Ya'll wanna start a..."Valve Shim Bank"?

[JINKSTER]

Hey folks....My gal O-Ren Ishii is coming up on 12,000 miles and i'm starting to think about how i'm going to handle getting the "15,000 Mile Valve Check/Adjustment" done as....

a. I'd like to do it myself as i know that the "just out of A.M.I." 18 year old pimple farm at the stealership (who gets paid partly "By Commission") isn't going to be as concerned and meticulous about adjusting my valves to perfection as i would take the time and concentration to do and...

b. I don't want to shell out $300-$500 for their $80 per hour shop rate plus shim costs annnd?...

c. I don't want O-Ren sitting in the stealership lot for weeks on a parts order/labor time backlog just to get the valve check/adjust done.

So....here's an idea that i'd like to present to the collective here at H.org...that we start a...

"VALVE SHIM BANK"

I watched this idea work out real well with the ZRXOA for far more than several years now and here's how it works...

To start up and get it kicked off?...everyone who "HAS" or is "Currently" getting a valve adjust done collect all their old un-used/replaced shims from past valve adjustments (they are heat treat hardened and still good for indefinite use) and send them all to one collection point/person....then that person purchases a multi-compartment tackle tray with a snap lid and sorts and organizes the valve shims by size...and then the fun begins...as a date scheduled listing of those wishing to recieve the "Valve Shim Bank" is generated and you use the shims you need and "Deposite" those you don't need and then mail the shim bank off to the next person on the list.

Like i said...i've witnessed this idea work out real well for the ZRXOA members for years now...They even have "Valve Shimming Partys" from time to time were several members in a general local'e will get together for a weekend valve adjusting party trading and swapping out shims and coming away with perfect valve adjust and NO WAITING for "Shims On Order" and saving a shidload of time and money and turns into a great savings and?...for some?...a wonderful learning experiences of how to check/adjust their own valves.

If there's any interest in this?....I'm willing to be that Collection/Point Person and will be the first to both establish and benefit from the "H.org Valve Shim Bank"...and?...in the process?...I'll generate a pictorial step-by-step "How To Check/Adjust Your Own Valves" post.

Any interest?...L8R, Bill.

[Wag]

Sounds intriguing . . . . .

Mine are due for another check even as we speak.

--Wag--

[ranman]

good idea i`m a long way from it . but the day will come

[MC MUSTANG]

I wish I had extras, they woudl be in a box to you tomorrow. I will look around and see if they have any at the local shop... but he probably wouldn't get up off of any...

Looking forward to the pictorial.

[Powers739]

Maybe the sponsors could help get us up and running with a few donated shims....

[Poppy]

Jinkster, it sounds like a good idea. I'm about 6K miles away from that particular service but will be interested once it is time. Definately interested in the step by step you mentioned.

[Red05]

Good idea, Bill. How does Suzuki package them? Individually? I'd be up to contributing some to "Bill's Shim Savings & Loan" .

[Powers739]

I would make a contribution to get some shims stocked up, price depends on how many.

[JINKSTER]

<div>
(Red05 @ Feb. 04 2007,04:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Good idea, Bill. How does Suzuki package them? Individually? I'd be up to contributing some to "Bill's Shim Savings & Loan" .</div>
Typically?...replacement valve shims can be purchased either individually (individual shim prices can run anywhere's from as low as $5 ea. too as high as $18 ea.) and the "Complete Mechanics Valve Shim Kits" can run run anywhere's from a few hundred (for minimal bare bones kits) too in the thousands for the ultra-complete dealer stock shim kits...from what i've read, seen and heard over the years.

I believe that this would turn into a great benefit for the vast majority of H.org members as it definantly has been a great bene for the ZRXOA folks over the years...keeping everyones performance high (often times unit-too-unit RWHP variances are directly related to how well a particular engines valves are adjusted/tuned) and definantly helps keep engines healthy over the long term.

L8R, Bill.

[Red05]

Wow. Sounds like a effective strong arm method by the dealer to force a guy to have the dealer do it. Your idea sounds better & better. Keep us posted on what size shims we might "put in stock" first.

[dadofthree]

Excuse my ignorance, but do the Busa valves require shims ?

[Poppy]

I am clueless re: these shims. How many sizes are there? I would be willing to cough up some money for a shim fund, or go and purchase some.

