18t front sprocket install

[turbocamino]

Before i tackle this in my garage,with no air tools, i just want to be sure i have what i need....what size is the sprocket nut....and it appears the clutch slave may need to come off,yes?   thanks

[SlowOldGuy]

Yes,
Clutch slave must be removed to get the countershaft sprocket cover off.  Just let it hang out of the way.

C/S sprocket nut is 36mm

DavidR.

[Scooterbob]

Before i tackle this in my garage,with no air tools, i just want to be sure i have what i need....what size is the sprocket nut....and it appears the clutch slave may need to come off,yes?   thanks

Just a quick note, since you are not going to use any air tools: Do not leave the transmission in gear to hold the shaft from turning when trying to remove the nut.  I suggest you put it in nuetral and then have a friend hold down the brake (with chain and gear all still in place).  That way you don't run the risk of tearing up your transmission.

[SlowOldGuy]

Or, stick a 2x4 between one of the rear wheel spokes and the swingarm while you loosen/tighten the C/S bolt.

DavidR.

[RichBaker]

Before i tackle this in my garage,with no air tools, i just want to be sure i have what i need....what size is the sprocket nut....and it appears the clutch slave may need to come off,yes?   thanks

Just a quick note, since you are not going to use any air tools: Do not leave the transmission in gear to hold the shaft from turning when trying to remove the nut.  I suggest you put it in nuetral and then have a friend hold down the brake (with chain and gear all still in place).  That way you don't run the risk of tearing up your transmission.

I don't understand, if it's in neutral, how is holding the brake going to do any good??  I've been using 1st gear and the rear brake on many, many bikes and never had a trans issue because of that.....

[turbocamino]

Or, stick a 2x4 between one of the rear wheel spokes and the swingarm while you loosen/tighten the C/S bolt.

DavidR    more or less how i've done it in the past....but have been thinking.... being the c/s bolt has never been off before, it may be a real bitch without an impact....oh and that neutral thing had me scratchin my head all day  lol....am sure bob meant "in gear"  and hold brake.

[Travis398]

the chain will hold the sprocket from turning, if you hold the brake.   

That's the premise anyways.

[RichBaker]

the chain will hold the sprocket from turning, if you hold the brake.   

That's the premise anyways.

Wasn't thinking, I usually have the chain off by then, but I have a compressor and rattle gun.....   

[carsick]

I was ready with the impact gun for that nut when I changed my front sprocket, however I was aghast to find it was already loose. Yes, the locking tab was in place- dodged a bullet riding that Previous Owner time bomb.

[Arnie]

For those of you who don't have a 36mm socket, but do have a good selection of "imperial" sockets.... a 1 1/2" socket will also fit.

Arnie

[turbocamino]

 yeah,36mm kindof hard to find....i was just doing the conversion before i read that...thanks arnie.  i do have a 200 size nitrogen cyl. and can barrow an impact gun.....maybe the way to go.  thanks all.

[andyb]

On goofy stuff like countershaft nuts, I usually will make a special tool for them.  Some heavy sockets in those bigger sizes have a taper at the extreme end, and will only grip on about half of a thin nut.  A few minutes grinding the socket pretty much flat means you get the load on more surface and a lower chance of tearing the nut up.


Clutch slave has to come off (and check to see if it's wet, means it's leaking).  Then you can get the chain cover off.  You'll need to pull the pin and loosen the rear axle, then screw the adjusters in quite a bit so you'll have enough room to work with to get the sprocket in.  Alternately, you could break the chain at the master and just stick a new link in it, which would be a load easier but more expensive (and you'll have to adjust the chain tension when you're done anyhow, with the bigger sprocket).  Stick everything back where it was, fresh pin for the axle nut, and bob's your mother. 

[axiom-r]

I just added another tooth and went to the 18 front sprocket.  I am running a 530 chain and it was actually 2 links added to make the chain fit properly.  I dropped from a 41 to a 39 in the rear too.   From a chart I found digging on the board here this ratio is reported to give you 70MPH at 4000 rpm...  I have not tried it yet but am looking forward to having some longer legs on the highway...

tim

[racerrad8]

...36mm kind of hard to find...

Just head over to your local Sears store. They have 36mm x 1/2" drive in chrome in stock.

Now I know you should not use chrome sockets with an impact but for our race car application it is the only socket that will fit inside of the driveshaft coupler we mount in place of the sprocket.

I have only broken one of them in 16 years and as always, Sears replaced it free of cost.

Randy - RPM

[fj1250]

I'm pretty sure it's Lowe's that carries the 36mm socket also.
MC