Loose Shift Lever
- Thread starter Dean M
- Start date
No!
I doubt the bolt is loosening up. These levers have a terrible habit of sometimes loosening up no matter how much you turn the bolt.
Here is what I have done with excellent results.
Take the lever off and file the slot/gap open more. Don't be bashfull. On some of the shift levers the bolt had been turned so many times that there was very little gap left. I placed those in a vise and ran a hacksaw blade backwards to that is wasn't actual cutting with the agressive side of the teeth but instead the backside of the teeth on the blade. Then when you have opened up the gap so that the next time you put is on it's going to squeeze tight you are done.
Now clean off the shifter shaft and the splined portion of the lever and put a couple of drops of "Red" Loctite on the splines. Slip the lever on and tighten the bolt. The increase clearance of the gap allows the lever to grip really well and the little bit of loctite on the splines kinda help grip.
Even better is that the bolt isn't loctited to you will be able to easily change it out when it gets bent or broke without fighting a "stuck" bolt.
Works everytime................GoodLuck John
I doubt the bolt is loosening up. These levers have a terrible habit of sometimes loosening up no matter how much you turn the bolt.
Here is what I have done with excellent results.
Take the lever off and file the slot/gap open more. Don't be bashfull. On some of the shift levers the bolt had been turned so many times that there was very little gap left. I placed those in a vise and ran a hacksaw blade backwards to that is wasn't actual cutting with the agressive side of the teeth but instead the backside of the teeth on the blade. Then when you have opened up the gap so that the next time you put is on it's going to squeeze tight you are done.
Now clean off the shifter shaft and the splined portion of the lever and put a couple of drops of "Red" Loctite on the splines. Slip the lever on and tighten the bolt. The increase clearance of the gap allows the lever to grip really well and the little bit of loctite on the splines kinda help grip.
Even better is that the bolt isn't loctited to you will be able to easily change it out when it gets bent or broke without fighting a "stuck" bolt.
Works everytime................GoodLuck John
David Trustrum
~SPONSOR~
- Jan 25, 2001
- 1,396
- 0
Have a good look at the splines on the shaft & the lever. Then look again under good light.
Just replaced my lever a couple of days ago as it was still coming loose & I use above method all the time for more bite. (which is usually successful.
Strangely the shaft was ok (whew) but the lever which looked ok in the garage light) was well worn on the inside making it prone to jumping outwards.
& if ever I find the prat who thinks it’s a good idea to weld that sucker on I’ll go totally postal on them.
Good luck
Just replaced my lever a couple of days ago as it was still coming loose & I use above method all the time for more bite. (which is usually successful.
Strangely the shaft was ok (whew) but the lever which looked ok in the garage light) was well worn on the inside making it prone to jumping outwards.
& if ever I find the prat who thinks it’s a good idea to weld that sucker on I’ll go totally postal on them.
Good luck
You have to be careful when you open up the slot to get better clamping. As the slot gets bigger, the portion of the clamp that the bolts head is on, will bend more. When it does, the bolt will bend because the bolt head surface and the centerline of the threads becomes less and less perpendicular. This condition will cause the bolt to break as you tighten it down.
Your best bet is to do as David T. said and look closely at the spline (the shaft and the lever). If it came loose once and the lever moved on the shaft, the spline is probably trashed. If the splines are in good shape you shouldn’t have to ever open up the slot.
Mike’s suggestion on using a steel lever is also a good way to go. The only concern would be that the stronger splines on the steel lever might damage the shaft spline if the lever ever does loosen.
Your best bet is to do as David T. said and look closely at the spline (the shaft and the lever). If it came loose once and the lever moved on the shaft, the spline is probably trashed. If the splines are in good shape you shouldn’t have to ever open up the slot.
Mike’s suggestion on using a steel lever is also a good way to go. The only concern would be that the stronger splines on the steel lever might damage the shaft spline if the lever ever does loosen.
I agree 100% with you Mike, but not everyone does the maintenance that they should and the shift lever bolt is usually missed (unless you’ve gotten burned before :eek: )
- May 5, 2000
- 4,008
- 0
I'm making the (reasonable, I think) assumption that the shifter (bolt) is tight before riding and loose after riding. If that's the case, 242 Loctite will keep it from coming loose without making it "stuck" when you want to loosen it intentionally. On the other hand, "Red" Loctite on the splines could result in a seriously "stuck" situation. If the shifter is still loose after tightening the bolt, that is a completely different problem (OBVIOUSLY) which no grade of Loctite on the bolt will solve (OBVIOUSLY). So, which is it?
- Thread starter
- #11
You are correct in asking whether the bolt is tight after riding, and I apologize for not being more clear up front.
Yes, the bolt does appear tight after riding and the shifter has loosened up, which leads me to believe that the aluminum shift lever is 'streaching' aroung the transmission shaft. I hate to just keep tightening it, as it will, as stated above, just close the gap. A replacement stock shiftlever is $100.
On the other hand, buy buying the MSR steel lever as mentioned above, if the lever were to recieve an extremly hard blow, the shaft may bend or strip as apposed to the stock aluminum lever which would probably strip on the steel shaft and not dammage the shaft.
Does anybody have any additional ideas that on can do to fix this problem, and is this common? Thanks!
Yes, the bolt does appear tight after riding and the shifter has loosened up, which leads me to believe that the aluminum shift lever is 'streaching' aroung the transmission shaft. I hate to just keep tightening it, as it will, as stated above, just close the gap. A replacement stock shiftlever is $100.
On the other hand, buy buying the MSR steel lever as mentioned above, if the lever were to recieve an extremly hard blow, the shaft may bend or strip as apposed to the stock aluminum lever which would probably strip on the steel shaft and not dammage the shaft.
Does anybody have any additional ideas that on can do to fix this problem, and is this common? Thanks!
YoTRacer158
Member
- Jan 10, 2001
- 312
- 0
my yz had the same problem w/ the shifter getting loose...i too was worried that the shaft might get damaged with a steel shifter but i had to ride and didnt have the money to buy another stock one. i got an IMS shifter and it works great...its also taken a couple pretty hard hits without bending or shearing any teeth off, and at about $20 its way better than paying $100 for a stock one that will just get loose again
duuhh, i was just kidding. I have had many friends have the same problem and we have found that if the problem is chronic it is usually the result of the shift lever bieing mispositioned. when being shifted it is jetting jammed either up or down against its stop point. regardless, he should still buy a honda.:p
It’s not always the lever. Sometimes the serrations on the shaft wear away or get damaged. Then you can file & tighten the lever till the bolt snaps and the lever will still loosen up after one ride. Then it’s time to change the shaft. A good indication that you are at that point is when you put a brand new shift lever on and it still loosens up. I just went though this and finally replaced the shaft last weekend.
