How difficult to replace slave cylinder

[KillerBee]

I'm thinking the clutch slave cylinder is bad on my 1991 Vmax.
I found some fluid under the bike and the fluid in the clutch resevoir is low.
The bike is also shifting a little harder tha usual.
I'm planning on buying a new complete slave cylinder instead of rebuilding my current one.
I'm wondering how difficult of a job this is?
Can I do this myself or should I take the bike to a professional mechanic?
Any special tools needed?
Anyone have a good description of the proceedure?

I think I have a download of the repair manual on my computer somewhere, what section would this be under?

Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

 

[richwrench]

Easy job - did mine a few months ago. You'll need metric allen sockets & a 12" extension. If you've ever done a wheel cyl on a car you can do this just as easily. Some guys have trouble bleeding it afterward, so they recommend a MightyVac - I just hand bled for a while & it's been great ever since. Don't take it to a shop - do it yourself & you'll know it's right.

 

[KillerBee]

Easy job - did mine a few months ago. You'll need metric allen sockets & a 12" extension. If you've ever done a wheel cyl on a car you can do this just as easily. Some guys have trouble bleeding it afterward, so they recommend a MightyVac - I just hand bled for a while & it's been great ever since. Don't take it to a shop - do it yourself & you'll know it's right.

Thanks for the info.

If I read the manual correctly I'll need to remove the left foot peg, shifter lever, and mid gear case to get at the slave cylinder.
Will I need a new gasket for the mid gear cover?
any other gaskets needed?

Below is a link to where I'm looking to buy the slave cylinder.
I'm assuming it's part number 28.

http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm.../_VMX1200BC_V-MAX/GroupID/350028/Group/CLUTCH_

 

[maleko89]

Yep, you'll need a middle gear gasket and also the crush gasket on the lower middle gear bolt.

I would also remove the stator cover as it'll make removal a bit easier. If you do that you will need that gasket as well.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

This is an easy task to complete. Note that you will have to add oil to the bike too when done as you will drain a bit when you remove the middle gear cover. To bleed I use a long piece of tygon tubing attached to the bleed nipple (has to be long enough to drape over the handlebars at a height higher than the master cylinder) open the top of the master cylinder, open bleed nipple, pump lever refilling to top off resevoir as necessary, continue until air stops coming out of nipple, let sit for 5 minutes or so and pump lever a couple of times to ensure no air. This method will force air to go either up to the master cylinder to bleed out or up the tygon. Has worked for me multiple times (I flush my clutch fluid at least once a year even though I use DOT4) with no issues.

 

[KillerBee]

Great info! :thumbs up:

Could somebody tell me from the link to the parts diagram below what gaskets I will need.
I'm thinking it's gaskets 19 and 22 but I not sure what the stator cover and bolt crush gasket looks like.

http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm..._V-MAX/GroupID/350031/Group/CRANKCASE_COVER_1_

 

[maleko89]

#19 is the middle gear gasket and #22 is the crush gasket I was talking about. Stator cover gasket is #2.

 

[KillerBee]

Thanks again to everyone.
I ordered the parts today and hope to get the job doen ASAP.

 

[maleko89]

I dig the rims. unk:

Neil, I recommend you paint your rims Barney.

 

[KillerBee]

Thanks.

I bought the bike from the estate of a prominent attorney who was in his 60's.
He had a collection of motorcycles and his widow said the Vmax was one of his favorites and he spent a bunch of money on it.
The bike had been sitting for a number of years before he passed away so it's going to need some tinkering with.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b...WrVw3bsQe3nw4/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=0/rx=480/ry=320/

 

[lankeeyankee]

Is it easy to replace.

I dont know how often that question is asked here with out the person putting in there mechanical expierence.

We have high performance engine builders, auto mechnaics, motorcycle mechanics, some have less than a yr expierence and some have over 25 yrs expierence.

Some are challenged taking the gas cap off there bike and aligning it back up to put the gas cap back on.

Some can rebuild a complete engine without flipping a page in a manual.

Some tools are there worst enemy and anything sharper than a pillow they will get hurt.

My opinion a slave cyl is very easy to replace. start to finish 15 mins (not including drip bleeding it)

 

[Firewrench]

It's a pretty easy one to do. I didn't remove the stator cover to do mine. I used a 1/4 inch ratchet with a 5 mm allen bit and extension. Mighty-vac only to catch the fluid, hand pumped the master cyl to bleed. 1/2 hour start to finish.

 

[godsend1]

The manual says to use yamabond 4 to seal the upper bolt that holds the slave in place, do I need to re-seal this bolt or can I skip this?

 

[richwrench]

I didn't seal any of the bolts on mine - no leaks. Maybe I should acually read the manual some day...:biglaugh: