Valve clearances and servicing.

[daktari]

I've taken the Trident off the road for the winter and am preparing to service it. Priorities lie with the engine. She was sounding a bit rattly.
36K on the clock and to my certain knowledge apart from regular oil changes and a couple of carb balances, the engine has not been touched for 9K. So shims need to be checked and I'm considering renewing the timing chain and tensioner. Can someone tell me
a) Best place to get a shim removal tool. (Provided they need doing)
b) How difficult is the camchain and tensioner to replace.
I will be getting a workshop manual to assist.
Thanks.
Martin.

[speed_triple_gav]

If you get hold of a copy of the haynes and have a butchers at Mots website then you can't go wrong.

If you check the clearances and quite a few need doing then it's just as well to pull the cams out (outlined on Mots website). Seems to save a lot of faffing (although I haven't personally tried using the valve tool a few people have said it's not worth it). I replaced the camchain and tensioner at the same time and didn't find it too taxing (and I'm a self proclaimed novice).

Just make sure you've got a torque wrench to do the cam bolts up again.

Cheers,

Gav

[bradtx]

daktari, I second the idea of removing the cams. No big deal if the manual's steps are taken prior to removal.

Brad

[phpbiker]

Valves clearances needing doing, tend to make the bike quieter unless cam wear is a problem. The clearances decrease due to seat wear rather than cam wear. At least, this is what happened on my T3 and on my Honda's and Yamaha's.

I wouldnt mind betting your rattles are coming from the Alternator drive.

[wiayeman]

I also agree with removing the cams. I fiddled with the special tool for 3 nights with no success. I finally just grabbed the gentleman vegetables and pulled the cams. The worst part is hitting the red button after you put it back together.

[Roden]

phpbiker is on the money - these engines rattle at the best of times!

Also, at 36k I doubt that the cam chain would need replacing, I mean, do it if you really want to but is it necessary?

Most would say probably not...

Cheers,

Roden

[faffi]

Was one on here recently who had done over 300,000 miles on his Trident - from what I understood still on the original cam chain and tensioner?

looks a little scruffy but has only eaten a coil and a side stand switch and wheel bearings in the last 170k miles plus the usual oil and consumables.

[phpbiker]

My local Triumph Dealership described the cam chain as a "chain for life"... its obviously possible they may be wrong.

But having heard of 200K courier machines with original internals, its unlikely to be a mechanical rattle from crank small ends, chain or tensioner.

I would look at the usual culprits. The alternator drive.

I dont wanna pull my chain, but I am fast getting a "feeling" for these motors, from talking to people who sell parts for them and have serviced them. And aside from the alternator drive and early starter clutch problems, they appear to be pretty solid.

[daktari]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm waiting for the workshop manual to arrive before I start delving. Having started the old girl up and had a listen with a stethoscope I would agree with the camchain remarks. All seems good. It does sound as if a couple of shims need doing but I'll get in there with some feeler gauges to check.


Alternator drive? Sounds nasty. Any tips?

[faffi]

Originally Posted by daktari

Alternator drive? Sounds nasty. Any tips?

Been discussed to death - a quick search should help you out and then some