Gear indicator bolt stripped out.

Deepc · 12-22-2012, 09:38 AM

Merry Christmas. I rode from new Orleans LA to My folks place in Sarasota Fl only to find a oil leak on the garage floor upon arrival. Upon closer inspection one of my gear indicator bolts was not only loose but stripped out. What are my options? Retap? Coil? Any help would be appreciated....

DADODIRT · 12-22-2012, 09:44 AM

I just replaced the o-ring and was worried I had stripped one of the threads. Not so, but while searching one of the options was drilling and tapping a slightly longer hole with the same thread/pitch. Add a longer bolt and it should be good to go.
The real trick is not to tighten it beyond about 8nm.

Deepc · 12-22-2012, 10:06 AM

I just measured the bolt hole. It appears that the bolt only occupies 2/3 of it. I'm guessing that there are some good threads behind the stripped out section. I'm thinking about retaping and using a bolt that is 1/3 longer. What do you think? Also, does anyone know this bolt size and what tap to use?

Peanuts · 12-22-2012, 10:16 AM

Screw is M5 x 12mm long. So I guess an 18mm long screw might go straight in there, but keep an eye open for the screw bottoming out before it nips the switch tight.

Deepc · 12-22-2012, 10:26 AM

Thanks peanuts

Deepc · 12-22-2012, 01:08 PM

So, I think I got it fixed. I picked up a M5 bolt that was about 1/3 longer than the original. I retaped the hole with a .80 pitch tap to match the bolt and torqued it down. I took it for a test run and haven't found any leaks. Thanks for the help.

scruffy · 12-22-2012, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepc

So, I think I got it fixed. I picked up a M5 bolt that was about 1/3 longer than the original. I retaped the hole with a .80 pitch tap to match the bolt and torqued it down. I took it for a test run and haven't found any leaks. Thanks for the help.

When I had this problem I just took a tapered tap and ground off the tip to make a flat tap (couldn't find a flat tap) and threaded the hole all the way in. It seemed like the last 1/3 of the hole wasn't threaded. No drilling involved . The longer bolt wouldn't go in before I re -taped the hole. It must have been taped with a tapered tap originally. I did both screw holes because the original short screws weren't grabbing many threads. I think that's what caused the problem to begin with.

TheMuffinMan · 12-22-2012, 06:26 PM

I would go to only 3NM max.

zedtours · 12-23-2012, 01:46 PM

Please,somebody, explain what gear indicator is?Neutral switch???

DADODIRT · 12-23-2012, 03:48 PM

Probably the same thing. Sorry, no picture, but it is behind and slightly above the front sprocket. O-ring eventually goes bad. Mine was at 28,xxx miles when I replaced the o-ring.

Questor · 12-26-2012, 03:36 PM

I've stripped mine before.
Installed Heli-Coil(s) and it's better than new.

So what is this mysterious Gear Indicator switch, someone asked?
On the left side of the bike, behind the sidestand, is an oval panel with a green wire coming out of it.
This switch tells the bike when it is in neutral and is wired to the side stand and a switch on the clutch lever. As the bike is put in neutral, two brass ball bearings inside the switch complete a circuit that also tuns on the green "neutral" light on the dash. This ciruct prevents you from starting the bike when in gear, or the clutch is not pulled in or when the side stand is up.
The screws holding this switch into the engine, usually come loose, or the O-ring gets hard with age. Oil begins to leak out. Then people tend to over tighten the screws and strip the threads going into the engine casing. (Including myself - three times...)

It's a minor leak, but stripping the threads is a pain the a$$.

Easy fix though...

Q~

Sadlsor · 12-26-2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepc

Upon closer inspection one of my gear indicator bolts was not only loose but stripped out.

I'm glad someone else asked "what is this?"
Obviously others knew what Deepc referred to; I was sitting here thinking "When did KTM put a gear position indicator on the 9X0?!...Wait...am I still in the OC forum?"
Semantics, I guess.
I'd be completely lost without my Orange Crush teachers.

zedtours · 12-27-2012, 06:21 AM

Just never heard it called that before!

Peanuts · 12-27-2012, 06:57 AM

It tells the ECU if the gear is one that requires power restriction, more to it than just neutral ;)

Questor · 12-27-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peanuts

It tells the ECU if the gear is one that requires power restriction, more to it than just neutral ;)

Ooohhh! Even cooler!
Neat!

