Well finally all my bottom end seals and gaskets get here, so I begin to do work and try to remove the kickstarter again... It feels loose on the shaft to where it has play, but will not come off no matter how hard I pry at it! Tonight I just noticed that when I was kicking it over, it feels like it is stripped out inside now and it wasn't like that before. If I somehow stripped the gear out, can it be reversed or do I have to find myself a new one? I hope thats not the case where its stripped, but how can i get this darn kicker off?!?
wtf kickstart issue now?!?
- Thread starter 1998RM250
- Start date
I have to ask, is the bolt completely out? If something inside is damaged, you will have metal in the oil? Vintage Bob
- Thread starter
- #3
The actual kickstarter itself where it pivots has been worn and the kicker has been wearing into the works connection frame guards, but I dont see how that would effect it coming off... The bolt is removed and I can actually slide the kickstart back and forth a few mm on the shaft, but then it's like it hits something and wont go any further. Didn't see any flakes in the oil, but it feels like its stripped and skipping when I kick it now!
wake_rider
Member
- Feb 21, 2007
- 481
- 2
1998RM250 said:
Your kickshaft has a gear that can break teeth off, which isn't uncommon. I've seen it on plenty of thumpers, not so often on smokers although I have been witness to it. I've noticed people that "whiskey kick" their bikes, just kicking and kicking without first bringing the piston to top dead center through the compression stroke it impacts that gear a little too much and teeth begin to break off. It's a fairly easy fix, but often you have to buy the whole assembly and replace it completely.
Okay, here's the diagram of your kickstarter assembly, that is if your bike is the same as your name (98 rm250). The gear is the part #6.
If it's skipping/catching, skipping/catching like you said, that would lead me to believe that this is your problem. If it were an issue with your kickstarter being stripped out then it would twist on the kickstarter shaft all the time and wouldn't ever really catch, it would just continue to pivot. A few teeth being broken off the kickstarter gear would give you the issue of slipping then catching all of a sudden because it's just like having teeth broken off your primary sprocket. Your chain skips and catches and eventually begins breaking more and more teeth off the sprocket, this is the same that happens to your kickstarter gear so it will only continue to get worse. Not only that, but you're dropping more and more pieces of metal into your bottom end, so after changing out the gear it would be a good idea to flush out your bottom end fairly well before deciding to go ride again...
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wake_rider
Member
- Feb 21, 2007
- 481
- 2
1998RM250 said:
On a smoker, that's fine. Just don't kick and kick without bringing it back to the tdc. Whenever there's a lot of slack when you kick then you're just creating more strain on that gear which isn't exactly a beefy part. Think of it like pushing a barrel across the ground versus hitting it repeatedly with the palm of your hand. Both get the job done, but one causes a lot more wear and tear!
The knuckle that goes onto the shaft has seemingly worn in some ridges. Try a 2 jaw puller after taking apart as much as possible?
- Thread starter
- #8
I tried getting it off again just a few minutes ago, it slides half way off the shaft then you can feel and hear it hit something. Wish I had some sort of puller, but I am limited on tools and my buddies couldn't even get it off... I've tried prying it off and wiggling it like crazy, wont budge. It slides freely on the shaft until halfway, then "clank" and it wont go any further! Sucks, I really wanna get this project going.
Take a chisel or crappy screw driver, carefully pound it into the slot where the bolt pinches onto the shaft, ie: spread that momma open and pull it off! Its junk anyways?
It will come off, you just have to pull real hard with a puller or a pry bar. I've never figured out why it's so hard to remove all the way but it is.
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