Just picked up my 450 today. I noticed it has grease fittings on the front drive shaft. How in the world do you guys grease these things? I'm going to put some angled fittings in the back where the A-arms are, but I was wondering about the front drive shaft. Rear drive shaft is easy. Thanks for the help.

 

First, get ready to say a number of choice words! You will be using new ones by the time your done. Second, go to O'Rileys or an auto parts store and get a needle type greese gun end. (It is not actually a needle but a slender metal tip that you push into the small ball of the zerk.) Jack up your bike and get the U-joints in just the right alignment so you can reach the zerks. (the ones leaving the transmission going to the rear differential can be greased with a regular gun. It is the front u-joints that are the trick. I just did mine last week and was glad that I probably only need to do this annually.

 

Thanks for the info! Actually, I said a few choice words when I saw where they were located. Anyway, sounds the the needle end is a good choice.

 

Tried the needle, grease just comes back out of the top of the grease fitting, what am i doing wrong?
Modified a right angle adapter still no room, Yamaha has a revised fitting for the front shaft, guess what.. got the old one off, impossible to get the new one to start threading ...again NO ROOM will probably take to the dealer and let them screw the fittings into the U joint before I wind up taking the whole machine appart.
thanks

PGRSV On the rear you can use a right angle gun fitting, Advance Auto sells them, It will slip right over the zerks.

 

Sounds like a dealer may be your only hope. I was able to get the drive shaft lined up just right and then with the help of my son pumping the grease gun, I help the end grease gun tightly onto the zerk with both handles. This was the only way I could get the zerks to take any grease. Hope that helps.

 

Lets try that again put doing some proof reading this time. Sounds like a dealer may be your only hope. I was able to get the drive shaft lined up just right and then with the help of my son who pumped the grease gun, I used both hands to hold the needle fitting tightly onto the zerk. It was a real ordeal! Hope that helps.