| Author | Message | ||
     Rkutzner |
OK, I've read my manual and every post I could find. A few questions remain: What size drill bit is best for drilling out the rivets AND do I need to worry about where the back of the rivet falls (is it in the engine?) And how do I turn the engine ? Through the crank inspection window ? Is there a bolt there and do I go CW or CCW ? | ||
| Greg_e |
#1 remove the spark plugs, this makes life much easier! #2 put the transmission in 5th gear and the rear wheel up in the air with a swing arm stand or good solid frame/muffler lift. Turn the wheel in the direction that it normally travels, I don't remember which way this makes the motor turn but it is the correct direction to do the timing. Drill bit can be a #21 or .159 or slightly smaller. Or use a 1/4 inch and just be very careful to only cut off the top of the rivet. I don't remember but I don't think the back of the rivet is anything to worry about because I think you can just grab them and throw them away without worry that they will fall inside. You can thread the place where the rivet went to accept a #10-32 screw, use stainless screws and you'll never need to worry about drilling the rivet again. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
There's a steel plate behind the decorative cover held on by the rivets, they are not a concern, the ends should be fairly secure in that. Follow Greg's advice. You might be able to pick up a chrome or stainless screw rivet eliminator kit at the dealership if they are still available, mine had one available four or five years ago (used it for my Cyclone) but when I recently asked a newish parts guy about the kit (for my TT) he didn't know what I was talking about. | ||
| Akbuell |
If anything like my tubers (my '08 XB doesn't count) I drilled off the rivet heads, and pulled off the decorative cover. The steel plate behind 'held' the rivet bodies in place, and I was able to pull those once the plate was on the bench. At reinstall, I tapped the rivet holes w/a 10-32 tap, and installed the decorative plate with Allen head screws from the hardware store. Use care, you only get 1-2 threads in the inner plate; fortunately they only hold the decorative cover on. And Grege's suggestion about the rear wheel/ sparkplugs is how I would turn the engine over ..... | ||
| Rkutzner |
Thanks for all the great feedback. I was thinking I should have done it when I replaced the spark plugs at 10K! I'm at 15K now and was going to do it but since it's running great I think I'll wait until 20K and then check it at every spark plug change. Does that sound reasonable ? Has anyone really had to adjust theirs earlier ? It's running great and those plugs aren't terrible to get to but it's still a pain ! Rich | ||
| Greg_e |
Pull the inspection plug and you might be able to fight the compression enough to get the job done. If you are pulling the plugs I suggest changing them, plugs are cheap and the process is not the most simple so you might as well just change them. | ||
| Rkutzner |
Absolutely ! If those plugs are pulled after 5500 miles they'll get replaced. My question, though, is simpler. Do I even need to worry about it until my 20K maintenance when I replace the plugs....and then I'll line that check up with the plug replacement from here on out. I'm going to start a new thread and poll how soon people have actually had to adjust their timing....might help others in the future. | ||
| Akbuell |
As an aside comment, if the bike starts and runs fine, the factory probably got it right at setup, so no real need to check the timing. There are no parts in there that wear, like the old points and condenser that needed attention .... That being said, nothing wrong in my opinion with confirming that the timing is correct. Once checked, it's good to go until disassembly or part(s) failure. Hope this helps, Dave | ||
| Rkutzner |
So the setting really doesn't 'slip' under the screws holding it in the factory setting ? | ||
| Akbuell |
IMO, if assembled and torqued properly, no. No real forces to cause it to 'slip'; it just sits there. | ||
| Rkutzner |
Thanks, I'll check at 20000 and every time I do my plugs....  |
