-joint, and rear wheel hub) simply heats up and flies off. This goes mostly without notice on everything except the rear wheel hub, where it spins out on the rim and tire making a mess of things.

That being said, I think it is important for these splines to be lubricated. If not, it is just metal working against metal and the result is a shorter life.

• A while back, someone in the MGNOC newsletter suggested using Amsoil Fifth Wheel and Open Gear Compound. My experience has been very positive with this product and it has not spun out all over my rear wheel.
• Contributed by Joe Jump on the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!) - I had a tube of the BMW red spline grease left over from my K-Bike days. Applied to my new hub, the splines in the flywheel, and to the splines in the friction plates using an old tooth brush. In 100 miles since finishing the job, no problems with fouling the clutch plates. Clutch engagement smooth as butter.
  I think ol' Corntown used spray lithium grease on Creamsicle with no ill effects. I wouldn't worry too much about contamination of the plates, but I would try to select something that has a chance of staying in place.
• Contributed by Chuck DeSantis on the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!) - Another option is Honda Moly 60 paste. I've used it on a bunch of different spline gears, even the rear wheel drive gear. Use sparingly so it doesn't fling; stays put and lasts a long time.
• Contributed by Tom Halchuk in a personal email. In Tom's own words:

  I mentioned to you a while ago of a coating a friend on mine has used before. It is a extremely hard dry lube. He is a prototype machinist. We coated a few shafts in a test. Then tried to machine the shafts. It was almost impossible unless we gouged the surface first with a punch.

  I coated my spline early last year. The clutch pull with the coating on the spline is very smooth and consistent. I have about 4K and 15 months on the spline.

  The name of the company that made this is TechLine Coatings (Part Number DFL-1. POWERKOTE DRY FILM LUBE). To apply the stuff you need to first sandblast the area with very fine aluminum oxide at 40 psi. Then apply the coating after mixing it very well with an electric drill or something. After this you then apply the material with an air brush to achieve an light but full and even coating. I found you can just paint it on as it seems to work just as well. After you let it air dry you then bake it in your wife or mothers oven for one hour at 350° F. After the part cools you then burnish the area with fine steel wool or even a fine wire wheel brush, this will leave what's left imbedded as part of the metal surface and does not seem to add to the dimensions. It seems to me that any metal that can stand up to being baked at 350° F would benefit.

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