My "97 GS500 has only 10k miles on it yet the drive sprocket is wobbly on the drive shaft splines and the wear isn't just the sprocket, but the splines as well.  I'll be looking for a replacement shaft but it seems that the circlip that keeps the spline on there is pretty minimal and prone to letting the sprocket wear again.  Is there a fix for this, a thicker sprocket that would fit if the spacer is cut back a bit?  Also, what year shafts fit the '97.  There are a number of them on eBay at a good price but no '97's.

The circlip is more than enough to keep the sprocket on, actually it will stay in place without the clip if the rear wheel is always properly aligned.  You previously said you had a hubless type sprocket on there so a proper hub type like belongs on a 97 would provide less free play and more spline engagement. The change from a hubless to a hub type sprocket was between 93-94 so any shaft newer than that should fit. 

Edit: Checked the parts fiches and they currently list drive shaft 24131-01D00 for all 89-09 GS500 but 2 different spacers and sprockets are listed for 89-96 and I recall a shoulder was originally cut back on the shaft between 93-94 for the sprocket hub change so I'd say an old 89-93 shaft would be different but Suzuki supplies the same newer one for all years now.

if your shaft isnt to worn you could get your sprocket chromed to take up the slack .it wouldnt hurt the chain as the sprockets are hard.

Quote from: twinrat on May 14, 2013, 01:00:28 AM
if your shaft isnt to worn you could get your sprocket chromed to take up the slack .it wouldnt hurt the chain as the sprockets are hard.

I floated that idea here earlier but someone said that the chrome plating wouldn't hold up to the stresses on the splines.  Anyhow, the shaft splines are badly worn, so I'll have to score a new or good used drive shaft and maybe get the end of that chromed as well as the hub type sprocket chromed and have a slight interference fit that would require some heating of the sprocket to get it onto the splines.

I'm not saying the GS500 circlip design is the best way to go, actually it's the cheapest way to go used on a bike built to a price.  But reasonably well maintained it will go the distance, I put 80k miles on my 97 GS and have 98k on my 02 GS all on the original drive shaft splines.  twistit's bike obviously has had some serious abuse if the shaft splines have been worn badly enough to need replaced at 10k miles.  But she has it torn down now searching for the solution to another problem so it's a good time to replace the drive shaft if it's worn and if a replacement can be had at a reasonable price.

The Gixxers and even the little TU250 and GZ250 bikes have the drive sprocket clamped down tight to keep the spline from being worn by a misaligned chain.

http://www.shspowersports.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=39865&section=1442479&year=2011&make=SUZUKI&category=Motorcycles&dc=3378&name=TRANSMISSION

Quote from: gsJack on May 14, 2013, 09:57:24 AM
I'm not saying the GS500 circlip design is the best way to go, actually it's the cheapest way to go used on a bike built to a price.  But reasonably well maintained it will go the distance, I put 80k miles on my 97 GS and have 98k on my 02 GS all on the original drive shaft splines.  twistit's bike obviously has had some serious abuse if the shaft splines have been worn badly enough to need replaced at 10k miles.  But she has it torn down now searching for the solution to another problem so it's a good time to replace the drive shaft if it's worn and if a replacement can be had at a reasonable price.

The Gixxers and even the little TU250 and GZ250 bikes have the drive sprocket clamped down tight to keep the spline from being worn by a misaligned chain.

http://www.shspowersports.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=39865&section=1442479&year=2011&make=SUZUKI&category=Motorcycles&dc=3378&name=TRANSMISSION

That's a much better arrangement.  I have a machinist friend who might be able to add metal to the end of the shaft and cut threads into if for a bolt on arrangement instead of the circlip.

Rather than adding onto the shaft your machinist might find it easier to just drill and tap a hole in the end of it and make a spacer just a bit longer than the length of spline sticking out of the sprocket.  The sprocket could then be clamped tight with a washer and bolt like it was on my 82 CB750K years ago.  I gave some though to doing this 10 years ago but never bothered.

http://www.shspowersports.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=132871&section=2561413&year=1982&make=Honda&category=Motorcycles&dc=3378&name=TRANSMISSION

Quote from: gsJack on May 15, 2013, 08:32:54 AM
Rather than adding onto the shaft your machinist might find it easier to just drill and tap a hole in the end of it and make a spacer just a bit longer than the length of spline sticking out of the sprocket.  The sprocket could then be clamped tight with a washer and bolt like it was on my 82 CB750K years ago.  I gave some though to doing this 10 years ago but never bothered.

http://www.shspowersports.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=132871&section=2561413&year=1982&make=Honda&category=Motorcycles&dc=3378&name=TRANSMISSION

This is a completely excellent suggestion.  I'm also thinking of flipping the spacer around so the thicker shoulder is up against the gear.