Help! Tranny fix

[Hmar]

So, I probably unwisely decided to try and fix first and second gear on my 81 special. I am following topcat's directions, and am trying to remove the clutch nut. The whole clutch spins freely, I have the rear wheel blocked, it is not moving at all. What am I doing wrong?

[bikerphil]

Got to put the bike in gear, 4th gear is the one you want for the tranny repair procedure.

[Hmar]

Thought I had. How much am I going to have to put back together?

[Bigfoot]

depends on how much you have taken off. but you should be able to just shift it by hand. Just run it all the way up until it won't shift anymore then back one and you should be in 4th.

[Hmar]

Got it, thanks. Probably not the last problem.

[Hmar]

Clutch is off, ready to flip. Now I just need to wait for my help

[BA80]

I suggest removing the oil pan before you flip the bike. Otherwise anything that may be laying in the bottom could end up in the top of the engine and cause damage when you start it back up.

[MaximPhil]

I suggest removing the oil pan before you flip the bike. Otherwise anything that may be laying in the bottom could end up in the top of the engine and cause damage when you start it back up.

Hi Greg,
Hopefully JIT advice
Hmar when you see the crud in the pan you will know why this is good advice. Look for any broken bits or clips and washers etc.
Good luck.
Phil

[Hmar]

I will, I haven't flipped the bike yet. Hopefully tonight.
Thanks for all help.

[Schming]

Before flipping, you'll most likely want to drain the fuel from your carbs float chambers and wrap some tape of your choice around the breather cap on the final drive to avoid leaks from both.

P.S. Take the battery out also !!!

[BA80]

Before flipping, you'll most likely want to drain the fuel from your carbs float chambers and wrap some tape of your choice around the breather cap on the final drive to avoid leaks from both.

Good, the middle drive also. I would just drain the MD and FD. New oil is cheap and fresh never hurts.

[BillyRok]

Another suggestion is to also remove the oil filter housing to completely drain all the oil from the motor, otherwise when you flip the bike you'll have oil leaking out and finding its way onto hard to clean areas...not that I would ever have done anything like that. You may also want to loosen the MD and FD filler plugs before draining just to insure you can refill the drives with oil after you've drained them. They can be pretty tight and I think you'll need a 6mm hex to remove them. Put the wrench in the plug and then give the wrench a sharp rap with a hammer rather than muscling it, I've found they will always pop loose that way and you don't round out the plug, YMMV.

[Fearthepack]

Once you get the bike flipped and your ready to disassemble this procedure should make it ez pz.....
Just wanted to share my first time tranny removal and reinstall. I removed and re-installed my counter shaft with gears a dozen times to get procedure down to just minutes.

Worries
1. Does everything have to stay exactly as it is as the cover is taken off...in other words how much can i spin the gears, shift, play move stuff around and it not effect a damn thing... unlike trying to keep everything lined up for correct timing... so everything will go back into its place upon reinstall.

Answer
1. Play all you want. All the gears mesh together so if installed correctly on the shaft they only go in one way. In fact rotating the primary shaft seems to unload some meshing pressure on both removal and install. To be honest I thought nothing could be moved, rotated or everything would be messed up upon reinstall.

#3 Shift fork (the one furthest away from 5th gear) is not your friend. It is in your way on both removal and install.

Counter shaft with gears always gets jammed the last 1/8 inch before coming out and during install. Hell yeah that is frustrating.

Fifth gear hard to get off and on just rotate primary shaft slightly it comes right off and right on after that.

Lets reinstall counter shaft with gears best procedure is as follows:
1. Set the counter shaft with gears installed into case and very important get #3 fork engaged in its place on the shaft.... Now if you try and install you will be 1/8 off and jammed. Crap why why why? You MUST let the driven gear and 1st gear slide almost off the end of the shaft and 1st gear must slide off its bearing that creates the 1/8 inch clearance you need and allows the entire shaft to drop down and line up with hole in case. Now get 1st gear bearing slid back into place and with #3 fork still engaged slide the shaft all the way in opposite #5 gear. Rotating primary shaft if any slight binding occurs will always be your friend.

Removal best procedure is as follows:
1. Slide fifth gear off if binding rotate primary shaft
2. Keep #3 shift fork engaged onto counter shaft and start sliding counter shaft towards fifth gear, when driven gear and 1st slide almost off the shaft and 1st gear off its bearing this will create the 1/8 clearance and now completely remove the counter shaft with gears. Remember any slight binding can be overcome by turning primary shaft.

Conclusion: Finding the 1/8 clearance and how to duplicate it over and over made the job so easy, with out the 1/8 clearance it just binds and curse words will soon follow.

Hope this helps any and everyone.

[Gmac]

I know I've seen the removal/install

more than a few time but that description is the one that makes it so easy.

Thanks FP!

[Fearthepack]

more than a few time but that description is the one that makes it so easy.

Thanks FP!

Listen I could take one of those RD350's and get it road worthy... Just saying