Stem pressed

[WOLFYMAN]

Took a while but finely got my stem to a shop. Wasnt there for the pressing ( friend took to a friend to be done ). Any way they pressed with top nut still on and smoked the nut and threads. Would there be any problem in haveing them turn the top threads down to 3/4 from the 22mm which like 7/8.

[SVandal]

Probably not. Though if you want I am selling the triples off of my 94 kdx. Just a thought.

[Colorado Mike]

I see a little problem if this was a bike shop. They should know better and be buying you a new lower clamp and stem. This is the kind of crap that drives me crazy with bike shops. They are mostly full of retards that charge top dollar to ruin your stuff. That's why I now have a hydraulic press and the list of specialty tools keeps increasing because I can't trust these boneheads to even change a tire without screwing something up.

[SVandal]

If the shop is buying the new triple, then my price just doubled to 40.00 for the triple

[WOLFYMAN]

No it was a machine shop and all they had was an old hand pull press and it was free execpt for the new bearing. My local bike shop didnt have the press. But hes useing his buddys hydraulic press to press the stem back in.

[skipro3]

I'm not trying to sound mean or anything there wolfyman but you need to LEARN from that first lesson and NOT use your buddys to take care of your stem. They messed it up once. Shame on them. They mess it up again, and it sounds like it's headed in that direction, then shame on you.

Free or not; a business performed a service contingent on the purchase of a part, the bearing. They are liable for the part they damaged. I would not trust a stem turned down or recut to a smaller thread, but that's me. I'd be talking to the owner or manager and requesting him to make this right. A new stem and lower clamp, can't buy them seperate from Kawasaki is almost $400. I know. My local shop damaged mine when they pressed my stem out. I didn't make them buy me a new one, but I also didn't let them walk away from their responsibility either. I found a T clamp off eBay and they paid for it and to have it shipped to my home. I would not give them a second chance to press it again. I found a shop that could do it and they charged me $15. I recommend you save yourself the grief and spend about $15 for a real machine shop with a real machinist to do the work. Good luck.

BTW, you took it to a machine shop and all they had was a mechanical press, no hydraulic press? Here's a clue; that was not a machine shop. I don't know what it was, but real machine shop would, at the very, VERY least have a hydraulic press on hand.

[WOLFYMAN]

They said if it didnt work he would c&c me a new stem. They do mosty aircraft parts that dont require alot of pressing.

[canyncarvr]

Sorry. This don't fly.

A machine shop with no press? They do aircraft parts..and don't know how to press out a motorcycle stem? Forget that it's a stem..and a motorcycle. How about the common sense it takes to know you do NOT put pressure like that on threads.

What's the torque value for that top nut...I forget. Not that much..40-50lbs maybe? It wouldn't take much to strip the thing. Considering the force the threads take, you're going to PUSH on 'em with a so-called 'press'?

And these hoots are going to CNC something?

It's time to be looking for someone that has just the slightest clue as to what the hell they are doing.



In answer to your question..it won't matter. As long as the stem is smaller, might as well get the top clamp bushed to fit it. It's no longer going to be a 'shim fit' clearance. I'm sure these guys could figure THAT out!!

What are the chances they are going to use the correct thread pitch?

I'll bet'cha $5 it would turn out to be SAE thread...and UNC at that!!!

Take your stuff and run!!!


What are the references to a 'new' lower clamp? The clamp is good, ain't it? Besides, it's the KDX clamp that's at issue, right? If this has to do with messing up your KX clamp while pressing your KDX stem IN...THAT'S even WORSE!!! The threads of the stem should have had NO pressure on them whatsoever.


Repeat for emphasis: These guys are boobs. Get it done someplace else.

[WOLFYMAN]

Thanks for all the suport guys I think we figuered it out. They will rethread it tomarrow. And as far as pressing it back in the kx clamp there going to another shop. He did mention that he would make a bushing for the top clamp. I dont think they knew how hard it would be to get the stem out. But there willing to fix any damage. Thanks again cant wait to get all back to gether and ride.

[SVandal]

So long as it works right when they are done. Good luck with it and hopefully it goes together well.

[WOLFYMAN]

Just talked to the shop their going to turn it down to 13/16-28 so tha t wont take much off from the original diamiter and a perty fine thread.

[canyncarvr]

The '28' mentioned is UNF, isn't it? Which is to say...NOT metric.

What kind of nut is going to sit on top? Bet you won't find one that is as 'thin' as the OEM unit is. They will cut one to suit?

Good luck. Hope someone figures out the right way to do it.

