Yamaha error with 2nd gear fix?

[maleko89]

A guy on the European vmaxchat.com forums posted this and I thought it was interesting.

Thoughts?

Mark
#1098

Found this on net about virago, ventura and vmax,​

The notorious second gear problem in the transmission is something Yamaha did wrong. There's a spacer in the wrong place. This puts the second gear wheel too far from the fifth gear wheel that engages it to make second gear shift. In normal driving there's never a problem, however when drag racing and snap shifting with this big power plant making nearly 100 horsepower at 66 ft pounds of torque, second gear needs to lock in as far as possible. Unfortunately with the factory spacer it can't.. If the spacer is put on the shaft first, then the gear afterwards, it will allow second to fully seat and the transmission problem will cease to exist. Since all the books and microfiche show it wrong, everyone has always put it back on wrong. If you're a regular rider, this presents no real problem, but for power racing/riders it will cause second gear to wear out. I have the original in mine​

??? is it worth a try? ​

Carwyn​

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Without looking at the microfiche I wonder if the spacer he's talking about is just that, or is it a wear ring to keep the gears from wearing against each other?

I'm gonna go look

Rusty

 

[kdinkelman]

Mark,

If you make it over to my house this weekend, we can check it out on Kellie's transmission. If necessary, I can pull apart the shaft again and re-arrange.

Let me know what time you are coming. Sounds like Ray and Don want to come over as well.

By the way, it sounds like she sold her Boulevard.

Kent
#778

 

[113s&s]

this a problem with older models and fixed on newer ones ?

 

[maleko89]

What time you thinking of starting the work? After lunch okay? I'll be riding the bike over....hopefully we can get Ray's bike jumped.

Private seller for Kellie's bike? It's still under warranty right? Will it transfer to the new owner?

Mark
#1098

 

[maxcruiser]

I have had a few vmax trannies apart over the years and have a spare one in the basement that I just looked at - there is no spacer in the wrong place that I can see.

There is a service bulletin from Yamaha explaining how to shim the gears to proper spec - see http://musclebike.com/ - "tips and links" - they have an article on the 2nd gear issue and a link to the service bulletin - the tranny can be shimmed to proper spec - but when I tried to do so - the dealer did not have the shims listed anywhere and stated that I did not have to do this procedure - I spoke to Yamaha direct and they could not find the shim list - I finally got it from the Yamaha rep in my area and ordered the correct shims and after putting it back together - it shifted beautifully with no issues for the remaining 32000 miles that I owned it.

The 2nd gear issue can happen to any year max - they did upgrade the 2nd and fifth gear after 86 - but it can still happen with the newer gears - I have done this job on a 88, 96 & 01 model year bikes with 2nd gear issues.

Mike

 

[4gasem]

this a problem with older models and fixed on newer ones ?

It sounds like it's a problem when you rebuild them... People read the installation instructions which may be incorrect and the put it back together the wrong way... ????:ummm:

That's how I read it anyway...:confused2:

 

[KJShover]

It seems like Yamaha has had second gear issues for a long time and the max isn't the only bike.

The XS/XJ 11's were prone to the second gear gremlin as well.

 

[MoPure]

There is a service bulletin from Yamaha explaining how to shim the gears to proper spec - see http://musclebike.com/ - "tips and links" - they have an article on the 2nd gear issue and a link to the service bulletin

Anybody have an updated link for this? I can't seem to find it through that link.

 

[lankeeyankee]

I have an 85 and romp the ever living shit out of my tranny at the dragstrip and street riding and havent popped out of 2nd on me yet.:confused2: Does anyone wanna come over to my house and tear my tranny apart this weekend to see how its supposed to be? Bring beer and I will drink at no extra cost.:rofl_200:

I did F up my shift into third last Friday night due to bipping the throttle to quick not allowing a full engagement into 3rd which was my fault not the tranny.

 

[one2dmax]

Your 85 may have already been fixed. The gears for the 85 vmax and 86-93 venture 1300 used a completely different engagement system. The gear teeth themselves engage fifth gear instead of the typical 3 dog arrangement.

Sean

 

[cjmeg]

Know a guy who has worked on a number of older bikes, including XS11s and CB750 Ks.
Evidently 2 gear problems are common due to excessive dog wear, caused by hard shifting, which if you think about it is often 1st-second, and 2nd-3rd.
He used to undercut XS11 gears , having (believe it or not) turned the whole bike upside down to get at them, with a modified chainsaw blade sharpener (bench type)

(Apparently) once undercut, the dogs on the gears don't wear as readily, lessening the risk of jumping out of gear...

 

[one2dmax]

for the 85 (recalled) trans it's impossible to undercut the 2nd gear dogs since they are the actual teeth and not dogs off the side.

Sean

 

[Shuriken]

It seems like Yamaha has had second gear issues for a long time and the max isn't the only bike.

The XS/XJ 11's were prone to the second gear gremlin as well.

Yup:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5090&highlight=2nd+gear+spacer
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1034&highlight=2nd+gear+spacer

 

[adamax]

Having my engine in pieces, I would like to check the clearances. I read that bulletin a long while ago but it was a very illisible copy. Anyone having a good copy of it?
I do not seem to be able to access musclebike.com
Anything arised about the spacer?
Thank you