Q~

12-22-2012, 09:38 AM	#1
Deepc ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Sarasota, Florida Oddometer: 266	Gear indicator bolt stripped out. Merry Christmas. I rode from new Orleans LA to My folks place in Sarasota Fl only to find a oil leak on the garage floor upon arrival. Upon closer inspection one of my gear indicator bolts was not only loose but stripped out. What are my options? Retap? Coil? Any help would be appreciated....

12-22-2012, 09:44 AM	#2
DADODIRT Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Durango,CO(not quite Purgatory) Oddometer: 2,672	I just replaced the o-ring and was worried I had stripped one of the threads. Not so, but while searching one of the options was drilling and tapping a slightly longer hole with the same thread/pitch. Add a longer bolt and it should be good to go. The real trick is not to tighten it beyond about 8nm. __________________ I find your lack of faith disturbing.

12-22-2012, 06:26 PM	#8
TheMuffinMan Beastly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2010 Location: Denver, USA Oddometer: 3,688	I would go to only 3NM max. __________________ "Civilize the mind, but make savage the body." To the house of a friend the way is never long. "Show respect to all, but grovel to none." '12 690 Enduro // 690 Wiki

12-23-2012, 03:48 PM	#10
DADODIRT Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Durango,CO(not quite Purgatory) Oddometer: 2,672	Probably the same thing. Sorry, no picture, but it is behind and slightly above the front sprocket. O-ring eventually goes bad. Mine was at 28,xxx miles when I replaced the o-ring. __________________ I find your lack of faith disturbing.

12-26-2012, 03:36 PM	#11
Questor More Undestructable Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Idaho Falls. ID. USA Oddometer: 3,546	I've stripped mine before. Installed Heli-Coil(s) and it's better than new. So what is this mysterious Gear Indicator switch, someone asked? On the left side of the bike, behind the sidestand, is an oval panel with a green wire coming out of it. This switch tells the bike when it is in neutral and is wired to the side stand and a switch on the clutch lever. As the bike is put in neutral, two brass ball bearings inside the switch complete a circuit that also tuns on the green "neutral" light on the dash. This ciruct prevents you from starting the bike when in gear, or the clutch is not pulled in or when the side stand is up. The screws holding this switch into the engine, usually come loose, or the O-ring gets hard with age. Oil begins to leak out. Then people tend to over tighten the screws and strip the threads going into the engine casing. (Including myself - three times...) It's a minor leak, but stripping the threads is a pain the a$$. Easy fix though... Q~ __________________ Ride Reports: National Parks Tour 2008 Trans-America Trail 2009 Continental Divide Trail 2009 Alaska 2010 Empty West 2011

12-22-2012, 10:06 AM	#3
Deepc ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Sarasota, Florida Oddometer: 266	I just measured the bolt hole. It appears that the bolt only occupies 2/3 of it. I'm guessing that there are some good threads behind the stripped out section. I'm thinking about retaping and using a bolt that is 1/3 longer. What do you think? Also, does anyone know this bolt size and what tap to use?

12-22-2012, 10:16 AM	#4
Peanuts Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2009 Location: UK Oddometer: 1,027	Screw is M5 x 12mm long. So I guess an 18mm long screw might go straight in there, but keep an eye open for the screw bottoming out before it nips the switch tight.

12-22-2012, 10:26 AM	#5
Deepc ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Sarasota, Florida Oddometer: 266	Thanks peanuts

12-22-2012, 01:08 PM	#6
Deepc ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Sarasota, Florida Oddometer: 266	So, I think I got it fixed. I picked up a M5 bolt that was about 1/3 longer than the original. I retaped the hole with a .80 pitch tap to match the bolt and torqued it down. I took it for a test run and haven't found any leaks. Thanks for the help.

12-23-2012, 01:46 PM	#9
zedtours Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Surrey Oddometer: 328	Please,somebody, explain what gear indicator is?Neutral switch???

12-27-2012, 06:21 AM	#13
zedtours Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Surrey Oddometer: 328	Neutral Switch! Just never heard it called that before!

12-27-2012, 06:57 AM	#14
Peanuts Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2009 Location: UK Oddometer: 1,027	It tells the ECU if the gear is one that requires power restriction, more to it than just neutral ;)

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