Wilsons Sandbox

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "kenmcklr" wrote:

> > I'm going to replace my chain and sprockets soon. Keeping everything > original on the 02 KLR. Not having done this in years (been riding > airhead beemers for a long time) I was wondering if there are any > problems that could be lurking in the job that are not apparent.Would > appreciate any advise. Thanks, Ken in Katy Tx. >

Be sure to get the lock washer really flat. I can't stress this point enough. Use a long breaker bar on the 27mm nut. Stand on the right side of the bike and hold the brake pedal down with your foot while you lift on the breaker bar, or have a confederate hold the brake.

> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "kenmcklr" > wrote: > > > > I'm going to replace my chain and sprockets soon. Keeping > everything > > original on the 02 KLR. Not having done this in years (been riding > > > airhead beemers for a long time) I was wondering if there are any > > > problems that could be lurking in the job that are not > apparent.Would > > appreciate any advise. Thanks, Ken in Katy Tx.

<><><><><><><> /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Ken, You'll have to pull the swing arm to put an original chain back on. Loosen the rear motor mount bolt so the frame can spring wider just a bit. Two or three turns loose should be plenty. If you don't do this the dog bone won't come out easily and might not go back in at all. If you have a center stand it needs to be removed too. Might as well put some waterproof grease in the rear suspension linkage bearings while you have it apart. Make sure you don't over tighten the chain. That seems to happen a lot on these bikes. It'd be easy to check if you leave the rear shock lower mount disconnected until the chain is adjusted. This way you can raise and lower the swing arm and wheel to see how tight the chain is at the tightest point in the swing arm travel. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

If you put on a rivet chain with a riveter, or any clip-style master link chain, you wouldn't have to take the swingarm off as per Mr Saline (assuming you can break/cut the old, endless, chain off). I might suggest using this as an excuse to tear into the whole linkage and lube everything up, though: It'll save you the hassle of cutting the old chain, and tackle an important maintenance item. It's amazing how rusty that stuff can get--I just took apart a 92 that had the unilink pivot rusted so solidly that even with a BFH I couldn't make it budge. I think it had become one with one of the bearings I sold the frame to a guy with that bolt still solidly stuck. Mark has a simple run-through on his page of how to lube it all: http://www.klr650.marknet.us/ -Luke

> > > I'm going to replace my chain and sprockets > soon. Keeping > > everything > > > original on the 02 KLR. Not having done this in > years (been riding > > > > > airhead beemers for a long time) I was wondering > if there are any > > > > > problems that could be lurking in the job that > are not > > apparent.Would > > > appreciate any advise. Thanks, Ken in Katy Tx.

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--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "kenmcklr" wrote:

> I'm going to replace my chain and sprockets soon. Keeping everything > original on the 02 KLR. Not having done this in years (been riding > airhead beemers for a long time) I was wondering if there are any > problems that could be lurking in the job that are not apparent.

The front sprocket is held on by a big-ass nut. Put the bike in neutral and take off the front sprocket cover. Bend the retainer washer flat with a big-ass screwdriver, then get a long piece of 3/4" galvanized pipe (3' is a good length), put your socket wrench on the nut, put said pipe over the handle of said socket wrench, hop on the bike, jam on the rear brake with your right foot, and heave upwards with your left side. It'll feel kinda springy (the chain does that), just keep heaving you won't break anything (and if you do, you wuz tryin' ter get rid of that chain anyhow, right?), and eventually the nut *will* give. When you put the nut back on you'll follow the same basic procedure, but will be using a big torque wrench (click-type, you can't see a dial or needle in this situation) and of course be pushing down rather than lifting... The rest is pretty much common sense. You'll need to take the rear wheel off to change the rear sprocket. Don't try taking the front sprocket off altogether until you take the rear wheel off and break the chain (you'll need a chain breaker, unless the old chain was a master link type), otherwise it gets hung up in the chain and is a PITA to work out of its little area. Similarly, put the front sprocket on before you start installing the new chain. If you are installing a rivet-type master link rather than a clip-type master link, you'll need a chain riveter also. Personally, I run a clip master link type chain and have never had a problem (the KLR isn't exactly a powerhouse!), the secret there is to use a small socket and C-clamp as a press to shove the side plate on securely before trying to put the clip on. Most problems with the clips coming off are caused by people not pushing the side plate on enough, so the clip doesn't seat all the way in its slot. If you haven't pressed the side plate on enough to see the entire slot plus a teensy bit of metal on the other side of the slot, you haven't pressed the side plate on far enough to put the clip on. The "gold standard" appears to be the D.I.D. Gold, but my suspicion is that any good-quality X-ring type (not O-ring type) chain will do quite well on the KLR. Actually, the O-ring types will last pretty well too, but tend to have more horsepower-sucking friction and hey, it's not as if the KLR has a surplus of horsepower to begin with... Oh, chain adjustment. Don't adjust the chain too tight. Follow the directions in the manual, which will have it "too loose" (you think) but long-travel suspension requires it to be that loose. I basically follow a rule of thumb where, if I push it at the chain's center up towards the swingarm and it comes to within 1/4"-1/8" of the swingarm, it's fine. Less slack than that (can't push it that close), it's too tight. But the first couple of times, measure it according to "the book", until you get the right "feel" for where the chain's supposed to be. -E

Or just forget all the problems of the european cars and buying extended warranties and just go buy a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry. Jeff A20 -----Original Message----- From: mike@... To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 12:34 PM Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] NKLR - Mercedes-Benz? Hi Steve,

>> Soon will be time to pass one of the family cars to the teenage daughter

and pick up something else - any particular upsides/downsides to a clean, used Mercedes-Benz for regular commuting use? Nothing flashy - prefereably something in the middle price range, a 3-4 yr old mid-sized sedan with 30K miles or so on the clock. Been driving Detroit iron for a long time and ready for something different, but not in the mood for a Pacific Rim econobox.