I just got this bike running and finally thought i had things sorted, took her for a longer ride and noticed that in 3rd and 4th gears the kickstart lever depresses with acceleration. When i release the throttle it comes back and almost wants to hit my calf.
The kickstart spring seems to have plenty of tension as it comes back up every time and this problem only happens dramatically in third and fourth gear.
You're saying it sags down, like as if it were partially depressed? My guess would be the pawl on the kickstarter (the tooth that engages the inside of the layshaft low gear) isn't retracting fully. There's a little pin that pushes it out under spring pressure. I will admit that it's always been a bit hard for me to sort out what the gears are doing without holding the actual mechanism in my hand.
Unfortunately, whatever is happening, you need to pull the gearbox. There's one other easy "gotcha", which is transposing the two selector forks. They look similar but they aren't. As I recall on mine, if you swap them the gearbox mostly works, but with some false neutrals and an inability to shift to fourth. Assembled it wrong the first time I did it (long pre-internet) and I spent quite awhile trying to figure it out. I bring it up in your case because I am wondering if there is some drag between gears so there are some parts spinning that aren't meant to, possibly due to being in the slightly wrong place.
My experience tells me that most of the time taking it apart and reassembling it will fix your problem, for no adequately explained reason!
I'm saying it stays up fine but moves down on acceleration. Doesn't sag but when full throttle moves down towards the 9oclock position instead of staying up at 12oclock like it should
Have it in mind that this is a symptom of something beginning to seize in the gearbox. Unfortunately, I can't remember just what; never experienced it myself but have read about it several times over the years. If someone like Paul or "johntioc" doesn't chime in soon, ask over on the BritBike Forum Triumph Board.
uh oh, I was hoping I'd just have to replace the spring or washer that locks the spring in! hope someone has had some experience with this issue before I tear into the gearbox
Also, I know you said this, but are you sure you wound the spring enough? I can't remember how tight I had to make mine, but I recall it took some muscle to hold it in place while tightening it down. I just looked at the factory manual, but it was not very helpful.
I'm wondering if the spring is not wound up enough either. If it is, it should have enough tension on it to not allow it to move CC under acceleration.
Hi, Ive fited a new spring and spring plate. When fitting the spring the top of the spring was located in the pin at 11 O'clock and the other hook was at about 5 O'clock, the spring was put in tension by moving it from 5 - 10 O'clock to locate it on the shaft flats. I don't think it could of gone round anymore. Is that about right?
I have a very similar problem with my T100R's kickstarter. In my case though it only happens when accelerating briskly in first gear and when I throttle back to change up to second it whacks me on the back of the leg.
Haven't stripped the g/box yet but when I pulled the outer cover to check the spring there was some aluminium paste in the bottom of the inner cover...bugger...haven't dared to ride since discovering it and haven't had time to investigate further.
Hope your's is an easy and cheap fix, don't think mine will be!
If the only tension on the spring is what it gets from moving it to the 10 position from 11 I don't think it is installed correctly. At least on my 650 you have to wind the spring in a full revolution before installing it.
Right heres a update. The box has now been removed and nothing wrong is jumping out at me. The edge on the end of the pawl pin looked worn, how worn is acceptable I don't know so it was replaced anyway. The dogs on the layshaft 3rd gear look worn so ill replace that also while its apart. Parts and gaskets to arrive then all back together and hope for the best.
Are you sure the kick start return spring is wound tight enough? If it doesn't take 6 or more times to wind it on and if your fingers aren't really sore when you finally get it right...It's not tight enough.
I hope you don't mean 6 or more revolutions of the spring on the shaft, there's no way it will wind that tight, nor are you going to be winding that spring with your fingers. Assemble everything including the kick lever to the cover, then wind the lever around until it can't go another evolution and then install the cover so the pawl misses the stop. I still think the only issue was the cover was installed without the lever having been tensioned enough. I tried to find a fish scale to see how much force was needed to pull a correctly installed lever back, couldn't find one, but guarantee the lever floating back from the air pushing going down the road or from the awesome acceleration of your ride.:wink2:
On Nortons, that is a symptom of the layshaft inner bearing failing, and they go out with a bang!
The associated part on a Triumph would be the inner needle bearing which can scatter tiny needles all throughout the gearbox and cause expensive headaches. It's a $10 bearing but requires total dismantling of the clutch and gearbox to get at it.
Totally agree with GP. The needle bearings on both sides of the layshaft should be looked at. He already has it apart this far, and seeing as how easy it is to pull and install a 500 gearbox, it should be looked at.
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