Problems shifting - Lube shifter and brake pivot

[Checkswrecks]

As with other Yamaha models, riders will occasionally think that the transmission is broken because they can not shift. Sometimes the shifter will go up but not down. As with the other Yamaha models, the maintenance schedule calls for disassembly, cleaning, and lubricating the shifter and brake pivot at the same time as oil changes.


Yamaha calls for for the use of lithium soap grease and in the photos is a tube of molybdenum grease, which is what I prefer and use. I use the moly because lithium greases tend to emulsify (break down) in the presence of moisture and in a sliding surface like pivots, the moly stays better and is capable of a higher bearing load. The Honda brand is relatively inexpensive, can be bought at most Honda dealers, and is much higher in how much moly it contains when compared to generic moly greases from a car parts store. Molykote is another well-known brand with high moly content. More info is on the web and use whichever you are most comfortable with. These are the pieces and tools. Note which washer goes where.


This easiest way to remove the shifter is to remove the pivot bolt and the input shaft clamp bolt (10mm head). This bolt is next to the socket on the ratchet in the above photo. Do this AFTER using a marker to show where the input shift arm originally was on the spline. You can see the blue mark on the shaft in this photo at the split of the arm:

The shifter pivot takes a 6mm allan and some style foot pegs may need to be removed first to get access. If the footage is removed, make absolutely sure to apply thread locker before re-assembly.

As you slide the bolt out and remove the shifter assembly, do NOT lose the three washers. The old grease makes it easy for the inner one to stick to the frame and later fall off. Thoroughly clean the washers, the hole, and the shifter bolt. Fill the grooves in the bolt with grease and re-assemble. It is important that the washers be assembled in the order shown in this photo. The wavy spring washer presses the assembly together to keep the grease in and moisture out.

Now move to the other side of the bike to disassemble, clean, and re-assemble the brake pivot. Note that you must first remove the safety pin and washer which are on the hidden end of the bolt. The safety pin can be hard to remove. A cotton swab (Q-tip) can be used to get grease into the hole.

The tightening torques are:
Shifter pivot: 22 ft-lb / 30 Nm
Shifter input shaft clamping bolt: 7.2 ft-lb / 10 Nm
Brake pivot: 19 ft-lb / 26 Nm

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

Thank you for posting the photos. Will be a big help when I take time to lube the pivot points on the shifter and brake ...

 

[tomatocity]

Good write-up CW.

I will be doing the Rear Brake lube soon.

As for the shifter I do not remove the hardware from the top shaft. I remove the lower (shifter) bolt, clean everything, lube everything, re-install in reverse order, torque, a a wipe clean. Job done.

Don in Lodi installed a zerk fitting on my 2012. Never had to remove the shifter bolt again. Need to do the same for the 2015.

 

[caillou]

Thank you for the tutorial. Some people have a grease nipple installed on shifter, I may take the same decision.

BTW, on mine (2014), the gear shaft is already marked with a line traced in the metal in front of the input shaft arm opening.

 

[bigbob]

Don in Lodi installed a zerk fitting on my 2012. Never had to remove the shifter bolt again. Need to do the same for the 2015.

How do you install the zerk? Drill it and tap it? And does it matter where in relation to the pedal?

 

[tomatocity]

How do you install the zerk? Drill it and tap it? And does it matter where in relation to the pedal?

My zerk was mounted almost straight up for easy access of the grease gun. The shift lever bolt has a groove in it so the zerk needs to be over the groove.

 

[Checkswrecks]

How do you install the zerk? Drill it and tap it?

Yes. It's amazing how many people have no idea any more how to drill and tap something.
:
The zerk fittings themselves can be bought at any car parts store.


In response to those who commented, glad the write-up is helpful.

 

[tomatocity]

Did a search and found this information and a few photo's http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=12229.0

Mine is/was positioned about 1 o'clock.

 

[lacofdfireman]

Thanks for the sticky. I do this every oil change as it's super easy and gives me piece of mind. I was one of the ones that thought I had a transmission issue before asking and being told to check my shifter pivot bolt. Butter smooth now.

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

???? Shift Rod Disassembly and Lube (How to Do ? or DO NOT DO ??)

I could take apart the shift rod on my old 2008 Kawasaki C14 (Connie) to clean and re grease the fitting to keep smooth shifting.

The shift rod end on the C14 could be taken apart by just pulling them straight apart with simple hand force.

Today I lubed (Belray Grease) the shift arm pivot on my 2014 S10 ES but did not see an easy way to pull apart the ball joint ends to lube them. (So I did not try to force them apart and just lube the pivot shaft and inspected the total system)

QUESTION:

Any advice on the need to take the ball joints apart for grease and any methods you use if you take the ball joints apart.

