Stripped Splines on Kick Starter ...

Hello everyone,

While taking the XS750 and the Lovely Kim down to Dungeoness last night, it
emerged that there are some electrical "issues" with the bike (i.e. pressing
the horn or switching the lights on makes the engine backfire/cut out). So
the kickstarter got used a lot, so the teeth got stripped from where it
pinches on to the splined shaft. OK I realise that I have to get a new one,
but in the meantime I need to start the engine to have a look at the
'lectrics. Any ideas onyone?

 

Jools Chappell let forth with a mighty belch and uttered :

Botch time

You'll need some steel wire. A non-wound D or G string from a 'leccy guitar
is perfect. Preferably using a triangular file, cut some shallow grooves in
the hole in the kick start bit that clamps to the shaft. About 6 should do
it. Remove the bolt completely and wedge a flat bladed screwdriver in so
you can put the wire into the grooves. Bolt it up and you may have some
success with that.

My off road bike used that for years, but then again, a 2t 125 single
doesn't take much kicking over.

 

Botch time

Blimey - didn't think I'd get an anwer to that one! Cheers Shaun

 

Kim Chappell says...

There is an easier way. Take 4 or 5 old sewing needles, loosen off the
clamp bolt leaving the kickstart boss on the shaft. Hammer the needles
into the bit between boss and shaft then clamp it up again. Always
worked on SORD400s.

 

Sean's bodge may be insufficient for a 750cc triple.... why not just
tack-weld on the kickstart lever? As you say, you have to replace the
shaft anyway, and when you have the new shaft, just use an angle grinder
on the tack welds and shaft.

 

I've used that on gear levers and yeah, it works. A FOAD kick-starter on
a 750 may be a different kettle of poissons, though.

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Jools Chappell"

Simple bumpstart, or tack weld the kickstart lever to the end of the
shaft - you can simply angle grind it off later.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

*Ginge*

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember
(The Older Gentleman) saying
something like:

Pah, six minutes.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

Lozzo let forth with a mighty belch and uttered :

Done that on gear levers. The idea of 'grooving' is to key the wire in to
the kick lever so it can't move about. Would probably be better using pins
rather than guitar strings, just that was all I had laying about last time
I did it.

TOG is probably right about it not being wholly effective against a 750
triple. The ultimate solution, which will mean modifying the shaft, would
be to get a recess cut in it, and a slot cut in the kick lever then use a
woodruff key. Beats me why that was never done in the first place.

 

Sean says...

Pins are a bit soft, needles are alot tougher.

 

bump it.

 

Reminds me - if you're cutting up guitar strings or piano wire, make
sure you're using the right sort of hardened wire cutters.

My other half snapped half of one of the jaws off my favourite
electronics snips when she decided to use them to cut a wire weight for
her lace making (I think it was piano wire). If the un-hardened ones
don't snap they notch nastily.

"But dear they were wire cutters, weren't they?" <mutter>


Regards,

Simonm.

 

I had a little go at the pins idea - nothing worked for any length of
time.

If you are going to replace the shaft in the end then as a
temp repair you could drill a hole through the kick starter
and shaft and then put a masonary nail through the hole.
If you do use this method the hole must be quite small
(2/3 mm) and then tap a nail through that you get with
plastic cable clips. Masonary nails are hardened and will
take the shear forces that would be present.
Cheers taz.