Stripped shift pedal

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by FL-VFR, Apr 4, 2015.

  1. FL-VFR

    FL-VFR New Member

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    I've had this issue for almost as long as I've had the bike. My shift pedal would come loose and on some random down shift I'll end up kicking the shift pedal down a few notches. No big deal, just a little harder to get my foot under. When I get home I remove the pinch bolt, realign the pedal, retighten, and ride on. I've done this job 5-6 times. Well, last night I did the same drill again only it didn't work. I found out it didn't work this morning when it stranded me at a stop light in fourth gear. I ended up trailering the bike to work. I took the pedal off on my lunch break and the splines on the pedal are f'd! The splines on the shift shaft don't look to terrible ( it is a harder metal) but they do look a little shallow. I had a buddy take some material out of the split area of the pedal (where it pinches) in hopes that this will allow it to pinch down harder. He also cut some grooves in the pedal to give it a little more purchase on the shaft. Hopefully this gets me home. Has anyone had this problem before? I know I'm going to have to replace the pedal but has anyone come across bad splines on a shift shaft? Btw the bike has 137,xxx miles on it...so it's held up to quite a few shifts.
     
  2. NormK

    NormK New Member

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    The fix you have done may hold up ok, I would see how it lasts, if not set the pedal where you want it to be and try drilling between the pedal and the shaft and see if you can get a roll pin or similar in the hole. You may even be able to tap it to say 3/16th whit and screw in a grub screw
     
  3. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    What you will find is that it will continue to fail....when you relieve material from the clamp area and continue to tighten it down, eventually it will fatigue the clamp and it will crack along the top. It is time for a new shifter, the splines are necessary. I learned this from having the same experience.
     
  4. FL-VFR

    FL-VFR New Member

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    So were you able to make it work by only replacing the shift pedal or did you replace the shaft as well? The splines on my shaft don't look too bad. They just don't really look deep. Maybe they're just really fine from the factory?
     
  5. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Just the lever should solve your problem. it will also save what is left of the splines on the shift shaft itself. Make sure you completely degrease and clean the shift shaft splines, properly align the splines on the new lever and shift shaft, then put loctite blue on the pinch bolt and torque it to spec.
     
  6. FL-VFR

    FL-VFR New Member

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    Thanks for the advice guys. The mods to the shift pedal got me home (about 30 miles) but I don't intend for it to be a long term fix. I'm going to order the pedal this week and I'll post up the results and a picture of the shift shaft splines.
     
  7. NormK

    NormK New Member

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    Just remember if the shaft is damaged you also run the risk of damaging the new shifter if it starts moving again, might be ok who knows
     
  8. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    If you do need to replace the shift shaft, the good news is that it is a pretty easy bit of surgery to get to and looks like a $50 part would be all you're up for. Just need to pull the sprocket cover/clutch slave and water pump to get in there, about an hours work.
     
  9. Its_not_pretty

    Its_not_pretty New Member

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    Is this a thing? I've never really noticed it in use, but my pedal moves all over the place, and seems to be tightened as far as it wants to go - Gear levers wear out? Who would have thought it? It's got around 60k miles and I'm starting an overhaul, so do I need to add a gear pedal to my parts list?
     
  10. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Have you looked at it really close up, when these get over tightened, they get fatigued and will start cracking. Tightening them more won't increase the grip on the shaft, it will just keep stretching the metal until it breaks. If the top and bottom are touching, where the split is, it's done.
     
  11. Its_not_pretty

    Its_not_pretty New Member

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    Thanks for a quick reply! - As far as I know I haven't needed to touch it in the 40k I've done on it, and it only had 15k before that. But it certainly didnt move like that before.. I have a few bits on my parts list - is Dave Silver spares still the go-to site? I guess buying one from a breakers would have the same problem?
     
  12. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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  13. weevee

    weevee New Member

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    A makeshift repair that can last for many months, is to cut off a few thin strands of high-tensile wire from an old brake cable or similar. Align them with the shaft and then slide (or tap) the brake pedal into position over them. As you tighten the clamp thereafter, the hard metal of the cable-strands will bite into the softer metal of the lever, and it's this that creates purchase. (..the lever/clamp must be sound, of course. Any cracks in it, and you'd be wasting your time). Finally, trim the ends of any protruding cable-strands to length.
     
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  14. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Or, you could just fix it the right way.
     
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