Enzo Posted March 22, 2004 Posted March 22, 2004 I went in for the recall last week. Two or three weeks before I had asked that the springs be ordered as I wanted them replaced. Well, I got a call that the bike won't be ready for a week or more - it needs a return spring and there is none in stock. Now I wait for MGNA for a part that should be readily available and on hand. The interesting thing about this is that the spring is not 'cracked' but 'sprung' - it has literally lost its elasticity. Have you ever heard of this? They tell me that they have only seen one other bad return spring. I thought the problem was more common than that.
twhitaker Posted March 22, 2004 Posted March 22, 2004 I can vouch for the return spring being a common problem. Mine went out at 6,000 miles on my '02 LeMans. There has been a lot of discussion about that spring on this forum. My bike was stuck in third gear, fortunately, and I was able to ride it the last 40 miles to the rally. I carry a spare spring. If you have any problems getting one I can loan you mine. It hangs on the bike like a karma bell to ward off the evil spring spirits.
al_roethlisberger Posted March 22, 2004 Posted March 22, 2004 Yep, got my "Oklahoma"(see FAQ) spare spring in a bag as a talisman .... I really hope I got one of the "good ones" as I just don't want to have to mess with it Time will tell. al
docc Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 True, all indications are the early springs are pretty weak and some '02s are prone to break. We haven't heard from Thang for a while. He was on the second supplier attempting to get good replacements made.
Steve G. Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 So with these return springs for the gearbox shifter, how tough is it to replace one of these on the side of the road if you're stuck out in the boonies? Ciao, Steve G.
Guest John T Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 If you had the tools, it could be done, but it would be a pain in the ass. You would have to drain the tranny oil and save it, remove the side cover,remove the shift cams, (need a circlip tool or two people with screwdrivers), replace spring, reassemble, put some gasket maker of some sort (Yamabond, or similar) refill tranny oil and away you go! Very simple in the garage, a bit harder on the road.
twhitaker Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 I do not know if the bike must be vertical to do the spring replacement. If not, you could lean the bike over on your HB saddlebag and leave the gear oil in the box. The bag is tough enough to support the bike. Don't ask me how I know this.
Guest John T Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 Yeah, you could do that, never thought of it! But the thought of my baby lying in the dirt on the side of the road with its innards all open makes me shiver!
P3GA Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 Oh oh. As I've just acquired an '02 Le Mans with about 5800 miles and a "buttery-smooth" transmission where shifts end up in neutral / between gears if I'm not careful, I'd appreciate a quick synopsis of what I should be on the look out for.... Thanks, Phil
Paul Minnaert Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 HAve it up and down shifting, if it's one way, I sugest you adjust the lever a bit. There was someone who had some loose bolts at the shifterlever.
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