[JINKSTER]

<div>
(Red05 @ Feb. 04 2007,04:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wow. Sounds like a effective strong arm method by the dealer to force a guy to have the dealer do it. Your idea sounds better & better. Keep us posted on what size shims we might "put in stock" first.</div>
Definantly...hence why the vast majority of owners wind up either...

a. Neglecting to ever get it done or...

b. Selling their bike as they notice "the top-end-chatter" increasing over the miles or?...

c. Burning up their valves or?...

d. Suffering the time loss of riding and financial consequences of the dealerships un-merciful ways.

I'm doing a little quick research of valve shim costs now.

and btw...i'm happy to see there's some intrest in this as i've witnessed the benefits of such a program first hand and...L8R, Bill.

[Professor]

Know anything about the HotCams shims sets? About $75 or so I think.

[JINKSTER]

<div>
(Professor @ Feb. 04 2007,04:58)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Know anything about the HotCams shims sets? About $75 or so I think.</div>
Yes Professor...i do...and there's numerous after-market joints that offer up $79.95 Valve Shim Kits...for sale...but the problem usually is this...

The graduation increments/size selection they offer for that kinda dough is bare bones and more times than not leaves the home mech still having to special order the corect size shims they need or?...."Making Do With Whats In The Kit" and not getting a real good (or tight) valve adjust job.

Also...there's a whole bunch of fly-by-nighters out there producing their own...now it's not a real complex shape to machine or anything however...the key is that they use the correct certified material annnnnd?...getting the "Heat Treat Hardness" process correct is absolutely critical when it comes to manufacturing valve shims...and that isn't something i'd trust to just any old after-market joint...there's only two outfits i'd like to see shims supplied by...either "SUZUKI O.E.M." or?..."SUDCO"...as Sudco promises and certifies that their shims are in fact manufactored to O.E.M. specs.

A real good valve shim kit doesn't offer up just 2 or three shims of very steeply graduated sizes...and that's the difference between a Great Shim Bank and a $79.95 shim kit...which consequently parallels the difference between and great valve adjust job and a shiddy one...it's all dependent upon the selection available....which is why i'm trying to start a shim bank.

L8R, Bill.

[05BusaLe]

How about someone list all avail sizes and then each person could agree to buy 4 of the same size this way we would have all of them!

[bigoltool]

Sounds like a damn good plan Bill! Unfortunately I haven't had mine long enough to collect any shims as yet. One possible detriment to this plan may be that a lot of folks are just plain not willing to attempt to adjust em themselves! Though they would still get their old shims back from the dealer!

[JINKSTER]

"SUDCO 9.5 VALVE SHIMS":

SIZE * * * ORDER# SIZE * * * ORDER#
1.35 mm *035-200 * 2.35 mm *035-220 *
1.40 mm *035-201 * 2.40 mm *035-221 *
1.45 mm *035-202 * 2.45 mm *035-222 *
1.50 mm *035-203 * 2.50 mm *035-223 *
1.55 mm *035-204 * 2.55 mm *035-224 *
1.60 mm *035-205 * 2.60 mm *035-225 *
1.65 mm *035-206 * 2.65 mm *035-226 *
1.70 mm *035-207 * 2.70 mm *035-227 *
1.75 mm *035-208 * 2.75 mm *035-228 *
1.80 mm *035-209 * 2.80 mm *035-229 *
1.85 mm *035-210 * 2.85 mm *035-230 *
1.90 mm *035-211 * 2.90 mm *035-231 *
1.95 mm *035-212 * 2.95 mm *035-232 *
2.00 mm *035-213 * 3.00 mm *035-233 *
2.05 mm *035-214 * 3.05 mm *035-234 *
2.10 mm *035-215 * 3.10 mm *035-235 *
2.15 mm *035-216 * 3.15 mm *035-236 *
2.20 mm *035-217 * 3.20 mm *035-237 *
2.25 mm *035-218 * 3.25 mm *035-238 *
2.30 mm *035-219 * 3.30 mm *035-239

and here's the link to SUDCO 9.5 Valve Shims Page....

http://www.sudco.com/95valveshims.html

Pretty reasonable to as Suzi OEM shims are about $8 ea. Sudco imports and sells them for $5-$5.50 ea.

L8R, Bill.

[Powers739]

I would like to Pledge $100 towards the cause, but there is one stipulation, Jinks needs to help me when the time comes to get it done.

So Jinks, whenever I make it back into town we can get together for a little garage time. Don't worry you have some time as I only have 7500 miles on the beast now...

Maybe Vman can get up a deal...

[heavybusa]

I will be getting mine checked out soon, the extras are yours.