Official Upgrade Kit Poll, Who has and hasn't gotten it
- Thread starter Pig9r
- Start date
mikemartin88
.060 Over
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2009
- Messages
- 117
- Location
- Rowlett, Texas
- Ride
- '07 Standard with Jardines, triple K&Ns and TuneEdit ECU Map; '92 FLHS
Scary?
I must be missing something here. Triumph has identified an upgrade kit to fix a number of known issues with RIIIs. If a service tech at a dealership encounters the known issues, Triumph authorizes the installation of the upgrade kit. People (like me) who haven't encountered any of the known issues (yet) are curious as to what all the hubbub's about, so ask questions on the forum and get them answered by people who know. People (like me) end up better educated and still hoping that the bike doesn't develop any of the known issues because I'd rather be riding it than wondering when the service department will be done with it. What's so scary about all of that? Or is it wrong of me to ask?
This is getting pretty scary now
I must be missing something here. Triumph has identified an upgrade kit to fix a number of known issues with RIIIs. If a service tech at a dealership encounters the known issues, Triumph authorizes the installation of the upgrade kit. People (like me) who haven't encountered any of the known issues (yet) are curious as to what all the hubbub's about, so ask questions on the forum and get them answered by people who know. People (like me) end up better educated and still hoping that the bike doesn't develop any of the known issues because I'd rather be riding it than wondering when the service department will be done with it. What's so scary about all of that? Or is it wrong of me to ask?
BigWillie
Supercharged
Anyone have any details about what you are talking about? Just wondering. I have an "08 R3T with 13K on it and if it needs anything I want to get it done ASAP. Is it just something for the older R3's?
Pig9r
Living Legend
Generally older Rockets. At minimum built before 11/07.
See my threads under "catastrophic transmission failure". No need in repeating the saga here.
However, I did learn something from my mechanic a few months ago. After many failed attempts at repairing the transmission, my dealer finally conceded to complete replacement of the transmission. Turns out they had an upgrade kit in stock for an upcoming rebuild. The guy totaled his bike before it could be installed. Dealer decided to do a complete replacement and compare the parts to see if there were any differences.
When they tore down my perpetually failing tranny and compared it to the complete replacement kit, they found one VERY IMPORTANT difference in addition to the gear set, dog rings, shims, bushings etc.
The star wheel on the outboard end of the shifter drum contains a little ball bearing to index the star wheel and prevent back rotation under torque load. When you shift the linkage, the ball is supposed to drop into the slot and prevent the whole arrangement from indexing any further until the next shift cycle. The upgrade kit contains a SMALLER BALL BEARING than the original setup. The mechanic theorized that the larger original ball was not allowing the linkage to fully seat. Under heavy acceleration, the torque load forced the shifter drum to back out of position!
This is a major aha moment. It confirms my theory that the shifter drum was backing out of position (probably from the helical cut on the newer gears).
So there you have it - - 9 months of headaches, downtime, and rework for a $0.50 ball bearing! If my dealer had done the FULL upgrade instead of a piecemeal rebuild, I think my bike would have been in operation by September instead of February.
Anyway, I'm happy to report that I've put on 3500 miles since the CORRECT upgrade kit. She snicks right into gear and handles WOT shifts with ease. Amen!
However, I did learn something from my mechanic a few months ago. After many failed attempts at repairing the transmission, my dealer finally conceded to complete replacement of the transmission. Turns out they had an upgrade kit in stock for an upcoming rebuild. The guy totaled his bike before it could be installed. Dealer decided to do a complete replacement and compare the parts to see if there were any differences.
When they tore down my perpetually failing tranny and compared it to the complete replacement kit, they found one VERY IMPORTANT difference in addition to the gear set, dog rings, shims, bushings etc.
