2008 Suzuki LTZ 400 Manual

[Chris41586]

Geeze Mech, they had to order the gear, and it came in today. I got home and looked, and I don't think that piece is from 3rd. I googled the gears, and it looks more like 4th. What would be a reason 3rd is the issue if it's not that gear? The second pic is the gear I just got and the broken piece

[Chris41586]

This also says 3rd gear and looks the same. I wonder if they ordered the wrong 3rd gear

[Mech]

That bottom picture looks like the third driven gear Chris, No9.

The top picture I presume has drive dogs underneath it ? In which case it's third drive gear, No3.

 

The missing dog wouldn't necessarily make for hard changing, not unless it was getting jammed somewhere it shouldn't be, which it probably wasn't. It might have got knocked off because of the original problem, which I still suspect is in the clutch.

LTZ400 Trans.pdf

[Chris41586]

The link isn't working for some reason. What is No9 and No3? Are there two parts for third gear and both have dogs? I'm not sure what you mean by dogs underneath, but the gear only has them on one side. 

[Mech]

That chipped off dog you have sitting on the new gear Chris, on the inside edge of it, the bottom of it in that picture, the surface is cast without machining, the gear it's sitting on is machined in that place. It must have come off some other gear or place.

[Chris41586]

Yeah that's where I'm confused. The first and third pictures I sent you aren't machined either, and the third pic says 3rd gear on Google. So either I have the wrong item number, or the dog is from another gear. I just don't know why third with be the issue. The problem I have, is the guy that's going to help me wants me to order the parts and bring my motor to him so he can do it in a single day. It takes at least a week to get these parts, so it's just a hassle when I don't know yet what's going on. I know that I can't be sure until we open her up, but in my situation where someone is willing to help. He doesn't just live down the street either, so he's taking time to put me in his schedule

I wish I knew if I can return the unused parts, because I would order every single thing and only use what I need. Hopefully I don't need shift forks. I was going to just get them without knowing, but they're $70 each, and I'm not sure I need them

[Mech]

The numbers were referring to the picture in that link. The gear with splines in the middle is third drive gear and the one without splines is third driven gear.

The dogs are those bits which stick up, the bit that got chipped off the old gear is a dog.

That chipped off dog must have come off the third drive gear since it has a cast finish on the little bit at the center/bottom of it.

[Chris41586]

Damn. When I asked, the guy at the shop didn't even mention there's two parts, and he's the one that pulled up the pic to show me where it came from. Obviously I have the wrong one huh? So I would be safer to just go tell him to order the drive gear I hope

This is the pic he printed to show me. It depicts spots on the greats without teeth, but the gear I have and ones I saw online have teeth around the entire thing

[Mech]

I was referring to your first and second gears..

If you put that chipped bit on the first pictured gear, it would look right, a cast finish...

I wouldn't try taking that motor apart and getting it back together in one day Chris, not if I was doing it, it's rushing too much and will probably lead to problems. I'd figure on about two hours to strip it, then another two to inspect everything and give things a preliminary clean and make a parts list, then another five or six hours to put it all back together again carefully.

Your mate is mighty ambitious.

[Mech]

Yeah in the picture they've left some teeth off to save drawing time.. A bit like drawing a long length of lumber with a jagged break on the ends in the middle.. Done to save time or space.

That chip, if it's off any third gear, comes off the drive gear as far as I can tell... It's possible though that it could come off some other gear too.

[Chris41586]

I'm not sure how involved the process is, you'd know a lot more than me. I'm just going on what he said, because he says he just did the same thing on a Kawasaki 400, which is the same motor. 

Yeah the guy at the shop says it's possible it came off another gear. Like I said, I'm just confused why a certain issue. I really wish it was stripped already. I'm waiting for a call from my friend, and then we'll talk about going forward. I'm still over here tinkering with getting the engine out of the frame, and I've only done like 5 first basic steps lol

[Mech]

In your photos the chipped bit is sitting on part 15 in the parts list. See it's got no splines in the center.

Your top photo is of part No3 in the parts list. That looks like where the chip is from because of the cast finish to it.

[Chris41586]

I was able to open the link you sent on my computer and the numbers are different but same pic. We're talking about 3 and 9. You're saying the part I ordered is number 9, but I need number 3? I thought it was the opposite. Looking at the pic, there's only a couple gears with the dogs, is that right? If that's the case, I feel like I can narrow it down to the third gear, whatever one I didn't get yet

Is there a way to take a cover off and just look inside?

[Mech]

It's easy to tear things apart and put them back together again, but it takes time to diagnose what went wrong, and make sure you are fixing the cause as well as the damage.

I never order parts till I've got things apart and done the full autopsy and made sure the real problem is identified. But, I have to quote for people, and I'd be mad to quote without really knowing what is needed. I also have to be able to explain what went wrong and what I've done, and I have to be able to justify what I've done..

I reckon Chris, that you should ask your mate whether you could take the motor over there and strip it and inspect everything, and then go back another day with all the parts you need to put it together. You'd have time for a beer with him on the first day that way.. And time for another beer on the day it goes back together..  Rushing is risking spending money on things you might not need, and not having things you do need, and if you rush it too much, it might not be a satisfactory repair.. which is really disheartening for everyone involved.

There are four gears with dogs on them Chris, 12, 9, 8, and 3 in my photo.

19, 15, 16 and 3 in the parts photo.

[Mech]

You can't see into the gearbox until you split the two center cases.

I also think you are going to need some clutch parts.

[Chris41586]

Yeah, that's probably what I'll end up having to do. I was just hoping to make it as easy as possible for the guy helping me, but it's probably going to take a few days

[Mech]

If he's a mate he will be all good for two beer drinking sessions.. You'll just have to drive twice as far.. Small price to pay though.

[Chris41586]

Haha for sure a small price. I drove 4 hours just to buy this bike. It's a friend of the friend that's really doing the work, and we're just gonna help him. So here's what happened with my friend, his name is Jason: his son bought a quad for the same price as mine. The first time he took it out, the motor seized. Jason builds rock crawlers from nothing, so he's really good with mechanics, but he hasn't done much with quads. He wants to help with his friend on mine, so he has some insight to doing his son's bike. Good learning lesson for both of us. Honestly, I'm the type of person that will work a little bit for free, just to learn how to do something. That knowledge both saves and makes me money. 

[Mech]

I've always found time to help anyone that wants to learn by doing their own work.. for free.

Hope you all enjoy it, and the beers.

 

[Chris41586]

absolutely, you've been me even from afar!