Other Crf70 hard to shift

[HeyWaitUp]

Hey all...well I got the crf put back together and it runs fine but it is really hard to shift past 1st gear. It goes from neutral to first just fine and back but getting into 2nd and 3rd is really hard. I barely rode the bike before I took it apart to do maintenance (just bought it used) so I have no prior experience with it. Any ideas? The right side cover lined up and went back on ok (albeit a little tricky) so I don't think I crunched any clutch parts in the process.

It's my sons first outing tomorrow so I really want to take him for a couple hours. He probably won't get into 2nd or 3rd anyway. Is it going to hurt the bike to ride it this way? It seems fine once it's in gear...

 

[Mihylo33]

shouldn't hurt it but it needs to come back apart. the shift drum or shift forks aren't lined up properly or something..... did you touch the gears at all?

 

[HeyWaitUp]

shouldn't hurt it but it needs to come back apart. the shift drum or shift forks aren't lined up properly or something..... did you touch the gears at all?

No I didn't get that deep. All I did was change the oil, and I cleaned the clutch housing when I was in there. Once you take the crankcase cover off, your forced to deal with this ball bearing retainer deal with a spring on the outside of the clutch housing. I thought I got it all lined up when I put it back together (because if you're not lined up the crankcase won't fit back on) but maybe it's not perfect? I tried adjusting the clutch via the adjuster on the outside and that helped for one run through the gears and it might be slightly better now but still shifts rough past 1st.

Hard to tell if it's messed up or if my fatass shouldn't be riding it! I'm gonna break her down again and see if I can get at the problem after our ride...

 

[Mihylo33]

No I didn't get that deep. All I did was change the oil, and I cleaned the clutch housing when I was in there. Once you take the crankcase cover off, your forced to deal with this ball bearing retainer deal with a spring on the outside of the clutch housing. I thought I got it all lined up when I put it back together (because if you're not lined up the crankcase won't fit back on) but maybe it's not perfect? I tried adjusting the clutch via the adjuster on the outside and that helped for one run through the gears and it might be slightly better now but still shifts rough past 1st.

Hard to tell if it's messed up or if my fatass shouldn't be riding it! I'm gonna break her down again and see if I can get at the problem after our ride...

Hmmm, each shift should feel exactly the same. Do you have a manual for this bike? If not get one before going any further.

 

[HeyWaitUp]

Hmmm, each shift should feel exactly the same. Do you have a manual for this bike? If not get one before going any further.

Yeah I have the Clymer manual for it. My son rode it today and it shifts from N to 1st just fine and he said he was able to shift it into 2nd (although it's hard to say if he was really in 2nd because this was his first time on the bike, but I do think I saw/heard him get into 2nd toward the end of the day). I wonder of the little tranny just struggles too much when an adult rides it? I'm pretty confident that I could follow the manual and take the clutch apart but I don't know if i would be able to recognize the problem...so I might just leave it. He had fun on it regardless!

 

[ossagp]

Does it feel like the shifter is just dragging or is it a case of the motor wont pull the weight? It may sound funny, but are you sure the gasket is on there and in place all the way around. Leaving that off or even having it off of the case surface can take up needed clearance for the shift shaft.

 

[Mihylo33]

Regardless of the wieght it should shift smooth.... I'm a fat bastard and rip a TTR 50 once in awhile.... Shifts smooth and clean and I hammer that lil machine.

 

[HeyWaitUp]

Does it feel like the shifter is just dragging or is it a case of the motor wont pull the weight? It may sound funny, but are you sure the gasket is on there and in place all the way around. Leaving that off or even having it off of the case surface can take up needed clearance for the shift shaft.

Yeah it feels like when you go to shift into 2nd gear from 1st, the shift lever will go up a bit and stop, but the gear won't actually engage. It's like a missed shift, but even when I put a really good amount of pressure on the lever, the gear won't engage. It's not until I happen upon the right combination of rpm and force on the lever does it finally engage the gear. I've eve reached down with my hand on occasion and tried to yank it into gear and it won't go.

And are you talking about the gasket for the crankcase cover? That is on there and seems to be lined up fine...and I'm not leaking any oil so I figure I have a good seal...

 

[2strokesteve89]

Hey all...well I got the crf put back together and it runs fine but it is really hard to shift past 1st gear. It goes from neutral to first just fine and back but getting into 2nd and 3rd is really hard. I barely rode the bike before I took it apart to do maintenance (just bought it used) so I have no prior experience with it. Any ideas? The right side cover lined up and went back on ok (albeit a little tricky) so I don't think I crunched any clutch parts in the process.

It's my sons first outing tomorrow so I really want to take him for a couple hours. He probably won't get into 2nd or 3rd anyway. Is it going to hurt the bike to ride it this way? It seems fine once it's in gear...

Sounds like a bent shift shaft

 

[HeyWaitUp]

Well, I took the crankcase cover off again today to check things out and I may have found the problem. The retainer that sits between the clutch outer housing and the adjuster plate looked a little beat up. There were little slivers of metal which looked like they came off of it. So, I'm guessing that things weren't lined up perfectly when I put the case back on last time or something. So, I ordered a new retainer and spring and we'll see if that fixes it.

I do have a question though and was wondering if anyone knows what I'm talking about...the little arm that attaches to the end of the shift shaft that sits in the slot in the retainer...is there a way to tell exactly what angle it's supposed to be at? It seems like it only goes on in about 15° increments (and the closest ones, rotating it on the shaft to the left or right seem obviously off) so I think I've got it in the right spot. But, is there anything I should be looking for to know for sure? The Clymer manual just says "put it back on" basically...

 

[Mihylo33]

I want to say shift fork but without a pic it would be hard to say what it was. I'm glad you found the issue though

 

[SRAD97750]

Photos!

 

[HeyWaitUp]

Right! Ok yes, photos are a good idea. In the first pic, you can see the outer clutch housing with the little arm that I'm talking about that goes on the end of the shift shaft and seats into the outer clutch housing. In my hand is the retainer plate and spring that I'm replacing because it's bent and beat up. This retainer goes between the clutch outer housing and the adjuster plate that is on the inside of the crankcase (shown in the second pic). So, I guess I just want to make sure that little arm is at the correct angle so I don't chew up the new retainer when I put it in. It *seems* like it's at the correct angle based on pics in the manual...and it can be rotated on the shift shaft cw/cc from where it's positioned now, but those positions seem way off...

 

[HeyWaitUp]

So I got the new clutch retainer pieces I need today and was going to install them (hopefully properly this time!) this weekend. But I was thinking...would it hurt to shift the bike through the gears while I still have it pulled apart? Because if it shifts fine through the gears with the crankcase cover off (and without the clutch adjustment pieces coming into play) I would know right away if it's a bent shift rod or shift forks...right? Obviously I'm talking about shifting through the gears with the bike OFF...lol...but when off the throttle (or off completely) the auto clutch is disengaged right? So I should be able to just click through the gears...? Someone tell me if I'm an idiot or not please...

...an idiot pertaining to this particular issue I should say

 

[SRAD97750]

yes, you should be able to click through the gears, but you might need to rock the rear wheel to assist the stationary transmission shafts.
Let us know how it goes!
-BIG DAN