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The
Suzuki Cavalcade Newsletter
Issue
#21 ~ April, 2002
Jay
D. Johnson, Editor
Emailed to you at
No Charge.
Available by snail-mail for $36.00 a year ($3 per month).
CADE
RAID ~ 2002
The
International Rally for Cavalcades
CADE RAID 2002 is set for September 16-18, 2002 at the Honeysuckle Inn
Resort in Branson,
Missouri
. You can visit their web site at www.honeysucklebranson.com.
Plans include exhibits and displays by suppliers; classes and workshops;
rides through the scenic Ozarks; evening entertainment packages; an awards
dinner and other surprises. Our goal is to gather at least 100 Cavalcades in one
location.
You must identify yourself as attending the Suzuki Cavalcade Owner’s
Group meeting (“CADE RAID 2002”) to get our group room rate. The
Inn
is giving us a rate of $55.00 per night. The room rate includes free
continental breakfast, or you can opt for a full breakfast with a discount
coupon instead. You can also book extra days at the same rate if you wish to
arrive early or stay longer. The toll-free phone number for reservations is
1-800-942-3553. Those who wait until the last minute may have a difficult time
finding lodging.
SEE THE SCHEDULE
OF EVENTS & REGISTRATION FORM AT THE END OF THIS NEWSLETTER
European Cade Raid 2002
June
1st to June 8th. at:
Campingsite-Café in
den
HOF
Sleepingspot the Hayloft.
(
Holland
near border to
Germany
and
Belgium
)
Contacts email addresses: B. J. Linbeman lindeman5@zonnet.nl
for
Holland
/
Belgium
Tommy Karlsen tomboy@enitel.no
for Norway/Sweden and
Finland
David
Hebblethwaite david.hebblethwaite@btinternet.com
for
United Kingdom
and rest of
Europe
AMERICADE
2002
Lake George
,
New York
~ June 3-8th
Cavalcade Riders will meet Friday,
9:00 a.m.
at the "OLD" Dairy Queen. It was a batting cage last year. It's right
next to the road going up
Prospect
Mountain
. You can start signing up for Americade on line at www.Tourexpo.com
now. We hope to
see a lot of you up there. It is one of the highlights of our summer. Good
company.... beautiful scenery and lake and great riding. Get your hotel or
camping reservations in now... each year this is getting bigger and bigger.
For details contact
Nancy
at this E-mail address: motherwind@aol.com
WEST
COAST
CADE RAID
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
~
JULY 21, 2002
West Coast Caders will gather for a day of riding and
admiring each other’s Cavalcades. Everyone should plan to arrive at Tahoe on
Saturday evening July 20th. We will have a breakfast meeting from
8
to
10 o’clock
on Sunday, July 21st at Mulligan’s restaurant. From
10:00 a.m.
to
5:00 p.m.
, we will take a scenic ride. Spies are in the Tahoe area now who are planning
the ride’s route. Everyone will be provided a map just so no one gets lost. We
will have a social hour from
6:00
to
7:00
and then dinner. Next morning (Monday) we will head for home.
There is NO cost for this gathering other than the normal
cost of gas, lodging and meals. We have a group rate for the breakfast and
dinner on Sunday at Mulligan’s restaurant. If you think you will come to the
West Coast Cade Raid at
South Lake Tahoe
, please send me an email (jay@treefarmtapes.com)
and give your name(s) and your location. If you want, I’ll see if I can match
up riders so you can share the road together. This information will also help me
judge how many people we will need to feed at these two meals and how many bikes
we will need to plan for the ride.
Riders from Western Washington State and British Columbia
will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Friday at the McDonald’s in Fife, Washington. (Take
Exit #137 off I-5). Email: jay@treefarmtapes.com
TEXAS
CADE RAID
Here are the details for the Texas Cade Rade. On Sat May
4th we will meet at 7:30am and leave at 8:30am from the Chevron/Mcdonalds on Hwy
281 (1 block North of Hwy 29 in Burnet). We will be making a loop through some
of the best riding roads in the Texas hill country ending up back in Burnet
Saturday night. For those that are able to stay for Sunday we will make a short
3-4 hour run Sun morning. The two major hotels in Burnet are Ho Jo Inn and a
Holiday Inn Express. I would like to have some idea of how many to expect so
that no one gets left behind Saturday morning. This will be a great ride and of
course it's open for any make of bike, even Harleys. ~ Roy in TX
MICHIGAN JAIL
BIBLE RIDE
Hello my name is Terry Acheson; I am a Jail Chaplain with
the Michigan Sheriff Dept., called Forgotten Man Ministries. And I work with
over 900 inmates in the state of Michigan. On May 25, and 26 Memorial weekend I
have a motorcycle run, this run is to raise support for bibles in the jails in
Michigan. I myself ride a beautiful Cavalcade. Last year we had a mile worth of
motorcycles escorted up for the event. Now if there is anyone interested in
helping in this event its called (Run from the Jail for Bibles). We will be
leaving Muskegon, Michigan on May 25th, 7am from the sheriff’s
department and go to St Ignus up north over the Mackinaw Bridge and will be
staying in the Howard Johnson. If you want anymore info on this please email at:
Hallelujahhaven@tm.net
Thanks for your help ~ Chaplain
WISCONSIN
CADE RAID
The date for the Wisconsin Cade raid will be the weekend of
July 27th. I think we will meet the same as last year, with Nora
Tavern being the breakfast spot. Everyone is invited, including non-Cade owners.
If you want me to set up a special rate at the motel again, Please let me know.
If All would prefer a different motel, also let me know. Please email me at jerrytennant@gdinet.com
to let me know if interested. The ride this year will go to Blue Mounds WI and
north. I looked at the Mississippi run. It would be difficult to accomplish on a
weekend run for those coming from a distance to get here. Not saying that we
couldn't ride to the river and back. Let's have some input on this. ~ Jerry 86LX
Wisc.
MONDAY
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Eastern USA Time)
World-Wide Chat
TUESDAY
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Southeastern States
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) Texas & the
Southwest
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) California
WEDNESDAY
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Canadian (In French)
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Eastern Canada (In
English)
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Western Canada (In
English)
THURSDAY
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) New England and East
Coast States
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) Mountain & Midwest
States
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Northwest States
EUROPEAN
CHAT:
From 18:00 to 20:00
GMT
MONDAY: English
~ TUESDAY:
Dutch/Benelux ~
WEDNESDAY: Norwegian & Swedish
Of course, everyone is welcome to go into the chat room at
any time. But the established times should encourage members from specific
regions to get together and chat.
~ CAVALCADE 101
~
NEW OWNER IN COLORADO
Hello all, I found your web site a couple of weeks ago and
has help me at every turn preparing my new Cade ‘86 LX with all LXE extras. I
traded carpentry work for the bike. Unfortunately there was more bike than work.
So I paid him $1,400.00 after the work was done. I came out of the deal at about
$2,100.00. She has 33,000 and very clean always covered and garaged. The only
problem was that the owner of the bike was not mechanical or good on taking it
in for maintenance. I have a list of "to do" items a page long. I'm
slowly whittling it down one by one. I just install a new set of Avon Venom X
tires and have on the way a set of 416 progressive air shocks. Thank to all for
problems posted and problems solved. ~ Frank in Colorado Springs, CO '86 LX
Hi Frank, nice to see someone
else in CO. I bought my ‘88LX last September. I have not climbed Pikes Peak
yet, maybe this summer. I was up on Trail Ridge road above 12,000 ft last summer
and the Cade didn't even burp. I also have the Venom X on the front and going to
put one on the back soon. ~ Joe in Louisville Co. 88LX 9600 mi.
Joe, The Venom X's are amazing, the bike handled terrible
and wanted to fall over at low speed with the old tires, now it feels as nimble
as my old CB 750. Your bike must be clean at only 9600 miles. ~ Frank Co Sp.
NEW OWNER IN CHESTERFIELD, MO
Hi Everyone! I just bought my '86 Cavalcade LX 8 days ago.
Put nearly 200 miles on her the first 2 days. My first (and only other) bike was
a Honda CX500 so I was a little timid about the size of the Cavalcade. As soon
as I got on her and rode her I was in love! This bike handles so easily and so
smoothly it is almost dangerous! I am very pleased with this bike and hope to
put many miles on her in the future. She's big, she's beautiful and she's mine!
I can see why everyone here seems to love these bikes. Since I am close by, I
would love to go to Branson in September so I am trying to figure out the
logistics now. As soon as I can confirm it, I'll be signing up! Hope to see many
of you there. I'm sure I'll have many questions later. Right now, I am just
going to enjoy my big, beautiful baby! ~ Don '86 LX
BLACK CAVALCADE
Reading through the posts, how many black Cades are out
there and what are the riders thoughts on them? Good/Bad; shouldn't have done
it/should have done it sooner; etc. I've played with the notion for the last
little bit of painting mine black but haven't fully decided yet which way to go,
black or original two-tone tan/brown. Some thoughts may help push me one way or
another. ~ Kevin ’86, Ontario, Canada e-mail: k_sinden@hotmail.com
I think your personal preference of (any) color is the way
to go. Except for lamb sh-- yellow. I hate that color!
~ Red, ‘86LX
Kevin, My ’86 LXE is painted Pearl Blue by the owner
before me. It is one of the reasons I bought it. I can find it better when there
are a lot of Cades around. ~ Gerald
Gerald, where in the world are you that a lot of Cades
would cause this problem? Except for Branson and a few garages where two of them
hang out. This has got to be one rare bike. I've only seen one other since I got
mine.
Hey, that pearl blue sounds beautiful. ~ Red
THAT MYSTERY SWITCH
During the installation of my new PIAA extreme super white
bulb, for the front headlight, I came across a "on off toggle switch"
up under the front faring, right behind and below the headlight? Does anyone
know what this switch is for? It didn't kill the motor or shut down the light? ~
Frank Co Sp. 86LX
That turns on/off the CB memory that remembers what channel
you were last on. Most people turn it off as from what I understand it sucks up
more power that most people like. ~ Brenden
Frank, That is the switch that radios Nurse Nancy and lets
her know you are in need of a counseling session. Suzuki only installed in on
Cavalcades with a CB radio. (It also defeats the CB channel memory in order to
save the battery when parked or stored for several days.) ~ Jay
COMPUTER WORMS & VIRUSES
Believe it or
not, there are those out there that do
nothing but sit around and figure out how to screw up the world of the Internet.
Hey, it's not a personal attack on all of us necessarily, but maybe somebody's
got the ass at Microsoft or something. Doesn't matter, the fact is that every
one WHICH INCLUDES YOU must have fully functional anti-virus software that is
current with the latest signatures.
This is a responsibility of everyone that connects to the
Internet and has an e-mail program. Most of the time, you won't even know you've
been infected because the bug sends out infected e-mails that don't show up in
the outbox or in the sent items. The bug makes sure it covers its tracks so the
user in unaware that anything is going on. But, potentially, every time that
infected computer connects to the Internet to download or send e-mail, the virus
(or worm) is automatically sending out infected e-mail to some or all of the
addresses in your address book.
