"stator rant" & phillips head rounded

[Stu Mitchell]

Reading about things like warm grips, or possibly warm gloves, etc… brings me to my current project(s) .   One of my upgrades is working up to those luxuries by upgrading my stator to the 280w version while I was in there doing my doo-bob and thermo-hickey.

 

Doo-hickey went relatively painlessly… That should have been the heavy lifting.   I try to remove the Philips head screw which holds the stator wires where they enter the cover- the %!##% head rounds out….  So now I’m off to a machine shop…  The stator R&R upgrade should have been an easy step….  Oh well…

 

BTW – my Doo-Hickey spring bitter end broke off, so I had nothing tensioning the chain.  Good call on upgrading the Doo-Hickey.  I went with the torsion spring also as a replacement.

 

I had also planned on doing the swing-arm bolt swap out/upgrade/reinforcement step plus change out all my other bolts to the eBay bolt kit which uses stainless bolts and allen heads– (benefit of that decision is I will have a spare of all my bolts).

 

But I found that the left upper swing arm bolt head had sheared off….  Oh, fun (not really the word I used) – now, I am doing the big drill out swing arm through bolt upgrade….A little more than I had planned.  But – it’ll be done and behind me.

 

Btw – my bike is a 2002 w/6500 miles.  I bought the bike about 2 months ago and the last year it had been legally tagged and registered was 2010 prior to me buying it.  I had suspected the PO had a bad riding day and then parked it.  This is now confirmed by the sheared bolt head but from what I have learned, it is not that hard to break off those bolt heads – just the right “jounce” down and you may not even know it.  Heck, I didn’t notice it was missing, riding the bike on the street and just getting that whole Zen bonding thing going on with my new girl friend.  But, I’m glad I’ll have the upgrade done now… I just wasn’t planning on it.   So, from a neophyte, I suggest folks consider at least the bolt upgrade, if not the drill through – just for peace of mind – and it’s cheap insurance.

 

Just to affirm what everyone already knows – but in a lot of ways, some of this is why I love my KLR – They need a little tweaking to help them finish becoming the beast they can be.  But once all the wrinkles are ironed out and the right upgrades/reinforcements are added – it’s time to go around the world (or around the block, the county, the country, wherever you’re going, etc). 

 

I’m just disappointed when what should be a simple upgrade of a couple of parts and preventive maintenance turns into pretty significant surgery – and more downtime.    So it’s “Zen bonding” while wrenching away under the mistletoe with my new mistress…  All the while, the unseasonably warm weather blows through…  But there will be more days to come – and I have some pretty tough riding gear for nasty weather.    Which full circle -why I chimed in – I am trying to get enough juice to think about heated grips, gloves, liners, or something.  She ain’t gonna be a garage queen and sunny days only.

 

Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, Happy Holidays –

 

[b][i]Stu[/i][/b]

[b][i]o&>o                                                    [/i][/b]

[b]  [/b]

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[Eddie]

That's why the threads were toast. =) LOL -eddie  

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] robert@... [b]To:[/b] edgyver40@... ; nomad59@... ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Saturday, December 21, 2013 12:01 PM [b]Subject:[/b] Re: [DSN_KLR650] RE: "Stator rant" & Phillips head rounded   What?  No vice-grips handy? Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 =============================================== On 12/21/2013 4:29 AM, eddie wrote:  

Amen on the usefulness of a good Dremel tool! At the shop, we experienced a snapped off rear exhaust stud on a Vulcan. The nut had rusted stuck in place and broke the stud while we were swapping the stock pipes for some aftermarket ones. The threads were toast. So, I used a Dremel and coarse sanding drum to grind what was left of the stud into a roughly 1/4" square. Then I took a 1/4" drive 10mm socket and lightly tapped it backwards over the stud before using a 10mm hex 3/8" socket in that to back it out. I still can't believe that actually worked. =) -eddie ----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] nomad59@... [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Saturday, December 21, 2013 6:56 AM [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_KLR650] RE: "Stator rant" & Phillips head rounded   20+ years as a service tech ya learn a few "tricks"., and a Dremel Rotory Tool IS MY FAVORITE. Rounded Phillips, Bolt heads, studs etc, I use a "Dremel Tool" and metal cutting disc. Phillips: I use one of the X slots and cut a FLAT slot all the way across, (not TOO DEEP) Then simply use a flat head screwdriver. (tap with hammer first, to loosen the seized screw.) Rounded Nut or bolt head: Use the cutter to grind 2 flat surfaces, then use a next size down wrench. (SMALL bolt heads, its sometimes better to turn them INTO a slotted screwdriver head.) NOTE: Have your "next size down" wrench handy and fit it as you grind, / SHAVE off the edges. 

[Norm Keller]

  Stu, some thoughts, suggestions, observations prefaced by a disclaimer:   I hope that no one reads anything I post as patronizing or disrespectful of the fact that they likely know more about the subject than do I. In that vein it try to present context so that anyone reading can understand the basis/justification which I hold with regards the subject. I also try to provide the basic connection so that someone not familiar with the subject can link into what I am trying to convey. Unfortunately this is not always appreciated or accepted. Some people become resentful at the length of my posts while others, usually unable/unwilling to provide supporting argument for their contrary position, accuse me of arrogance. Sigh...   So, expecting that you already know this but thinking that someone might not, here goes:   1) Rounded "Phillips" screws are a problem in most service fields but much of the problem with these screws is unappreciated. There are several different "Phillips" type screw head configurations which are not as interchangeable as one might hope. The Phillips screwdriver available in North America does not match the Japanese standard "Phillips" screw head.   2) If one does not own a tin of valve lapping compound then get thee forth in search! Do it now! I'm serious! Get a tin of valve lapping compound, also called "valve grinding compound", and similar names. I prefer grease mix but oil mix or water mix are just as good.   This stuff is a grit of very hard particles with a liquid carrier to form a paste. It is the absolute worst kind of stuff to get into a mechanical device but is a true wonder for use on a screwdriver. Dip the tip of your screwdriver into the lapping compound and then, holding firm end pressure into the screw, turn the screw.   The difference in drive is amazing! It is exactly like putting sand onto an angled icy sidewalk during freezing rain.   A small tin will last decades. Even better, put a tiny pot of compound into your carry kit. Even worse to round out a screw during an emergency repair...   Works well on rounded bolt heads, etc. Do it now!   3) Many people lack the old "impact driver" tool which every Japanese bike owner had to possess in the old days. These are the fat screwdrivers intended to be struck by a hammer to remove/install screws or bolts. Magic for things like stator screws. The end impact by the hammer seats the screwdriver bit firmly into the screw while turning the bit about 8 degrees.   4) If the head of a Phillips screw rounds out, the resulting tapered hole perfectly pilots a drill bit in order to remove the head. You might consider drilling to the shank diameter (slightly bigger) of the screw so that the stator can simply be pulled out leaving the screw behind.   Typically, the resistance to turning was due to the tension against the threads and the head. Once this is removed by drilling off the head, the screw will turn out easily. If it does not turn out readily, the length of exposed body makes for gripping and heating opportunities.   5)  A useful solution to a rounded Phillips is to use a cutting tool in order to create a screwdriver slot across the head allowing a flat screwdriver to drive the screw. Use a big enough slot, make sure that you have a good fit of screwdriver to slot, etc. Making a wide, sloppy slot which causes your screwdriver to bear only onto the ends of the slot is asking for trouble. A Dremel cut-off disk can be helpful in tighter locations but a hack saw can be best in others.   6) If a screw slot or drive area begins to round out, stop and consider options. One very useful one is to use a light hammer to strike flat against the end of the head. This will pound the displaced metal back into place as well as to loosen the threads in many cases. Then place a good Phillips bit into the screw head and drive the bit home with your small hammer which will result in a good fit. It may be possible now, to remove the screw.   Of course, one may wish to shield nearby components in case of impact damage should a tool dislodge and to avoid swarf entering.   Any chance you are in the Fraser Valley? If so and would like a hand.....   The rear suspension linkage is often a horror show as people tend to ignore service. We used to install grease nipples into all the linkage but this is not for the faint of heart.   I don't think that it will happen with KLR#2. Drilling and threading a grease nipple into the steering head section of the frame is well worth the 5 minutes IMO.   I did several Electrosport and other upgraded stators some years ago but haven't done one on a KLR in a while. Very worth while, IMO but wouldn't do the 400 Watt (bigger one if memory is incorrect on Wattage) as they require too many RPM to make useful power. The really big stators require high RPM so are only really suitable for highway running, IMO. If one is doing highway touring, the KLR would not be high on my list as there are so many better pavement only bikes but to each their own.   HIH   Norm    

[Stu Mitchell]

OK,

 

Thanks to suggestions, some luck and possibly divine intervention… screw broke free and stator replaced/upgraded…. And last cover back on… with new stainless steel allen bolts.

 

However, I can’t find torque values for those left side cases anywhere – not in my Clymer, on google (which goes to Mark and other sites and the Wiki which has a good list) or anywhere else…  My guess is they should be about 18 ft/lb – but they may need to go to 25 – I don’t know.  Can anyone tell me what torque value they recommend? 

 

And again, thanks for the help, morale support, tips…. It got me past that hurdle.   Now moving along -

 

After I get the case torqued, I need to  start drilling the sub-frame out…. YAHOO!!!!  Always comforting to contemplate that an unpracticed hand could make a slight error in attack precision and completely torpedo my whole bike….  Naaww – no pressure here…. J 

 

Thanks,

-Stu

o&>o

 

 

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[Ron Haraseth]

Case bolts - 78 in/lb    http://www.sherb.net/wiki/index.php/Kawasaki_KLR_650#Torque_values   Ron   [b]From:[/b] cloudnine233@...   [b]......[/b]However, I can t find torque values for those left side cases anywhere not in my Clymer, on google (which goes to Mark and other sites and the Wiki which has a good list) or anywhere else   My guess is they should be about 18 ft/lb but they may need to go to 25 I don t know.  Can anyone tell me what torque value they recommend?  ....... Stu