Triumphrat

beastman487 · 04-05-2009, 08:06 PM

The bike looks great as far as I can tell. A few minor scratches here and there, nothing major. Buyer was nice enough to tow it home with me. I decided to wait for it to be registered/insured before hitting the highway.

He over filled the oil, the level is above the sight glass. Should I drain it? It's new oil, he said he changed it early this year.

The chain is LOOSE, about 2 inches of play at least. I tried adjusting it, but can't get the Spindle Nut to budge. The one on the chain side is the one to loosen, correct? I got both adjusters loosened up, but no luck with the Spindle, I'm going to try and find some pipe for leverage. Once I loosen the spindle nut, I should be able to adjust it right? Also, It's pretty far back, on the 3rd to last marking, would moving it back to the last marking be ok?

BigAl8295 · 04-05-2009, 08:38 PM

Ah, a bone stock, unmolested Triple.

Won't be that way for long if you hang out here!

The play in the chain should be measured while someone is sitting on the bike. I do my chain adjustment by loosening the nut on the chain side. Use some sort of extension bar to help loosen it.

If it's that far back already, you may need to replace the chain or remove a link.

If you're reading the oil level in the sight window with the bike upright and it's over the window, you may want to drain some oil out, because if its overfilled, you have no way to know how much its over.

beastman487 · 04-05-2009, 09:01 PM

I'm planning on bringing it to the local triumph dealer to have them look over the whole bike. I will probably not have them DO all the service, but I'd like to see what they suggest.

Is it easy to drain (some of) the oil? I don't want to make a mess of my father's garage.

I still think there's a bit too much slack. How much does a good chain cost? Is removing a link safe? How difficult is it to do?

ssevy · 04-05-2009, 10:57 PM

If you use a clean drain pan, you can try to let about a quart out of the drain plug, and then add it back until you come up to the correct level. Make sure the pan is large enough to hold it all, though, in case you have a problem getting the drain plug started and have to let it all out. You can probably reuse the washer, but they are the same size as Honda cars take (both my 2001 Civic and 2006 Odyssey use this washer) so grab a bunch to have on hand.

Here's a link about the chain and sprocket that will help:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motor...hain-sprocket/

jonathanrsr · 04-05-2009, 11:23 PM

beastman,

If you drain the oil from the bottom plug, be careful how far you unscrew the plug (ask me how I know *G*). My oil was overfilled, and when I unscrewed the plug "a little", it wasn't enough to release the oil as quickly as I wanted it to flow. You can guess what happened - a miniature Exxon Valdiz spill in my garage as the plug came loose in my hand. Patience, grasshopper, unless you have a clean Blitz oil pan sitting under your bike (I own one now).

jonathanrsr · 04-05-2009, 11:25 PM

on your new bike, and welcome to the Forum.. My apologies for not including it in my previous post.

IrlMike · 04-06-2009, 07:35 AM

Nice lookin bike beastman, looks well cared for.

By the sound of it you'll need a new chain soon. And a new front sprocket is maybe a good idea, they wear faster than the rear (fewer teeth). Could fit a new rear as well, they aren't expensive. This gives you the opportunity to change the 'gearing' too to give more relaxed cruising rpms. A lot of folks use an 18 tooth front (1 up on 17 stocker). This will drop the revs by 1/17 x 100 = ~ 6%. Maybe adjust the chain for now, ride the bike a bit & then decide. Do a search of this forum on 'gearing' & you should find plenty of info. See the gearing calculator in my post this thread:

http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-c...ard-tbird.html

where you can enter your sprocket numbers, tyre size etc. see the effect.

That axle nut seems too tight, torque spec is 62 lbs ft. If you plan to work on the bike yourself (v good idea imo) a torque wrench would a good investment from the off. I use a 10 to 80 lbs ft 3/8" drive model. Some bolts go down as low as 6 lbs ft, but it will set below 10 well enough.

Mike

vintage60 · 04-06-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beastman487

Is it easy to drain (some of) the oil? I don't want to make a mess of my father's garage.

Instead of letting oil out via the drain, I would just put an oil suction gun down the filler hole into the sump and suck some out that way.
It will be a little more controllable and less messy.

http://www.carparts.com/OIL-SUCTION-...2227_10618.car

beastman487 · 04-06-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrlMike

That axle nut seems too tight, torque spec is 62 lbs ft. If you plan to work on the bike yourself (v good idea imo) a torque wrench would a good investment from the off. I use a 10 to 80 lbs ft 3/8" drive model. Some bolts go down as low as 6 lbs ft, but it will set below 10 well enough.

Mike

I was able to sleeve a steel pipe over a standard wrench to get some leverage. Not quite as stuck as I thought, I've dealt with worse on my car's suspension.

Regarding my other (chain) post: If the factory legend chain has 114 links and mine has 116, wouldn't this be a replacement?

IrlMike · 04-06-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beastman487

I was able to sleeve a steel pipe over a standard wrench to get some leverage. Not quite as stuck as I thought, I've dealt with worse on my car's suspension.

Regarding my other (chain) post: If the factory legend chain has 114 links and mine has 116, wouldn't this be a replacement?

First off double check your 116 links, counting them is a great way to go crosseyed

.

If it is, then that might explain why it's near 3 marks from max adjustment, which, in my experience, come to think of it, would otherwise (for 114 links) mean a very worn chain.

Haynes offers a chain stretch test thus:

1st, remove the chain guard. Then hang a 10 to 20 Kg weight (22 to 44 lbs) off the bottom run of the chain.

On the top run of the chain, measure the length between 20 links, ie from a 1st pin to the 21st pin. You should try & choose the slackest bit of chain to test.

Haynes quotes a service limit of 319mm (12.56") - over this, replace the chain.

If it turns out it's 116 links & ok on the stretch test, I would not replace it. It will set the rear wheel back a little over stock, but not to an extent anyone other than Mr Rossi & friends would notice.

Cheers
Mike