ATTENTION ALL M50 OWNERS! My issue resolved! FIX YOURS NOW B4 IT'S TO LATE!

[SteveL]

Burn:
One other thing I do not see the boot that you need to remove to get to this. I looked thru the parts list and thru the manual and I do not see the boot. Could you take a photo of this boot. The boot is not on your parts list either.
Also from looking at the drawing in the manual this part will not fail by locking up. It will fail by stripping off like yours did and freewheeling. The splines are basically "locked up" by design.

Roger L

The boot is at the engine end of the propeller shaft and the damaged end looks like it is at the final drive (rear wheel) end of the shaft.

To have rust in the place that failed means water intrusion. Two logical places for water entry are at the boot and the other end at the flange joint between the final drive and the propeller shaft cover. If you have ridden through deep water or live in a very wet area, I think it would be wise to inspect and lubricate both the u-joint end and the final drive end of the propeller shaft.

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[burnchassis]

Burn:
One other thing I do not see the boot that you need to remove to get to this. I looked thru the parts list and thru the manual and I do not see the boot. Could you take a photo of this boot. The boot is not on your parts list either.
Also from looking at the drawing in the manual this part will not fail by locking up. It will fail by stripping off like yours did and freewheeling. The splines are basically "locked up" by design.

Roger L

The shop manager gave me the list of parts I needed.Im takin his word for it.
The "boot" is called an oil seal ,and it is not at the engine end of the shaft...it is at the rear end of the shaft.
CS

[burnchassis]

Evening Burn

do you know if this is an issue isolated to the "M" and if it affected later year models. I have a '07 C50T with 22,000 miles, so far no trouble of any kind...other than those pesky tires wearing out...HAHA

If you have a Suzuki and a shaft drive...I would check it out .
Especially the c50 ,and m50...same parts same assembly..I don't know about different years,I only have the 05,but my GUESS is they would all be the same..dry as a bone.
Better safe then sorry.
CS

[burnchassis]

Burn you are my mech. The great info keeps comming and comming. Sorry your bike had to break to find this out but I thank you very much for sharing the info, so the rest of us can take note. I would have ended up spending big bucks and now I know how to prevent it. Thanks again man.

Thank you dogginit for thanking me!
I do it for guys like yourself,that can appreciate my efforts.
CS

[MCSC]

I almost had a bad crash about 20 years ago due to lack of grease during manufacture. My 2 year old Yamaha XT600's lower steering head bearing seized up when I attempted to exit a highway at about 110 kph. I actually had to hit the road with my boot to help stand the bike back up because it continued on straight ahead when I tipped it in.

When I dismantled the steering head, the lower bearing was rusted out and the cage holding the tapered bearings had collapsed. The upper bearing was still like new, with plenty of grease.

[vikingpnut]

Burnchassis you are my hero! It's now on my list of crap to do on my bike, Thank you for persevering and sharing with the rest of us.

[Apertureguy]

I do appreciate the info Burn...but the bike has been so good to me for so long, I hate the idea there may be a major issue like this.

I suppose I will have this checked, although I was really hoping to dodge the bullet.

I imagine it will be much cheaper to have things checked & lubed now, rather than after I go sailing through my Memphis Shade windscreen from when the darned thing locks up while on a highway.

So, Thanks.

[Camp21178]

burnchassis, it is really nice of you to post these how to videos for everybody. Thanks! Do you know if this applies to the S50?

[Manuel]

This is some great news burn. It sucks that you have to be the one to find out the hard way. We will all have to learn from this and check our driveshafts while the bikes are young. Mine only has 8000 Kms. About 5000 miles?? Too lazy to google it. Since I'm in canada, this will be a good winter project while the bike is on it's off season.

Any recommended grease burn? The manual said to use a Moly based grease. I await the idiot-proof how-to video.

How hard is it to get to the U-joint at the engine side of the driveshaft? Does the swingarm really have to be removed? I would like to check that as well.

[bm50Chapin]

I'm thinking the admins oughta take a closer look at Burn for the Member of the Month, he's done more to better our bikes via this forum than anyone else. THANK YOU BURN!!!!!

[draf]

I agree!
Really nice job with the videos, tutorials and all the information you gave us!
Thanks Burn!

[draf]

There is something I don't understand. How could the shaft come into contact with water and rust so bad? Isn't it supposed to be sealed? If not, is it possible to seal it?

[rogerl]

How far up the drive shaft is the rust? Could you post a picture of the entire drive shaft? There is a seal at the wheel end of the drive shaft that should keep the water out. Somehow it looks like there was a lot of water in the housing around the drive shaft and it just sat by the wheel until it rusted the drive shaft enough at the seal to let the water in. It looks like one of the photos shows rings where the seal had worn into the shaft.

Roger L

[burnchassis]

Wow guys Thanks I'm overwhelmed with appreciation!
Here is a couple videos I just did.
1 to show the shaft and the oil seal..helps to put things in place for ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zld5P4xoQ8E

1 to show what has to be done to grease the U Joint and front drive shaft splines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGXp_-VuylY
I don't think I left anything out ..I may have though I don't remember ...my mind is foggy..or smokey ,or maybe that was my room? lol
I realize most of you still have the fake swing arm on,so yours may appear different.There are 5 (i think) additional bolts to remove for the fake swing arm.
Thanks again everyone!
CS

[camaleon]

Sticky 4 sure!