[geoffbaker]

I rebuilt my gearbox, doing a LH to RH conversion, switching to a sealed bearing, using 90W gear and adding a vent hole all according to Snidal. (Part of my diesel conversion).

Since the rebuild, I've been riding it in the neighborhood and the gearbox definitely seems to be a little more problematic.

I can get to all gears, but often I have to either doubleclutch or, if I'm stopped, physically push the bike forward a foot before the gear will shift. I mean, with clutch in, can't find the gear. Let the clutch out, roll the bike a few inches while trying to shift and click -it finds the gear.

I've played with the shifter adjustment and the detent, that all looks fine - and adjusting doesn't seem to make much of a difference. It's not hitting against any stops and missing gears as a result... when on the centerstand, sometimes I can rocket her through all gears repeatedly, no problem, sometimes she sticks - rotate the wheel - she's free again. Seems like sometimes she wants to stick between 2nd and 3rd and cant find anything - sometimes its neutral and first she wants to stay in. Move the wheel, she's fine.

Same problem with the neutral finder... sometimes it finds neutral, sometimes not... roll the bike forward... it engages fine.

Any suggestions? Is this behavior pretty much standard? I just remember it seemed to work better before I did the conversion. Then it might miss gears occasionally, but not as much.

[cyrusb]

I know this is old hat but is the clutch disengaging OK? It would be the first thing I would check.

[Bankerdanny]

I agree with Cyrus,

Make sure that you have the clutch adjusted right.

When I reassembled my box in May (still left shift) I had all kinds of problms getting the shifter adjusted. Finally I just centered the back plate on the posts, which seemed to work best.

Last week riding home from work I started having problems getting to neutral and 1st. I could feel a little creep when the clutch lever was fully drawn in, so clearly I had some drag. Adding about 1/3 of a turn to the adjusting screw did the trick. Once again neutral and 1st came up with no drama.

[geoffbaker]

I'm planning to order a new clutch cable when I get back from Seattle. It's frayed on both ends and old... perhaps a new one - well adjusted - may solve the problem.

Thanks!

[baird4444]

GB-  it sure sounds like clutch to me. go back to the basics.....
the following is from Tim in Nz and it is spot on...
     - Mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have found the clutch adjustment very very fine... A difference of 1/8 of a turn on the adjustment nut makes the difference between slip and drag. Make sure that you cable is not kinked, well lubricated, and runs as straight as you can possible achieve. Do not over fill the primary case with oil; just enough oil to cover the bottom run of the chain on the clutch chain wheel. Do not use engine oil! Loosen off the cable adjuster, adjust the push rod clearance so that it just touches the rod, back it of 1/8 of a turn and carefully tighten the lock nut. Then take up the slack in the cable.
 Assuming that your plates are still serviceable,
 if it still slips, back the adjuster off another 1/8 of a turn. If it drags when hot, increase by 1/8 of a turn.
Tim N.Z.

[Kevin Mahoney]

This is very good advice from Tim of NZ. Most of the problems with 4 speed shifting gcan be traced to clutch adjustment. I tell people to adjust it as tight as you dare.

[Ratty57]

Im just checking (coz i lost one) but you did put the ball bearing back in when you rebuilt it right?

[geoffbaker]

Im just checking (coz i lost one) but you did put the ball bearing back in when you rebuilt it right?

Yes I did. I lost one too