So, what to do if gearbox return spring fails when on a tour?

B Murr

B Murr

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A hypothetical question it hasn't happened to me but I know it's ended a few tours for others. Assuming one has the knowledge of how to remove the box and open it up to replace with that spare spring you've cleverly packed in your tool kit. In my mind the big obstacle is getting that flange off, do you carry the heavy flange puller with you or will most local mechanics workshops in rural mainland europe have such a tool and then of course have a suitable setup to clamp the box while pulling the flange off . If you did have a flange puller with you would it be possible to get enough leverage by leaving the box still attached to engine? I do have the little tool to get it into a gear should the spring fail but that's of limited use if you're at the start of a tour unless you think you can survive on one gear without burning the clutch out
 
Turn the bike upside down and pick a gear,

That’s what I’ve read. Not sure how practical that actually is. :nenau
 
It happened to me in Vegas, found someone through the Bmw club, anonymous book.
Took the gearbox out at his place, then took it to local dealer, got it back the next day. Much alcohol was drunk, including one of the worse hangovers I have experienced.
Ironically the guy we stayed with was a retired colonel (?) from the SAC , but was so concerned about breaking down that hardly ever took his bike over a 50 mile radius from home.


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Hi B Murr, tell me about the little ool for getting it into gear - is this a bent coathanger jobbie ?
 
So in short. Do most general motor garages/repair shops have a tool to pull the flange off. I'm talking about car garages that might be found in most little towns.
 
Don't think your safe with a low mileage air head gearbox , my selector spring whent at 28,000 miles on a well mentained RT .
lucky enough I was only about three miles from home so it wasn't to bad .

Ian.
 
I've a vague memory (All of them are.vague these days!) Of a get you home wrinkle, using a bit of wire through the oil filler hole?
 
B Murr said:
A hypothetical question it hasn't happened to me but I know it's ended a few tours for others. Assuming one has the knowledge of how to remove the box and open it up to replace with that spare spring you've cleverly packed in your tool kit. In my mind the big obstacle is getting that flange off, do you carry the heavy flange puller with you or will most local mechanics workshops in rural mainland europe have such a tool and then of course have a suitable setup to clamp the box while pulling the flange off . If you did have a flange puller with you would it be possible to get enough leverage by leaving the box still attached to engine? I do have the little tool to get it into a gear should the spring fail but that's of limited use if you're at the start of a tour unless you think you can survive on one gear without burning the clutch out
Click to expand...
If your that bothered about it,just get it replaced,give the box a health check.good to go.
 
The bearing on the output shaft is often the first to go, so if you are going the change the spring at 50,000 miles you might want to change that too.
I use proper sealed clean transmission bearings , not 2RS, and they seem to work OK for me.
The Rotax in my F650 has them, which is what brought them to my attention.
 
mikeyboy said:
If your that bothered about it,just get it replaced,give the box a health check.good to go.
Click to expand...

I was half tempted to do so when I had the box out for spline lube last year, in end I decided to leave well alone but I think next time around I'll open it up. I have the flange tool, it's just a bit on heavy side to be carrying around. I think you answered main thrust of my query in saying it's a specialist tool unlikely to be fou d in the regular car workshops located in most towns.
 
scotboxer said:
I've a vague memory (All of them are.vague these days!) Of a get you home wrinkle, using a bit of wire through the oil filler hole?
Click to expand...

Your vague memory will be of my post 4 posts up. I do sympathise though having recently been through a lot of that with a close relative. The upside is that everything can be s new experience again, like a second childhood. Brought these chappies to mind.
 
B Murr said:
Your vague memory will be of my post 4 posts up. I do sympathise though having recently been through a lot of that with a close relative. The upside is that everything can be s new experience again, like a second childhood. Brought these chappies to mind.
Click to expand...

Spotted the post this morning. Eyes going as well as memory, it seems! :D
 
I have a feeling that the spec of the spring was changed in early 80s and that this wasn’t (such)an issue with later bikes.


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I had the input and output shaft seals go on my (freshly rebuilt by a known specialist before the trip) gearbox in Cameroon. I think the crank output seal had gone too... Anyway, i carted the gearbox round the local backstreet garages and managed to find someone with the biggest puller and sledgehammer you’ve ever seen. So I guess you can find most things most places. In the end i got too nervous seeing a bunch of Africans whacking my gearbox, so i gave up and just topped the oil up every day...
 
I think it's a good idea just to at least carry a spare spring as there's a good chance you'll find someone from the airhead community who'll sort you out.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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