Now, since the Cav group is about 550 strong, then all 550
members will potentially get the infection. I know that those of you that get
the digest version probably don't receive the attachments and are a little
safer, however, there are those of us that get the e-mails one by one
specifically for the "good" attachments.
There are free anti-virus software programs out there but,
as you've been told for years, you get what you pay for. I went and downloaded
the CAI software last year (it was free) and I just went and spent $9.95 to
upgrade it to a full blown version that I can keep updated for $9.95 a year from
this point on. Even if I didn't get the special $9.95 price because I upgraded,
the whole damn program is only $19.95 for the first year and is only $9.95/year
after that.
And, after you get the software, make sure that you keep it
updated with the latest signatures. If you're forgetful set it up to
automatically update on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Jerks are out there
writing bugs daily just to f__k up everyone else's day. Don't be caught with
your pants....err....guard down. (Sorry about that, I had a Nancy moment,
thinking I was going to get a shot or something from Nurse Ratchet).
~ Tracy
Just for a little information -- I whole heartily agree
with Tracy. For those interested in saving a little money go to eBay and bid on
Norton 2002 -- can be bought for about 1/2 of retail (about $20) once installed
updates automatically when you connect to the web. I've had better luck with it
than McAfee by Network Associates. But whatever you do use something. If you
have ever had to clean a badly infected system you will never want to do it
again. ~ Al from Mass
Well, to throw one more in the mix. I have tried McAfee and
like you had better luck with Norton, however Norton caused too many problems
with my OS so I went with PCCillin from Trend and wish I had started there. They
will let you download a free copy that is good for 30 days, but it is worth the
$39.95 or so that they charge to register it. http://www.pccillin.com
if you are interested... Perry
Bob, Your are right about the .exe and .bat but there are
others that are problems as well. .pif, .vxb, .pps, .ppt, .vba, .vxd and others
are all potential problem files. The problem is, the file may come over with a
dual extension. I have seen files that come as a xxxxx.jpg.pif. It makes the
recipient think he's looking at a .jpg picture file when in fact it is a .pif
which could very well be an infection waiting for input from the user. The virus
kings are getting good at giving the infected e-mails a tempting subject line.
Rule #1, never, never, never open an attachment no matter how tempting it is to
do so unless you have positively determined by e-mail or phone that it is a
legitimate e-mail with a legitimate attachment. Assume that EVERY attachment is
a potential virus or worm and act accordingly. If it's legitimate and you delete
it, the sender can always send it to you again after you verify that it was an
actual file that was sent intentionally to you for legitimate purposes. Don't
forget the virus and worm writers can execute a virus on your computer WITHOUT
your interaction at all. The program executes the second you just look at the
e-mail without opening an attachment. That's why it is absolutely paramount that
you have anti-virus software checking real-time every file that executes through
you system. And, it must be kept current so either set it to check for updates
automatically or do it religiously every day, hour, minute or second.
Unfortunately, we are living in strange times where you must assume and expect
the worst. ~ Tracy
KELLY BARFOOT’S CADE TRIKE
Hi Everybody, Just wanted to drop the group a note thanking
everyone for input on my brake dilemma. The buddy who converted my shifter to
hand lever last year finally was able to do the brakes. He used the
proportioning valve idea and ran front and rear brake lines to valve. Now front
and rear operate off the hand lever together. I feel much safer than just having
front brake with the weight of trike. So thanks again for everyone's input. Look
forward to meeting everyone in Branson. ~ Kelly B. 87' Cadetrike
~ MAINTENANCE
& REPAIRS ~
Continued from Last Month: Dan, Getting the antifreeze reservoir
that's above the engine out is kinda tricky. I just did mine last month thinking
it had a leak, but it was fine. I would suggest filling it with fluid, then
pressurizing it with about 5-10 psi of air and visibly check for the fluid
coming out first to make sure its leaking before removing it. If you have to
remove it, you need to take off the right side farings, (lower, middle, and
upper) remove the battery and battery holder, loosen the radiator and let the
top fall forward 4-6 inches. Then disconnect the hoses from the radiator, other
reservoir, and overflow, and move the spark plugs wires outta the way, and it
comes out the right side with little effort. Then to refill the system with
antifreeze, it's a lot easier if the left farings are off too. Now you see why I
say to make sure its leaking first, huh? LOL Well I hope this isn’t clear as
mud. ~ Brian in IN 87 tt Gray LX
Dan, Not saying I know it all but if necessary tackle that
reserve tank from the left you’ll still need to lower the radiator. But once
the compressor is removed you’ll have a gaping hole to work with. Be advised
though that if you want to swap out all your water hoses (as they will all be
exposed), it will not be as easy as it looks. I did mine while replacing the
reservoir and think the hoses took more time than the tank! ~ naaji@aol.com
I also took the reservoir tank out the left side. It's a tight fit but I was
able to turn it and get it out without pulling the compressor. ~ Virgil
Tracy, My fan does not come on at all. I was going to try
some troubleshooting but I saw your response to Mark. You are really good at
remembering the location on the CD. Can you tell me off hand where on the CD to
find the fuse and the thermostatic switch? And how do you check the switch?
Ohms? ~ Joe in Central Texas
Section 5 of the service manual has all the poop on the
cooling system. ~ Tracy
THE SOLUTION
Folks, A few days back I asked a question about running too
hot. Finally chased my problem down. Radiator cap wasn't sealing or holding
pressure. Even though I'd checked coolant level a few days earlier, she'd
managed to blow herself almost dry. I noticed Virgil posted about his bike
blowing water away too. Same problem? The rubber in my cap had hardened. With
the age of these bikes that may be a common problem. Thanks for all the
suggestions. ~ Mark
COOLANT LEVELS
While changing out the second reservoir I noticed it was
marked with a low-level mark. My Cade doesn't want to keep any water in the 1st
reservoir. It seems to blow it out the overflow after it gets hot enough for the
thermostat to open. What's the proper water level for me to expect? If I don't
need to worry about it until it hits the low mark on the 2nd reservoir. How do
you monitor the low level? The low-level mark on the 2nd reservoir is about as
non-accessible as it gets. ~ Virgil
This is just a reminder to the members that have drained
and are renewing their cooling system. The radiator must be filled first. Ride
safe. Check dem oil levels. ~ Walter n Maryland
WATER WETTER
Has anyone in the group ever tried a coolant additive
called "Water Wetter" that is made by Red Line? It's supposed to help
with cooling and lubrication and they say it is safe for bikes. There was some
info on the GWRRA site that I got from my brother but I'd like to know if anyone
has had any experience with this product in the Cade.
The only reason I am interested in it right now is that I just rebuilt the water
pump and would like to add it, along with Bars Leak, when I refill the system.
Any comments? ~ Mark M., Grey on Grey GT
I don't know about the water wetter, but over the years I
have used about every kind of stop leak made in various and sundry autos. I have
had the best luck with the plain old-fashioned graphite powder that usually
comes in a little clear plastic bottle like a small test tube. Bars Leak has
been disappointing every time I have used it. ~ Perry
Just a comment on making water wetter. Wetting agents are
used for a multitude of purposes but their basic function is to break down the
surface tension of the water so that it flows easier and more freely clings to
surfaces. The most common wetting agent is soap. They use it extensively in the
golf course industry to help the water penetrate the ground instead of running
off (allowing more water to be applied) and it may also help the roots pick it
up a little easier. If you want a stop-leak, a wetting agent would do exactly
the opposite. It would actually help water to penetrate into potential leak
paths. Suzuki recommends Bars-leak. It is basically walnut shells in a binding
agent and may also contain some water-soluble lubricant (not petroleum based) to
lubricate the water pump seal. ~ Tracy
My local Cavalcade (Rick Gervasi) expert says that he
always mixes distilled water and anti freeze at 50-50 and adds about 4 oz. of
water wetter. He says it is the best combo for the Cade. ~ Kevin
CLUTCH SPRING BOLTS
Continued from Last Month: I don't know what brand torque wrench
you are using or how old it is, but I would question the calibration of the
torque wrench if it is breaking off bolts at a low setting. If is made to handle
high torque it may not be very accurate at low settings. When your dealing with
very low torque’s of say 0-15 lbs. you should use a lightweight torque wrench
made just for low settings. ~ Myles
Hi Myles, I would normally think the same thing, but the
torque wrench is an inch pound torque wrench. It's a one-year-old Craftsman
"click stop" so I know it's good. I've used it maybe ten times. I
haven't looked at the book, but I'm sure Tracy was probably right. Wrong spec in
the part of the book I was in. ~ Rick
CLEANING THE CARB JETS
Hello folks, I have pulled the carbs on my 1987 LXE because
it has been sitting for a little while and will not start. I got into them okay,
and there is some build-up in there. I am also working without the benefit of a
manual for a few days. I have removed what I believe to be the main jet and the
pilot jet (main jet is 8mm hex, pilot jet is smallest jet and has screwdriver
slot). My question is "How does one remove the third jet from the
carburetor body?" There does not seem to be a way for a tool to affect the
jet. Or perhaps I should just clear it as best I can with a can of carb cleaner.
Also, I welcome any additional advice on cleaning this thing up. ~ Alan
Alan, According to the manual, the only jets that are
serviceable from inside the bowl are the main and pilot. There is, however, a
plug that covers the needle jet that also screws in. Most of the time there is
no need to remove the needle jet because it doesn't sit in gas like the others.
Spray carb cleaners aren't as good as they used to be because of clean-air
concerns. You used to be able to buy really good cleaners but they were loaded
with some really bad cancer causing things that they just don't put in any more.
If you want to do a soak job, make sure you have all of the rubber parts off and
soak them in a brand name carb cleaner. My personal choice is Thyme brand (I
think that is spelled correctly) but there are others. If you don't want to buy
a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff, you can just do a carb at a time but if you do
that, you should rebalance them on reinstall since you could upset the carb to
carb linkage when you separate them. A good spray cleaning can get the job done
if you take your time and make sure you hit all of the holes. Be careful,
though, sometimes you never know where the other side of the hole is pointing
and you better wear safety goggles and do it outside away from things with paint
on them. Blow through all of the passages with compressed air and don't forget
to clean the choke circuit as it gets missed most of the time. Make sure you
check the float levels and you should probably go ahead and remove the plugs
over the idle adjustment screws so you will have access to them when needed. ~
Tracy
Alan If you do remove the plugs to get to the mixture
screw, be very careful. I took mine out and found out the hard way that when you
remove the mixture, there is a TINY rubber washer, and a TINY brass or copper
washer under it . My screws came out kinda hard due to some garf....... If you
do decide to take out your mixture screws, make sure you count the # of turns,
so you put them back in the same spot. Like Tracy said, you'll need to sync the
carbs after all of this, but that’s easy to do. I bought a sync tool from JC
Whitney for $40. Another thing I think is important to know. I was going to
adjust my float level like the CD says to, but it didn’t say if the float
should rest on the needle, or hold it down till the spring on the needle is
depressed. You must depress the needle spring to get the right reading. I
checked all mine this way and they were right on to what the CD says... I found
most of my dirt was under the "coasting valve" .Its a bit tricky
getting the rubber diaphragm seated back in place due to swelling, but I think
its worth cleaning. The carb cleaner I used is called Hog Wash works very well.
Comes in an aerosol can, I went used about 3 of them. ~ ichaboney
Thanks for the tips. I should have mentioned that I am
familiar with cleaning carbs in general, but I was having some problems with the
Cavalcade carb in particular. This carburetor set is basically pristine (it has
been rebuilt in the last 2-3 years), but it has sat just long enough that it
will not run. I am trying to disassemble it as little as possible so I can avoid
syncing, etc. Anyway, the question remains. "What do I do about that third
jet?" There are three long brass 'thingies' sticking down out of the body.
If the pilot and main jets are the only serviceable jets, then I have definitely
removed those two. So what is that third one, then? Is it a jet? Is it a red
herring? It looks like there is a small hole in it, and I would like to know
where it goes so I can make sure it is clear. I have the tiniest set of drill
bits, but before I start trying to cut out any gum, I want to make sure I won't
be removing any brass that belongs there. Let me summarize - can that thing be
removed or not, and what is it for? Thanks again, ~ Alan
It's the starter jet for the enrichment circuit (fancy name
for a choke). I would blow through it with carb gunk and make sure it passes air
but would NOT touch it with a drill bit. ~ Tracy
Tracy, Thanks for the help SO FAR. This message was
*supposed* to say, "Thanks for the help, the bike is running great,"
until I went a little overboard with a small piece of brass. I just had to take
out all the plugs below the needle. And the last one that I put in was in an
awkward position (I didn't have the carbs completely apart), and I misjudged the
torque I was applying. Blast! So now instead of sending the message I had
planned, I am instead respectfully and humbly inquiring if anyone in the group
has a spare plug that they would not mind parting with, or suggestions on an
alternative. I hate to have to buy a complete carb kit, and I do not have
experience getting parts from the dealer for this bike (maybe it's available
individually?). Man, this carb was basically in perfect shape except for the bit
of buildup. I could have gotten away with just cleaning all the pilot jets, and
been done with it, but I figured if it was already out of the bike, then I'd
better be thorough. But I digress. Please help me find a brass plug! Your humble
and respectful servant, ~ Alan
Alan, Well, if it is a standard sized metric thread, you
could probably get a plain steel screw to replace it if you can take one from
the other carbs and match it. Also, if you can befriend a parts guy, he might
help you out by looking up the part for say the Madura or another Suzuki V-4
that may have used the same carbs. Heck, there's probably a whole slew of carbs
that use that same screw. If you get a good parts guy, he will probably find one
for you. ~ Tracy
GAS MILEAGE
I'm doing good to get 25 miles a gallon, highway and in
town. I know I should be getting better but how? I have friends that ride wings
and they get between 35-40mpg. How do I get better mpg? ~ Randy, Decatur, IL
Clean air filter...ashamed to say this but I picked up
almost 5 mpg by changing mine.... get about 34 now ~ Dennis
OK, I don't feel so bad now. I usually average 36 at best.
As usual, Honda has squeezed out incredible efficiency in an inherently
inefficient platform - your buds getting the 40mpg might need a tune-up of
sorts. ~ BobG ‘86GD (stands for gas drinker?)
Several things determine what kinda gas mileage you will
get. As stated earlier, start with a new air cleaner, preferably an Amsoil foam
air cleaner. Details to get one are at www.suzukicavalcade.com
. Make sure your tires are inflated properly. I also gained a few MPG by using
fully synthetic motor oil. An other thing is having clean carbs and intakes,
which is possible by adding Marvil Mystery Oil to a couple tanks of gas every
year or so, according to how much you drive and how good the gas is that you
use. I've done all these things and am getting in the high 30's. Of course the
one thing that you can’t buy is driving habits. I know that having all that
power below you is very tempting, but just try to up-shift as soon as possible,
which keeps the rpm below say, 4000. Hope this helps, it did for me when I was
in your shoes a couple years ago. ~ Brian in IN, ‘87 tt Gray LX
A typical failure that may reduce gas mileage is the slide
diaphragms in the carbs. As the vacuum downstream of the slides increases
(additional butterfly opening), the diaphragm pulls the slide up to increase the
flow area. If the diaphragms are leaking, it would be like stuffing a sock (or
in one member's experience, an errant rag used at a gas stop) in the air cleaner
opening. Pretty easy to check, a little expensive to replace. ~ Tracy
How do I check this? What am I looking for diaphragm or air
filter? ~
The diaphragms are under the semi-square caps on the top of
each carb. You will need to remove the 4 screws and CAREFULLY remove each cap to
check them. If you see any signs of cracking they could be leaking vacuum. If
you're really brave you can lift each diaphragm/slide assembly out to give it a
good check out but beware, if you tear one of them, you won't ride until you get
another one. If everything looks good put the caps back on and ride. ~ Tracy
I would replace the air cleaner but not with the factory
one. It restricts the airflow, Also check the spark plugs and balance the carbs.
They can be off and sucking down too much petrol. Also while you have the air
filter off you might want to use carb cleaner to get off any built up deposits
that would restrict slide movement. Mine is getting 42mpg. ~ Mike C. ’86, LX
42!? That's great! Mine has 75,000 miles and has never
gotten over 37. ~ Bob Morse 86LX
Mine was getting 40 with a brand new air filter. After the
first month than it went down to 35 where it stayed until it got too dirty that
it went into the high 20's. I got rid of the factory air cleaner and started
using a piece of oiled foam now it stays in the 40's. ~ Mike C. ’86 LX
I bought a new air filter for $40.80.... Now I am hearing
that the factory air filter restricts airflow. Where do I get this "oiled
foam" filter? ...The old air filter reminded me of a furnace filter - lots
of dust. ~ Wojo, 86LX, Kent WA
OIL FILTER ISSUES
I'm changing oil and filter this afternoon for the first
time since I got my bike. What's the best oil filter for a Cade? ~ Dwayne 86LX
I prefer NAPA Gold filter 1516 on my'86 LX. It's slightly
longer than original thus allowing for an even 4 qts. of oil. ~ Woody
IF anyone can GET a K&N filter anymore PLEASE let us
know. I was told the guy who used to make them up for this group is no longer
employed there...went with an AMSOIL filter. ~ KennG
I made my own filter. The foam packing that came with the
modem I use to install works very well. I use K&N filter oil on the foam. ~
Mike C. ‘86 LX
I was surprised that no one is aware of the NAPA Gold oil
filter #1516, which is slightly larger, allowing an even 4 qts. to be used as
well as giving superior filtration. The NAPA Gold filters are actually made by
WIX who the NASCAR teams use for their performance requirements. ~ Woody
I use the Amsoil SDF57; here's a link to the info on it. http://www.amsoil.com/products/sdf.html
I'm not trying to sell you one, I just believe in the product! I run their
20W-50 Motorcycle oil also! ~ Myles ’86, XLE
POWER IMPROVEMENT
I read with concerned about possible problems when being
down on power. Not because my bike seems slow just that I want more power, more
fuel range. I can't find the mystery oil fuel additive on the Suzuki site. Has
any one tried using a K&N filter? Thanks in advance. ~ Frank M., Co Sp.
‘86 LX
Frank, Marvel Mystery Oil is available just about
everywhere (including Wal-Mart). Those that have changed to the K&N have
reported good satisfaction. Maybe not a lot of extra power, but certainly better
breathing. ~ Tracy
REAR DRIVE NEEDLE BEARINGS
What do you use to remove the needle bearings to grease
them? The CD is giving me a special tool that I do not have. Surely there is a
substitute way of doing it. ~ Joe in Central Texas
Probably just put the lube in there with your finger. If
that ain't long enough use your...uh...well...put the lube on the end of a
screwdriver and smear it in there. ~ Tracy
Has anyone changed the Cade’s needle bearing in the rear
wheel? It doesn't seem to have much of a lip showing, so as to tap it out. I
noticed that in the manual it shows two spacers that go between the wheel
bearings, mine only had one, and it spanned the area between the bearings? Was
there a change made? ~ Thanks, Frank Co Sp. 86 LX
Frank,
I just had my back end all apart, I can’t tell you about the needle bearings.
(maybe Tracy can) But you should have 2 spacers. One is inside the wheel, the
other might me stuck in the final drive, mine was. Take a look inside there and
see if it’s there. ~ Tom
Frank, There is only one spacer that fits INSIDE the wheel.
There is also one on the outside of the wheel on the brake side and another
inside the final drive. The spacer inside the wheel doesn't actually span the
area between the bearings. It bears against the inside race of the brake side
bearing and rides inside the needle bearing in the wheel. It butts up against
the other spacer in the final drive. ~ I think you're okay. If you didn't have
all of the spacers in there, you wouldn't be able to turn the rear wheel with
everything bolted up. ~ As for replacing the needle bearing, the limited
thickness of a needle bearing necessitates that small lip. If you take out the
brake side bearing, it will be easier to get a drift in there. And, you might as
well replace it too because it's a standard off the shelf bearing that can be
had at any parts store for about $5 or less. I believe it might be the same
bearing that is used in a bunch of automotive alternators. It doesn't matter
whether it has seals on both sides or not. The reason they use a single-side
weal from the factory is because it's cheaper. ~ After you put that new needle
bearing in there, make sure you wipe a good coat of wheel bearing grease in
there before you put the spacer back in. ~ Tracy
When you get the final drive disconnected from the
driveshaft tube you then pull the driveshaft rearward to disengage it from the
secondary gearbox splines, it will only come rearward till the U-joint comes in
contact with the smaller portion of the driveshaft tube. Should you want to
remove the driveshaft for inspection you will also need to remove the
stator/left crankcase cover. To facilitate pulling the driveshaft out the front
of the tube and don't forget to reinstall it before you reinstall the secondary
gearbox. As Tracy stated it's more of a pain in the arse than hard, that's why
it is suggested that all related seals and gaskets be replaced upon reassembly,
and be careful with the driveshaft boot. Be careful also of the wiring that goes
into the stator cover, as these are the leads from the ignition pickups, and the
stator wires. I think when I did mine a while back I laid the stator cover on a
plastic bucket, as I recall the disconnects/plugs were hidden up in the bike
someplace, and it was a little quicker to do it that way. Just remember, you
aren’t alone, plan on starting my seal/plug rear drive inspection/replacement
on Wednesday this week. One more thing you might want to make a brief sketch of
the outline of the covers and gearbox bolt Patterns on a piece of cardboard.
