Hang on to your front sprocket...
 

I was unfortunate enough to have the retaining nut and lock washer on my Yamaha XT 600, part company with the bike somewhere in the outback of Australia. In order to get to Cairns (where I could get a replacement), without the front sprocket parting company with the bike in a messy and rather dangerous manner, I came up with this:

http://www.arseaboutface.com/oz/sprocket1.jpg

http://www.arseaboutface.com/oz/sprocket2.jpg

http://www.arseaboutface.com/oz/sprocket3.jpg

It's the top from my WD40 can and a couple of cable ties. :thumbup1:

Worked a treat, and am now in Cairns awaiting a replacement. Just thought it could be a handy tip if anyone was in a similar position.

Also if anyone fancies seeing a few pics from the Telegraph Track up to Cape York, they're on the blog at Arse About Face - A motorcycle misadventure around Australia

Cheers!

Bush mechanics at it's best, who ever would have thought you could hold on a drive sprocket with 3 pieces of plastic. It's amazing what you can get by with, good job!

Just had a quick read of your site, looks like you have had a ball. I see you are travelling south again, when you get near this neck of the woods, let me know and we can sink a few beers and talk tales of the infamous Cape York.

Nicely done man. :thumbup1:

Love reading about, and especially viewing, those innovative bush mechanics at work.

Great tip always worth knowing .

Brilliant Sly-Fox, brilliant.
I like to think I would have come up with that idea if I was in a similar situation although I suspect not.
I will now though, thank you.

Every right to be proud of that one.

Thanks for sharing it.

What a fab idea! Genius :-)

Glad it's proving useful :) The new one is thoroughly 'loctited' on, it's not going anywhere in a hurry. (Except attached to the bike of course!)

great bodge but brave !!

If it failed then the chain and sprocket would of ripped through your crankcase. Just a snapped chain can do that.

Slap on the wrist for not torquing up the sprocket nut correctly.:oops2:

Nice bodge Sly Fox !

Sometimes in situations like that you can use a Jubillee Clip [ hose clamp] on the shaft to prevent the sprocket moving .
Old farm machinery used to have wooden blocks as chain tensioners and guides , very crude but you can also use wood as a bodge sometimes ,oil it well though .

Tell me Mr. Fox, have you ever owned an LC4 KTM?
Very elegant bodge mate!

It's Technique, Not Technical

Well would you credit it? Maybe I can get some dosh out of KTM for pinching my idea. Probably not though. :) It did prove surprisingly effective at keeping the bike going til a replacement could be sourced. The thread on the shaft is pretty shoddy though, which is why it worked itself loose the first time.

Red Loctite is definately the way to go, I've not had any similar problems since I added a bit of that stuff. Plus it saves me having the whole bloody thing re-threaded while I'm on a tight budget. :thumbup1:

Mcguyver would be so proud.........
 

Note to self: do not throw away the cap on my wd-40 can and carry more wire straps!! Really brilliant! Creative, just like the latino mechanics would do! LOL

Good Bodge!
 

Excellent Bodge! Thats what I like about us bikers.we are just so innovative... stuck in the middle of "where the heck am i" most people would have a panic attack and cry.... not a biker. a biker looks at the problem and says...."hmmm...what have i got /can i find/ beg borrow/ etc that will FIx this"
well done!

it's not restricted to KTM...

Sprocket nuts coming off like that are a common problem on Yamaha Fazers, and I've had the same happen on my Thunderace. The 'ace at least had a metal cup, again similar to your bodge, such that I didn't even know the nut had come off until I came to change the chain and sprockets.


a

Man I wish my Aprilia had that built in the cover!, I had my sprocket fly off as I over-took a vehicle on a motorway in the UK with cars up my arse. The road had barriers between directions and I had to pull over on the 60cm gap between the fast lane and the barrier, and waited 45min for a gap to push the bike across to the other side.

It could have turned out so much worse, imagine the wheel had jammed! You guys are lucky you even get a nut to keep it on, my Pegaso only has a circlip!

Trav

amazing what can be learned here! For example--what the bleeding hell is Red loctite? I have only carried the black stuff, but if red is better and serves the same purposes--well, the black can goes.

fortunately, I have neither a front sprocket, nor a chain, but only have to worry about the CVTbelt. Unfortunately, there are 9,787,000 other screws, bolts, adjusters on the scooter that come loose at embarrasing times that must be tightened to specs. The torque wrench I carry is only a 3/8 with a 12 inch bar and when tightening the rear axle, requires standing on the side of the road and begging for a strong giant to come by or lucking out and finding a pice of discarded pipe in the ditch. That's okay though. It usually takes two or three hours to change the rear tire so there is lots of time to pray for the giant.

Loc-Tite is an American product developed for the aircraft industry.

What MollyDog said :thumbup1:



RED:

OEM specified as 271
High temperature, high strength for heavy duty applications
Designed for larger fasteners 3/8" to 1" (9.5mm to 25mm)
Locks studs, bushings and large fasteners against vibration loosening
Strengthens slip and light press fits
Removable with heat and hand tools

BLUE:

Locks threaded fasteners against vibration loosening
Ideal for nut and bolt applications 1/4" to 3/4" (6mm to 20mm)
Prevents threads from rusting and leaking
Removable with hand tools for easy disassembly
Temperature range: -65 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (-54 degrees to 149 degrees Celsius)

Info nicked from: Loctite Consumer Retail Products | Threadlockers

I used the Red on the shaft as it was pretty large, and was going to need to stand up to a lot of abuse. :scooter:

Very ingenious, glad I saw this in case it happens to me.

excellent fix! :thumbup1:

i've lost the sprocket nut&washer on my TDM 3times now, i've been very close to welding it, but correct torque and red locktite seems to have done the trick:cool4:

unfortuneately the tread is damaged so the next time it happens the chances are its an engine rebuild :(

it seems to be a common problem with Yamahas of a certain age :rolleyes2:

Very True!!
 

:thumbup1:
& BTW Hindu,
why not carry a spare piece of pipe about 2-3 feet long & let its barrel exposed somewhere (maybe back of neck) you would look like that Austrian American actor/mayor!!


Hasta La Vista Baby
:scooter:

I too am a member of the TDM wayward sprocket club. I got through a few regulators and batteries too but other than that I had 14 years of trouble free riding. TDM's rock !

lol that they do :cool4:

i also had the regulator go, it chucked all the charge at the battery, caused a mini acid explosion and toasted all the bulbs & fuses on the bike:censored:

if you havent already pick up an electrex RR98, its a heavy duty replacement and will outlast the bike :thumbup1: