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Consider yourself lucky if you got the swingarm pivot pin out. It gets stuck to the collar if it's not taken care of, then you have a real problem. Cutting out a swingarm isn't something you want to have on your list of things to do.

AFore I forget...with the front forks off the bike if you feel nothing but s-m-o-o-t-h back and forth action on the stem...it's good. Doesn't mean it wouldn't benefit from being cleaned and re-greased, but it's not something you would have to worry about immediately.

That might save you some time/money/effort.

Bet'cha you'll feel it 'notch', though...........

No reason to mess with the KIPS unless it's messy. Remove the slotted cover on the LH side of the cylinder..start the bike..rev it high enough to activate the KIPS. If you see the nut move and return freely..I wouldn't worry about it.

If you're doing it 'cuz the top end is going to be apart anyway, then, yes. Soaking in kerosene and some scrubbing with a parts brush is one way to do it. Be careful with the aluminum parts. Attack the subport drums with a wire brush and you will damage them. Yamaha makes a combustion chamber cleaner product that works very well..it's also quite expensive..but it works.

Carbon in your pipe? Various ways to clean that up.

An acetylene torch does a good job (based on reports of those that have used one). May well end up with a discolored pipe.

Find a radiator shop that will soak the thing in their hot tank. Oxalic acid (what I think is IN that hot tank) used to be available over the counter as a cooling system cleaner. It worked..but it's not available 'cuz The Government has decided we're not adult enough to handle it. Your pipe must be in good shape to survive a soak in a hot tank. If you have a ding/crease or any place that shows corrosion..you may well get your pipe back with some extra holes in it that shouldn't be there. Trust me on that one.

I've used lye (sodium hydroxide). It worked to some extent..NOT to the extent of having an absolutely clean pipe. You won't be finding lye lying around most likely. I ordered it on the web from some chemical supply outfit on the other side of the country.

It's only Thursday. If you have the bearings in hand for the back-end of your bike, if the unitrack is going to be in-hand before the weekend it will be a piece of cake getting it back together for a ride this weekend!

When I rebuilt my KDX, I used str8 gasoline to clean the KIPS valve system and it looked all new and shiny when I got done with it. It dint take long either. Just make certain that you pay attention to where the "notches" line up before you take it apart or you will be spending time trying to get the PB to work where you want it to again.

Also, if you rebuild the top end, use the wiseco piston kit. You will notice some power gains with it.

Gasoline indeed is a good parts cleaner.

It's also dangerous.

I'll guarantee you will have NO idea where those vapors are going.

An example: Out riding last weekend, I used gasoline to start a fire. Yep...bad idea. I know that..did it anyway. Maybe I'm a pyro, OK? Anyway, I put a few ounces of fuel on the wood..in a fire ring. Used a small piece of paper as a match..lit 10' away and tossed onto the pile from a distance of 6'. fa-WOOMPH!!! A fireball..from OUTSIDE the fire ring to a distance of four feet from the ring!! From the time I put the fuel on the wood to when I tossed my 'match'? Five seconds.

Even if you're sure you got the timing marks right, DO check the timing of everything after you get it back together. Manually move the main rod, ensure the subport drum movements mirror each other exactly AND open/close to the correct position. Of course, you still have to get the governor/main rod put together right.

You know about supporting the governor rod when you wrench off the LHT nut, right? That is mandatory. Don't do it and the result may well be a destroyed engine. It's happened..it's fairly common. Do it correctly, ask if you are unsure what that entails.

Never, ever, EVER use an OEM replacement piston on a KDX220.

Thanks for the heads up. It won't be my first top-end....but it will be my first KDX top end.

I had a local friend hook me up with a service manual. I will be sure to read it several times over. I'll also be sure to read as many posts and tutorials before I get in there.

Burning it into my brain right now....."support the rod, support the rod, left hand threads, left hand treads".

Once again...thansk for all the help from everyone. This site has been GREAT. WHat did we do before the internet??

"Seems everything is coming due at once:

rear shock bearings
new Uni-Trak (thanks Chris)
linkage bearings
swingarm bearings
clean/grease steering bearings
time for a top end too
clean KIPS mechanisms
replacing a flat front tube"

Hold on, not so fast!
The bearings and flat tire HAVE to be fixed. This is an '05 220 with RBD head and carb? I suspect the OEM piston was replaced when that work was done. Can you confirm from the previous owner one way or another? That motor will go a long way between top ends if the air filter is kept up.

I'm just saying-more than once I've replaced piston and rings before thier time with a less than exciting gain in performance and sometimes a LOSS.

KarlP wrote:"Seems everything is coming due at once:

rear shock bearings
new Uni-Trak (thanks Chris)
linkage bearings
swingarm bearings
clean/grease steering bearings
time for a top end too
clean KIPS mechanisms
replacing a flat front tube"

Hold on, not so fast!
The bearings and flat tire HAVE to be fixed. This is an '05 220 with RBD head and carb? I suspect the OEM piston was replaced when that work was done. Can you confirm from the previous owner one way or another? That motor will go a long way between top ends if the air filter is kept up.

I'm just saying-more than once I've replaced piston and rings before thier time with a less than exciting gain in performance and sometimes a LOSS.

