Is There Some Bike Issue You Need To Have Discussed?

Looking back through the Archives ... it seems like we have covered just about every imaginable topic there is on every model of XJ-Bike.

Some of the work we've done, together, is absolutely first rate ... in so far as we were able to get over 70 Members ... Cleaned, tuned and tweaked!

We've also "Saved" several members what would have easily been several thousand dollars in maintenance and repair costs.

Not too shabby!

But, tonights question is:

Is there something we have overlooked that would be worth discussing that we haven't really spent that much time discussing.
I guess this is your chance to throw your fastball past the collective and see what we have to say about it.

Remember ... the only lame question is ... the one you didn't ask!
What can we do for you, today?

 

Yes.

What do you guys do about rear view mirrors? I have after market, lower bars, and the angle of the holders means I am looking half at my torso just to see behind me. Not the best.

Any extenders? Bar end mirrors maybe? (I won't use bar end mirrors - not as long as California allows lane splitting. )

 

If you have Yamaha Lever Perches ... you are limited to a relatively small selection of Mirrors with the reverse thread that fits the right side.

You can get and Adapter to fit the Perch and open the field to a wide variety of Mirrors with all different styles and lengths of extension arms and Mirror shapes.

There are some that have a Universal Mount that is supposed to fit any diameter bars.

Start bu looking at the selection offered by JC Whitney ... for ideas ... and, then look at the various Aftermarket Houses for some that will meet your needs and budget.

Be sure to indicate Yamaha if they ask what Bike. Yam reverses the Thread on the Right Perch (for some reason -- probably aerodynamic non-loosening) and a Standard set of mirrors won't go on without the adapter.

 

Rick, I know you have touched on the issue of cam chain replacement after about 50K miles. Is this a hard and fast rule or is it just a rule of thumb sort of thing. I have almost 44K on mine and have no indication of there being a problem with my chain.

I have adjusted it once which did seemingly quiet the noise down considerably (I have a manual adjuster). I don't know when the PO last did it, but when the subject was discussed on here a while back caused me to perform the adjustment procedure, which was very straightforward.

Bottom line is, that I hear of people getting well beyond 50K on these XJs. Might be a interesting POLL... how many miles do you have on your bike with original cam chain?. I don't want to run in to a catastophic problem down the road though.

Any input on this?

 

I have managed to repair and maintain my 700n completely from front to back (new pics coming soon) with everyones help. The only thing I have not been able to fix or anyone else has been able to figure out, is my left turn signal problem. I have just given up on it and chaulked it up to the mighty 22 year old gremlin I purchased the bike with.OH well.

 

It shouldn't be a tough troubleshoot.
Bulb.
Socket.
Wire to socket.

If this is all good you need a test light to test for 12V at the wiring harness when the switch is thrown to make the light come on.

If you fail to get 12V at the Wiring Harness ... you have to do some troubleshooting and maybe a cleaning of the switch ... itself.

The switches are small Chinese Puzzles.
Some are a combination of screws and "Snap-fit" parts that hold everything together.

If you go-in after the contacts in the switch ... DON'T try to do it by memory the first time in.
Use a "Sharpie" and mark the sections that you are disassembling with a line or an alignment mark. This will take away the Mystery of how it came apart.

After the Switch is apart you may need to "Clean" the contacts with some Ultra Fine (1000) sandpaper.
You may find a burned contact that needs repair.
Silver solder and some tooling to fashion the contact to its original state.

Putting it together is a job you'll think takes three hands.
Don't let little springs and balls get lost and be careful.

Don't try to do it "On the Bike"
Remove the whole control and bring it to a desk or bench where you have good light and can keep everything very well organized.

Some will dismiss the idea of doing this much restoration and just buy a used unit and be done with it.
Those who will refurbish a handlebar control switch take great pride in the accomplishment.

If you have trouble assembling the torn-down switch ... holding everything in place while you snap-together the switch body ...

Cut some holes in a Cardboard box and line the box with a bath towel.
Then, if those parts decide to spring rather than catch ... you'll find them within reach ... pretty quickly.

Once a spring-end locating ball gets away ...
David Copperfield won't be able to make it re-appear ...
If you know what I'm saying?
And, ... many people who tackled a switch rebuild ... DO!!!

