Valve adjustment

[snowbandit]

I am about to turn 10,000 miles on my 2011 rocket.. My warranty runs out in July so I am thinking of tackling the valve adjustment myself. Is this something that is pretty straight forward? I done tons of work on snowmobiles, but I have never done a valve adjustment on anything. Are our bikes shim adjusted? If so do you buy a kit with different shims in there so that you have them on hand when needing to do the adjustment? Also do you need to replace any gaskets when doing this? I like to avoid the 200-500+ bill that I was told I might get if the dealer does it.

 

[motolink]

My Roadster will be due for the 10000km service in a month or so and the valve clearence checking / adjusting is part of the service so I am in the same situation as you.
I am about to start getting some quotes to do the service, I am sure it will be around $300 even with out doing oil and filter, I do that myself.

 

[MACS5RDR]

If you look in the service manual, the valve check procedure calls out a special adjustment tool for doing it.

 

[TheSwede]

If you look in the service manual, the valve check procedure calls out a special adjustment tool for doing it.

No special tools are needed for doing a valve check.
Except feeler gauge, of course......

Also replacing shims is easy, no special tools needed.

What does the service manual says about tools?

 

[motolink]

What is involved in removing the shims?

 

[Battersea]

What is involved in removing the shims?

Quite a lot, especially if you still have the standard air feed system.

According to the service manual, apart from all the plumbing under the tank, these parts need taking off - cam cover, a spark plug from each cylinder, cam chain tensioner and top pad, camshaft ladder and camshaft.

When the time comes to do mine I will be looking to make a tool that negates the need to remove everything other than the cover, don't know if its possible yet but I will sure try.

 

[motolink]

I guess you are meaning a tool to push the valve down and remove the shim cap.

 

[Battersea]

I guess you are meaning a tool to push the valve down and remove the shim cap.

Yep.

I did something similar on my BSA Rocket 3. When the motor was rebuilt I upgraded to mushroom headed tappet screws and lash caps on the valves, all went well except for one valve that ended up with zero valve clearance.

Just couldn't face stripping it all apart again so made a tool to lever the valve down enough to hook the lash cap out with a magnet and reduce the thickness, saved me hours of work.

 

[TheSwede]

Quite a lot, especially if you still have the standard air feed system.

According to the service manual, apart from all the plumbing under the tank, these parts need taking off - cam cover, a spark plug from each cylinder, cam chain tensioner and top pad, camshaft ladder and camshaft.

When the time comes to do mine I will be looking to make a tool that negates the need to remove everything other than the cover, don't know if its possible yet but I will sure try.

It is not possible to use any "tool" to replace shims on the Rocket engine. It doesn't help to compress the valve, there is no space to take out the shim, because of the construction. If a shim needs to be replaced, the camshafts must be taken out.

 

[stepnet1983]

Some things are just better left to the professionals. I agree the service is expensive and I am not looking forward to my 10,000 mile service either but they have the tools and the know how. Besides I have heard that the shims themselves are a specialty item.