Middle drive flange removal

So somehow I managed to completely destroy the u joint on my 85 xj700. My issue is the bolts in the middle drive flange are not going to come out without a fight. I'd really like to fight this battle or my terms like a work bench with fire and cutting tools than on the bike where it will attack my knuckles and eventually just end up with rounded out bolt heads anyhow. I was wondering if any of you fine gentleman might be able to instruct me on how I might go about removing this middle drive flange or even better yet maybe some sort of wizardry that may remove the bolts from the flange.

 

These bolts?





They are staked to prevent them from slackening off so you can use a drill bit to drill out the staked over part of the bolt flanges but be careful as you do not want to damage the two retainer plates. With the correct Torx bit T40 I used a half inch drive they slacken easily once the stakes are drilled out. When taking the four bolts holding the driveshaft flange to the engine note the positions of the two spacer shims which are there to set the backlash between the helical middle drive gear and the helical driveshaft gear.

 

some kind of penetrating oil and a 6 point box end wrench. a open end could be trouble

 

Are these the same on the 700 Polock I hope?

 

i would imagine.

 

The middle gears don't have to be touched at all in order to remove the U-joint.
OP, give us some pics of the trouble.

I think what you're wanting to do is remove the output shaft. It's held in place by four cap screws. You'll need to turn the output shaft to make clearance at the u-joint flange for them to come out. Pull the driveshaft first if you haven't already done so.
When you take the output shaft out you will need to keep track of the location of the half-moon shims that are behind the output bearing flange. They have to go back inthe same locations or you will end up with pinion wear.

 

This is the flange I'm talking about.

 

now would be a good time to drop the swingarm for new grease. yours will come right off
you'll need to jam a board in the spokes to get those out

 

Put a metal bar through the broken part of the universal joint to hold it to remove bolts.

 

Yeah I just threw a new set of clutch plates on it and replaced the final drive just to find out (after I had put it back together) that it was the u joint. I honestly thought the gears in the final drive were stripped out and I have no idea how I was able to limp it home after this broke last year. Another thing. Last year I put on pods and an open flow exhaust then rejetted the carbs accordingly. Do you think this may be what contributed to the failure or is it just something that fails eventually anyhow. I ask this because the guy I buy parts from told me he has never heard of this happening so he doesn't bother keeping the ujoints in stock he just junks them.

 

The U-joints do fail eventually, though yours failed catastrophically. They were built to be non-serviceable. Most used ones are in very good condition still, and shouldn't be thrown out. With some time and care the bearings can be cleaned and lubricated in-situ, and with a bit of effort they can even be replaced.