Punch a hole for each bolt, as they are not the same lengths. As you remove them
insert them into the corresponding hole. It makes going back together a little
quicker. Ride Safe>>> Take your time do it right. ~ Walter n Maryland
PS; By the time these bikes are extinct there will be 547 Cavalcade mechanics
looking for a job.
Trying to remove front wheel bearings and replace with new
ones. Anyone have any ideas on what to use to remove wheel bearings other than
what Suzuki recommends? Is there a reasonably priced kit you can get? I'd knock
them out with a punch but there isn't much room. Appreciate any suggestions. ~
Bob Richey
Well, I used a square aluminum
rod and gently (very gently) worked them out from the backside. When installing
I used a large socket that supported the outside of the bearing while
inserting.... again gently worked in with a hammer. Easy enough, but I've been
doing bearing in transmissions, wheels and pretty much everything this way. ~
Brenden
Howdy Bob...I just finished a
front wheel bearing change-out. A hardwood dowel about one foot long that
would pass through the axle hole...several sharp blows spaced around the
perimeter of the inner bearing surface drove it out. Repeat for the opposite
side. NOW, getting the new ones in required a socket that fit around the outside
edge of the bearing surface and several dozen well-chosen strokes of a
machinist’s hammer and one was in. Now how the heck do you hold to center the
spacer that goes between the bearings? By the axle of course! But... not till my
bride pointed out how obvious it was to her! Among countless other things that's
what my Gal does well. P.S. NOW's the time to examine and grease (let's see how
You do it) the speedo drive unit. Best of Luck. ~ Bill the (Retired) Fish Guy
The needle bearing we are talking about are just the
regular wheel bearing aren't they? If so, after taking the time to take the back
wheel off, replace them. They only cost me 20 bucks apiece. Mind you I had to
pack the space in-between the two bearings with grease. The shop didn't, there
was actually some water in there from the power washing. Oh ya, don't ever do
that, it wrecks things. I can't remember who had trouble with the clutch
springs, but I agree with one answer, it’s hard to believe that the difference
between 6 and 9 lbs. is enough to break them off. My torque wrench sucks below
20lbs. Speaking of torque, I have stripped both bolts that hold the axle clamp
on the front wheel. I am considering twisting them out and replacing them with
regular bolts. They looked like they are just threaded in, and I couldn't figure
how else they got them in. Anyone think I am foolish to think these might come
out? I don't have many other choices, I hate to rethread these bolts, and they
will just be way too weak. Do the clutch bolts bottom out on something rather
than just float free? I may have a set of clutch plates available for half
price, as the ones I canceled came anyway. Feel free to email me, especially if
you can help me out. See ya in Branson! ~ Steve ‘87 in Canada
Steve, 1) The clutch bolts do bottom out. There is a huge
difference between 6 and 9 ft/lbs. for a 6mm bolt (9 ft/lbs. is 150% of 6
ft/lbs.). 2) For the studs in the front forks, I would replace them with studs.
There are two reasons for this. a) If you take the studs out and use bolts then
the threads in the front forks will be used again and again as the front wheel
is removed and replaced. This could cause the threads in the rather low quality
aluminum to strip. That's much worse than stripping the threads on the studs,
which are easily replaceable. When you put in the new ones, just use some blue
Loctite and everything should be fine. b) The cap that slides onto those studs
uses the shank of the studs to locate the cap straight. I realize that the axle
will make the cap go straight but I believe that I like the idea of a smooth
stud versus the threads of a bolt bearing on the inside of the holes of the cap.
Metric studs are available at many high-end hardware stores or even from Suzuki
they couldn't cost that much. Just my opinion. But, you did ask for it. ~ Tracy
Bob, I use an old screw driver to get started by sticking
it through one side on the inside and lightly tapping till you can get a bigger
punch and work your way around tapping lightly. Once you get one out the spacer
comes out and you’re in business. Make sure you do two things on assembly
check new bearings for grease and only hit the outside of bearing on install or
use the correct size socket. Good luck ~ Frank in Indy
Anyone know where to get wheel bearings? I have a backorder
with Bikebandit. Found a bearing distributor ESI Bearing distribution. Anyone
have experience with them? They are on the Web. ~ Bob
If you have the bearings out already then it's easy. The
bearing will have a number code on it like xxx xx xxx. It will be the metric
size of the bearing in millimeters. I.E.: a number like 90 50 120 is a 90mm ID,
50mm thick, 120mm OD bearing. Just take them numbers to your favorite bearing
seller and see if he can match you up. Of course, make sure you get at least a
one side sealed bearing and maybe a two side sealed if that's what's in there. ~
Tracy
REAR END WOBBLES
When I bought my 86 Cade LX, I checked her all out and took
her out, she was stable at 90 mph and then again at 100 mph the tires were worn
out to say the least. When installing my new Venom X's front and rear, I noticed
a ripped left boot on the shook with oil on the boot and the final drive hub all
of it was dust saturated. I figured I had a blown left shock. So I ordered 416's
from progressive. I'm still waiting for them and in the mean time I changed all
the fluid today and when I changed the shaft oil, it occurred to me that the oil
might be seeping from one of the plugs on the shaft and would that oil climb up
the ripped boot? But the reason I was looking at the shaft for the leak was that
the shock seemed to still have oil in it when I took it off to clean it and it
doesn't seem to show and leaking since I cleaned it up? ~ Well, here's the
point; Now when I take it to 80 mph there seems to be a unstable wobble (very
subtle) from the rear and 90 mph is worse. Why is she wobbling now with new
tires? Did I install the rear wheel wrong? Should I pinch the swing arm clamp to
the axles before I tighten the nut on the left side? Should the end of the
swing-arm be flush with the axle end before I clamp it? Could the handling
problem be from taking the shock off and then pushing the auto level button with
one shock empty? Do both shocks have to be deflated before you pressurize them?
HELP! ~ Frank. Colorado Springs, CO
1) .Why is she wobbling now,
with new tires? A: Hey, it might be the tires.
2) .Did I install the rear
wheel wrong? A: Maybe
3). Should I pinch the swing
arm clamp to the axles before I tighten the nut on the left side? A: Yes.
4). Should the end of the
swingarm be flush with the axle end before I clamp it? A: Pretty close.
5). Could the handling problem
be from taking the shock off and then pushing the auto level button with one
shock empty? A: Probably not
6) .Do both shocks have to be
deflated before you pressurize them? A: No.
~ Tracy
I agree with Tracy, most likely it's the tires. Have you
checked the alignment? Some times the rear tire is put on canted and the two
tires are actually riding two parallel courses. This can cause problems too.
Still I like the Dunlop 491. Never had problems with them if properly inflated.
Are your tires balanced? ~
Frank, Since the Cav is a shafty, there isn't a lot that
can go out of alignment. On chain bikes, it is always a good idea to verify that
the little marks on the swingarm are straight from side to side by checking
alignment with the front wheel. Little advice. Dunlop. Can't go wrong. ~ Tracy
When I put Avon's on it takes about 2 to 3 hundred miles to
were the nubs off. Until then it will feel like you have a tire problem. How
many miles do have you put on yours? ~ Tom
Tom, I've ridden about a hundred miles with the new Avons,
There are no nubs. They corner great and have great low speed traits but this
wobble really baffles me. Thanks for the ideas. ~ Yes they where "
installed and balanced" at Apex sports in the Springs The service man say
they have had bad feed back on them, in high speed handling. Why do I find this
all out after I buy them? ~ Frank, CO
I was able to finish up the install of my new Progressive
416 shocks tonight. I took her out and she was stable right up to 110 mph. So
then I'm about five miles away from my house and I glance down at the gas gauge
it's the farthest I've ever seem it on empty! Well, I took her back down that
country road slow and easy. I guess
you could say a 400 yd walk would be almost making back? Turns out it was my
blown left shock all the time. The Avon's seem to be just fine and I'm all
smiles! ~ Frank Colorado Springs, ‘86 LX
HANDLING A JERKY REAR END
How does everyone else’s rear-end handle? Save all jokes
‘til the end. I installed new 416's but they haven't fixed what I hoped they
would. The bike used to rise up nice and steady. Then for about two years she
would come up all jerky. I figured it was the shocks. I changed the swing
bearings so it can't be that. I tried it out the other day with the 416's on and
it still did it. Should the shocks grab just a bit? The rear end doesn't seem to
float like it once did. I thought that maybe the shock bolts were too tight and
not letting them pivot. Any ideas? ~ Steve ‘87 in Canada
Shock bolts can't be too tight. They clamp down on spacers.
The rubber insert in the shock eyes can get hard, though, possibly causing that
problem. I dunno, maybe a little Armor All or Son-of-a-Gun on the shock eye
rubbers might help? Are the shocks pumping up? If they aren't airing properly,
the springs could be sagging a little (like my oversized gut) and that might do
it. And, HOW my rear end handles is none of your business, thank you very much.
Nor WHO handles it. ~ Tracy
I seem to be having a problem with my rear shocks. Every
time I go to ride I have to fill them up. No problem getting them filled up. But
the next day they need to be filled again. Any suggestions on what is causing
this or on getting replacement shocks. ~ Phil
I had the same problem. Got new shocks, problem solved. I
ended up bouncing around like I was on a pogo stick on the freeway, even when
they were fully pumped up. The change in ride is amazing! Now I can lean into
turns with more confidence that I won't scrape. ~ HeyJerr
AUTOMATIC LEVEL CONTROL
Is there any way to check the automatic level control unit?
The air compressor doesn’t work. I think I track the problem to the control
unit (the compressor works directly hook up to 12 volts). And also the cruise
control quit. I am in the process of check all the wiring, but I think it is the
switch on the handlebars. Does this go bad easy? This is not my bike; it is a
friend's. He does belong to this group. ~ Ryan
THREE CYLINDER OPERATION
My problem is intermittent and normally appears to occur
during the first part of my ride to work. It appears that it is only running on
two or three cylinders. When this occurs I do not love what I ride as much as I
do when it is running on all four. Does anyone have a quick or easy method to
determine which cylinder is not firing. With the way this engine is covered up
with plastic and etc. I am having difficulty determing which cylinder is not
firing. Thanks in advance! ~ David Williams Evansville, Indiana ‘87LXE
Some have used the heat of the exhaust pipe method to find
the offending cylinder. Simply touch each exhaust pipe while its running (okay,
if you're a wimp you can use gloves). The cold one is the misfire. ~ Tracy
Well David, on my snowmobiles I just pull a spark plug
wire, and if it looses rpm's then that cylinder is firing, if it don’t loose
rpm's, then it isn't. Repeat for all 4 cylinders and you should have your
answer. ~ Just curious, how long do you let it warm up before you set out? I let
mine run at about 3000 RPM for about 5 minutes, that seems to alleviate the
misfire feeling... Brian 87LXE in CT
Brian, I never let it warm up much more than 30 to 40
seconds as I am always late for work or in a hurry. I suspect that the plugs are
marginal at best; however the front two are quite time consuming to change or
look at. It seems like my Cade hates cold weather more than I do. I have been
quite fortunate in that I have been able to ride to work more than 90% of the
time this winter. My problem comes and goes. When it malfunctions it is really
sick; however when it runs it also really runs! Normally it acts up when I am
out on the road and by the time I get home it is running Ok and also idling OK.
