What is it when your valve shim has no Number?

[beemeerr11]

That's right, 2 of the shims that came out of th ebike have no number, I have the clearance, how do you find out what they are?

Thanks yet again.

Lou
81 XS1100RH

[Wildkat]

I use a digital caliper to measure the thickness of the shim... That'll give you the size...
Should anyway...

[XSokieSPECIAL]

That's right, 2 of the shims that came out of th ebike have no number, I have the clearance, how do you find out what they are?

Thanks yet again.

Lou
81 XS1100RH

Some fool put the shim in with the # up and the cam rubbed it off. The # always should go down so the next time adjustment is needed you can read it.

[Elevener]

Or change it out with one you know and remeasure clearance. Then do the math?

[DGXSER]

Wipe it good and clean form any oil and dirt, then measure with a digital caliper as Kat suggested. You can pick up a decent one from Harbor Freight pretty inexpensively.

[Incubus]

I have a Harbor Freight caliper. It is accurate, at least, to the nearest inch. Probably good for measuring distance to the first down marker. I use it a lot, but for not for real delicate measurements. I would take the shim to an auto parts or machine shop and have them check it with a REAL caliper.

Patrick

[DiverRay]

A digital caliper WILL get you very close. I use a digital micrometer, and it's dead on. Most GOOD shops will have a micrometer for just such times, and can probably measure the shims for you. A 0-1" mic. at Harbor Freight Tools should be less than $20. You can then measure shims on your own. JAT
Don't forget to put the new shims in number side DOWN.

[TomRodgers]

you could always scratch your own number on it....JAT...not that it helps you any...

[CatatonicBug]

IMO, every garage toolbox should have at least a dial caliper and a manual micrometer. My dial caliper is beat to pieces, but it still works perfectly.

[dbeardslee]

Nine times out of ten you'll have multiple shims of the same size installed. Check the questionable one with your caliper, compute the measurement, and then see if you have another with that measurement printed on it that you can use to double check your measurement. JAT

[DGXSER]

I have a Harbor Freight caliper. It is accurate, at least, to the nearest inch. Probably good for measuring distance to the first down marker. I use it a lot, but for not for real delicate measurements. I would take the shim to an auto parts or machine shop and have them check it with a REAL caliper.

Patrick

All I know is I bought This one, and it has worked fine for me so far.

Measured my clutch friction disc, my clutch springs, used it to center my swingarm. Sure it is not gonna be as accurate as something that cost ten times that, but it is sure as heck close enough to measure those shims.

[Incubus]

That's the exact one I have. I use it to measure clutch springs, clutch plates, fork leg diameters, bolts lengths, etc. It gives a real decent approximation. It never gives a round number, but it is close enough so that you know what size you probably have or whether you are within spec when you have a range. It is fine when exact width or length is not crucial. I would not rely on it for something that as to be accurate less than 1/10th of a mm. It also has never returned to zero when I closed it, but it is usually within a few thousandths. The difference in the thicknesses of valves shims is pretty darm small. I don't think this type of caliper will accurately measure that slim a difference. But, it's not my bike and I'm not doing the work. Have at it.

Patrick

[fredintoon]

That's right, 2 of the shims that came out of th ebike have no number, I have the clearance, how do you find out what they are?
Thanks yet again.
Lou
81 XS1100RH

Hi Lou,
a low-cost electronic digital caliper (they are not Verniers. I still remember how to read a real Vernier but I can't see the scale good enough any more) will be accurate enough to measure those shims.
If you doubt the caliper's accuracy do a comparo with the feelers in your feeler gauge set.

[Ivan]

Hit the local pawn shop and get a 0-1" mic. Usually you can find them for under $20. Just make sure it reads 0 with very light pressure when closed, and there is no obvious damage.

Calipers are ok, but the quality varies so much you never know what you are getting. Unless you get a Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, or Mitutoyo, you are literally taking your chances at getting a tool that will measure with in .005". In machinist speak that is roughly the distance between Earth and Alpha Centauri. Micrometers are much more accurate, since it is really hard to screw up making a 40 TPI thread, and most any company can divide the circumference of the barrel into 25 equal segments. Plus most good mics have a vernier scale on them so you can reliably measure down to .0001" (that's tenths of thousandths). Even high quality calipers can have an error of .002 (earth to the oort cloud) and still be ISO certifiable.

[crazy steve]

The HF dial calipers are just fine for a home hobbiest; I have a couple of them that I use for 'everyday' and I've checked them against my B&S and also to the 1" gauge for my Starrett micrometer and they match to within .0003" or better. They're not as well-made and in heavy use will probably wear out, but waddaya want for $20?

Drop one of these on the floor, and you're not out $100 or more....

Won't zero out when closed? Adjust the dial face.

'78E original owner