 

The turn signal its self will work. It originally would not work at all. I used the site to find I needed to clean the switch. I tore the switch down and found all the contacts were covered. I polished the contacts, lubed them down with dielectric and reassembled the switch. Added a little extra grese in the assembly to inhibit moisture intrusion. I polished all the connectors in the wiring harness and dielectriced them as well. After this, the turn signals started working. Sorta.
The right turn signal works perfectly. The left is the problem. I have to push the switch to the right to activate the right turn signal and then after it blinks, I have to immediately push the switch to the left to get it to operate.
Upon reposting the situation, I was informed to check for a bad ground.
I used a Ohm meter and found a high resistance in the left rear signal. Pulled the assembly apart and found that the internal spring in the signal stay was broken. I replaced the stay and still had the same problem but it did correct the bad ground.
I short, I cleaned the switch, cleaned the wire conection in the harness, Replaced the stays, replaced the bulbs and even tried another flasher unit.
Nothing has worked.
I have run out of ideas and I think I gave up because everyone else has also.

 

Sorry I forgot.
I have not measured the brushes yet, I am sorry,I know, I know, but I did just get me a new cover last week and am waiting for new brushes to arrive at the local parts house. They are suppose to be here in about 2 weeks as I had to order them OEM.

 

Rick - here is what is on the right side handlebar. Not sure if this is what you called the perches:



(Boy that handlebar looks rusty. I've gotten to just about every part of the bike except the handlebar cluster. )

Whatever that thing is, it's been impossible to pull off. The two nuts on the bottom tighten independently, but the problem is the 17mm wrenches are all too thick to turn only one at a time. Even pliers are too thick. I need to find a 17mm wrench that is only 1/4" deep.

Bummer part is I have already ordered two stock mirrors. The left side fits, but the coverage sucks. The right side, because the top of that stalk has a different thread pitch, does not fit. Not that the current mirror there is bad, it just doesn't match the other side at all.

 

I have the same thing on my 700. I think it is either a spacer for the master cylinder or a thread repair adapter. I am not sure if it is removeable but I will find out tomorrow after work. I have to remove my windsheild to remove the mirror.

 

Let me know. It looks like you have regular size nuts.

BTW, let me preempt any wisen-heimers out there. I'm referring to the nuts on the mirror assembly.

 

That's the Universal Adapter in the photos. It had reverse thread to fasten to the "Mount" and normal threaded area to allow Non-OEM Mirrors to be mounted with a right handed twist.

<><><><><><><><><>
Signal Light:

You might find that the Brushes are the problem. Signal lights that are "Slow" or "Do Not Flash" are symptomatic of a Charging System being overtaxed and insufficient voltage being made to allow the Flasher to trigger.

 

Rick - any clue as to how to remove that adapter?

 

It's opposite.
Loosen it with Right-hand torque.

It's NOT ~~> Righty-tighty.
It's ~~> Righty loosie.

 

But there are two of those bolts. I turn them in either direction, it moves about 1/4 turn and then stops, as if tightened. And I can't turn them independently due to that skinny bolt on the bottom.

 

the line you see on the nut designates it as a left hand thread. it is a single hex for the 17mm wrench. there looks to be a lot of corrosion where the steel meets the aluninum. pb blaster soaking and a few taps with a hammer to vibrate the pb in . let it set overnight and then do it again in the morning. when ready turn the wrench clockwise. it should loosen. I had to do that to mine a few days ago.

 

The bottom part is studded in reverse thread to fit the Mount.

The Top section is threaded in normal twist to allow the shank of an aftermarket mirror to be affixed.

Remove the mirror.
Take the mirror off the unit.
Then, take the adapter part out -- backward.

The stud thats screwed into the handlebar mount is reverse threaded.
The threaded section that the mirror screws into is standard twist.

 

Here's one for you, Rick -- how about a how-to on going over the electrical system? I'm thinking of looking over mine, along with checking the alternator/generator output. Have not done this before, and don't know where the connectors and such are located. Excruciating detail would be nice, as would the use of words of one syllable or less. Pictures with labels would be even better.

 

I've got a one better suggestion for you Rick. Would do it myself but I'm too lazy.



Seems to me a lack of discussion on the final drive/differential. Maybe because they are pretty much bulletproof.

But, being a twenty + year old bike a bit of a how to on changing the oil and include greasing the splines on the shaft, checking the universal joint and cleaning/greasing/replacing the swingarm bearings.

Tis a fantastic winter job to be contemplating and one of those preventative measures that should be attended to rather than waiting for failure.

 

That would be a massive undertaking; the whole system in one go. Now, broken up into segments, it may be doable.

 

Good mention on the swingarm bearings; I haven't done mine. No idea when (or if) they were done last. Great winter proje -- oh, wait. I can't do them, then; down in Southern California, we DON'T HAVE winter here.

BAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... ahem. :mrgreen:

Segments is good. Or, if you prefer, my intent is to check over the charging system; perhaps one could concentrate on that. Yes, I realize there's a writeup out there already, and I haven't sat down and tried to use it yet. It still helps to know where everything is.

 

Rub it in, why doncha! :cry:

 

Yes, please. :mrgreen: