transmision... :(

[kfx400rider03]

my problem is my quad wont shift into 3rd sometimes. the shifter goes up and just stops before it ingages 3rd gear. and that started a couple weeks ago at breezewood. and now riding today it does the same with 4th gear. like when i go to shift to just stops and doesnt engage. but if i release the shifter and try it again it will sometimes shift or i might even have to release the shifter again and try to shift up again.

i have a 2008 ltr and i heard they lose 3rd gear. but sence its my 4th gear to could i just have a bad cluch and its not engaging all the way??? or is it my tranny???

[ZRider400]

Most deff. your transmission.

is it at all making clicking noises while riding? mine did that when the teeth started to break off....

Here are pics from my old 08 trans.

[atveric132]

yea i would put my money on the tranny. atp fixes that problem with there billet gears. i put them in my race bike as soon as i got it and have yet to have a problem

[kfx400rider03]

but it doesnt make any grinding or clanking noises so thats why i thought it might be the cluch

[shane071489]

off topic a little how long have you had your 08 ive had mine since feburary and i look for mine to happen anytime since everyone has the problem

[kfx400rider03]

i got mine in march of 08 and have alot of riding time on it but im not sure if its my cluch or gears cause it doesnt grind when its in gear or anything. it just doesnt shift into gear sometimes so could that be the cluch??? or the tranny???

[shane071489]

thanks yeah mine has a lot of time to its holdin so far knock on wood...

[Springbok]

My money will be on the selector drum cam and roller system. The spring is maybe to weak or maybe broke. Does it shift automatic from 3de the 4th and jumps out of 2nd into neutral???

[22LTR450]

When the 3rd gear goes there generally isn't any grinding or anything. All you hear is what sounds like a loose chain rattle when in that gear.

[fx4pitrone]

When that happens, is that an expensive fix? Just curious... I think i may have heard some clanking around... I was hoping it was my skid plate....:-(

[22LTR450]

It depends. You have to open it up to find out the extent. But I had this issue on my 07 and with everything(parts, some tools, and etc) I spent about $500 to replace the 3rd gear pair, all of the pertinent clips and spacers due to dismantling the tranny, new #2 oil pumps, new complete motor gaskets kit, fresh piston and rings, etc.

At the bare minimum you need to remove the cylinder to inspect to see if third gear is bad.

[grantmi]

I've noticed that my 08 is real picky to the clutch adjustment at times when I try to shift under load to 4th gear. If you let off the gas all the way will it go ahead and upshift?

[kfx400rider03]

no it doesnt jump from 3rd to 4th automaticaly. and doesnt drop into neutral from second.

it mainly happens when im on it wide open and i go to shift from second to third it just wont shift but if i try again it might shift or sometimes i even try 3 times to shift and it will finaly go in to 3rd and when its in 3rd it doesnt make any loose chain noises no grinding noise or any noises out of the ordenary. and everything is the same with fourth gear too wont shift into sometimes so try acouple more times till it does and when in gear no weird noises.

and thats why i would think the cluch but also if it was the cluch wouldnt it be like that with all the other gears too???

[kfx400rider03]

Originally posted by grantmi
I've noticed that my 08 is real picky to the clutch adjustment at times when I try to shift under load to 4th gear. If you let off the gas all the way will it go ahead and upshift?


sometimes if i let off the gas completely it will shift but others times it wont. :ermm:

[kfx400rider03]

my one friend is telling me sence it wont shift into the gear it maybe could be the shift forks. and remember when it shifts into the gear it doesnt make anynoises like if a gear was broken.

and how come suzuki want make this a recall???
or at least fix it on there newer quads? no other 450 has tranny problem and so far ever year ltr has a tranny problem why dont they just fix it from the factory.

[hondaracer31]

Sounds like bent or worn shift forks.

[kfx400rider03]

ok.
thanks but when its apart how can i tell if they are worn out? im pretty sure i could tell if they where bent. right?

[hondaracer31]

Get a shop manual. It's all in there.

[kfx400rider03]

lol
i probaly will.

[deepcj7]

Hey kfx, I have the same problem as you do....sometimes it shifts, sometimes not. Really affects the holeshot sometimes. I'm just waiting for it to go anyday now.... for the past year. Did you figure anything out yet on yours?

[usp4u]

as stated this sounds like shift forks

[kfx400rider03]

deepcj7. i actauly havent riden my quad sence i posted this cause i had valve problems that day and got the valves fixed today.
does your quad have the same problem in 3rd and 4th gear? and is it only when ur taking off fast like hole shots, drag racing and even just getting on it coming out of a corner just to hit a jump.

[deepcj7]

I have only noticed it on holeshots and drags shifting 2nd to 3rd only, but it does'nt happen all the time. I took it to suzuki when it still had a warranty but they couldn't recreate the problem so it was a no go on the free repair. I ride my quad often and pretty hard, I'm surprised it hasn't failed yet.

[panici33]

Get the shift pin relocator bracket; it will make a difference in the shifting, and many have replaced the third gear with aftermarket.

