Can't get 5th gear wheel off

[jetmechmarty]

OK, I failed to get the countershaft back in. Hopefully, when I return to it at the end of the month, it will drop in. I can't get that middle drive gear to clear and drop down.

[DiverRay]

The counter shaft will NOT go back in on all bikes with a washer swap. We tried it on Ed's bike in June, and had to put the washer back in the "normal" location. IF you can find a "thin" washer, you may be able to do it. The other choice would be to "shave" a little off the case so it will drop in. I think the case mold is the difference between working and not. HTH!

[jetmechmarty]

It wasn't easy to remove, so I'll work at it before I give up on the washer move.

[motoman]

Don't know if this will help but when putting the shaft back in mine, Bike on center-stand and gravity being the BIG helper going back together still lacked just that teeny bit more side-shift to clear and go up in there. Was late at nite and frustration was setting in so gave up. Next day bout noon decided to give it another try and as soon as shaft was up in close, it just fell in place. With the clunck it jarred loose the two shift forks from above and they both dropped right down in place........gravity IS your friend if done on center stand........

[SFerinTEXAS]

I disassembled a non reusable donor motor upside down and I have concerns with those shift forks if done on the center stand. Sure don't want to flip the bike.Gonna tackle it soon . Some Moral Support?

[James England]

I disassembled a non reusable donor motor upside down and I have concerns with those shift forks if done on the center stand. Sure don't want to flip the bike.Gonna tackle it soon . Some Moral Support?

I think it would be incredibly frustrating to try doing the job with the bike on the centre stand. There is a thread here which I read, where someone did manage it but said it was very tricky. IMO it's tricky even with the engine out of the frame and upside down on the floor! And, like other people have said, I could not get that countershaft back in after the washer switch. Absolutely no way.

To be honest, given the size of this job, either taking out the engine or turning the bike upside down, I personally will pay out for brand new gears rather than going for the Dremmel fix. I cannot imagine the frustration of going through all that aggro and then finding the Dremmel fix hasn't worked (isn't there a post on here where it made the problem worse?)
That way, I'd blissfully look forward to 30,000 miles or more worry-free 2nd gear use and not always be wondering if I'd done the Dremmel thing properly.....

[motoman]

To each thier own, actually found it fairly simple to do while on center-stand and everything is in correct orientation.......JMO

[DGXSER]

James, the new gears have the back cut on them that the dremel repair puts on the gears, so they should last the life of the bike. As to it making things worse, well, it all depends on the result of the grinding I suppose. Anyone can do it, but it does take time and patience to work slowly and grind the gears accurately.

As to doing it on the centerstand, that is the only way I have done it. I've done this repair three or four times now between my bikes and helping others. Each time I do it, something else becomes the PITA. First time was getting the gears back in, next time was getting the gears back in, last time it was the shift forks just refusing to drop into place for me. That time, I did lay the bike over on its side so I could see what I was doing better, but only for the shift fork part. It always takes rotating the rear wheel while manipulating the countershaft to get the gears to go back in though. Not an easy thing to do with the engine out.

[SFerinTEXAS]

That time, I did lay the bike over on its side so I could see what I was doing better, but only for the shift fork part.

That's the missing link my puzzler needed if I have trouble with the forks

[jetmechmarty]

back at it

I was away at work for 5 weeks. Now, I'm back at reassembly. Replacing the countershaft seems an impossible task. I can't seem to get it even close. Does the small wheel and shaft to the aft need to be removed? Is it the starter gear? It seems to be the biggest impediment to getting this back together.

[DiverRay]

If you moved the washer, it will NOT go back in easily! Remember the order you took things out, including removing one wheel if you did. You will have to reverse the order, down to putting the shaft in and THEN putting that wheel back on.
HTH (though probably not much!)

[natemoen]

I dred the day I have to tackle this fix, hopefully I never will.

[gareth]

I replaced the countershaft, with the washer swap, while the bike was on the center stand. It was tough work, but the gear stack did go in eventually although I had to remove the kick-start mechanism to do so.
If I was going to do it again, I would get a couple of friends to help flip the bike. It was a hell of a chore doing it on the stand..
Just one thing. If I was planning to flip the bike, I would still drain the oil and drop the pan while the bike was rubber-side-down. If there are loose parts floating around in the pan, ( gear teeth, assorted stuff...) I don't think I would want them falling UP into the engine.
I took the bike for a very cold 50 mile, first post-fix test-ride yesterday and the bike seems to be doing fine. It has been standing for a while though and I have a bit of a vibration somewhere. I'm hoping I just need a carb sync, or maybe the undercut gears need a bit of time to "mesh"..

[jetmechmarty]

I fiddled with it until it was time to walk away. I'll get after it again on a different day.

If I turn it back over and remove the engine, will it go back together if I split the cases? At this point, I'm not even getting it close.

[DGXSER]

If you split the cases it becomes VERY easy. But I have not had to do that yet, although I have not done it with the starter gear before. IF it came out it WILL go back in.

For me, I find I need to slide the middle driven gear to where it is JUST on the edge of the teeth part of the shaft, then slide first gear off of its center bearing. This lets those two gears be at a different angle than the shaft and slide into their homes a small amount easier. Then wiggle and push and push and wiggle and also very slowly turn the rear wheel so the gears the shaft is meshing with turn to mate up with the shaft gears. Hold your tongue JUST right while doing those things and it will eventually go into place. Every time I do the repair I find it is a complete surprise when it slides in and I know I could not repeat that trick on purpose for any amount of money. Next time it is the same gift of fate when it drops in.