The star wheel on the outboard end of the shifter drum contains a little ball bearing to index the star wheel and prevent back rotation under torque load. When you shift the linkage, the ball is supposed to drop into the slot and prevent the whole arrangement from indexing any further until the next shift cycle. The upgrade kit contains a SMALLER BALL BEARING than the original setup. The mechanic theorized that the larger original ball was not allowing the linkage to fully seat. Under heavy acceleration, the torque load forced the shifter drum to back out of position!
This is a major aha moment. It confirms my theory that the shifter drum was backing out of position (probably from the helical cut on the newer gears).
So there you have it - - 9 months of headaches, downtime, and rework for a $0.50 ball bearing! If my dealer had done the FULL upgrade instead of a piecemeal rebuild, I think my bike would have been in operation by September instead of February.
Anyway, I'm happy to report that I've put on 3500 miles since the CORRECT upgrade kit. She snicks right into gear and handles WOT shifts with ease. Amen!
scot in exile
Living Legend
Never wrong to ask a question
I compare this to the cruise ship problems from a couple of years ago--one person does not feel well the next thing the whole ship (excluding the crew) is at deaths door.Of course some bikes have had a problem but the majority of Rockets built have not.
wilbur-t
Top Fuel
I have over 34k on my 05 and have never had a shifting problem. I did have a recurrant noise and vibration that started at 10k and I finally fixed myself when the clutch lifter piece snapped off at about 24k. [Turned out the clutch bearing was insatalled backwards. The new pieces were redesigned and much stronger.] I was out of warranty, but Triumph gave me all the parts free of charge.
After reading this thread, I hear all kinds of noises!!
After reading this thread, I hear all kinds of noises!!
Sidecar Flip
Living Legend
I have over 34k on my 05 and have never had a shifting problem. I did have a recurrant noise and vibration that started at 10k and I finally fixed myself when the clutch lifter piece snapped off at about 24k. [Turned out the clutch bearing was insatalled backwards. The new pieces were redesigned and much stronger.] I was out of warranty, but Triumph gave me all the parts free of charge.
After reading this thread, I hear all kinds of noises!!
Want to ride a noisy bike? Try a KLR. You have to run the overhead loose so you have valve noise all the time and the decompression release clicks all the time plus the internal drive chains rattle. All good for a mechinically noisy ride.
You learn to ignore the sounds and ride it. My Bonnie makes mechanical noises as well.
The R3 is quite compared to the other bikes I own.
wilbur-t
Top Fuel
Yeah Flip, my old 98 Tiger was noisy as hell, but was just the nature of the beast. It's easy to start hearing things when you read these threads, but if something has really gone wrong, the bike will let you know.
boggswipe
Standard Bore
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1
Upgrade in need!
I think I have a legitimate upgrade need. Mine is an 08' but received in Nov of 07'. The bike pops out of second to neutral MOST of the time, has the cam noise which may not be a big deal but the most peculiar is the output shaft drive knuckle inside the block just before the rubber boot - has a swishing noise which ncreases with speed no matter if under load or not just has to be above ten mph and the engine doesn't have to be running for this to occur. This is not spurratic and qute loud, wonder if any possibility of lockup and what this noise could be. Does anyone also have chatter coming from rear wheel hub when going on 0 plane surface? Had mandatory fuel re-map after 3 months since then engine will idle low sometimes die. Dealer is playing ignorance to these issues and states I will be charged if they can find no problems! What!?
I think I have a legitimate upgrade need. Mine is an 08' but received in Nov of 07'. The bike pops out of second to neutral MOST of the time, has the cam noise which may not be a big deal but the most peculiar is the output shaft drive knuckle inside the block just before the rubber boot - has a swishing noise which ncreases with speed no matter if under load or not just has to be above ten mph and the engine doesn't have to be running for this to occur. This is not spurratic and qute loud, wonder if any possibility of lockup and what this noise could be. Does anyone also have chatter coming from rear wheel hub when going on 0 plane surface? Had mandatory fuel re-map after 3 months since then engine will idle low sometimes die. Dealer is playing ignorance to these issues and states I will be charged if they can find no problems! What!?
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