KDX stem to KX clamp

hoodoo · Post by **hoodoo** » 07:23 pm Aug 17 2005

I need to swap the KDX steering stem to the KX lower triple clamp. My question: Is there a clip that is located on the bottom of the steering stem?
I cant see a clip but I read somewhere that there is a retaining clip.
I think CC said it, that there is a retaining clip on the bottom of the KDX steering stem.

If so this would dictate which way to press off the steering stem from the lower triple clamp.
I looked at the parts diagram on the Kawi web site and saw no indication of a retaining clip/steering stem. I have not looked in the manual yet.
Can anyone confirm the existence of a retaining clip on the steering stem?

m0rie · Post by **m0rie** » 07:27 pm Aug 17 2005

The clip (and pin on some kdx's) varies from bike to bike. You should just be able to press the KDX stem down out of the lower triple clamp.

-Maurice

Post by **KDXGarage** » 08:08 pm Aug 17 2005

Yep, down and out, then up and in. I have read that the clip is used to keep it from being pressed up too far or to serve as a stopping point.

Good luck with it!

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 09:03 pm Aug 17 2005

The clip is more like the circlip holding the wrist pin on a piston. It is a cylinder that rides in a groove of the stem. When pressed into the lower triple clamp, KX or KDX, it doesn't matter, the clip will hit a ridge inside the hole of the triple clamp the stem is going into or coming out of. That means the hole in the tripleclamp that the stem is being pressed into is stepped. The step keeps the stem from going too far when the clip in the groove on the stem meets this step. I hope that makes sense. Just be sure the guy pressing the stem out knows which way it's supposed to go. I know, it's obvious. Right. I went to 4 guys before I found one who could tell me which way to press to get the stem out. The first three didn't get my business. The fourth handed it to his assistant who came back out to me while I was waiting and said it was too tight and he was afraid of damageing it if he applied more pressure. I looked and sure enough, he was trying to press it in even more. That little clip can take more than 30 tons of pressure. That triple clamp would have split before the stem was going to go through. Amazing engineering with that clip and amazing stupidity with the so called mechanics out there.

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 09:13 pm Aug 17 2005

Heres a poor picture of the c/clip groove in the bottom clamp.

m0rie · Post by **m0rie** » 09:19 pm Aug 17 2005

KAY DEE EXER's pic show the hole for the roll pin that the SR model (international) KDX's have on their stem, otherwise it should be identical to the US spec KDX's.

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 03:32 am Aug 18 2005

Hey, hey mine aint no steenkin SR steel tanker thank you very much.

But it did have a fugg inn roll pin.

Evil things dem roll pins.

hoodoo · Post by **hoodoo** » 11:39 am Aug 18 2005

Problem solved.
I was worried that a shop would break my nice parts when they were trying to press the stem out of the clamp in the wrong direction.

Thanks guys.

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 12:05 pm Aug 22 2005

KayDee: Hey...thatl clamp looks to be BROKE!!

Hoodoo: Are you using Loctite on the re-assembly?

FIVE tries to get a machinist that knew which way to press the stem? That is amazing!! What a bunch of maroons!!

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 01:04 pm Aug 22 2005

canyncarvr wrote:KayDee: Hey...thatl clamp looks to be BROKE!!

It was the only way I could get you guys a clear photo of the circlip groove being discussed.

I reckon abita JB Weld should fixer right up.

hoodoo · Post by **hoodoo** » 11:18 am Aug 23 2005

Hey guys, sorry for the slow reply...I was out riding.....running out of summer!!

I want to use Loctite on the stem swap.
What kind of Loctite should I use?

The assumption is correct ....I think many shops would attempt to press the stem out in the wrong direction and end up breaking the tripleclamp.

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 11:46 am Aug 23 2005

Thanks for asking!! I appreciate the realization that not everything 'Loctite' is the same stuff.

It's documented HERE. (clicky!)

And furthermore, it looks like this:

If you're interested, I'll send you my bottle. There are The Rules, though! You must abide by the following:

1. Use it.
2. When you're done with it, send it to another KDX'er that will comply with 'The Rules'.
3. If you don't want to do #2, don't know a #2, return the unused portion to me.

Respond via email with addy if you wanna.

Cheers!

Legal:
Under penalty of death or at the very least hanging by the neck until extremely uncomfortable...or until you say 'Ow!', you agree to abide by 'The Rules'. Failure to abide by 'The Rules' and being unavailable for deathing or hanging, the Karma god will hound you until you wish you had made yourself available for listed punishment. Amen.

Note:
Please note there is another Loctite product that is likely superior for the intended application..has a higher psi bond (Loctite 648..which you should know all about by now, having followed the above link!). That product was not available thru the local Loctite dealer...so I went with the 'medium' stuff.

My KDX stem was knurled, also. I would have preferred knurling the clamp, but the machinist doing the work had not the wherewithal to knurl inside diameters.

Yes, it did take considerable time to format and conjure this reply. I should have a real job!!

hoodoo · Post by **hoodoo** » 12:38 pm Aug 23 2005

Hey CC.....thanks for the quick reply.....get a job will ya???

