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[mcma111]

Originally Posted by Drunk_Uncle

Or you can do what I did. I broke the sprocket cover and discovered the price of a replacement, so I just left it off. I always wear boots on the bike so not worried about part of me going into the couter sprocket.

How good a job are your boots gonna do should your chain decide to jump ship and punch a hole in the engine case?? They'll just shrug and say Not My Job.

[ShooterDave]

Originally Posted by mcma111

How good a job are your boots gonna do should your chain decide to jump ship and punch a hole in the engine case?? They'll just shrug and say Not My Job.

[fritzcoinc]

Originally Posted by Drunk_Uncle

Or you can do what I did. I broke the sprocket cover and discovered the price of a replacement, so I just left it off. I always wear boots on the bike so not worried about part of me going into the couter sprocket.

Or you can do what I did:

[XR650L_Dave]

For not wadding the chain up should it jump off the rear sprocket or break, should the countershaft chain guard be as close as possible from the sprocket, as far as possible, is there some optimum in-between?

[ThumpnRed]

Originally Posted by XR650L_Dave

For not wadding the chain up should it jump off the rear sprocket or break, should the countershaft chain guard be as close as possible from the sprocket, as far as possible, is there some optimum in-between?

I would say cLose... You dont want enough space for the chain to get wadded up in between the case saver and the sprocket.

[bwalsh]

Does anyone have a slick way to snug up the steering stem to the proper preload setting of 1.1-1.6 kg(2.4-3.5flbs)? I need to snug it down so I can continue to put my 04 back together. I can probably wing it but if I can get it presice then so much the better.


On another note, I remember reading (here?) someone mentioned using PVC pipe as a steering stem bearing driver instead of buying some over priced tool.
I just got finished changing steering stem bearings. I used a hammer and chisel to remove the lower bearing like these guys did.

http://www.garagenight.tv/ep-5-repla...head-bearings/

Piece of cake!

I used an old Carlisle canoe paddle blade I found at work to drive the lower bearing into position! A perfect(snug) fit around the stem and the same diameter as the inner race(so it wasn't bending the bearing cage).

Took the stem/lower Triple Clamp out of the freezer, placed the grease seal and bearing on the stem and placed the paddle blade onto the stem,, against the bearing. Turned the whole thing upside down and about ten easy taps later, on a piece of wood on the bottom of the stem and the bearing was home!
I didn't think to take any pics as I was doing this but this is what I'm talking about...

The paddle blade shaft...







You know what they say about one mans junk!

[XR650L_Dave]

You said 'Shaft', and 'Junk', uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh

[fritzcoinc]

Originally Posted by bwalsh

Does anyone have a slick way to snug up the steering stem to the proper preload setting of 1.1-1.6 kg(2.4-3.5flbs)? I need to snug it down so I can continue to put my 04 back together. I can probably wing it but if I can get it presice then so much the better.

You can torque the nut with a stack of adaptors to get to the equvilent inch pounds. You need to fab a socket. What I do is tighten up the nut with channel locks while swinging the triple side to side. Tighten till is very difficult to swing the triple. Then use a large rubber hammer and drive the stem up into the head and then down into the head again while swinging the triple side to side. This is to get absolutely all the slack out of the bearing installation and seat them completely. Back off the nut and tighten with your fingers only till you can feel no slack or play at all. No matter how you do this job there will be the need for a readjustment after some amount of riding, then you will be good to go for a long time. Don't forget grease!

[fritzcoinc]

Originally Posted by XR650L_Dave

For not wadding the chain up should it jump off the rear sprocket or break, should the countershaft chain guard be as close as possible from the sprocket, as far as possible, is there some optimum in-between?

You want the guide as close to the chain as possible. The broken chain will feed through the gap and fall out.

[ecubed]

Originally Posted by XR650L_Dave

You said 'Shaft', and 'Junk', uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh

Bob, snug the "nut" until it is "all the way in" and "withdraw" till it feels nice and smooth.....

[bwalsh]

Originally Posted by XR650L_Dave

You said 'Shaft', and 'Junk', uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh

But not in the same sentence thank doG. I'd never hear the end of it!

Originally Posted by fritzcoinc

You can torque the nut with a stack of adaptors to get to the equvilent inch pounds. You need to fab a socket. What I do is tighten up the nut with channel locks while swinging the triple side to side. Tighten till is very difficult to swing the triple. Then use a large rubber hammer and drive the stem up into the head and then down into the head again while swinging the triple side to side. This is to get absolutely all the slack out of the bearing installation and seat them completely. Back off the nut and tighten with your fingers only till you can feel no slack or play at all. No matter how you do this job there will be the need for a readjustment after some amount of riding, then you will be good to go for a long time. Don't forget grease!

Yeah, I don't know if I have that many adapters!
I did know I will have to re-seat them after about 4-500 miles but thanks for the reminder!

Originally Posted by ecubed

Bob, snug the "nut" until it is "all the way in" and "withdraw" till it feels nice and smooth.....

That's how I've done it on my Mtn. bike in the past.
I read somewhere, somebody said they tighten the nut as tight as possible with leather gloves on...and it usually is pretty darn close to the correct spec. 3'lbs isn't a whole lot.

This has to be done, or is easier to do correctly, with the forks in the lower triple clamp correct?

Thanks for the help guys!

[RideAbout]

Originally Posted by taco250

Near Bend, OR???

Yep, riding with those 'tards in your sig line.

[Helipilot]

Thanks for the replies to my initial post. To clarify, I did not adjust the valves, just noticed the difference in contact while checking for a stuck valve; also, when I did the Dave's Mod this Spring, I totally cleaned the carb and checked the fuel flow. The bike ran like a sewing machine after the mod and produced a better power to the rear wheel. Has been ridden on trails twice since the carb mod although not to say a piece of crud could have floated around and plugged a passageway in the carb.

I will check the kill switch although the bike produces spark when the plug is removed and grounded while cranking. I will also check the starting fluid trick and flush out the carb again.

Thanks again for all the ideas and suggestions gents. I appreciate you guys.

[Brown Falcon]

Originally Posted by RideAbout

Only photo I could find while at work. I have them installed over Cyra-Probend barkbusters. They cover just enough to keep your hands warm but dont intrude on the fore-arm.... and they make the bike wheelie easier!

Thanks! I hope to do some riding over on that side of the state next summer....

[mendoteach]

Originally Posted by ecubed

Bob, snug the "nut" until it is "all the way in" and "withdraw" till it feels nice and smooth.....

+1. So long is there isn't any notchy-ness, or any free play, it can actually be used as a tuning tool.