[joeybolz]

Well, it only took a week for me to break the shifter I read about that has a propensity to break on these LT's. Dropped a mirror and scuffed it up the first day I had the bike as I figured it had went 12K with out popping one off and I could wait to wire the mirrors on. NOT!!
Read about 7 threads on the linkage and the fix and I suppose it is real easy for all of you old timers but this neophyte has yet to figure out how to even get the cover off. I took out three big Allen bolts, a short torx and a long one. How do I unattach the shifter from the cover/foot peg plate? The Clymer book has all kinds of pictures of what to do once it's out in the open but how do you get it there?

 

[Gino]

You need to pull the cover far enough away (and twist!) it from the bodywork to get at one of the locking clips holding the ball joints in. If there's a lot of road gunk these clips may be hard to see at first glance - they're at the neck of the cup and rotate away, then can be slipped out of the SMALL hole that guides them in place.

Others may have pictures - I don't have any handy...

Good luck!

 

[joeybolz]

Gino,

Thanks for the quick answer. Actually I saw those clips but hadn't taken the plunge on taking them out. Never did a ball joint before. Pretty iggenius little retention clip.

Nothing was actually broke. The ball jointed combo half round nut screw that screws into the shifting lever on the transmission had backed out. Seems like they should have made it longer and put a cotter pin or a castle nut on the other end.

Now that I is a expert, I am going to takem all out cleanem, greasem, and put a little light duty loctite on the screw.

joey

 

[Gino]

Gino,

Thanks for the quick answer. Actually I saw those clips but hadn't taken the plunge on taking them out. Never did a ball joint before. Pretty iggenius little retention clip.

Nothing was actually broke. The ball jointed combo half round nut screw that screws into the shifting lever on the transmission had backed out. Seems like they should have made it longer and put a cotter pin or a castle nut on the other end.

Now that I is a expert, I am going to takem all out cleanem, greasem, and put a little light duty loctite on the screw.

joey

Don't forget to replace the felt washers - they help keep the expensive "don't break on me" grease from evaporating from the ball joint...

 

[BecketMa]

Oooooooh!!

Take a lot of precautions that you can find one of those damn clips is it pops off while you are trying to get it back in.

Bob

 

[sperra]

think twice about the loctite. If the ball breaks off, it will be a btch to remove the threads to replace the replacement part..

 

[wa1200lt]

Instead of the loctite just make sure you have the lock nuts snugged up tight to the ball joints. Check 'em and lube 'em at each 6000 mile fluid change.

Loren

 

[joeybolz]

Can the felt washers be procured at an auto parts store or do I have to go to the BMW joint? Reckon I can get metric lock washers and ACE hardware.

 

[jzeiler]

I found some felt ones at a big box home improvement store but I did not like how they worked. The BMW ones are a rubberized felt and they are only $1.20 each.