Stiff gear shift lever?
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me ridin TA150
it all started months ago when i noticed i stop at traffic light very difficult for me to catch my neautral gear. when i try to kick up from the first gear, the lever feels very stiff and i always end up kicking to second gear, as if the neutral gear is not there at all. this happens only after i ride like 3km++, when i just move off this problem is not there. when i park after i reach my destination, to engage neautral gear i have to switch off engine, only when not running then can catch the neutral gear.
a few months later, same thing, except when i accidentally kick second gear, the lever got stuck, wouldnt kick up and wouldnt kick down. i was quite panicky coz i was pushing the lever down very hard it just wouldnt go back to first gear. i ended up moving off very slowly when light turn green, once i hear my rpm pick up i finally managed to kick to third gear and everything fine after that. this happened 3 times so i am very sure it wasnt a case where i actually at first gear but tot i at second gear dats why couldn kick down.
lately even worse, i stop bothering wif trying to engage neautral at traffic stops, but from first to second to third gears, very very stiff. third to fourth onwards as smooth as normal.
pls help if anyone know wats the prob. i just changed chain(but not sprocket) few months back and this prob started even wif old chain. spraying the chain and fresh 4t oil has no effect. thanx. -
I dun ride bike but I tell U better settle the problem ASAP....it's very dangerous to be on the road with a faulty gear box.....same logic as U wouldn't ride with a faulty brake....good luck
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Hi ....
from experience I can relate to 2 areas ...
1. Your clutch cable. Is the cable at the correct tension ? Because it happened to me when my clutch cable got loose and when I clutch in using the clutch lever, the clutch mechanism did not disengage fully, causing me difficulty in changing gear, especially when I'm at low gear stages. Tightening the clucth cable tension corrected my problem.
2. Is your clutch mecahnism ok ? I once had problem with my gear change pedal. Same thing, stiff and wouldn't really engage neutral. When engaging 1st gear, the chain would tension with a loud "thud". It was real loud ... until one day, something snapped. My gear change pedal lever linkage snapped. And I had to call a tow truck; the whole pedal just dangling there, the connection to the clutch mechanism lost. After I changed the pedal lever linkage ... nothing unusual happened. I guess it's just out of the blue stuck or something,
The other thing ... just to be sure .....
Your sprocket. You mentioned you changed the chain before. Did anything happen to your sprocket ? When you changed the chain, did the mechanic inspect the sprocket ? It seems unlikely the sprocket would be causing the problem. If supposingly the sprocket lost a tooth or perhaps got bent somehow or whatever, you should be able to feel somthing wrong while you are riding ....
There, that's all I can contribute. Good luck ! -
just change ur gear oil n see how first
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you may want to change a new set of clutch platesOriginally posted by Ducati996:me ridin TA150
it all started months ago when i noticed i stop at traffic light very difficult for me to catch my neautral gear. when i try to kick up from the first gear, the lever feels very stiff and i always end up kicking to second gear, as if the neutral gear is not there at all. this happens only after i ride like 3km++, when i just move off this problem is not there. when i park after i reach my destination, to engage neautral gear i have to switch off engine, only when not running then can catch the neutral gear.
a few months later, same thing, except when i accidentally kick second gear, the lever got stuck, wouldnt kick up and wouldnt kick down. i was quite panicky coz i was pushing the lever down very hard it just wouldnt go back to first gear. i ended up moving off very slowly when light turn green, once i hear my rpm pick up i finally managed to kick to third gear and everything fine after that. this happened 3 times so i am very sure it wasnt a case where i actually at first gear but tot i at second gear dats why couldn kick down.
lately even worse, i stop bothering wif trying to engage neautral at traffic stops, but from first to second to third gears, very very stiff. third to fourth onwards as smooth as normal.
pls help if anyone know wats the prob. i just changed chain(but not sprocket) few months back and this prob started even wif old chain. spraying the chain and fresh 4t oil has no effect. thanx. -
1) adjust your clutch freeplay first. Oil it if possible.
2) check ur viscosity of your gearoil, change to a thinner one will help in smoother change. -
Originally posted by Noah:Hi ....
from experience I can relate to 2 areas ...
1. Your clutch cable. Is the cable at the correct tension ?...... Tightening the clucth cable tension corrected my problem.
thanx for replying.Originally posted by Duskette:1) adjust your clutch freeplay first. Oil it if possible.
when u say tighten the clutch cable tension, do you mean the freeplay? if so, tighten means increase freeplay or decrease?
now dat 2 of u mentioned, i recall that the problem worsened from difficulty in engaging neutral to more problems as i mentioned after i adjusted my freeplay a month plus ago. before that, i had a problem with too little freeplay; when i fully clutch in at first gear and i rev the throttle, i can feel my bike move forward a little, i think too little freeplay made me at bitinh point even with fully clutch in. i also heard a noticable drop in rpm when i engage first gear from neutral, like hitiing biting point dat kind of sound. it made my engine stall occasionally at traffic stops. after i increased freeplay, this was not a problem anymore. u think i got too much freeplay, should decrease?