[kfx400rider03]

yep mine only does it on fast take offs comeing out of a corner and getting on it to hit a jump. but mines 3rd and 4th

and panici33 is this what u are talking about with the shift pin relocater??? http://ltr450.theatvchannel.com/inv...?showtopic=3957

and i dont have any after market gears cause when its in 3rd and fourth gear it doesnt make any unusaul noises

[panici33]

Link doesn't work but it looks like this:

http://www.fuelatv.com/shiftpin.htm

A lot of people sell them but I think fuelatv has the better deal. This is a must upgrade. When you open up the case where the shift fork is you can see the shift pin that it "rides" on; stock the shift pin is in the case; with the relocator it moves the pin to the bracket. The pin has been known to break and wreak havoc when its left in the stock position, so for the money, it's a great investment. When I put the bracket on i noticed a much stronger shift and I don't have and problems with my shifting. This may help with your situation; it may not and I have an 07 not 08, but I don't think they made any changes.

[kfx400rider03]

wow lol
thats realy weird why that link didnt work i had it open in a seprate window when i posted that reply...
and it should that same exact relocater and step by step on how to install it.

[Springbok]

Sorry guys,but you are barking up the wrong tree with the shifter relocater bracket that will solve the tranny jumping out of gear under power. The only way to solve this is by undercutting(dove-tailing) the gear dogs. If your quad does'nt jump out of gear,do not try this,but if it does it is worth the try. The only risk you have,is the dogs getting weak and breaking out of the gear. I have a K7 that jumped out of gear for about 160hours till it stripped third gear. I rebuild the box and after the third time stripping the box down to check why it is jumping out of gear,I had min e undercut and it did not miss a gear once,but the dogs on the 4th driven gear broke off last week (after about 80 hours)and because of that I lost 3rd gear.I replaced the 4th driven gear with a non undercut gear and had a 160 km race over the weekend,and it was just fine.

[panici33]

Agreed. It's safe to say the LTR tranny isn't the greatest and the bracket is definitely not the end all solution but it does help in its own way. Like I said before, a lot of guys replace all gears, especially with 3rd, with aftermarket.

Hey Springbok, you ever do any racing/riding near Port Elizabeth?

[kfx400rider03]

ok so if the relocater thing wont help me what will...

and the ltr has been out for 4 years now why wont suzuki fix this problem instead of worrying about other stuff

[Springbok]

KFX400rider: I agree with that statement. Suzuki did however change the casing design on the K8 so the shifter relocater bracket is'nt necessary. Can you just imagine if Suzuki fixed the weak gearbox?? It will be a unbreakable quad!!

I did ride the Red Cherry silver class (280km)last year and finished 1st. It is a pity they canned the race for this year!

[kfx400rider03]

it would be a unbreakable quad havent had any other problem besides intake valves cant complain though they have had many hours on them and havent need adjustment for the whole time i had the quad till a month and a half ago.

but any ideas on my tranny problem???

[kfx400rider03]

i still havent got my shifting problem fixed yet. yeah i know its been a while lol. but from what was happening i think it is the shift forks.

where could i get after market stronger shift fork at?
and sence im gonna be doing that where could i get a bullit 3rd gear?

im doing this with a friend who worked at a atv/dirtbike shop and he has done splitting cases, shift forks, and gears before so i wont need to send it out

[deepcj7]

is your problem fixed?

[stephenhaasnoot]

iv broke mine a few times sounds like your chain is skippin teeth then you find out its comming from the engine :(

[kfx400rider03]

nope did not fix yet.:(
and as i said before no grinding noises when in gear just has trouble going into the gear. does not pop out of gear or anything it is fine ones it goes in to 3rd
and when i talked to my fgriend who was gonna help said it probaly isnt the shift fork cause they all work together and saiud it would mess up the other gears too. and he said if it was the shift fors it would do it every time i shift into 3rd which it doesnt.:confused:

i dont know im realy lost on this one. just gonna wait till it completly breaks probaly which i dont want to. kills me to ride it like that cause i dont want something to turn into a whole motor rebuid.:(

[stephenhaasnoot]

dude fix it now if you have shavings from anything in there that will plug up all your oil pumps after it dose that you will be better off buying a new motor

[kfx400rider03]

just had the oil filter out the other day nothing on it but oil. NOTHING IS GRINDING OR MAKING GRINDING NOISES. when it is in 3rd gear it is fine no rattle no grinding no noises no clanking. motor runs quiet

just the trouble is getting it into 3rd gear...

[Springbok]

I think what "Stephanhaasnoot" is trying to say-there is 2 strainer filters in the bottom of your transmision. They are both suction-one for pressure and one for scavanging oil pump. If they get blocked because of any metal filings,you can starve the engine from oil.If I were you,I would strip the tranny down and have everything checked. Price of a couple of gaskets is minimal.Rather sort out the problem before it breaks on you. Not fun seeing everybody going past you on the track/trail and you watching.