I have noticed that it also runs better when the weather is warmer. Also as soon
as time permits I will be changing the plugs. ~ Can the ignition system have an
intermittent problem or is it normally a work or not work system? ~ David
Dear Intermittent: Yes, ignition problems can be quite
erratic. Moisture can be absorbed by a lot of the components and when they warm
up they react differently. Dirt can conduct electricity when it's moist. Other
things such as coils can react when heated up. Mostly when the bike runs well
cold and terrible when warm, I would check coils and distributor. If the
opposite, then check plug wires and plugs. ~ Also check the voltages when the
bike is cold. There may be problems not associated with the ignition. ~ Grandp86
First a big thanks to all who have commented and offered
information for my problem! Thinking back I did not have this problem in years
past so I do not think that my short warm-up would be the main problem. I did
install new plugs and it helped a whole bunch. However it did not solve the
entire problem. A question for thought? All cars which use a carb have some way
of adding air preheat to prevent carburetor icing. Looking at the carbs on the
Cade it appears that it just takes fresh unheated air directly into the carbs.
What is the opinions on could some of the running and idling problems be from
carburetor icing on cold damp days? ~ As time permits, I will take a look at the
igniter boxes; however looking at it last night it appears that it will be quite
an undertaking just to get to the boxes (Or is there a quick and easy way?).
Also how do you check the coils? ~ Many Thanks ~ David Williams, Evansville,
Indiana, 87LXE
You might be able to get to the boxes by removing the front
and side chrome fairing trim, the windshield and the dash cover (black plastic
piece). Yes, there are other items that will have to gotten out of the way in
the process
but those should be the main covers. ~ If cold/wet weather icing was a problem
with bikes, then it would be a
problem with all bikes. I would leave that one for the theorists. Your problem
is probably related to ignition and fuel mixture. If simply installing new spark
plugs gained a lot of ground, then you may just need to confirm that you don't
have an electrical issue with the ignition circuit and that your carb mixture is
good. ~ Check that your choke cable is pulling the enrichment sliders fully
open. It may need to be lubed or adjusted. Also put some carb cleaner in the
next couple of tanks of gas in case you've got some buildup in the enrichment
circuit. The holes in there are pretty small. ~ These bikes are at least 14
years old now and many have never had the idle mixture screws adjusted. You may
just need to make an adjustment to bring the mixture back in line with the
current state of the motor. It doesn't pull the same vacuum as it did new and
could probably do with an idle mixture adjustment and might even benefit from a
synch job. ~ Also, are the air and fuel filters clean? Can you hear the fuel
pump run?
Is it pumping up and then stopping, as it's suppose to? Have you checked the
condition of the carb to head manifolds and the o-rings that seal them? Have you
checked the float level? Have you checked the condition of the carb
diaphragms? These are all issues that can lead to poor running. ~ You can check
the coils by taking off one plug wire at a time, sticking a screwdriver into the
end of the wire and, while grasping the shank of the screwdriver tightly, turn
on the ignition switch and hit the starter button. If it shocks the living shit
out of you, that one's working. Repeat 3 more times. ~ No, NOT REALLY! Actually,
you can check the condition of the coils with an
ohmmeter. There should be some small resistance through the connectors and the
readings should all be relatively close. ~ As a wise man once said - When
confronted with many possible explanations, the correct one is likely the
simplest one. (or something like that) ~ Tracy
Thanks again to all that responded and offered solutions to
my three cylinder (or perhaps two cylinder) intermittent operation problem. At
this time it appears to be OK as it is running real good with lots and lots of
power! New Plugs helped about 80% Gasoline carb additive treatment about 30% (It
took about 200 to 250 miles before it returned to normal.) Yes, I know it is now
110%. ~ David Williams, Evansville, Indiana ’87 LXE
I had may front faring apart and was cleaning electrical
connections. Put it all back together and lost a lot of power. Thought my air
cleaner was clogged and replaced it. Still had no power! Road it about a week
and finally remembered some telling you to feel the exhaust pipes to tell what
cylinder was not firing. Make a long story even longer I found a connector from
the igniter disconnected. What a difference when 4 cylinders are working instead
of 2. Even running on 2jugs it was pretty smooth. Also I am getting faster at
removing and reinstalling the front faring. ~ Mud from MO. ‘86 GT
FIRING ON ONE CYLINDER
Hi all, I have a friend who has a Cade that is firing on
one cylinder. He is checking the coils for resistance on the primary/secondary
windings, I have also told him to check the resistance of the generator windings
and the connector contacts. Can anyone think of anything else that should be
checked? ~ Dave, SCCUK
Check the igniter boxes. There has been an issue with
moisture inside them due to the cases separating at the seam. Also check the
connections from the firing sensors (inside with the stator) to the igniter
boxes. ~ If the seams on the igniter boxes have opened up then a high moisture
day could cause rough running. Also, just washing the bike could also cause a
similar problem. The ignition connections could also be in need of some
attention. ~ There was a post awhile back where the guy took the boxes apart,
dried the mount inside and reassembled with silicone sealer and a few wraps of
tape around the seams. ~ Tracy
OLD SMOKY
Intermittent smoke from the tail pipes sometimes indicates
your oil is too full and you're sucking oil up into the carbs. Had that happen
on an old virago once. Now I check that sight glass careful when I'm changing
oil. Kick stand down... on level surface ...halfway up the sight glass and not a
drop more. ~ Ted 87LXE
BACKFIRING THROUGH THE CARB
The Number 4 carb (back right) has been popping (backfiring
through the carb) for some time now. Before now it was doing it when the bike
was cold until it warmed up, and I thought that that was normal, but now it is
doing it really regularly, all the time. That cylinder is not missing, just
backfiring back through the carb. So, I asked the Cavalcade chat group back in
March, and some said it could be the o-rings, others the float, some said
timing. So I called the Suzuki dealer and they said that it may be the carbs,
but were not sure. So I took them off and took them to the Suzuki dealer, and
they took them apart, re-synched them and gave them back to me; I put them back
on, cranked it up and it still does it. While it was running I sprayed
carburetor cleaner around the boots when it was popping and it stopped the
popping. So, I bought the o-rings that go inside the boots and I pulled the
carbs off again and noticed that the #4 intake boot was full of gasoline and the
others were empty. Is the float sticking? If you have any ideas, I'd appreciate
some insight. ~ Josh
Probably, Or you have a bad needle/seat. Could also be the
slide diaphragm. The diaphragms don't like backfires. By the way, you can't
synch the carbs unless they are on the bike and the bike is running. Probably
need to check the needle/seat with a little on the bench leak-down test. Be
careful, gas is flammable. You might use alcohol instead. ~ Tracy
THE VIN # BEVEL PLUG CONNECTION
Spike, Do you mean the plug that falls out in the secondary?
I have dealer invoices that showed it was fixed after it had fallen out, service
man found it. Is there any thing else I should know about the early '86's? ~
Frank
AHA! That's exactly what I was looking for. Damn thats bad
news though. I was hoping they had worked out that problem by June 85. I do need
you to get that manufacture date for me now. Does that dealer invoice show when
the repair was made? What was the wording on the repair documentation? ~ Spike
Frank, You have one of the early birds, but you might still
be OK on the bevel plug problem. Yours is on the cusp between May and June of
85. I think they discovered the problem and fixed it about that time frame. Go
out and check that tag where you found your VIN and see if your bike was made in
May or June. ~ Spike
What's all this about being OK about the plug problem after
a certain date? I have a 1987 LXE and the plug fell out at 24,000. That was
before I found this great group so I only replaced it and didn't epoxy it in. If
I remember correctly the dealer said it would cost me $400 or $500. I think I
spent like $48 and did it myself. So don't be fooled that it couldn't happen to
you. ~
OK, so I’m a bit discouraged with this news. I had hoped
that Clair replaced his bevel plug as a precaution, but now I learn that his
actually fell out and so the later bikes may have plug problems. In any case, I
have reformatted the VIN list slightly in a way that I hope will make it more
useful to people who do not have Microsoft Excel. It
might also make it easier to fill out your list of mechanical woes and increase
the value of the VIN list as a tool for anticipating trouble. ~ As of this
evening I have 140 bikes on the VIN list. I will be sending out the April
edition in a few days. In the mean time, if you want a copy,
send me at least your VIN and your email @. I'll add your number and
include you on the subscription. In accordance with the original agreement for
the VIN list: if ya wannit, ya gotta be on it. {8-] ~ Spike
So far, those nine who have reported bevel plug failures
have been at 30k, 24k, 74k, 49k, 40k, 16k, 22k, 25k and 24k. I'll send you an
updated VIN list in a few days. I'm still getting people sending in numbers and
repair records. ~ Spike
As some of you may know, I bought 2 parts bikes last
winter. As the weather was getting warm enough, I was taking off the good stuff
and making room in the garage. One bike had no secondary drive, but many parts
were off the engine, so I really thought nothing of it, until I removed the back
wheel. A flat spot to the cords! The other bike took 2 or 3 people to move even
though I had removed the brake calipers. Took the cover off the secondary and
there was no plug. Some "stuff" in the bottom. One bike had 38,000
miles the other had no speedometer. Guess my point is that both bikes met their
early demise over a $10.00 part. I hope that only the bikes checked out early. I
can't imagine a rear wheel lockup at speed, but I know what road rash is like in
the hot summer months. So please don't put off taking care of the plug if you
haven't already Thanks (I feel better now) ~ Jim.
Okay folks, as if this hasn't been discussed enough, I have
a little insight into the secondary drive issue now that I have removed one from
my parts bike. When I bought the bike, I didn't know exactly why it had been
taken out of service. I knew that the faring had been smashed up, but I didn't
know why. Until now! When I took the secondary off, the infamous plug had fallen
into the bottom allowing the majority of the gear lube to leak out into the
driveshaft tube. When I unbolted the final drive, the gear oil poured out and
the entire underside of the driveshaft tube was covered in a greasy film. The
most alarming part however, is yet to come. ~ The box was full of metal chips.
Not just a little, but a handful. After taking out the drive gear, I could see
that the inner bearing was definitely FUBAR. The bearing is in little bits and
there is nothing left of the roller cage but two rings. Also, when I took the
bearing race out I noticed that it had SPUN in the housing. No easy feat. This
thing had so much metal in it that there was no possibility that it wasn't going
to, or did, lock up. ~ The bike was made in 3/85 (add that to the list for the
parts bike, Spike) so it could have been during the months of terror at the
factory when they couldn't decide which way the plug was suppose to go in.
