Swingarm removed, driveshaft question :)

[Grumpy]

My saga continues :) And first - THANK YOU COUNT, THANK YOU CARL LEO, AND THANK YOU AVA for having members like those who'll take a call from a bewildered fellow Voyager and give freely of their knowledge & time! "Three thumbs up!

Thanks to them I learned about "PB Blaster" yesterday - and another thing both mentioned (PATIENCE!) and they worked wonders overnight. Today I was able to finally pul the remaining swingarm pin out without damage or harm! But something new - now I have a driveshaft question. I've looked over the posts about this, and the shop manual several times, and I'm just not 'getting it'.
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Down in the hole on the rear gearbox/differential side of the driveshaft is a circlip. Here's where I get confused - is that 'tube' the 'slip joint'? The tube is sure is fixed solidly on my driveshaft - no movement forwards or back. Is is supposed to slide any distance at all? The manual seems to say to remove the circlip to grease the joint that would seem to be under it...... .... (tho I can't find a picture to help). Once I remove the circlip, will that tube will come off? Is it supposed to slide (how far?) ?? Is that what gets greased?
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ps - re: the u-joint. It pivots freely in one direction, but with a little resistance/a little tight in the other - should I be thinking about servicing it?
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Bob in Cinci with his bike up on the trailer

[Chris near Kansas City]

I believe, all you need to do as far as greasing the driveshaft, is a very light spot on the gear coming out of the transmission, and the same at the gear at the final drive. I suppose on a very high mileage bike you could take the driveshaft apart, as some have done, and grease whatever you can get to.

[Grumpy]

I only have just under 47K miles, not like ... say Fritz! - and will be greasing those gear teeth, but I'm perplexed by whats called the 'sliding' joint on the drive shaft... I can't find anything that's sliding tonight (maybe in the morning after the PB Blaster oil settles in?).

[Chris near Kansas City]

The coupler tube slides on the gear that comes out of the final drive.

[Grumpy]

So, I shouldn't be thinking about removing the circlip down inside that tube?

[frank in ohio]

I think you do want to remove it so you can grease the splines where the two pieces connect together, that is, if you think you need grease in there. I did mine last winter, wasn't that big a deal if you have one of those circlip pliers. I certainly am not sure how often you should do this, but with our winters, there sure is enough time.

frank

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

don't grease the front splines. they don't slide, that's why they have the pin in there. The rear sliding joint is simply the depth of the driveshaft and the spring working in conjunction with the splines of the final drive. steve