Front Sprocket Cover

[GeebMan]

I was trying to get the front sprocket cover off. I had noticed an excess of chain lube/grit and dirt buildup towards the front sprocket area and wanted to clean that crap out of there. I removed the bolts circled in the pic (thanks BT) and removed the speedo sensor but the cover still seemed pretty snug. Do you have to remove that clutch slave cylinder as well to remove that cover. I don't want to damage anything by using a lot fo force to get that cover off. Just wanted to make sure I was on the right track.

 

[Juggler]

I ran into this last weekend. Remove the shifter mechanism (you may want to scribe where the shaft and connector piece meet). Once that's done, you should be able to pull the cover straight out.

I was able to remove the cover without removing the shifter mech., but COULD NOT get it back on.

Good luck!

--Juggler

 

[dezzy7]

Juggler did you get it back on? Heck you should have called I've had mine on and off more than a couple of times!

 

[Juggler]

Dezzy,

Now you tell me! I'll have to pick your brain fu

 

[Juggler]

...something strange just happened.

Continuing from above:

I'm going to have to pick your brain about taking the radiator/oil cooler off to get the headers off. I was a bit daunted when I looked at doing this.

--Juggler

 

[SAbusa]

Yes you have to pull clutch rod out with the cover.

 

[UUBusa]

Yup, I removed the whole shifter mech and those circled bolts. The cover is pushed onto pegs with rubber bushings. Mine was snug. I Q-tipped them to clean them out. It was snug going back on as well. Also the screw holding the shifter to the gearshift shaft must be completely removed. The shaft is grooved for the screw.
Like Juggler said though put a small etch on the shift shaft and the connecter also on the shift lever and it's shaft....it'll make it a snap... Putting them back on press the lever and gear shift arm on evenly. You'll need a set of D-ring pliers.
Below is a microfiche picture of everything.... I use it religiously...along with the manual. Hope I could help and not be too repetitive. PM or IM me if ya have any other questions AOL IM (pauljuunet)


http://www.ronayers.com/fiche....8693837

 

[Mythos]

For the Gen2, after removing the speed sensor,

is it the same four bolts that need to be removed as shown in the pic in the OP?

The reason I ask is because the SM indicates FIVE bolts circled for removal.

The picture in the SM for installation indicates only the four bolts which I have numbered in this pic.

So I'm guessing that fifth bolt (yellow question mark) should not be removed to take off the sprocket cover?

 

[Mythos]

Bumperooni! Has no one taken off their Gen2 sprocket cover? I'm off to try, sure would appreciate some advice on that mystery bolt.

 

[dave s]

You only need to remove the 4 bolts pictured ,the 2 other bolts hold the clutch slave to the cover which do not need removal , when removing watch out for the 2 dowels the cover sits on

 

[dave s]

Also mark the gear shifter to aid refitmeant

 

[Mythos]

You only need to remove the 4 bolts pictured ,the 2 other bolts hold the clutch slave to the cover which do not need removal , when removing watch out for the 2 dowels the cover sits on

Thanks, dave. I have an Exoticycle clutch slave support bracket which I thought would be fastened to the boltholes for the clutch slave. The bracket has extremely long bolts so it seemed those would go through the sprocket cover and into the engine case. I see now that clutch slave bolt I marked with a ? only goes through the sprocket cover and that is why I suppose the bracket was invented to support the clutch slave.

Yep, I know those dowels. I removed my stator cover a few years ago.

Also mark the gear shifter to aid refitmeant

I plan to use a Sato shift arm when I put it back together and IDK if that will be positioned as the OEM shift arm was. Also, I will try pointing the shift arm downward for GP shifting. I have the shift shaft marked to the opening in the OEM shift arm just incase I need to install it again.

Thank you, sir.

 

[Mythos]

@dave s , Another question. Do I need to secure the clutch slave from coming out with a C-clamp? It looks to me like the plate (the circular one with the small hole in the center) on the inside of the cover will keep the piston from popping out under fluid pressure in the system. The sprocket cover might hang there for a month by the time I put it back on. You don't think there's any way that piston could pop out do you? or maybe leak a little?

 

[dave s]

I have only removed for cleaning and the piston never moved or leaked,that said a c,clamp for peice of mind wouldn't hurt.I think the Haynes manual said secure with cable ties?

 

[Mythos]

Thanks for the reply @dave s . I don't see how a C-clamp or cable ties would be positioned on the slave cylinder unless it were removed from the sprocket cover. I read one comment on one of the threads I researched where a guy recommended a C-clamp just to be on the safe side but looks to me like that's only if the Slave is removed. I removed the slave cylinder one time on my ZX-14 and I used a C-clamp.

I will have a look at the service manual about removing the slave cylinder because I will probably be changing the bolts over to aluminum and also removing the safety plate and dampers from the cover for weight loss. I would think then the C-clamp would be necessary if the slave is off the cover for any length of time.

