SuzukiSavage.com - Too much play in gearshift lever?

winterwalker

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Too much play in gearshift lever?
06/21/13 at 14:37:23

Hi folks, I've been having issues with my '01 Savage as of late, one of which has me stumped - it feels like there's way too much play in gearshift lever range of motion.

I first noticed this the first (and only) time I had my bike out for the season - unfortunately it was a very short ride, so I only have so much to go on here. At one point on said ride, I downshifted into 1st and suddenly found that my shift lever hadn't popped back up when I let up off the lever. I pulled over, gave it a quick tap, and sure enough it rose back up, but slowly. I tried shifting up and down a few times and found the play to be a bit gummy, which I don't think I'd never noticed before. I figure it may just need some grease, so no big deal right?

Fast forward a few weeks and while trying to figure out a starting issue, I shift down into 1st from neutral with the bike on it's side stand and am surprised to find that the shift lever doesn't catch/ stop where it had in the past. Instead, it dips below the footpeg by about 20 degrees! Now, I'm certain I haven't noticed that before.

As far as I can tell, I'm still able to shift normally (or at least 1st-N-2nd and back down), but the bike won't start (other annoying issues) so I can't road test it at present.

So, my question is - should I be concerned about the wide range of motion of the gearshift lever, or is that 'normal'? If the former, what might cause this?

Thank you in advance!

-Dave

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pg

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Re: Too much play in gearshift lever?
Reply #1 - 06/21/13 at 15:36:55

Every once in a while experience something odd with mine as well. When shifting from 1st to 2nd the shifter lever will go all the way up with no resistance and it won't shift. The next time I shift it works just fine. This only happens when shifting from 1 to 2. It has happened only a couple times in the last month; but, it gives me an unsettled feeling. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Best regards.

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DaTrader YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 24	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #2 - 06/21/13 at 18:39:21 When I purchased my bike it was missing a spacer that goes in the clutch lever, it's hard to describe but the bolt that the lever pivots in goes through this spacer. I bought one on bike bandits for $3.69. The part number is: SPACER,CLUTCH L 1101184 Do some searching and you can find a pic. Hope this helps!
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #3 - 06/21/13 at 18:39:24 Look at the flimsy little pot metal rod that connects the shifter "pedal" to the actuator... if it isn't ram rod straight, there is your shifting problem. Unfortunately a very well known and common failure item with Savages, model year irrelevant. The new models use the same 2 cent part as the first year model.
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pg Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 5273 In Transit	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #4 - 06/21/13 at 18:57:27 Is this something I can look at without pulling a bunch of stuff apart? Also my bike has 7k, is milage a determining factor? Or can that piece just give-out at any point in time? Thanks again.
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engineer Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 872 Gender:	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #5 - 06/21/13 at 20:00:51 pgambr: The rod WD is talking about is on the outside, you can see it easily. It is just part of the linkage that runs from the shifter pedal to the shifter sticking out of the case. It is flimsy and it can bend.
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WD

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Re: Too much play in gearshift lever?
Reply #6 - 06/21/13 at 20:13:24

Very visible, very flimsy, very easy to reinforce. Measure the span between the two jamb nuts, write it down. Go buy a piece of tubing as close to that length as you can find. Disconnect the actuator from the engine, unscrew the rod end, add the tubing, reassemble. Corrects most shifting issues. Costs about $5 and 15 minutes of your time (which is figured into the price quoted).

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Dodgeman YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 44 Wallaceburg Ontario, Canada	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #7 - 06/22/13 at 14:39:15 What type of tubing would be preferable??
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #8 - 06/22/13 at 14:55:20 300 series CRES per AMS5576
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WD

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Re: Too much play in gearshift lever?
Reply #9 - 06/22/13 at 20:58:27

verslagen1 wrote on 06/22/13 at 14:55:20:

300 series CRES per AMS5576

1/4-3/8" wall brass is the easiest to deal with. Black iron pipe, bronze bushing stock, even a heavy wall nylon bushing is fine. Just something that is not flexible and isn't much bigger in outside diameter than the jamb nuts. A Bic pen shaft full of epoxy is even suitable, it's stronger than the factory part.

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winterwalker YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 25 Portland, OR Gender:	Re: Too much play in gearshift lever? Reply #10 - 06/23/13 at 15:57:18 Thank you DaTrader and WD! I'll look into both and see if that does the trick for me. Crossing my fingers that the fix is as simple as that - I'll update once I get a chance to check it out. Thanks again!
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