Regardless, if you have a chance to have yours apart, do anything you can to
stake, glue or otherwise affix the plug so that only the Incredible Hulk with a
5 lb. sledge can get it out. ~ Tracy
One thing to remember. If you put Tracy's fix to the
infamous plug in your bike my secondary failure was because when the dealer put
the assembly back into the bike, he messed up the seal between it and the motor.
What this did was to allow a vacuum from the engine to suck out the oil from the
secondary gear. So you still need to check the secondary from time to time. ~
Mike C. ’86 LX
I haven't followed this subject thoroughly but the solution
given on my secondary tranny when the seal went out (at about 20,000 and I have
80,000) was my gifted mechanic, friend, used a freeze plug in place of the seal.
~ Doug Jensen
I have an ‘87, February I believe. Do we have any reason
to think that the problem was caught and rectified? I have had to reluctantly
conclude that the problem was not isolated to the pre-June ‘85s. 11 of the 14
known plug failures were in the March through May ‘85 timeframe and two others
were later ‘86 models, but we have one ‘87 with a plug failure. Any other
suggestions? ~ Steve ‘87 in ON
The 87s seem to be a sweet spot for reliability overall. If
I were to offer any advice I would probably say just run your hand along the
bottom of the shaft boot after every long ride and if it comes out clean go
ahead and ride it the way it is. If you had an ‘86, especially an early one,
my advice would be bite the old bullet and start taking her apart. I know a
lotta guys here don’t want to hear that, but you asked. ~ Spike
What was the final way in which the secondary plug is to be
installed? Bottom of bottle cap toward the driveshaft? ~ Clair in PA, Cade, 1987
NO! Bottle cap top facing forward, away from the shaft. ~
Spike
Clair, the plug end with the circles on it (top of the
bottle cap) should face the bevel gear, not the splines. I've already done mine.
~ Red
I made a prototype this evening and installed it (pictures
below, yeah, I know it's steel but I didn't have any aluminum the right size and
the o-ring's missing because I didn't have one the right size on hand) and have
the following to report. ~ The actual part will not have two grooves as shown in
the picture, only one for the o-ring. My thought was to groove the plug so that
one could stake it in with a sharp center punch after installation. That was a
pipe dream as when I tried it the gear is so hard that it just dulls a punch (I
should have known that). So, there is no need for the extra groove. ~ It took 12
to 15 generous whacks with a ball peen to get it in. It is set up on a
.002" press which, for a 1" diameter, is about as much as a person
wants to try and do without a good size press. To remove it took as many if not
more whacks since I was using a drift punch from the backside. As a comparison,
I installed the stock plug with a couple of light taps (and, yes, I put it in
the right way, thank you for pointing the service manual out, Red). To remove
the stock plug took only the weight of the drift punch held by hand to knock it
right back out. Obviously, it is a plug that is 16 years old and has been lying
in the bottom of the box in gear oil. I realize that. However, there are two
problems with a rubber-coated plug that make it unacceptable for this
application. ~ Firstly, rubber is prone to what's generally referred to as
compression set. Simply stated, when you compress rubber and leave it compressed
for a long period it will "set" to the new compressed thickness and
will never return to its original thickness. This is very, very bad in this
situation since it is the rubber that is relied on to hold the plug in. Yes, it
is coated onto steel, but the steel doesn't provide any "push back" or
spring action to compensate for the inevitable compression set. ~ Some rubber
compounds are engineered to resist compression set. However, it can never be
eliminated. It is like creep in plastics. It's going to happen, it's just a
matter of time and degree as to how long it will take and how much. Have you
ever seen a 100 year old glass pane? If you get a chance to look at one you will
notice that the glass has become wavy and is thicker at the bottom. This is
creep or compression set. The weight of the glass upon itself has caused it to
"cold flow" over the years. Leave it long enough and it will become a
lump on the floor just due to its own weight (and gravity of course). And you
thought glass was a solid. Nope, just a really viscous liquid. Rubber's no
different and the process takes but a small fraction of the time when
compression is applied. ~ Secondly, the process of compression set is
accelerated with the application of heat. Most rubbers are pretty heat tolerant
but, again, it is simply a matter of time before compression set will nearly
eliminate any force that the rubber was exerting against the gear to hold the
plug in place. That gearbox generates heat. It's a fact of any gear design since
there is a lot of shearing going on in there. If the lubes not up to the task,
it's worse. ~ Thirdly, one comment about the fit of the driveshaft splines into
the output gear becomes very important. When the driveshaft is inserted into the
driven gear with the splines lubed according to the manual, the air that becomes
compressed in that space could be enough to push the plug out. For example,
since there is a pretty heavy spring at the other end of the driveshaft that
keeps the slack to the front end, even if you didn't push the plug out on
initial installation, the force of the spring might do it over time. Hey, that
may be a stretch but I have removed pilot bearings from crankshafts by packing
the bearing full of grease and pounding an old tranny input shaft into it. The
hydraulic pressure is enough to force the bearing out of its bore.
Frankly, a metal soft plug (like they use in the water
jackets of car motors) would be better than the rubber plug. At least you could
use some Permatex or Loctite on it. ~ So, I am going to make the plugs
available. I don't have a cost yet because I need to get some material. This
will take me a few days but I can assure you it won't be very expensive. ~ I'm
pondering the liability issue and will probably consult with a lawyer from my
old company. However, isn't there more liability in knowing that there is a
solution to the problem that can be implemented to reduce the odds of a rear
wheel lockup due to the loss of lube in the secondary by an enormous amount but
not do it? To hear the same horror stories over and over and know that people
that you consider friends (even though you haven't met ANY of them face to face)
might be faced with a situation that could cause them extreme harm and possibly
death is un-nerving. When I took that box off and saw an obvious "accident
waiting to happen" (even though in this case I think it already had) I knew
that I was going to do something for my bike and I want to share it so that
nobody else gets hurt. Sorry for the long post. I'll get back in a few days with
a cost. ~ Tracy
While there may have been some cases of the plug jamming
the gears, I personally believe that is the secondary issue (no pun intended).
The primary issue as told by members and from what I recently witnessed is the
loss of hypoid lube out the driven gear and through the splines and into the
driveshaft tube with some spilling out the weep hole in the swingarm and the
rest culminating in the tube just ahead of the final drive. (For some reason I
was thought this might end in "...and to grandmother's house we go.")
~ When enough of the lube goes bye-bye out the ass-end, the bearings in the box
are prone to failure due to lack of lubrication, excessive heat buildup. And
when they start to come undone, all hell breaks loose and the bits of metal that
are removed from the bearings at high speed become thousands of little
"bearing lockers" floating around in the remaining hypoid seeking
their target.
How long a box will run after losing it's lube is dependant
on a number of factors including the level of loading. (The bike, 2 Sumo
passengers, everything and the kitchen sink in the bags and a loaded trailer
will load the box more heavily and therefore create more heat.) The type of
hypoid that WAS in the box (synthetics offer a greater level of protection
longer) and of course the amount of lube that is present in the box. ~ It is
true that even the hole in the gear won't let all of the lube run out. However,
when the gears are churning in there, lube is slinging everywhere and some of
the slinging is going to throw more lube out the gaping hole in the driven gear.
And, there is a big-ass spring that is rotating crosswise in the box. That
spring will literally slinging the lube directly out the hole left by the failed
plug. Admittedly it's going to do it slowly, but it's gonna continue until
there's nothing left (well, there's always going to be some left in the box even
though it won't do much good). ~ See. And you thought the answer to your
question was going to be simple. ~ Tracy
We’ve had one ‘87 with a plug failure and no ‘88s,
compared to 13 ‘86s. If there were no evidence of a leak I would be tempted to
leave it alone and ride my brains out. ~ Spike
TRACY’S
CAVALCADE CORK
After reading Walter's comments about replacing the bevel
plug and pondering a couple of things he said, I now will be able to make the
plug so that it can be installed WITHOUT splitting the secondary case and
WITHOUT removing the drive or driven gear assemblies within the secondary. With
that, there is no possibility that the gear mesh can change and it will shave at
least an hour off the process and will make it much easier for those that are
less mechanically talented than others. ~ This change will make the replacement
of the plug no more involved than if it were a stock plug. It still requires
that the secondary be removed from the bike but instead of splitting the cases
and taking out the driven gear assembly and installing it with a hammer or
press, I will include a bolt and nut and thrust washer and the plug will be
threaded. You will simply pull it in from the driveshaft end of the driven gear
assembly. When done you simply remove the bolt and throw it away or into your
bolt bin. See, when you folks talk...err...write, I really do listen....
err....read. ~ Thanks, Walter. ~ Tracy
Okay, the plug is done. The attached pictures show the plug
and the included installation tool (yeah, some tool, a full-threaded bolt a nut
and a washer). It will install with the secondary box completely assembled. You
will have to remove the box from the bike (duh), but there will be no
disassembly of the box required. I have photos I can email you. Pictures 1 and 2
are of the plug. Notice the threads in the back for the tool to screw into.
Picture 3 is of the full-threaded bolt nut and washer that are included with the
plug. Picture 4 is of the plug inserted into the gear by hand (or fingers).
Picture 5 is of the installation bolt put into the driveshaft end of the driven
gear and threaded into the back of the plug. Picture 6 is showing 2 - 3/4"
end wrenches, one holding the bolt and the other tightening the nut down which
pulls the plug into place. Picture 7 shows the plug pulled completely into the
gear. There is a big shoulder on the plug so you'll know when it's all the way
in. ~ After you get the box off, the
plug installs in less than 10 minutes. It is made so that even if it would try
and come out (highly unlikely considering how tight the press fit is). It will
simply ride against the cam dog spring and cannot move out any further. The
o-ring groove is located so that even if it moved out and touched the cam dog
spring, the o-ring will still be fully inside the bore so no leaks can occur. ~
As a bonus, you get to keep the bolt nut and washer. Toss it in your bolt bin
and use it to fix something else. ~ If you decide to purchase the plug, I
strongly suggest that you replace the box to motor seal (#09283-48012) and the
output seal (#09283-29004). The total cost for these is about $26 from a dealer.
You should also replace the box to motor gasket (#24936-24A01) that should be
less than $3. You will also need a little gasket goop for the threads of a
couple of the bolts that hold the box to the motor. ~ The cost of the plug with
the installation tool is $17. That price includes shipping. I wish it could be
less but I don't have a CNC lathe (yet). If I find that I can make them for
less, I will adjust the price accordingly. As always, I will knock off $1 if you
order more than one item at the same time (any combination of plug(s), MC caps,
CD(s) or whatever).