I changed my ZX-14's sprockets last winter and left the sprocket cover hanging on the side of the bike supported by a string. It leaked and the reservoir was empty by the time I got the cover back on. I just refilled and pumped it up, it was fine all season. I think the worse thing is the slave might leak without pressure from the pushrod holding it in. We'll see. I'll report back here.

Thank you for your fast response.

 

[rubbersidedown]

@Mythos
Do not remove the clutch release cover...you called it a safety plate? to save weight.
The piston will move out of its bore while off,if somebody squeezes the lever with the cover off (it has happened to members) you wont like it. Why leave the cover hanging for a month? Take 2 minutes, put it back on.

When putting the cover back on,push the slave piston all the way back into its bore,then put the cover back on quickly making sure it is seated all the way around. Then tighten all of your bolts a little at a time in a cross hatch pattern like you would a cylinder head.Check the fluid level in your master cylinder before pushing the slave piston home.If the level is a bit high pushing the piston back in could cause spilliage over the top. Members on here (and others I suppose) have cracked the cover trying to force the clutch actuation rod in by way of force on the cover bolts. No need to torque the krap outa the bolts either. Again,members have stripped the threads.
A clutch slave support bracket is a great mod.
GP shifting is not something I recommend even thou in theory it does force a harder shift from 1st to 2nd which we all know is a good thing on a lot of Suzuki transmissions. It takes some getting used and can actually be really fuggin dangerous...just my opinions on all that,
Rubb.

 

[Mythos]

@rubbersidedown
Do not remove the clutch release cover...you called it a safety plate? to save weight.
The piston will move out of its bore while off,if somebody squeezes the lever with the cover off (it has happened to members) you wont like it.

It appears there are two plates, one is a sprocket dampener and the other is a slave piston retainer for when the cover is removed. I have heard a slave piston can press out under the fluid pressure in the system even if the clutch lever is not pulled. I was going to remove just the sprocket safety plate and the foam rubber between it and the sprocket cover. I may leave the plate that retains the slave piston because it also looks like it keeps a lot of dirt from getting in the piston bore. Actually, the sprocket dampener seems more critical. If the chain ever winds around the front sprocket, that's supposed to help protect your foot. I removed the plate and foam from my ZX-14 sprocket cover and saved 12 oz.

Why leave the cover hanging for a month? Take 2 minutes, put it back on.

Seems like it would be a repeated PITA getting those dowel pins lined up. I will be doing everything one step at a time. Speed sensor nut, sprocket nut, New sprocket and tighten both nuts down....clean cover, new chain....this is slow work 45 minutes at a time in the cold....mostly only on weekends when I have daylight. Someday I will have a normal house with an awesome garage but for now it's storage unit wrenching.

When putting the cover back on,push the slave piston all the way back into its bore,then put the cover back on quickly making sure it is seated all the way around.

I read a thread where somebody was having a problem getting the sprocket cover back on because it wasn't making contact. He was directed to screw it down with the bolts but I see how that could be risky given we have an issue with the strength of the OEM cover not to mention the dowel pins have to be perfectly aligned before tightening the bolts. I will press a flat tipped rod in that little hole in the plate to force the piston back up before installing the cover. Good advice on the other points of sprocket cover installation too. Thanks, bro. Yeah, I use aluminum engine bolts with Never-seize torqued less than 2/3 of spec and they never come loose.

A clutch slave support bracket is a great mod.

I will show pics.

GP shifting is not something I recommend even thou in theory it does force a harder shift from 1st to 2nd which we all know is a good thing on a lot of Suzuki transmissions. It takes some getting used and can actually be really fuggin dangerous...just my opinions on all that,

I suppose if you forget and downshift when you wanted to upshift... This might get a little tricky because my other bike can't be converted to GP shifting so easily. I will have one bike standard and the other GP. I will get the 14 converted to GP as soon as possible but it requires cutting the kickstand spring peg off and welding it to the back of the bracket like the busa's side stand. I really need to try GP shifting because I love quickshifters so much and I can tell the one I have on the 14 would be helped by GP shift pattern.

 

[Dopey]

@dave s , Another question. Do I need to secure the clutch slave from coming out with a C-clamp? It looks to me like the plate (the circular one with the small hole in the center) on the inside of the cover will keep the piston from popping out under fluid pressure in the system. The sprocket cover might hang there for a month by the time I put it back on. You don't think there's any way that piston could pop out do you? or maybe leak a little?

View attachment 1629964

so obviously you've never had that cover of before but let's make sure u do a lot more now that you know what your dealing with and keep that thing clean cause that sure is a lot of buildup. I'm guessing you use chain wax??

 

[Mythos]

@Dopey yes I do. Maxima Chain Wax. I was trying every other lube to use Maxima Chain Guard which is an oil. I hoped it would melt out the crud but I don't think it does that very much. Yeah that's 15,000 miles of crud. I don't bother with it until I change an engine sprocket. The chain will cut a path through it. It is excess weight though, isn't it.

 

[dave s]

Mythos The 4 bolts that hold sprocket cover only require 10nm