shift lever rubbing on side cover

[2001400exrida]

Has anybody else noticed that their 400ex does this? My new one doesn't but the old beater does and it's really grinding.

Should i take the lever off and try to bend it back? I've moved it out on the shifter rod, but it still seems to rub. I really don't want to grind a hole in the side cover that would suck haha.

[finsteratv]

just throw a crescent wrench or somthin on there and bend it out.

[CJM]

Mine doesnt, if it was closer to the case I wouldnt be able to catch it with my boots. Take it off, throw it in a vise and bend it back.

[slightlybent47]

I’d take it off first before trying to bend it. You could damage the shaft or the seal if you bend it while it’s still on the bike. There is a grove on the shaft where the bolt is supposed to go through that holds it on the spline. If you move it out like you said you did and the bolt is not in the grove it may fall off on you while you’re riding and you could lose it and have to park it for the day.

[2001400exrida]

sounds good, yeah it's got to be bent although it doesn't appear to be.

i have it only sitting about halfway on he shifter rod and it's still rubbing so i'm thinking it has to be bent.

i'll do the vise method, i don't want to put any pressure on that shifter rod and possibly torque it out of wack.

[2001400exrida]

yeah it's definetly not in that groove. it's tight on there though i've ridden plenty of times just like that and it hasn't gone anywhere.

[slightlybent47]

Mine fell off one day while riding on a track and when I tried to put it back on, I found that the shaft had broke off where the grove is, so it wouldn’t go back on. The worst thing about that was that I just had the top rebuilt. So it was ether break the case or weld it.
So we very carefully welded it back on being careful not to get the shaft to hot and not melt the seal. It worked and is still on there, but it will need to be cut off and replaced when I redo the motor the next time.

[2001400exrida]

this could have already happened on my wheeler, i got this thing used and in bad shape, jsut finished up the motor myself.

I will have to check the shaft to see if the groove is even there. Is it a hole or what is it? I know that there are splines on the shaft and the lever that help hold it on there. my lever is only about halfway on the splines.

[slightlybent47]

There should be a grove not a hole. If there is no grove you may have broken it off like mine did.

[2001400exrida]

yeah it prolly broke off. i don't see now the shifter would be rubbing when it's only halfway on the rod. the shifter doesn't look that bent. i'll take it off tonight and see what's going on.

[slightlybent47]

If you have to weld it, make sure you run water over the shaft while you weld it.
My friend welded while I squirted water over the shaft from a water bottle. Keep the welder on low heat and weld it just enough to hold it, don’t try to weld it like it’s going to be there for ever.