Spring reprise

[belfastguzzi]

If disaster strikes when far from home, a roadside repair to the stuck-in-gear box can be done. No special tools are needed and you just need to lean the bike to save the gear oil. The biggest problem is difficult access to the lower allen screws in the side case. I cut down an Allen key to fit. I have seen 'ball-end' keys but haven't looked at them closely. I presume that they are designed to drive at an angle, so one of these might be the best answer.

 

If you have a suspect (2002) bike and haven't changed parts, then checking that you can access the Allen screws and carrying a spare spring in addition to the tools would be a good idea. Otherwise, a broken spring can be repaired if you carry a pair of grips to bend it.

 

Once home, a new ratchet arm with correct size boss can be fitted; unless you carry a spare one of those, or a file to cut down the original one.

Pawl arm oe part number: 04235101

Spring oe part number: 04238300

 

Tools are easily carried.

Gear oil saved in leaned-over box.

Broken spring, repaired and a new spring.

Oversized boss that seems to be the cause of spring breaking.

New boss is correct 15mm. Also, repaired, filed down oversize boss.

The three gearbox selector springs.

Ready for the road again.

The full pictures are here. Also see here

[Guest vkerrigan]

Great Job BelfastGuzzi!.....I replaced mine last fall as a preventive maintenance issue, but who knows what the future holds. Very nicely done...........vk

 

May The Road Rise Up to Meet Your Feet

[Mike Stewart]

So, is this still just a 2002 problem or should I carry arround the tools and spring anticipating that someday or sometime I am going to be stranded on my 03 Rosso?

 

Thanks,

Mike

[tomsp]

nice fix-- clear description. is this related?--my 03 le mans sometimes goes to a false nuetral in downshifting, like from 4th to 3rd-- this puts a few scares into me as it has occurrred mostly when coming into a corner too hot and trying to downshift. Clunk-- goes into nuetral and it takes a real pounding to get it to shift down? What is that -- me or the bike??

[Baldini]

... false nuetral in downshifting...mostly when coming  into a corner too hot ...

6 speed is mostly much slicker than the old 5 speed, but retains a long throw shift. I think this is cos of the design of the pawl arm/selector gears, there is plenty of space there to get a false neutral as you change. Think of the gearchange as disengaging a gear, then engaging the next, a 2 stage process, & guide the shift lever firmly thro it, feeling for the engagement - rather than simply crashing the box.

 

If you're into a bend too hot I think the brakes would be a much better bet than the gearbox!

 

KB

 

Great post belfasst guzzi. Those lower bolts are a pain, in line with frame tubes - cut down keys the answer. Ball end keys are great but can't get torque on them for shocking tight bolts, & as I recall can't get one on one of those bolts anyhow.

 

KB

[Bill Hagan]

If you took paypal, I'd send a donation!

 

Seriously, this is a wonderful help. If this had been there a month ago, I'd have saved $550+ in U-Haul and related costs.

 

Many thanks.

 

Bill

[belfastguzzi]

So, is this still just a 2002 problem or should I carry arround the tools and spring anticipating that someday or sometime I am going to be stranded on my 03 Rosso?

Mike, I think that the best way to reassure yourself is to take the cover plate off and measure that boss. If it is over 16mm I would say you can count on the spring breaking, if it is 15mm you should be ok (as per Baldini's original detective work).

 

If it is oversize, get a new one under warranty, or file it down. I think it is good to take the sharp, rough edge off the shift plate where the spring bend contacts it too.

 

Pictures of that job were in this thread.

 

Re false neutrals. As Baldini says, there is a relatively big physical shift needed to move the selector mechanisms between gear positions, except for first, neutral and second which are right beside each other– so there is potential for mechanism to sit between selections.

The roller on this little chap can sit on the landing between selections (gears 3 to 6) if not shifted positively enough.

[belfastguzzi]

If this had been there a month ago, I'd have saved $550+ in U-Haul and related costs.

I'm so glad that mine broke a couple of weeks ago, just a couple of miles from home (forcing me to address the issue) and not in a couple of weeks time when I'll be travelling to England.

 

The point that I have learnt about this is that the problem can be sorted beforehand or at least can be sorted on the road if you are prepared for it – you don't need to abandon trip and get trailered home (and then maybe wait weeks for a dealer to fix it).

 

Let's hope that this is the complete answer.

We're still interested to hear if there have been any/many problems with springs in boxes that have the correct sized 15mm boss????

 

– and what year/time period the bad part is found in???

[Guest motor72]

The only gear box problem that I've had so far on my 2003 Lemans (1800 miles) is that it occasionally sticks in a gear only when downshifting. A quick stab at the clutch lever has always done the trick. So far.

[Bill Hagan]

So, is this still just a 2002 problem or should I carry arround the tools and spring anticipating that someday or sometime I am going to be stranded on my 03 Rosso?

 

Thanks,

Mike

Well, Mike, you decide, but it happened to my 2004 Ballabio, which is really a 2003 sold as an '04 'cuz it was a "new" model. Not.

[al_roethlisberger]

Updated the FAQ with this thread

 

 

If I might suggest, it would be equally good to recreate this thread with all the relevant photos and steps in the "How To" section.....

 

al

[al_roethlisberger]

Question:

 

I plan to do this preventative check in the next few weeks, and although I know it's been briefly discussed before .... what gasket-goop(if any) should one use to reliably/permanently reseal the side of the case after reassembly?

 

 

al

[belfastguzzi]

what gasket-goop(if any) should one use to reliably/permanently reseal the side of the case after reassembly?

I was almost going to ask in the original post, does anyone still use Golden Hermitite?

 

For old time's sake I used it this time, as you can see from the lovely golden glow. It was an old tube, but unlike the modern rubbery, silicone alternatives, it hadn't turned solid in the tube – and it is doing a fine job on the bike.

 

The previoius time, I used the ubiquitous blue stuff.

 

I don't think it matters much. It's a small cover with lots of fasteners and seems to match pretty tight.

 

If you were doing a temporary repair out on the road, I think it would hold the gear lube ok without sealant, until you got home.

 

You also don't want to 'glue' it on too solidly or it could be hard to get off again. You can't really lever it off from behind the cover. It can be levered sideways, from the left side.

 

Look forward to seeing how your bits measure up and what sort of gouging there is in the 'shift plate'. Any sign of fatigue in the spring bend? Also interested to hear how much metallic paste there is in the bottom of the box. What is the mileage and how often has oil been changed? I was surprised by how much metal was in the new oil after less than 200 miles since the (first) change– but it's just in the running-in process.

[Guest davidb]

I think "gasket cinch" the white can with the shapely woman on it is pretty close. You will have to go to a pro type auto parts house to get it.

[Guest davidb]

Belfastguzzi, that was the best post I have ever read including the thousands on "pelican parts r1100s site". thankyou.