YZ250 shifter loose every ride

Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 2:10pm
I'm fricken pissed and it's probably nobody's fault but my own. I can put a brand new shift lever on and after one ride it will be loose. I tighten it up and after one more ride it will be loose again. I go through shifters like they are going out of style. Last night I tore it down and put in a new shift shaft and high dollar shifter thinking maybe the spline is fucked up. I rode today and the sumbitch is loose again after one ride. I am obviously doing it wrong but does anyone have a suggestion to fix this problem for someone who obviously sucks at riding such as myself?!?!
|
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 9/19/2009 5:00pm
9/19/2009 5:00pm
Dammit! This was supposed to be in the tech section but I've been drinking so......
fcr
Profile picture for user fcr
Posts
9347
Joined
12/1/2006
Location
Monkeys Eyebrow YE
fcr 9/19/2009 5:00pm
9/19/2009 5:00pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2009 11:02pm
You using loctite ? Have you thought of safety wire?
09450f
Profile picture for user 09450f
Posts
2746
Joined
9/24/2008
Location
Temecula, HI US
09450f 9/19/2009 5:01pm
9/19/2009 5:01pm
maybe where it pinches together needs a gap..get the hack saw out and cut a gap in it..my .01 cent
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 9/19/2009 5:03pm
9/19/2009 5:03pm
Gap isn't a problem, loctite isn't a problem (tried it too). Brand new, plenty of gap, loose after one ride... It's obvious I'm just putting a lot of weight on it with my foot but that's how I roll. ;(

The Shop

See All »
09450f
Profile picture for user 09450f
Posts
2746
Joined
9/24/2008
Location
Temecula, HI US
09450f 9/19/2009 5:05pm
9/19/2009 5:05pm Edited Date/Time 9/19/2009 5:05pm
thats it ..heavy foot syndrome

Cygnus
Profile picture for user Cygnus
Posts
14849
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Hanover, CO US
Cygnus 9/19/2009 5:06pm
9/19/2009 5:06pm Edited Date/Time 9/19/2009 5:06pm
Very common on the Yamaha. My friend with an 01 125 we bought a steel lever and we welded it together it was so bad. Yamaha doesn't give those levers away I think it was 48 bucks a piece.I think he bought three. We found one of the shift forks was bent also when we finally tore it apart.
BUTCH
Profile picture for user BUTCH
Posts
5091
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
WA US
BUTCH 9/19/2009 5:14pm
9/19/2009 5:14pm
I'd put a longer bolt on and use a nut with Teflon.
DownSouth
Profile picture for user DownSouth
Posts
9634
Joined
7/5/2008
Location
Tallapoosa, GA US
DownSouth 9/20/2009 5:30pm
9/20/2009 5:30pm
The splines on your shift shaft are most likely worn or damaged causing the new levers to keep wearing and refusing to stay tight.

I had this happen on an old bike and had to split the cases and replace the shift shaft to solve the problem.
bogdan912
Profile picture for user bogdan912
Posts
2722
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Estell Manor, NJ US
bogdan912 9/22/2009 7:25am
9/22/2009 7:25am
BUTCH wrote:
I'd put a longer bolt on and use a nut with Teflon.
I had the same problem... put a longer bolt with a nut and never looked back.
526
Profile picture for user 526
Posts
1681
Joined
5/4/2009
Location
Colgate, WI US
526 9/22/2009 12:58pm
9/22/2009 12:58pm
DownSouth wrote:
The splines on your shift shaft are most likely worn or damaged causing the new levers to keep wearing and refusing to stay tight. I had...
The splines on your shift shaft are most likely worn or damaged causing the new levers to keep wearing and refusing to stay tight.

I had this happen on an old bike and had to split the cases and replace the shift shaft to solve the problem.
"Last night I tore it down and put in a new shift shaft and high dollar shifter thinking maybe the spline fucked up "

He already did this !!!!!!!

Do you torque it to spec ?
lumpy790
Profile picture for user lumpy790
Posts
9244
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC US
lumpy790 9/22/2009 9:08pm
9/22/2009 9:08pm
Easy there big foot!

Sounds like you are stomping the shit out of the lever.......wait till you trash the tran$ from doing this.

Snapper
Profile picture for user Snapper
Posts
631
Joined
8/28/2009
Location
GB
Snapper 9/23/2009 1:49pm
9/23/2009 1:49pm
Are you making sure the bolt lines up with the groove in the shift shaft?
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 9/23/2009 9:17pm
9/23/2009 9:17pm
DownSouth wrote:
The splines on your shift shaft are most likely worn or damaged causing the new levers to keep wearing and refusing to stay tight. I had...
The splines on your shift shaft are most likely worn or damaged causing the new levers to keep wearing and refusing to stay tight.

