Loose Gear Shifter

[tennis23]

hi.. I have a 1980 XS1100 Midnight special, I was wondering why I heard a rattling sound sometimes when riding. Sure enough, I looked at my gear shifter and I can actually pull it about 1/2 inch out and back where it attaches to the groved piece that is coming out of the crankcase. It almost looks as if it needs about a 1/4 inch washer? Also, is it a good idea to take to a Yamaha shop and have them look at the gears and make sure that they look in order?

Thanks!
Brian S. Tinsley

[Czekus21]

I'm not one for dealer shops unless the majority of the mechanics are old timers. Even then ya gotta watch your billfold. to check out the gears, they're going to have to pull the trans case cover. Usually a shop will tell you that there is something wrong and they have to order the parts. After they come in then they forgot to order the gaskets. Then they come in and the guy who was working on your bike quit or got fired and noone knows how to work on this old of a bike BUT you owe us X amount of $$$ and you can take your bike home. ( all torn apart ) Unless you really trust them. But with my bikes, No one digs into them but me. As far as the rattle goes. There should be a 10mm bolt that holds the shifter tight on the splines. There should be a grove in the middle of the splines. As long as the bolt is in the hole, the shifter cannot come off. If it is loose there will be a little bit of play. If you ride with it like this for very long, you will end up stripping out the splines and will have to replace it. Then you'll have no problem with the gear inspection cause it'll have to come apart.

[DiverRay]

You may be missing a spacer that is supposed to be on the inside of the saft. Look at the Yamaha parts catalog online, and you can see the spacer.
http://parts.yamaha-motor.com/
select the year and model of your machine, and look for the shift shaft assembly.

[mikej-t]

Hi Brian,

put a longer bolt through the shift lever, tighten it up as far as it will go, and put an extra nut on the end of the bolt that now comes through the other side of the shift lever. Tighten this up really good, maybe put some threadlock on it, and hopefully you'll get rid of any play in the lever. Use a high quality bolt and nut. If you leave it loose, as already mentioned, it'll strip in time, then you're stuffed!

Mike.