BTW...the bottom clamp is going to be knurled? The stem will be? Loctite cylindrical/press fit locking agent will be used? They know about the snap ring? They DO know the stem goes in threads-first I surely to pray to God they do. Considering what's happened so far, I'd say NO question should go unasked OR unanswered.

In any case....good luck. I think you may well need some. ..or, a lot.

[SVandal]

Once again, I have a spare if you need it

[WOLFYMAN]

He machined me nuts a couple.Dont know if it knulled yet 04 stam 02 bottom clamp. The only prob was the threads not the end of the world. There fixed what else do they need to do to make you happy canyncarvr everyone deserves a second chance. Any who yes on the locktite, snap ring.

[canyncarvr]

You're right. Everyone deserves a second chance.

My apologies.

I apologize to the mechanic that wired a piece of 4ga wire in place of a fusible link on my wife's vehicle that later caught fire because of that ignorance and stupidity. I didn't take the car back to him to rewire..and repaint. What an idjit I am for not giving him a second chance. I did rewire the whole dang thing myself.

I apologize also to the machinist that charged me BIG-$$ to blueprint a race engine of mine. I mean...the heads being lifted off the block on a dummy-up assy when I got it back was something he probably just overlooked. I will send him flowers and a box-o-chocolates most immediately and explain to him that he, too, deserves a second chance. I didn't fix that one...but did pay LOTS of $$ more for a custom piston set that worked.

I am humbled and aghast at not immediately apologizing to the septic installer that told me he was maybe more expensive than others, but he used a quality pump in his systems..only to find that three months later the tomato-juice-can-sized so-called pump he DID install was not only a POS, but failed to boot. I should have begged him to come and install another of the same...at my expense of course. But, I didn't. I bought the pump, wired up the new sensor system myself..IN side the septic tank. THAT was fun!

I apologize to every (obviously) excellent mechanic and contractor that has exhibited poor judgement and workmanship over the years that I did not allow to 'make right' on their errors. My foolhardiness surely doth abound abundantly.

Every response has been to caution you against further use of these supposed machinists...because they are morons. That you choose to ignore any/all of it brings to mind something about birds and feathers...but...if it suits you, it tickles me.


c'est la vie

[WOLFYMAN]

Damn man now I'm sorry thanks but considering I work my friend I'm sure he'll make right if not he'll hear about it everyday. But I can see why you would not give other's second chances.

[canyncarvr]

I didn't scratch the surface on the list of screw-ups I've been stuck with. It's not like those few instances of poor workmanship forever tweaked my thinking. It's the whole list over decades of time that has tweaked my thinking.

My point of view is rather naturally at least somewhat molded by experience...mine. It's likely yours is, too.

I don't know your friend, don't know you. Honestly...if you are happy/satsified with 'things' that's fine with me. What I think really has zero to do with this situation.

I'd rather not see you hosed or a perfectly good machine damaged, either.

Keep your eyes open. 'Trust...but verify!'

[skipro3]

Gotta side with carvr on this one. But,,,,
I wanna thank every worthless mechanic, contractor, sub-contractor, vendor and wanna-be professional for convincing me that any idiot can do their job and to instead invest in the tools and equipment and do the job myself. Right now a I have a small welding job I need to do on a trailer. Quotes to do the job are at least $100. How much is a welder any ways? What do I need to know to operate one? MIG, TIG, buzz box; I don't know. But this I do know; I can buy a book, ask questions, figure it out and do it myself for around the same cost it would be to have someone screw up what I want done. And in the end, I'll have me a welding machine to boot. Look for my welding thread and offer advice.

BTW, on harbor freight you can buy a 12 ton press for under $120 and a 20 ton press for under $200. A new stem/clamp from Kawasaki is well over $300. One screw-up by the "Pro" and you would have paid for the tool and done it yourself. Then offer to sub out the press work from your local machinist shop and quit your day job! Ha!! Cheers and know that no one is ragging on you; just passing along experiance that should be worth a lot!!

[canyncarvr]

Gotta side with carvr on this one.

..and you know how hard THAT'S gotta be for ski to say.


I was looking at that 20T press ($199) just the other day....

Re: '..any idiot can do their job..' Which, I suppose, is why I so often end up doing it!

[skipro3]

I said, "but...."!!!!

The qualifier MEANS something. Ha!!

My point exactly; I'm a qualified idiot as much as the next guy. Might as well get a tool out of the deal as well. Read your e-mails. Idaho trip coming up and I'm gonna piggy back you there if that's what it takes to ride with you!!