I had this happen on an old bike and had to split the cases and replace the shift shaft to solve the problem.
526 wrote:
"Last night I tore it down and put in a new shift shaft and high dollar shifter thinking maybe the spline fucked up " He already...
"Last night I tore it down and put in a new shift shaft and high dollar shifter thinking maybe the spline fucked up "

He already did this !!!!!!!

Do you torque it to spec ?
No need for that, I have a calibrated elbow. Wink
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 9/23/2009 9:22pm
9/23/2009 9:22pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Easy there big foot!

Sounds like you are stomping the shit out of the lever.......wait till you trash the tran$ from doing this.

Well, it's an '03 and the transmission is still holding up. It's surprising because I ran it completely out of oil on a 140 mile ride in the mountains in Colorado back in '04. The tranny was so dry the bearings were squealing like fingernails on a chalkboard. Smile I actually have rebuilt the motor since then and changed all the tranny bearings just in case. I know I just have a heavy foot but it just pisses me off that I can't ride without the damn thing working loose. I'll be able to tighten it 3 or 4 times (which amounts to about 4 or 5 rides) and then I grind out the slot with the dremmel which gives me another 4 or 5 rides and then I get a new one, rinse, repeat.
partialperson
Profile picture for user partialperson
Posts
410
Joined
11/6/2006
Location
Murphysboro, IL US
partialperson 9/29/2009 9:34am
9/29/2009 9:34am
Try a Yamaha shifter off a '99 YZ 80. No stock aluminum or aftermarket shifter can compare. It's cheap, mild steel and will wear out before the shift shaft. Everyone should have this as a spare in their racebox.
BUTCH
Profile picture for user BUTCH
Posts
5091
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
WA US
BUTCH 10/10/2009 10:05am
10/10/2009 10:05am
Well Void did you ever get this fixed?

Pit Row

See All »
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 10/17/2009 8:53am
10/17/2009 8:53am
BUTCH wrote:
Well Void did you ever get this fixed?
I have been consciously trying not to be hard on it and that is helping, otherwise no. It's just hard for me to be easy on it when the gas is on.
BUTCH
Profile picture for user BUTCH
Posts
5091
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
WA US
BUTCH 10/18/2009 9:07am
10/18/2009 9:07am
Try the longer bolt with a Teflon lined nut.
Nutty C
Profile picture for user Nutty C
Posts
465
Joined
10/28/2009
Location
Waterdown CA
Nutty C 11/30/2009 5:27pm
11/30/2009 5:27pm
I got a yz 250 two stroke and my shifter keeps getting loose also. I am going to try the longer bolt and a nylock nut trick.
Highsider
Profile picture for user Highsider
Posts
7680
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA US
Highsider 11/30/2009 6:15pm
11/30/2009 6:15pm
My 450 has three seasons on it and I am BRUTAL when shifting with my size 11 SGs!

Wouldn't you think another model of YZ would have similar results? never had a Yamaha with that problem, since 1968, anywayPinch
bogdan912
Profile picture for user bogdan912
Posts
2722
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Estell Manor, NJ US
bogdan912 12/1/2009 6:31am
12/1/2009 6:31am
I didn't read through all the responses so forgive me if this is a dup... I had the same problem. Take the existing bolt out put a longer on on and throw a nut on the other end that sticks out.
motofab36
Profile picture for user motofab36
Posts
1358
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Cowden, IL US
motofab36 12/1/2009 6:38am
12/1/2009 6:38am
partialperson wrote:
Try a Yamaha shifter off a '99 YZ 80. No stock aluminum or aftermarket shifter can compare. It's cheap, mild steel and will wear out before...
Try a Yamaha shifter off a '99 YZ 80. No stock aluminum or aftermarket shifter can compare. It's cheap, mild steel and will wear out before the shift shaft. Everyone should have this as a spare in their racebox.
Tim how do you always seem to have rare bits of info like this?Shocked
TerryK
Profile picture for user TerryK
Posts
9899
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
CA
TerryK 12/5/2009 11:20am
12/5/2009 11:20am
Put a longer bolt in with a nylock nut on it. Tongue

...or, an old pair of vice grips makes a nifty shifter.
Void Main
Profile picture for user Void Main
Posts
17017
Joined
3/19/2008
Location
US
Void Main 12/6/2009 8:54am
12/6/2009 8:54am
I have several rides on an aftermarket shifter and it seems to be holding strong. I have also consciously been going easier on it (although when in the heat of a good run with the boys it's hard to go easy on things). It comes with a short and long anodized tip. The problem is I can't remember what the brand is. I'll send a note to my parts buddy to see if he remembers what he sold me. Smile
Highsider
Profile picture for user Highsider
Posts
7680
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA US
Highsider 12/6/2009 3:44pm
12/6/2009 3:44pm
I would need the longer tip, or I never would find the shifter!

Looks pretty cool, too. Was it expensive?

Post a reply to: YZ250 shifter loose every ride