thanx. -
Originally posted by Noah:2. Is your clutch mecahnism ok ?
how to find out if my clutch mechanism not ok?Originally posted by Widowmaker:you may want to change a new set of clutch plates
how much does new set of clutch plates cost?
thanx. -
Originally posted by ah_tee:just change ur gear oil n see how first
gear oil meaning 4T?Originally posted by Duskette:2) check ur viscosity of your gearoil, change to a thinner one will help in smoother change.
i currently using castrol 4T, cant remember the exact name, not sure if TTS or GPS or RS, the one cost $12.50
the problem persists even with fresh 4T.
i not exactly sure about viscosity levels of 4T oil available in the market. is it reasonable to assume more expensive 4T mean lower viscosity (thinner)? can suggest some 4T oil with lower viscosity (thinner)? with respect to my current castrol brand if u know, and i would appreciate commonly available brands, and not brands like repsol which i donno where to get.
thanx. -
to my knowledge, nothing happened to my sprocket. the mechanic oso did not mention anything bout my sprocket. one mechanic who serviced my bike did mention dat i needed to replace my chain, and a second mechanic confirmed dat my chain was badly worn out when i asked to change the chain.Originally posted by Noah:The other thing ... just to be sure .....
Your sprocket. You mentioned you changed the chain before. Did anything happen to your sprocket ? When you changed the chain, did the mechanic inspect the sprocket ? It seems unlikely the sprocket would be causing the problem. If supposingly the sprocket lost a tooth or perhaps got bent somehow or whatever, you should be able to feel somthing wrong while you are riding ....
and, what exactly is the 'something wrong feeling' that i will feel while riding if my sprocket is damaged? thanx. -
Hi,
according to wat I know, gear oil doesn't cause problems like yours. The oil is simply used to lubricate the gears. At most, if you used the wrong type of oil, the engine gears might wear out faster than normal. Or maybe more carbon deposits due to thermal incompatibility. But mostly, if you use oil labelled 4T, the viscosity and themal compatibilty should be there. At least, that's what I think ....
By the way, it doesn't mean thin oil is necessarily good. the idea is correct viscosity with the right load carrying characteristics. If your oil is overly thin, the oil may not be able to carry the load imposed by the gears in operation.
Depends on what condition is your sprocket, you may feel things like higher vibration level, unusual sounds. Of course, you need to observe what your bike sounds like and feel like when it's operating normally, otherwise you wont be able to tell a difference if there really was.
Have you go see your mechanic and ask him to inspect your gear change pedal lever linkage ? Oh, by the way, when you engage gear, another mechanism that tensions your chain (chain tensioner) will be activated. Your last chain was badly worn out .... could it have been too tight or wat ? Have you asked the mechanic why the chain was worn badly ? Was the chain used for a long time already ? If not, shouldn't have worn out very badly. In any case, in my opinion, the tensioner is questionable.
That being said, I'm not a mechanic. Ask your trusty mechanic about your condition and see what he says. Dun forget to share your experience. Good luck ! -
if vibration level and sound are the symptoms of damaged sprocket, then i dont think my sprocket has any prob. after 10 months riding my bike dont notice anything unusual in the 2 areas. unless all the way spoil....but dat would mean by now something would have snapped......aiyah better not joke bout this kind of thingOriginally posted by Noah:Depends on what condition is your sprocket, you may feel things like higher vibration level, unusual sounds. Of course, you need to observe what your bike sounds like and feel like when it's operating normally, otherwise you wont be able to tell a difference if there really was.Have you go see your mechanic and ask him to inspect your gear change pedal lever linkage ? Oh, by the way, when you engage gear, another mechanism that tensions your chain (chain tensioner) will be activated. Your last chain was badly worn out .... could it have been too tight or wat ? Have you asked the mechanic why the chain was worn badly ? Was the chain used for a long time already ? If not, shouldn't have worn out very badly. In any case, in my opinion, the tensioner is questionable.
actually the bike is my dad's, first edition phantom 150 bought in '99 and i replaced the chain for the first time only a few months ago, so i guess safe to say normal wear and tear, although i not sure how long usually chain can tahan.
actually i all the while planning send to mech, but wif me personally $$$ is very tight. my purpose in asking around in this forum is to find out roughly wat the prob is and how much i can expect to need to fork out before sending to mech. i oso wanna try suggestions form other ppl experience in case its just a minor prob. a fren suggested mebbe i need to change the gear box which will cost as much as engine overhaul according to him; its dat kind of scenario i scared coz i'll need some time to come up wif dat kind of money.
appreciate your reply. thanx. -
hey duc,
depending on the chain. Some brand claim they can last for 5 years. But generally, once you find the chain and sprocket worn out, just change it. On the average, the chain has a good working life of a bout 2 years or more before wear and tear becomes prominent.