Agreed a KDX can go for years without needing a top end. Mine was 4 years old when I did the top end. The top end in the bike was original. Needless to say, the bike didnt need it. Save the $ when ever possible.

That's sound advice unless you're talking about a 220 with the stock piston. If the piston is stock, it can destroy the motor at any time.

ArkansasXC wrote:

KarlP wrote:"Seems everything is coming due at once:

rear shock bearings
new Uni-Trak (thanks Chris)
linkage bearings
swingarm bearings
clean/grease steering bearings
time for a top end too
clean KIPS mechanisms
replacing a flat front tube"

Hold on, not so fast!
The bearings and flat tire HAVE to be fixed. This is an '05 220 with RBD head and carb? I suspect the OEM piston was replaced when that work was done. Can you confirm from the previous owner one way or another? That motor will go a long way between top ends if the air filter is kept up.

I'm just saying-more than once I've replaced piston and rings before thier time with a less than exciting gain in performance and sometimes a LOSS.

Agreed a KDX can go for years without needing a top end. Mine was 4 years old when I did the top end. The top end in the bike was original. Needless to say, the bike didnt need it. Save the $ when ever possible.

Yes...it had all the R-B work done to it. I'm pretty sure the piston was changed at that time. I wonder if there is a was I can tell by looking at the pistonethru the exhaust port? Maybe it will say Wiseco or have a part number that I can put my eyes on. I was too tired to check my compression last night, but when I checked it about...maybe 9 mos to a year ago, I believe it was around 140 or so.

I do keep the filter pretty clean. I don't clean it every ride, but I don't let it get caked up either. On ya'lls filters does it seem like there is a sweet spot where all the dust gets stuck? Like it's a spot where most of the air is pulled thru.

And speaking of filters....a frined of mine has an older street bike that still runs pretty good. His paper filter is pretty dirty but a new one was gunna cost him something like $50. we were wondering if he could just use a piece of oiled foam filter like we do on our dirt bikes?

Don't get me wrong, I'll do the piston if it needs it but, I've suffered the same fate before of changing a piston/rings, putting her back together and feeling no real difference in power. Maybe that's because I'm a crummy mechanic

That question came up awhile back....'Can I tell what piston I have without taking the bike apart?'

I don't recall there was an answer to that. Should've been..as every 220 rider almost has swapped their OEM piston out. I know the skirts are different, the oiling holes are different..but you're not going to see those through the exhaust port.

Considering the possible damage that can come from the OEM piston, I wouldn't rest easy 'til I KNEW it had been replaced. Can you ask the PO 'bout it?


About that street bike: Nothing wrong with using foam as filter. The problem is gong to be getting it to fit..making a support for it. Foam that isn't supported on a frame of some sort isn't going to work. Maybe he could carefully remove the cover on his existing filter and if there's a similar lattice support underneath it, he could remove the paper and replace it with oiled foam.

My Honda air filter is $70 or so. Considering that I want to keep it running forever (overhauling a multi-valve twin cam four cylinder engine in a bike sounds like NO fun at all to me)..I'm not about to fuss with something that may well end up leaking dirt. There's no aftermarket filter for it? I tried a Uni on my Honda...it didn't fit 'fer squat. I took it back.

If he can't afford $50 for a filter..how does he afford insurance, fuel, tires, chain/sprokets..and everything else a bike sucks $$ out of your pocket for?

Speaking of expense...I just put a new tire on the back of my Honda. Found a nail in it last night..and I'm leaving for a four-day ride in a few hours. Now...I HAVE a 'spare' brandy new BT45R to put on..but I really don't wanna. They're only $100 or so a piece! That's a lotta $$ for less than a thousand miles (about what I have on the tire that's flat) of riding!

Maybe I could use piece of foam somewhere on that leak. I know...stick it in the hole with Gorilla Glue!!!

I'll buy your buddy an air filter if he buys me a tire!

OK....back to the subject at hand....

On my rear shock, the top "bearing" appears that it is going to be difficult to get out. It also appears to just be a rubber damper with a sleeve through it. It looks to be in good shape.

So I wonder if I should try and bang/squeeze it out and replace it or.....since it looks to be in good shape should I just leave it in and worry about it later.

If it needs to come out.....any suggestions? The vise and socket "press" approach doesn't look like it's going to give the sockets clearance.

If the top bushing isn't obviously damaged...leave it alone.

...my $.02..........

I would leave it. They can be a real mutha to remove without proper tools. The top doesn't see the extreme dirt and water that the lower sees and doesn't fail as often. Some of the linkage kits come with the lower only for this reason. Make sure to see what is included in the kit. Some times the price diff. is because the lower shock bearing is included.

Just wanted to wrap up this thread with a special thanks to everyone that pitched in

The 220 is back on it's feet after the bearing job and is riding smooth ! !

ihatefalling wrote:Just wanted to wrap up this thread with a special thanks to everyone that pitched in

The 220 is back on it's feet after the bearing job and is riding smooth ! !

Best reason to subscribe and pitch Vincent some bucks! Without his forum, it would not have been so easy!

Glad to help out.

Just signed up bro.

You're right, this site is well worth the small contribution to keep it up and running.

ihatefalling wrote:Just signed up bro.

You're right, this site is well worth the small contribution to keep it up and running.

Cool. Gotta support the good sites!