Thanks

 

[tomatocity]

Re: ???? Shift Rod Disassembly and Lube (How to Do ? or DO NOT DO ??)

Had more than 52,000 miles on my 2012 and never lubed the joints. Not to say they don't need attention but I am guessing a very long time since they don't move very much or nothing like the shifter pivot shaft does.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Harry - Hope you don't mind these threads were merged. They are very closely related and I remember doing what you wrote about when I worked in a Suzuki shop in the 70s.


As Tomato wrote, I've never seen one of the Yamaha rod ends apart. They appear to be like Heim bearings in that they are a good quality and sealed, so that when they become worn, you replace the entire joint. That said, I know of some 100 & 200,000 mile FJRs and even VMax bikes with the same rod ends that have never been changed.


If somebody can add content here about the Yamaha rod ends - great!

 

[tpak]

Yes. It's amazing how many people have no idea any more how to drill and tap something.
:
The zerk fittings themselves can be bought at any car parts store.


In response to those who commented, glad the write-up is helpful.

Did you find it necessary to use a drill press on this or were you able to hand hold it? No access to a press at the moment but I have the rest of the stuff. I figure if the metal is soft enogh I can probably do it by hand .... but seems like an expensive experiment

 

[tomatocity]

Did you find it necessary to use a drill press on this or were you able to hand hold it? No access to a press at the moment but I have the rest of the stuff. I figure if the metal is soft enogh I can probably do it by hand .... but seems like an expensive experiment

Just a suggestion: when drilling... slip the shifter over a piece of wood dowel, metal tubing, etc., to prevent changing the shape of the shifter mount. Or you can use a smaller pilot drill bit to keep from putting too much pressure on the shifter mount.

My shifter mount became a little out of round but never caused trouble.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Did you find it necessary to use a drill press on this or were you able to hand hold it? No access to a press at the moment but I have the rest of the stuff. I figure if the metal is soft enogh I can probably do it by hand .... but seems like an expensive experiment

Good suggestion by Tomato.


We all have different levels of talent and experience. A simple bench vice or C-clamping it to hold the part firm while starting the threading, most folks who've threaded something before probably could.

 

[twinrider]

After enduring a year of sticky, notchy downshifts despite repeated lubing and oiling, etc., it turned out that the cause of the problem was a worn clutch. Just thought I'd post up just in case it can help anyone else.

 

[scott123007]

After enduring a year of sticky, notchy downshifts despite repeated lubing and oiling, etc., it turned out that the cause of the problem was a worn clutch. Just thought I'd post up just in case it can help anyone else.

That is a very good point. After the linkage has been lubed, if the down shifting is still difficult, there is a problem with the clutch basket binding the clutch plates or the clutch plates not separating properly. You will not notice a problem with up shifting, because the act of up shifting does not need clutch disengagement as long as you roll off the throttle as you are lifting up on the shift lever. Most downshifting is done by pulling in the clutch lever and pressing down on the shifter, sometimes with a little throttle blip thrown in for good measure, but if that blip isn't done at the EXACT time that you are pressing on the shift lever, it is doing no good. If the clutch plates are not releasing properly (for whatever reason), it will make your down shifting more difficult and notchy feeling, especially if you are not blipping the throttle.

 

[twinrider]

That is a very good point. After the linkage has been lubed, if the down shifting is still difficult, there is a problem with the clutch basket binding the clutch plates or the clutch plates not separating properly. You will not notice a problem with up shifting, because the act of up shifting does not need clutch disengagement as long as you roll off the throttle as you are lifting up on the shift lever. Most downshifting is done by pulling in the clutch lever and pressing down on the shifter, sometimes with a little throttle blip thrown in for good measure, but if that blip isn't done at the EXACT time that you are pressing on the shift lever, it is doing no good. If the clutch plates are not releasing properly (for whatever reason), it will make your down shifting more difficult and notchy feeling, especially if you are not blipping the throttle.

That pretty much describes my bike's symptoms to a T. No prob with upshifts and I really didn't notice any slipping under hard acceleration, which is why I didn't think it was clutch related.

In hindsight, when I was attempting 2nd gear wheelies with the TC off what I thought was simply the tire losing breaking traction might have been clutch slippage, but it wasn't readily apparent.

 

[54Nfree]

hard down shifting

hard or no down shifting after a long ride, won"t even down shift after stopping

 

[bigbob]

Re: hard down shifting

Check the bolt that holds the clutch lever, and the bottom bracket of the hand guard on. Mine worked loose a second time even though I used a nylon lock nut and blue Loctite the first time it happened!