I dunno about your mechanic, but mine don't charge me for inspecting a problem. Maybe if the inspection job is complicated, they'll just charge a nominal fee. I think most mech don't charge if they dun repair anything. Did you ask your mech ? Just ask him if he charges just for inspection and diagnosing .... If he does and the fee very ex, maybe can ask around see if you can find one who doesn't charge at all or doesn't charge as much .... My regular mech is at Kim Keat. There's a popular mech which I heard from fren, from Eddy Ong or something. Not too sure ... just ask around. -
try to spray some WD40 on ur gear shifter.Originally posted by Ducati996:me ridin TA150
it all started months ago when i noticed i stop at traffic light very difficult for me to catch my neautral gear. when i try to kick up from the first gear, the lever feels very stiff and i always end up kicking to second gear, as if the neutral gear is not there at all. this happens only after i ride like 3km++, when i just move off this problem is not there. when i park after i reach my destination, to engage neautral gear i have to switch off engine, only when not running then can catch the neutral gear.
a few months later, same thing, except when i accidentally kick second gear, the lever got stuck, wouldnt kick up and wouldnt kick down. i was quite panicky coz i was pushing the lever down very hard it just wouldnt go back to first gear. i ended up moving off very slowly when light turn green, once i hear my rpm pick up i finally managed to kick to third gear and everything fine after that. this happened 3 times so i am very sure it wasnt a case where i actually at first gear but tot i at second gear dats why couldn kick down.
lately even worse, i stop bothering wif trying to engage neautral at traffic stops, but from first to second to third gears, very very stiff. third to fourth onwards as smooth as normal.
pls help if anyone know wats the prob. i just changed chain(but not sprocket) few months back and this prob started even wif old chain. spraying the chain and fresh 4t oil has no effect. thanx.
then accelerate abit, while its moving find ur neutral gear. -
Go easy on the viagra.
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thanx. will go check wif mech after i try out some suggestions from the other guys here.Originally posted by Noah:hey duc,
... just ask around.
thanx again -
err.....where is this gear shifter thingy? u mean the lever itself?Originally posted by TZR:try to spray some WD40 on ur gear shifter.
then accelerate abit, while its moving find ur neutral gear. -
It might be ur clutch plates or clutch housing....If the mech is gonna open up and inspect ur engine...then be ready to at least pay for the engine oil that he's gonna replace after inspecting.....
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i tink most likely is ur clutch problem
better change it (clutch cable or plates) if u tink adjusting is not the solution>
for the time being, when ur gears kinda got stuck, u can just release the clutch either to half or full then pull back (must do it fast b4 the engine stalls!) n u can hear the gears engaging!!! i tink this was taught during our ebrake days in sch -
when u pull in the clutch lever fully, the bike is still moving abit?
that means by letting go of your lever from the fully clutched in position, about 20% and the bike starts to move?
adjust the screwknob at the right side of the lever OUTWARDS to the right. (assuming you are sitting on the bike, looking at the lever)
This will adjust ur biting point further away so u have to release about 50% from the fully clutched in position and then the bike will move. -
did u take at cdc oso?Originally posted by WhitePhantom:i tink most likely is ur clutch problem
better change it (clutch cable or plates) if u tink adjusting is not the solution>
for the time being, when ur gears kinda got stuck, u can just release the clutch either to half or full then pull back (must do it fast b4 the engine stalls!) n u can hear the gears engaging!!! i tink this was taught during our ebrake days in sch
donno the other schools but a lot of the yamaha sr125 at cdc got this prob oso, and i quite good at this particular technique oso
but donno why doesnt work on my phantom leh. but yes the symptom quite similar. and it doesnt happen all the time, only occasionally my lever stuck at second gear and only occassionally it feels extra stiff at first to second to third gear. but almost all the time at traffic stops nearly impossible to catch my neautral. why ah why ah?
and since u mention e-brake i realise forgot to mention this prob very prominent when i do e-brake, like example lights suddenly turn amber i brake and kick down all the way to first without engine braking the gears.
anybody ever e-brake then clutch in and kick down gear all the way, suddenly at second wanna kick to first got this funny rattling sound can oso feel the gear lever rattling and cannot kick lower then second? what the heck is that sound ah? what kind of damage will it cause? -
err thanx but like i said i already settled my freeplay problem.Originally posted by Duskette:when u pull in the clutch lever fully, the bike is still moving abit?
that means by letting go of your lever from the fully clutched in position, about 20% and the bike starts to move?
adjust the screwknob at the right side of the lever OUTWARDS to the right. (assuming you are sitting on the bike, looking at the lever)
This will adjust ur biting point further away so u have to release about 50% from the fully clutched in position and then the bike will move.
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The most likely cause would be your clutch plates or cage. One of your plates may have broke or one of the cage arms bend. If its the cage that is giving the prob...get ready to fork out quite alot. If its the plates, you may (I repeat, you may) replace the faulty one. I think 1 plate cost about 20 - 40 issit?? (can't remember!!). Total 7 plate.... or issit 6?? aiyah...forgot also ah...Originally posted by Ducati996:err thanx but like i said i already settled my freeplay problem.
I don't think its your clutch freeplay coz that would affect your moving off more.
I also don't tink its your sprocket. Most of the time, a bad sprocket or chain will generate noise and vibration first....before it really gives you any problem like broken chain or what...
I hope it help...