The plug is on my secure order page that you can purchase
using a credit card or you can also mail me a check or money order to the
address below or you can call me with a credit card and we can do it over the
phone. I will start to ship them about May 1st. To order online go to https://www.web-guardian.com/billydum/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi
and follow the CD-ROM link at the top left corner of that page. ~ I want to
thank everyone for their support, comments and suggestions. I trust that I have
listened well and that the plug will offer a little piece of mind and make
riding our bikes more enjoyable. Thanks, ~
Tracy
Presnell
1980
Palomino Trail
McPherson,
KS 67460
620-241-1515
During the cold months I found that the rear wheel was
extremely hard to rotate, even in neutral. The bike was very hard to push until
it warmed up a couple of miles. This never happens when it is warm outside. Is
this normal or could this be a symptom of the plug problem. Where things have
oil where it is not supposed to be and the cold weather thickens the oil making
it hard for things to move. ~ Neal ’86, LX in NJ
That is probably due to the fluid getting thick. It
wouldn't hurt to change to a synthetic that should lessen the thickening and
provide better overall lubrication. If nothing else, check the levels in both
the secondary and the final and bring them up-to-snuff if needed. ~ Tracy
ANOTHER BEVEL PLUG FAILURE
I have an '87LXE manufactured in NOV of '86 VIN #
JS1VX1A7H2100222. I only had on 24,000 miles. Last year I was driving along
(before I knew about this group) and stopped at an intersection when I said to
my wife that I smelled oil, she agreed. At the next intersection I smelled it
again, I better pull over and check things out. Luckily the oil that came out
the secondary and into the boot had leaked out and a few drops had fallen on to
the exhaust crossover, hence the oil smell. We drove the bike home and ordered
seals and gaskets from Suzuki. (They never said anything about a plug.) If
recall correctly they said if they did the work it would probably be 400 or 500
dollars. I took it apart myself, I was just about to put the secondary back on
when I turned it upside down, to my surprise this rubber coated plug fell out!
It had fallen to the bottom and the oil made it stick there. What is this? The
plug had caught the gears just once, as there were 4 teeth marks along the out
edge (you know like the edge of a piecrust after you finger-press it together).
So I'm off to the Suzuki dealer to get a new plug. Pressed it in using a pry bar
and socket. Don't recall which way it went in but I believe it was bottle cap
bottom to the driveshaft. Had I known about this group and the problem, I would
have glued it in. The moral to this story is "Don't assume you are not on
the hit list." It's better to be safe than sorry. ~ Clair in PA, Cade1987
REMOVING THE TIRE
I need a new rear tire. My dealer wants $150 + $50 for
installation. I can buy a tire online for $100. If I bring down my tire and rim
he'll put it on for $25, saving me $75. My question is how hard is it to remove
the rear tire? Thanks, ~ Phil ’86, LX
Phil, If you still have your instruction manual its all
detailed right there. There's nothing technical about it. I can remove mine in
about 30 minutes now vs. about the 1 1/2 it took years ago when I first did it.
~ Doug Jensen
Phil, There are two ways to go to remove the rear tire.
First and easiest is if you have a lift providing enough height you can just
undo the muffler bracket pull the axle and drop it straight down and out. The
second as described in the manual (or CD) is to pull the bags, back plate and
cross member off and take it out the back. I use the second method and find it
isn't hard, just time consuming. Personal opinion...not $75.00 dollars worth of
time consuming. The service manual provides good step-by-step procedure for it.
~ Dennis
The rear tire is easily removed. I have changed my rear
tire several times. Just follow directions in manual. Most of it is common
sense. Put the bike on the center stand. You will need to remove both saddle
bags, the back bumper and license plate holder piece, loosen the right muffler
clamp so the muffler can be slightly dropped down to remove the axle. The rear
brake caliper will also need to be removed. After taking the axle out by sliding
it out the right side, the rear wheel should be free to be removed. Some tires
seem to be a tight fit to work past the drive shaft hub. Some times I let the
air out to make it easier to remove. I think I have hit the high points as it is
from memory and my memory is not what it used to be. ~ I even change my tire. I
use a large C-clamp to break the tire loosefrom the rim. They also sell Variour tire rim breakers that also work just fine.
After it is broken free from the rim, I just lube with soapy water and pry off
with tire irons. ~ I have also started balancing all of my motorcycle tires
using a free spin and letting gravity tell me when it is balance by putting
weights on the top after tire stops turning. (I also feel that this method is
getting me as smooth or maybe a smoother ride than when I took the tire in to a
shop. I know I spend more time than they do! This also applies to tires that
were spin balanced.) ~ David Williams,
Evansville, Indiana, ’87, LXE
It has also been suggested that you can gain the rear
clearance by pulling the front tire and lowering front to the ground with the
bike on the center stand. The only problem I found was getting everything passed
the brake
assembly. I removed the saddlebag and swung the brake out of the way. ~ KennG
Phil, I am about to have a new Dunlop 491 Elite II put on.
I am sold on this tire - the one I have on now has 32,000 miles on it - still
has good looking tread, but rubber seems to have become harden. Wobbly ride in
the rain! It's definitely not a comfortable feeling. Dunlop dealer has quoted
$155 for the tire and $60 for installation and greasing the bearing. For the
same treatment Dunlop wanted $224 ($214 for tire and installation $10 for
greasing) at Americade last year. The local Dunlop dealer is; by the way, Rick's
Motorcycles the Stator rebuilder. I will mention that several of the members
have received less service life for the stator's than they expected. Don't
expect much but may stick in their minds that the Cavalcade community is still
alive and talking to each other. For many years I bragged about how great the
service was at Cyclerama in Plaistow, NH where I bought mine, but now they will
not even work on them - TOO OLD! ~ Al from Mass
BRAKE PEDAL RETURN
The rear brake pedal, when applied to braking (brake lights
go on) can be released; yet it does not release entirely to original position,
however, brake lights go out. ~
Your brake pedal has a spring on it to make it return.
Check the spring, but more than likely you will need to take the pedal off the
pivot point and clean it and lube it. Then all should be well. If not, then a
new spring is in order. ~ Brian in IN, ‘87 tt Gray LX
I also found that I had once put the pedal back on such
that it was dragging on the right side cover and was acting exactly as you said.
I had to shift its position on the spline and it worked fine. A simple fix for
my case. ~ Bob Schindler, ‘86 LX, Jupiter, FL
You might want to also check the lever inside the frame as it is close the
exhaust "box". I found mine binding on it and had to make a slight
adjustment to clear it. ~ Terry ’86 LX
Last May I couldn't get the brake lights to come on without
fully depressing the front brake handle. I cleaned the brake switch and adjusted
it by moving the switchboard so the brake lights came on sooner. Recently, I
cleaned the clutch switch. (The same type of switch as for the front brake
light) When I tried to start the bike, no go. Checked the clutch switch and sure
enough, when I put it back together, I forgot to adjust it, move the switch
board toward the handle grip, before tightening the screws. No problem since. ~
JD
FORK OIL
What weight Fork oil is every one using on your Cades? ~
FrankM Co Sp. 86LX
Dexron tranny fluid. Hey...it works!
~ Tracy
I think I used 15w.... ~ Brenden
Tracy, Are you suggesting Dextron "2 or 3"?.....
because it's better or for a cheap replacement? ~ Frank
Whatever the latest version is. Because it's about the
right weight, it doesn't thicken terribly at cold temps, it has anti-foamers
because it runs in the tranny, and, yes, it's cheap. ~ Tracy
FRONT FORK OIL LEAK
I just noticed a little oil under and on the left fork. It
must be time to rebuild them. Has anyone done this recently? Are the parts still
available? The manual talks about a special tool to use to remove and install
the damper rod securing bolt. Any ideas what this is? ~ Red
Red, The only parts that are generally replaced are the
seals. The seals can be had at any bike parts store (they may have to order
them) and probably won't cost more than $10 for a pair. There are some bushings
in there but they normally don't wear enough to warrant replacement. ~ The
special tool is nothing more than a rod or tube with nut welded on the end that
fits into the top of the damper rod. I can measure the nut size on mine or maybe
someone else in the group has that information already. ~ Tracy
Red, When doing the forks, check the small plug on the
bottom. Mine was leaking from there, as the brass washer wasn't doing its thing
anymore. The bike shop just heated it up which helps to "reform" it
and now it no leak. ~ Steve ’87, LX in ON
Red, I just finished overhauling my forks. Bought a 3 foot
threaded rod and had a 15/16 nut welded on the end and one in the middle. This
was used to remove the bottom bolt. Believe I ordered my parts from Bikebandit.
Replaced fork springs also with progressive. Replaced bushings, seal and dust
seal. Haven't installed on bike yet since I've been waiting for my new wheel
bearings to come which were backordered 3 weeks ago. ~ Bob Richey
SEAL PART NUMBERS
As it is time to do some of my "winter" projects,
I need to order seals and the plug for the bevel drive. I'm sure that someone
just posted the numbers, but after spending a lot of time trying to find them
with the search engine (never found anything with it yet!) and checking the
cavalcade.com site I would like to verify the numbers. My CD does not show all
of the numbers clear enough to be sure. Maybe someone that knows how could post
them where they are easy to find? ~ Jim
These are all the seals needed for the secondary and final
drive units. I hope this helps. 09289-70001 09283-47001 (47002) 09283-48012
09283-29004 (29005) 61372-05a01 driveshaft boot 09159-16003 nut 09283-30026 oil
seal. ~ Brian
A few other parts you might want to consider: The infamous
plug is 09241-25004 ~ There is also an o-ring in the secondary 09280-78001 ~
There is another o-ring in the secondary 09280-70005 ~ There are 2 more o-rings
in the secondary 09280-10010-qty 2 ~ There is a gasket in the fill and drain
plugs 09168-14004-qty 2 ~ There is a gasket on the level plug 09168-06023 ~
There is a LH side needle bearing in the final that may have been the source of
some lockups 09263-39004 ~ There is a seal behind that needle bearing
09283-30028 ~ There is an o-ring on the pinion support 09280-67004 ~ There are
gaskets on the fill and drain plugs 09168-14004-qty 2 ~ There is a RH needle
bearing in the rear wheel that may have been the source of some lockups
09263-30020 ~ There is a seal behind that needle bearing 09283-30023 ~ Tracy
OIL & CLUTCH RESERVES
Hi, I think I have a question that has not been talked
about before. The sight glasses on my brake and clutch reservoirs are clouded
and weather checked. Is there any fix for this? Thanks in advance for your help.
~ John Tate, ’86, LX
Put a piece of black tape over them. It won't help but it
keeps them from looking so bad. I used clear fingernail polish on the outside
but they are still cracked. It does make them shine for a little while, though.
~ Tracy
TICKING SOUND
Oh please someone help! I got it all back together after 5
months and it runs so sweetly. The engine has never sounded better. I put in a
new drive shaft as the old one was giving me the "clunk" we have all
talked about. Now I get ticking from the universal area. This only happens under
load. I can spin it like a top without load and get no noise. Even the amount of
load you get from applying the rear brake when it’s on the center stand can
get me the noise. Was I supposed to get a new swing arm with the beefier shaft?
~ Steve ‘87 in trouble in Ontario
Steve, check the adjuster that is on the left side of the
bike for the swing arm. You may have the swing arm to far to the right and what
happens is the drive shaft will move when it is torqued and hit the bearing seat
that is on the left side of the swing arm. We found that the swing arm does not
sit in the center, as most would expect but rather to the left for this reason.
