is my shifter lever bent?

[doakley]

Thanks, Ben. I’m afraid due to the screws and metal in my pelvis, I doubt I will ever race again. I do plan on riding. Maybe I’ll make the old KDX street legal and ride some dual sport stuff. That’s a year away though. For now I just intend to volunteer at some of the races.

Thanks for your comments. One of my objectives was to relate what I learned in my experiences in the National Enduro series. If I helped you that’s great! One rule I tried to go by was “nothing new on race day”. That meant I had to test ride every bike mod and adjustment before I would use it in a race situation. No surprises!

[Goat]

I agree with Moon. Thanks very much Doak!

[MoonStomper]

Thanks, Ben. I’m afraid due to the screws and metal in my pelvis, I doubt I will ever race again. I do plan on riding. Maybe I’ll make the old KDX street legal and ride some dual sport stuff. That’s a year away though. For now I just intend to volunteer at some of the races.

Thanks for your comments. One of my objectives was to relate what I learned in my experiences in the National Enduro series. If I helped you that’s great! One rule I tried to go by was “nothing new on race day”. That meant I had to test ride every bike mod and adjustment before I would use it in a race situation. No surprises!

The 'nothing new just before race day' motto has long served me well in mountain bike racing. I also (try to) implement 'all wrenching wrapped up before Wednesday' as a motto - though that's harder when you are trying to ride every chance you can before the race.

I'll be super interested in your 'Dual-sporting the KDX Series' when you begin that. It's something I'm planning for mine. I am checking out DirtLegal.com to help me jump through some of the legal flaming hoops since I only have a Bill of Sale for the bike and live in Virginia. Thinking I'll put South Dakota plates on it since I plan to do some riding there in the Black Hills eventually.

Heal up fast Sir!!!! Do your physio!!!

[Goat]

Well you called it Doakley. My fine shifter weld nicely lasted one full race + 1 rock. It broke again about 15 min into riding, yesterday. Lucky enough I just kept snugging the clamp bolt and managed to get it thru about 4-1/2 hrs of HD woods. So broke down and spent my $50 on order for new one.....$5k here we come.
Not sure if new one will make it for next weekend so may have to take another crack at it.

[KDXGarage]

At some point, the QRIS plan may need to be put into effect.

Quit

Running

Into

Shtuff

[Goat]

Man! I knew I was missing some key element in my skills. But I blame it on the stupid bike. Makes me want to pretend I’m a kid.

[Goat]

My new shift lever didn’t come in time. So, another 10pm welding job last night.
If I remember right from shop class, welds work better when there is some penetration on both sides of the joint! Even got a little fancy and ground a notch first, this time.
Track today, so should be bouncing off any rocks.

[MoonStomper]

My new shift lever didn’t come in time. So, another 10pm welding job last night.
If I remember right from shop class, welds work better when there is some penetration on both sides of the joint! Even got a little fancy and ground a notch first, this time.
Track today, so should be bouncing off any rocks.

Hope your welding held up. That penetration technique also helps with plastic welding so you should be good. My shifter looks a little janky though like its twisted outwards and down from bike just a bit. I might try an aftermarket since they're pretty cheap.

[Goat]

Yea! Shifter still in tact after 5 motos, yesterday.
I decided to go with OEM since the RE bendable metal seems to fit my riding style. (+ extra $30 towards the $5k minimums.)

[MoonStomper]

Yeah - that is the other thing - if the shifter is too strong what might it damage instead?

[Goat]

I am guessing the aftermarket cast ones would break rather than bend. I have not heard of the shifter spline getting tore out. But others might have some tales.
I just meant that it’d be maybe handier to straighten a bent steel one rather than replace a broke aluminum one.

[KDXGarage]

One of my parts bike '87's has a bent shift shaft. I am assuming it is from the lever being whacked.

[MoonStomper]

I am guessing the aftermarket cast ones would break rather than bend. I have not heard of the shifter spline getting tore out. But others might have some tales.
I just meant that it’d be maybe handier to straighten a bent steel one rather than replace a broke aluminum one.

That's a great point - it's easier to bend back steel than to recast a snapped part on the trail! We should look into methods of strengthening an old steel part. I'm wondering if when you straighten out a bent piece, could you heat it with a torch to make it stronger? If so - that might be a good solution.

[KDXGarage]

If you make the lever very strong, it will transfer the force into the shaft instead of bending or breaking.

On the parts bike I mentioned, the shaft bent so much it cracked the case on the inside.

[Goatfish]

My new shift lever didn’t come in time. So, another 10pm welding job last night.
If I remember right from shop class, welds work better when there is some penetration on both sides of the joint! Even got a little fancy and ground a notch first, this time.
Track today, so should be bouncing off any rocks.

I am curious to see how you welded it to get penetration on both sides. What about the spline area? Did you go around it somehow?

[Goat]

I did not weld into spline area (except where I messed up and dribbled some there from the side, and the had to spend more time to fix that than it took to weld). I just meant that first time my weld did not make good penetration on bottom of crack on the backside. I just did one quickie pass 1st time, and did not have heat high enough.
I don’t think it’s going anywhere now! But still like the new one much better. And a lot less likely to beat up the grooves on the Shifter spline.

[KDXGarage]

wow!

Loctite the new one on

[Goat]

I did! Made sure I dripped enough to turn my fingers blue.
Should mention that my super weld also took most of flex out of the clampy thing so I really had to reef to snug it onto spline. It’ll work in a pinch, but New one much mo-betta.

[KDXGarage]

"you can't beat brand new."

Look at the difference in the splines!