I can get Loctite 648 from McMasterCarr. Cost is $12.48 for 10 ml. McMaster#91458A79.
Interesting comment about knurling the inside of the triple clamp stem. I will check on it with my machinist.

I rode at Jonescreek outside of Camas WA yesterday afternoon...what a work out. Rocky rutty rooty technical riding, I bumped a stump and put a nice ding in the pipe but it was a great ride! There is nothing better that a wooded trail with decent sight lines that a guy can haul butt on.

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 03:16 pm Aug 23 2005

I got the bottle..didn't want 10ml to not be enough....

I didn't even think of McM/C. That's not the first time I didn't think of them when I should'a!

So...don't take me up on my generous offer!! You just didn't like the LEGAL part, huh???

The whole idea of needing to stick the stem in the bottom clamp with a gazillion tons of force isn't quite right. The clip keeps the stem from going all the way through, and the forks keep the two lined up.

Ski referenced this in an earlier thread in this sub-forum.....

You are aware of the additional spacers required to get the top clamp in the right spot?

Anyway, re: rutty, rooty, tooty and etc.....

You will LOVE the stiffness of the KX forks! It's hard to believe the OEM forks can be so tweaky. You will believe it when you feel the difference.

Get-ur-done!!

I'm lookin' for a (real) job!!

Post by **Indawoods** » 09:31 pm Aug 23 2005

What ever happened to letting the machinist do it? I didn't have to buy any stinkin' loc-tite! The machinist had some 'cause he's a machinists and that's kinda like tools of the trade. Well... for a good one anyway....

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 12:14 am Aug 24 2005

canyncarvr wrote: You will LOVE the stiffness of the KX forks! It's hard to believe the OEM forks can be so tweaky. You will believe it when you feel the difference.

Here's my take; sure to get some negative feedback!!!

In regards to the stock KDX forks: You can polish a turd, but, in the end, all you have is a shiny turd. GET KX FORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 10:41 am Aug 24 2005

Yeah! What Inda said! Let the machinist do it!!

...like any one of the four that ski took his clamp to that didn't even know which way the stem came out?

In some ways it is unfortunate...the only way to keep from getting screwed is to be an informed consumer. A lot of the time that means knowing how to do the other person's job, cuz sure as taxes..THEY won't know how to do it.

The fortunate part of it ...you learn things in the process.

I have never..that means never...no exceptions..had any mechanical work done on any of my stuff that wasn't screwed up in some way. Lots of times it has been completely wrong (meaning not right) from A-Z.

Ha! A local machine shop...known for its race engines across the country..NHRA record holders in a number of classes...gave me back my 340 engine parts in such a configuration that the pistons lifted the heads off the block about .250"!!

Part of what they were supposed to have done was verify valve clearances with a block mock-up. Ha...be sure to tell me how the valve clearances could well have been fine even with the piston running into the head. Uh...yeah, I know that..but it doesn't really matter, 'eh?

The reason they did the work was the previous machinist (another outfit of good repute) did just as bad. I wondered for the whole season why I could not get a decent launch. Reason was that 'professional machinist' gave me a 9:1 static compression engine for my 292º/.508 108º centerline cam!! I knew what combustion pressures that cam needed...I told them I wanted 10.5:1.

Back then, I wasn't quite cynical enough (as now) to check every nit and tittle of everyone's work.

That was then...now I trust NO ONE to do ANYthing but SCREW up. You can count the number of times on one hand I've been wrong with that point of view in the last thirty years!

All of that is to say...if you want the job done right...do it yourself. At the very least, make sure you have covered every possible screwup that you can think of..and there will STILL be room for plenty of others!

hoodoo · Post by **hoodoo** » 03:11 pm Aug 24 2005

I am with CC on this one, I better know how to do it so I can tell the expert how to do it.

Thanks for the invite to use your loctite, but I just ordered some #648 yesterday and it already arrived this morning in UPS from McMaster Carr.

And because I put a nice ding in my gnarly woods pipe it now appears to act like a desert pipe....kinda peaky!.....it actually made me laugh, the front wheel was in the air more than usual after my encounter with the stump. Going riding Sunday and I will evaluate the pipe dent in relation to performance.

About the spacers to make it all fit, what works?

Post by **Indawoods** » 03:28 pm Aug 24 2005

Well somehow that loc-tite got in there... beats me as to how!

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 03:38 pm Aug 24 2005

Ski used the spanner nut from his KX setup..I picked up a number of washers from the hardware store. Stamped washers being what they are (not exactly CNC machined pieces of art) I chose several different thicknesses...put together a suitable stack on assembly.

There are pics of my spacer arrangement in the gallery...page 4 these days...KX fork sub-album. My top clamp is up as far as it can go.

You could use a piece of PVC I suppose.

Make sure you space the top clamp at least enough such that it does not hit the top bearing retainer nut threads on the stem.

The higher you can space it (til you run out of stem) the higher you will be able to set the fork tubes. To be level ...well, real close to it.. you can see my forks stick up considerably past the top clamp as it is.

KDXRIDER.NET

KDXRIDER.NET

KDX stem to KX clamp

KDX stem to KX clamp