XR11/73

[garry55]

That is one incredibly thick outer cover. Is that for slide protection? I just had one cut from 3/16" plate.

thought I had better try to protect the crank, as the ignition will be on that side too. Alternative was a thinner cover with a shaped block of aluminium welded on for crash protection.

[garry55]

de-spragging the starter motor clutch.

having resisted all my attempts to dislodge it from the crank, I finally paid heed to advice given on the rather strangely titled Pink Possum website (don't ask what I was browsing for............ ) and purchased a heavy-duty steering wheel puller set.



ready to go...........



I was quite shocked with the ferocity with which it finally let go, exploding rollers and bits all over the floor, but yield it did.



leaving behind the starter ring gear and bearings.



the sprag cluth is held together by 3 crossheaded through bolts, the ends of which Suzuki, rather un-sportingly, peened over to prevent removal. In the picture, they have what looks like flat-blade screwdriver slots in them.



my method of removal - not approved by Suzuki

[garry55]

having drilled the heads off all 3 screws, the unit could be seperated into its component parts.



and the remains of the screws? They can be removed by screwing them out of the water pump drive gear using some vice-grips.



Quite a bit of the clutch unit will be scrapped - I only need the water pump drive gear - so some creative machining should see a much lighter unit re-fitted some time in the future. I'll do another feature on it sometime soon.

[oldjapanesebikes]

and purchased a heavy-duty steering wheel puller set.

Yep - thanks how its done ! Just looking back through the thread and I'm wondering whether you know for sure the engine runs ? Crankshaft seals on these - especially these earlier engines - are a problem eh ?

[Alan H]

Don't scrap the clutch parts. The plungers, springs and rollers fit the GT550 (early starter clucth) and GT750 (early starter clutch) and they are sometimes hard to get. I bought a set of 3 last year for £30 so someone may be interested.

[garry55]

Just looking back through the thread and I'm wondering whether you know for sure the engine runs ? Crankshaft seals on these - especially these earlier engines - are a problem eh ?

I'm sure the crank will need a rebuild, but thats easily sorted. Maybe a fresh bore and pistons too. I will replace all the oil seals and internal bearings as a matter of course. Thought it best to wreak havoc on the motor before rebuilding it!

[garry55]

Don't scrap the clutch parts. The plungers, springs and rollers fit the GT550 (early starter clucth) and GT750 (early starter clutch) and they are sometimes hard to get. I bought a set of 3 last year for £30 so someone may be interested.

Yours if you want them Al
although one of the rollers hasn't been found yet......

[tz375]

Is this what you were thinking?

[Suzukidave]

Thanx Richard , I was trying to find the saved picture of your reworked ( lightened ) starter clutch setup

[aslsmm]

this is a seriously awesome thread. i am doing a tr build in the near future so this is an excellent source of pics and ideas. thanx for the excellent documentation.

[tz375]

Dave, That's the only picture I could find. Too many pictures on this PC to ever find what I'm looking for.

Of course the drive gear is only needed for bikes with mechanical tacho and/or waterpump. Change those to electric and the gear and propeller and pump quill shaft can all go to the recyclers.

We registered the PinkPossum name and created a whole family of Possum characters to use with it for an internet company I was involved in and since I registered and paid for it I just kept it and use it for bike related stuff. BTW in Australia, possums are cute furry creatures - not at all like the bald pink opossums in North America and I'm try to avoid double entendres but it's hard..to do Here's a baby possum for you..

[garry55]

Is this what you were thinking?

yes - very much along those lines. My approach differs in that I am drilling 3 new M6 holes in the water pump drive gear just outside of the crank taper casting and drilling and tapping likewise into the clutch drum, then parting-off the excess drum material. Where yours has the 3 arms to utilise the original M8 bolts, mine will have a very small diameter mounting flange. Then I will part-off the starter ring gear from it's boss and re-use the boss as a spacer for the water pump drive gear. It will be much clearer when I post some pictures up. I hope!
Same idea - different approach

[garry55]

a bit more progress...........

the remains of the starter motor ring gear and the sprag clutch hub, with the newly-machined parts that they donated



the centre of the ring gear provides the spacer



for the accurate alignment of the water pump drive gear

[Suzukidave]

That works well .. now on to the next hurtle

[garry55]

That works well .. now on to the next hurtle

which is (still) trying to stop the front tyre from hitting the centre header pipe..........