~ Terry ’86, LX
Steve, I just replaced mine last month. I got the same
noise. But after driving a few miles it stopped. I believe the shaft hadn’t
seated itself. ~ Larry
Thanks to all! I found the problem with the noise in the
shaft. It was the bearing on the left side in too deep. I'm much happier now.
See y'all in Branson. ~ Steve
BELLY PAN
I was wondering if anyone has tried fabricating a belly pan
to fit Cavalcades. I ride with a group that is primarily Wings and when added to
them, improve handling on windy days in the mountains as well as improving their
gas mileage. My Cavalcade is my sole means of transportation, rain or shine, and
I've put 60k miles on her in the three years I've owned the bike. ~ Woody
AIR COMPRESSOR IMPROVEMENT
After installing my new 416's, I can't get her to pump up
right. I found bad O rings and replaced them. I have found no other leaks. Does
anyone who has the 416’s find the air lines rather small? Are there any other
parts to the compressor that give out and drop her performance? I had it all
apart and cleaned her up real good. Any other suggestions? ~ Steve ‘87 in ON
Steve, I don’t know if you did this yet, but my Cade was
VERRYY slow pumping up the stock shocks. So I started checking into it, I took
every line off up by the compressor and found that both ends of one line was
pretty much plugged up with corrosion. If you go to the archives to message
21753, I included a picture of these 2 fittings that were plugged. Take them off
and clean em up and re-lube em and I was good as new. ~ Brian in IN ‘87 tt
Gray LX
~ ELECTRICAL ~
CONVERTING CORNERING LIGHTS TO DRIVING LIGHTS
I guess that there are some Cade
owners who would like to add front driving lights to their Cade. Well,
this trick is just, rearranging the lights you already have. (LXE
Models or LX Cades w/cornering lamp option)
To start off, make sure the ignition key is off and removed and remove the
positive battery cable and store as not to attach it self. ~ Disconnect the
factory power plug to the lamps and store it safely for future use is needed,
remove the bezels (three screws) with the lamps installed and swap the lamps
(install the right lamp on left bezel and left lamp on the right bezel. They
will fit perfect, no modifications needed) Then reinstall the bezels in the bike
on their proper sides. Next run a switched hot wire getting the power from the
head lights, high beam. If you need to aim the lights, slot the mounting holes
for the lamp. This will look better than making a mounting bar or adapting a fog
light to the bike. Also the cornering lamp is not a high voltage light draining
your power.
The cornering lamp bulb is constructed so that they can be installed on the
wrong side (non-goof proof) making them perfect for achieving factory-driving
lights. I did it and it works great. The switch (optional) is for
positive off when you do not need or want them, as the power wire is attached to
the high beam using the low beam shuts off the lights in any event. The wiring
you choose is limited by your imagination. You can make them work as intended or
like I told you about.
The lamp it self is built off center to the lens so it can shine toward the side
of the road. If they are installed opposite side, the light will shine forward.
(Almost straight ahead. just a little low but livable) They are not so intense
that you could get a ticket but they add valuable white light and visibility at
night to the front of the bike and they do light up the ground in front of the
front wheel. I was surprised how much light they add. You might say this is
almost a factory option. Really! Good Luck, ~ Bob Stueber
VOLT
METER
While I'm waiting on the new r/r to come. I thought this to
be a good time to use hindsight and install a voltmeter. I found a nice, small
digital LCD meter at the MeterCenter - www.MeterCenter.com. That installed very
nicely where the CB channel display normally goes, upper left instrument panel.
Part # DA/DMS-20LCD-0 for $30. I'm also looking for a CB if anyone has a spare
one. ~ Virgil
I used the same meter and placed it on the right side next
to the radio display. I wired it into the CB wire connector from the fuse holder
in the battery compartment. This allows the meter to only show when the system
was on. I had also epoxied the circuit board so that the weather would not be a
problem. I am very pleased with the meter. When I replaced the R/R, the first
test ride indicated a problem on the meter, low voltage. The R/R was faulty and
I returned it for a replacement. ~ Don Dorion '86 LX
Since I read of all the trouble with the R/R and the stator
I checked all connections on my bike and found that the Yellow wires that come
from the stator to the R/R have connectors on them for easy installation. One of
these wires was burnt from a bad solder joint from the factory that I can see. I
also noticed that there is a Noise filter connection here also. The filter is
mounted on the right side of the headlight. I have since cut off all of the
connectors and soldered all the respective joints. The other interesting fact
that I noticed was that there was oil in the connectors and could only see this
possibly coming from the leaking seals on my forks from last years riding. So if
you have your headlight out you can check the connectors as this may be some of
the reoccurring problems but you will have to remove the dash to get at the
connectors to solder them up. ~ Terry ‘86LX
Does the LCD display light up enough at night to be
visible? What did you use to seal up the meter? I think it is important to know
if the system is charging and not to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with a
dead battery. Especially since you can't pull in to any old service center to
find a battery to fit the Cade. Thanks for the information. ~ netzero
I found that with low light the LCD worked well. I have not really had the
opportunity to drive long distance in jet-black conditions yet. If the moon is
just right, the LCD works great. I used epoxy glue from my hardware store, mixed
up a batch and covered the entire back circuit board; I also glued the meter to
the bezel piece I ordered with it. I marked the fairing with the template off
the web site then used a utility knife with a fresh blade to first score the
plastic of the faring. Then I had cut deeper to cut the square out. In my case I
was 400 miles away from home in Mississippi. My brother-in-law was riding with
me at the time when my battery went out. Luckily, his CBX has the same battery.
We swapped and were on our way until I hit Sam's club; Wal-Mart would work too,
for a new battery. Found out it was the R/R. ~ Don Dorion ‘86 LX
TRICKING
THE BATTERY SENSOR
I just got a replacement battery (gel-type, no sensor hole)
and I cannot remember the value of the resistor used to 'fool' the sensor in
thinking that it was in the battery -- anyone remember? ~ Thanks, Brian, ’87
LXE in CT
Brian, I think I used a 33k
1/2-watt resistor for a bypass to make the monitor work. It was awhile ago and
only for a temp situation but worked... ~ Dennis
The higher the better. You need at least several meg-ohms
to keep from draining the battery through the resistors. Experiment with them by
clipping several together creating a homemade voltage divider. The sensor goes
in the third cell if I recall correctly, so ideally you want at least 12
meg-ohms between the sensor and the positive terminal and at least 8 meg-ohms to
the negative. Try various resistances and see what works. ~ To be honest, I
don’t think this is a great idea. I thought it was when I first tried it, but
I later took it apart and drilled a hole in the battery
to accept the sensor. ~ Spike
Spike: You have the same sealed-type battery? Sounds like that is the way to go.
But I am worried about drilling into something 'important'... I spent a lot of
money this winter to get my OK monitor working, and don't want to blow it up
yet... ~ Brian, ’87 LXE in CT
Yah, I recommend not blowing up that monitor. As for
drilling into the battery, what I did was to take the cap out of the third cell
and very carefully drilled out a little at a time (this took about 10 minutes)
while blowing out the plastic crumbs with a nozzle on the compressor. I suppose
a straw would work too. I figured a few plastic bits falling into the battery
wouldn’t kill it, those being non-conductive, but I didn’t want more than a
little. ~ It worked OK, but I wouldn’t really recommend it unless you feel
comfortable with tools, and of course ya gotta be careful as all get out when
you get close to cutting through. You don’t want to get the drill bit in the
battery acid, otherwise it will ruin the bit and likely wont do the battery any
good. Ideally you would drill the hole before you put the acid in there, but I
had already had the battery in service with my hokey Wheatstone bridge that I
used to fool the sensor. ~ I did all this in a fit of cheap. I have a lot of
these. {8-] I later popped for a battery with a sensor hole. It’s held up
quite well since I added a battery isolator switch that I mounted under the
right fairing compartment. I also added a cable coming out from the positive
terminal so I can easily disconnect the battery from the bike with the isolator
switch and connect the battery to a trickle charger that is plugged into the
garage door opener light. This battery has about 4 years on it now. ~ Spike
Spike, like you I advise installing a switch for the clock
and a plug in for the battery, I have set up a solar panel charger and a trick
charger with an inline plugs, so as to unplug the alligator clips and plug the
chargers into the bike battery line. The only item I haven't tracked down is the
line for the clock to run it through a switch. ~ FrankM Co Sp 86LX
My Cade was draining 6 milli-amps with the key off, which
will flatten a good battery to where it cant crank the beast after only about 4
to 5 weeks. I bought at battery switch from Kragens, mounted it in the right
fairing compartment on that nearly vertical surface in there. Of course, when
you turn off that switch the clock resets
to 0100. So I bought a cheapie electronic watch and stuck some Velcro on it and
another patch of Velcro to the other side of the fairing. So I just turn on the
switch and reset the clock whenever I start out. But for the past 2 yrs, the
Cade hasn’t set for more than 2 wks. without running, so it was all an
exercise in fertility. Of course, I like exercises in fertility, but that’s a
whole nuther story. ~ Spike
You want the computer to read 6 volts at the sensor, so use
two equal resistors of at least 100,000 ohms to make it read the 6 volts. ~ Don
CAR BATTERY OPTION
I got tired of buying
$75.00 batteries and went out and bought a small car battery and mounted
it in one of the saddle bags, extended the wires back to it .I drilled a hole in
top of battery for the water level sensor. Now have a lot more cranking power
and you can crank for a long time if need be, also great if you are powering a
lot of accessories. ~ Rolland Meismer, Burlington, Iowa U.S.A.
STARTING PROBLEM
I've read a lot of emails about the Cade not starting. Well
I'm sorry to say that I've now joined that group. I would start the bike once a
week, just to let it run. Battery a year old, stator replaced two years ago. Now
when I try to start it, all I get is a single click from the right side of the
dash behind the speaker-that little round thing that comes from the battery
cables then ties into a web of wires. The bike doesn't even try to turn over.
Help! ~ John Wyman, ‘86
Grey/Grey GT, Lake Worth, FL
Bad connection at the battery, the frame or the starter
solenoid. Or, if you're having a bad day, the battery went tits up. ~ Tracy
Check your clutch switch. It may be dirty or in need of
replacing. I occasionally have the same problem and can wiggle the clutch handle
enough to get it to start, for now, until I take it out and clean it off. You
can check this by seeing if the headlight actually goes off while you try to
start up. ~ HeyJerr
Thanks, I checked the battery, meter in line on other side
of fuse box, battery checks good, connections clean, so it looks like the start
solenoid. Now, where can I get one? Any info would be appreciated. ~ John
Got mine at local Briggs and Stratton lawn mower shop had
to jury rig the mount only able to get one bolt in but works O.K., I think it
cost around twelve dollars. ~ John Taylor
Hey John, Well your tip worked. After further
investigation, crossed the solenoid, and I'll be damned i |