Originally Posted by chp_hates_me (Post 310001)

let me preface this thread by stating that i've read all the CCT threads here, and i apologize for starting another one, at least its not an oil thread, (i use rotella 15-40 btw, and have 50k hard miles on my bike)

a long time ago my front chain was making a bit of noise, i took out my CCT and completely disassembled it. i saw that it was gummed up and could not turn with small amount of torque that the spring can apply, so i cleaned it well, polished in a lathe the top of the jack screw where it mates to the casing and put it back in. started reading forums about "upgraded designs" so i bought a brand new one, took it apart and compared to my 1998 original, i cannot see any difference, spring wire diameter, number of turns etc all the same.

do the upgraded versions use a different spring material?

are the failures commonly caused by spring breakage?

are the failures b/c of the lack of oil b/c the front CCT points down and does not get oil splash, gums up and cannot adjust itself like mine did?

every oil change i take off the access screw put a little oil in there, then turn the engine over with the starter and apply a very light CCW torque to the jack screw and it may move slightly, 1/8 turn maybe.

so the big fear in my mind is that if the CCT commonly fails by spring breakage, what i'm doing as CCT maintenance is not really a safe solution.

so what is the real failure mode on these things?

i have 3 or 4 extra CCTs around, i may put one of them in the lathe and convert it into a manual version....don't cost nothin'

thanks

Originally Posted by klx678 (Post 310111)

If you have the time, the material, the equipment, and the skill then why not make your own. I'm here for the guy who can't for any of those reasons.

Originally Posted by intoxxx (Post 316184)

i picked up pair blockoffs and manual ccts off superdutyd. thanks .. so 2 hours outside checking and double rechecking myself, was a piece of cake everything went like it should.. until trying to tighten down the 1/2" nut on the front cct.
:boom: even to remove the coolant line in the way there is a minihand job ripped my knuckle up for the 2nd and best time trying to get the hose off... i can tell it has never been off before!

i was out at 5:30 doing laundry and did house cleaning all morning, thought id chill out to relaxing project for me afterwards
haha few beers later its dinner time and i got frustrated because i have hands like an ape. and my thumb knuckle was bleeding enough already..

so i ask for an idea for tomarrow: How the hell do you tighten down the 1/2 nut on the front cct !?! maybe chopsticks will work? ;)

funny how much work you end up doing on a vacation day than a regular day at work, when your job is busting your ass!

Originally Posted by lazn (Post 316185)

It's been a while but I think I got to it from the left side (from outside the frame) with a longer box wrench.. Just kinda pushed it under the hose.

Originally Posted by bass4dude (Post 316193)

I had the same problems as you.

I set my tension with an extension, flex joint and some odd S.A.E socket with the engine running. Then I tugged the carbs out (but left everything attached) and set them off to the left, then I just got on it with my regular sockets set to tighten and then I just used an open ended wrench on the lower set nut.

I had enough of pulling my hair out to deal with that after like 7 straight hrs of dicking with the bike.

You can set the tension with the airbox off so you could theoretically leave the carbs on and then just go at it from the top with an open ended wrench.

Originally Posted by intoxxx (Post 316232)

i found the right wrench for the job, made by craftsman. it swivels like a helicopter but has a ratchet joint and ball bearings, fully adjustable from 1/4"- 5/8" with the turn of the knob. so i didnt need to touch my carbs at all. and tried firing her up! ran beautifully...
i didnt even have to adjust them at all. but why wouldnt i test the adjustments to find the clicking and make sure i was dead on? so i tugged the carbs out with everything attached. and after i set them off to the left. it was so much easier to adjust the cct. little qtr turn tighter and i tried starting it up. FUCKER WOULDNT START AT ALL, so i turned it back a qtr turn and tried to fire it up again... what went wrong when i tried it with your method? and why do i have so much oil on the ground now?

Originally Posted by bass4dude (Post 316299)

You did remember to put the carbs BACK on right ? :D:D:D Only kidding.

But if you look behind the lock nut (engine side) there is an o-ring there to keep oil from weeping from those threads and if that was off a little bit that can explain a little bit of oil.

It wouldn't start because you probably had too much tension on the cams and had rotated them off by a degree what would prevent them from starting. When you do that it can actually pull the cams up slightly in their holders on the top end and mess stuff up really quickly which is why it's important to use a torque wrench whenever doing any top end work.

I don't think a 1/4 of a turn should change the tension that much to stop it from running. So I would pull off the cover and just double check that it's taught to finger pressure, but it will deflect very lightly when pressure is applied.

And where exactly was the oil? I had a puddle on the ground but that was because someone (not me!) tried to start the bike without the timing mark cover bolt.