Chris41586

Hey Mech, I do remember my friend specifically going through the gears before assembling the motor back together. Today I took my bike back over to test ride, and when he hopped on, it was shifting just fine all of a sudden. It did stick just a little at times, but he pointed out that with having the new gear, it may need to be ridden a bit to smoothen out. One thing I had been doing before, was trying to "baby" the gear when shifting, and I had tennis shoes on, so it felt like I was shifting harder than I really was. It actually seems to be working fine now, so I was probably being paranoid haha. I do appreciate your input as always, and now I'm ready to get out and ride!

I bought a 2008 Suzuki LTZ 400, and right away noticed it wasn't wanting to shift into 3rd well, if at all. I opened my clutch basket, and a little piece of a gear fell out. A friend helped me strip the motor down, and ended up changing 4th gear (that's where the piece was from) and I believe third gear drive. He said everything else looked good, so I put the bike back together and started it up for a test ride. Right away, I noticed the same shifting issue, first and second go right in, but doesn't want to go into third. The other issue that may be related, is I have a hard time finding neutral. Most of the time it goes right from first to second, and I have to lightly click down for neutral, and it takes a few tries. Please give me any advice for things to look at, or reasons I would still be having this issue after changing gears. Maybe the original problem is what caused third gear to break in the first place?

absolutely, you've been me even from afar!

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.

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

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?

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

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

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

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.

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

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

So, I have the best updated I could hope for! I have a friend that knows about this stuff as well, and I called to ask a question and explain the situation... He said he literally just did the same thing for a Kawasaki, which has the same motor. He told me that if I get the motor out and nice and clean, bring it to him with some beers, and he'll get it done in a few hours on the weekend🥳. I'll feel a lot better helping him and learning hands on, and getting to see the entire process without confusion. So yes, I still have to get the motor out, but the major work I'll have help with. I'm pretty happy about it haha. The motor will have to come out next weekend, as I'm still gone 14 hours out of the day during the week, but I'll still keep you posted, and greatly appreciate the help and advice you've given me thus far

Wow thanks for looking at that Mech. It was taking me awhile just to figure out what I'm even looking for in there, but that's A HUGE help.

Ok I think I have it figured out! I'll let you know how I'm doing asking the way. Any advice toy think of, please let me know Advice * you think of

It's the one with 492. The way the table of contents has two ways to look at it and they're different is a little confusing, but I think I'm figuring it out. I've been flipping around it for awhile now, and yes I'm going to read everything My understanding is that page 158 is where I start, and the pages tell me where to go for removing the body and other things

Wait,I just saw that before the section I'm asking about, there's a section that actually tells you how to pull the entire engine out of the frame. I believe that's where I start

I think I'm going to try to go step by step with the manualslib one. Mech, can you do me a really big favor to get this going? Can you look where it says in the table of contents, top end removal? There's two sides to all the pages. Do I just go down the left side, and than the right side of the page? The step numbers don't seem to line up that way, but maybe the end of that particular step is on the left, and a new step on the right? And do I actually start with "removable parts with engine in place" before going to disassemble? Once figure this out I should be on my way

Yessir, I'm definitely going to be labeling everything and laying them out in order. I'm cleaning a work space right now, and I'll lay down plastic to set things on, and then maybe cover up over night as well. Thanks for the tips mech. I'm sure I'll have questions along the way, even if they seem dumb, I'd rather ask than guess or assume.

And this might be a dumb question, but I'm starting with top disassembly right?

I think the feeler gauges are what I was calling shims. They are numbered and fit into tight spaces to size right? Do you suggest using the engine oil my bike runs on for oiling engine parts? And the petrol, it was suggested to use non ethanol in the tank for riding, but I can use anything to clean parts right?

So the manual I'm looking at has "engine top side disassembly" and "engine bottom side". I'm doing the bottom, because that's where the gears are, or I really have to take the entire thing apart just to reach the gears? I'm really starting to think this is going to take a month of weekends

Thanks Mech. This is definitely a little scary to get into this big of a project without experience, but I want to break it down one step at a time and not overthink. My biggest fear, is having to walk into a shop with a bucket of parts, and have to ask them to turn it into a bike for me! Some of the videos I've seen, there's people fixing and setting things with these metal shims(I don't know what they're called). Do I need those and the thickness gauge just in case to check things, even though I'm only taking those parts out and putting them back in? Honestly, I don't know yet, if I'm taking these complicated parts out in entire sections that I can reinstall, or I'm completely taking every single thing apart that I'll need to set timing and cams and all that. That's what's intimidating to me. Up to now, I've changed the oil in my car, an alternator, and random simple things like that. I'm a do it myself type of person, but haven't done so much with mechanics. Well I'm going to learn now. About the petrol, are you talking about gas? Wash parts with that instead of dish soap? Also, what's crc? Also, the first thing I bought yesterday when I found out the work I need to do, is a torque wrench. The one that matches the sockets I already have, is 5-80 ft pounds of pressure. Will that be good for most things I need to tighten?

When you first responded with this, there was a link, but now I don't see anything. Can you please repost it, or let me know where to find it for future reference?

I saw that one in manualslib.com, and it looked like the best one I found so far. I'll check out every link shared with me and read through a bit, to see what is easiest for me to understand. It's a lot to take in, never have worked on them before, and the confusion comes, when I go into a section, and there was different work done up to that point. Hopefully I'll be able to find a good starting point, and go from there. Thanks to all input. It's definitely a bummer, and not something I expected to do after buying a bike that I only rode one time, but hopefully a good learning experience Also, any good video links would also be greatly appreciated. Just like the manual, it's hard to find a project from scratch to the point I need to go. Honestly, I don't even know how far to go to get to the gears. That's the first thing I need to figure out