220 Crank install

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
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Jacobtm
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220 Crank install

Post by Jacobtm »

Rebuilding my 1998 220. I tried to sweat the crank in but I don’t think the bearing got hot enough and it didn’t go all the way in. I have a puller but no adapter that fits right side of the crank. Does anyone know what thread pitch the crank is? I think its m16x1.25 but cant find a nut anywhere. Im tempted to push the crank back out and try to sweat it in again but Im worried the bearing might still come out with the crank even though it is not all the way in and I dont have a separator. Any ideas?
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bufftester
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by bufftester »

Crank installer/Puller tool is the best way to do it and poses the least risk to the crank. Short of that you really are stuck with pulling it and hoping the bearing doesn't come off as well.
Jacobtm
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by Jacobtm »

Posted a little too soon. I had ordered some nuts off amazon but wasn’t sure if they would work with the puller. They came in and worked great. Freshly rebuilt crank installed hopefully can get the rest of it together this week.
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billie_morini
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by billie_morini »

Jacobtm, whew! Thank goodness!
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bufftester
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by bufftester »

The right tool really does make all the difference
kdxdazz
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by kdxdazz »

You may already know this but once all together it's important to relieve the side loading on the bearings
It's been talked about a few times and sometimes gets confused with centering the crank
Once together there will be side load on the bearings, although centering the crank is not crucial, the only way to relieve the side load is moving the crank towards the centre, you can use a crank puller if you have it or the service manual states a light tap with a soft hammer and a wedge put in the crank webs to stop it going out of true, I did it both ways on my 3 kdx's, pulled the crank roughly to centre then a few taps either side with a nylon hammer
Once that side load is relieved you can really feel the crank free up and move easily
1999 KDX220SR (KDX220-B5)
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billie_morini
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by billie_morini »

kdxdazz wrote: 09:44 pm Nov 28 2024 You may already know this but once all together it's important to relieve the side loading on the bearings
It's been talked about a few times and sometimes gets confused with centering the crank
Once together there will be side load on the bearings, although centering the crank is not crucial, the only way to relieve the side load is moving the crank towards the centre, you can use a crank puller if you have it or the service manual states a light tap with a soft hammer and a wedge put in the crank webs to stop it going out of true, I did it both ways on my 3 kdx's, pulled the crank roughly to centre then a few taps either side with a nylon hammer
Once that side load is relieved you can really feel the crank free up and move easily
Wow, this is really important to know! Thank you, kdxazz.
kdxdazz
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by kdxdazz »

If you ever follow chuck.harder videos on YouTube he has a few videos on a factory recall by TM for failed main bearings caused by side load on the bearings
On our kdx bearings it may become even more important as we don't have access to hydraulic presses, we usually use the heat and freeze method and this creates additional side load once all the temperatures have equalised
1999 KDX220SR (KDX220-B5)
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billie_morini
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by billie_morini »

Ah-so, even more good stuff from kdxazz!
Jacobtm
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by Jacobtm »

kdxdazz wrote: 09:44 pm Nov 28 2024 You may already know this but once all together it's important to relieve the side loading on the bearings
It's been talked about a few times and sometimes gets confused with centering the crank
Once together there will be side load on the bearings, although centering the crank is not crucial, the only way to relieve the side load is moving the crank towards the centre, you can use a crank puller if you have it or the service manual states a light tap with a soft hammer and a wedge put in the crank webs to stop it going out of true, I did it both ways on my 3 kdx's, pulled the crank roughly to centre then a few taps either side with a nylon hammer
Once that side load is relieved you can really feel the crank free up and move easily
Dang it I didn’t really do this. I used the puller to put the halves together but not sure if I pulled it enough to the left side once they were together. crank seemed to move free. I put the top end all together yesterday. Do you think I should try to use the puller on the flywheel side to pull in just a hair? I wont be able to see its location since the top end is on now.
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Chuck78
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by Chuck78 »

kdxdazz wrote: 10:15 pm Nov 29 2024 If you ever follow chuck.harder videos on YouTube he has a few videos on a factory recall by TM for failed main bearings caused by side load on the bearings
On our kdx bearings it may become even more important as we don't have access to hydraulic presses, we usually use the heat and freeze method and this creates additional side load once all the temperatures have equalised

Here's a few pertinent topics from Chuck Harder @ True Tech:

https://youtube.com/shorts/ptrrsBtOE6k? ... bC4kABym4Z


https://youtube.com/shorts/PDJepCJ2dwg? ... bx9oz7HDJ8

https://youtube.com/shorts/jssNWTA---A? ... dQjTi8AoRA

https://youtube.com/shorts/QszCgJJZ1TE? ... 5leWPImlr5

https://youtube.com/shorts/HobZG287qh0? ... hDfcRy3F-v



'97 KDX220R - purple/green! - KLX forks, Lectron, FMF, Tubliss
'99 KDX220R project - '98/'01 RM125 suspension, Titanium hardware, Lectron Billetron Pro, Tubliss
'77 Suzuki PE250 & '83 Suzuki PE175 Full Floater - restomod projects
'77 Suzuki GS750-844cc, '77 GS400/489cc & '77 GS550/740cc projects
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kdxdazz
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by kdxdazz »

Jacobtm wrote: 11:32 am Dec 01 2024
kdxdazz wrote: 09:44 pm Nov 28 2024 You may already know this but once all together it's important to relieve the side loading on the bearings
It's been talked about a few times and sometimes gets confused with centering the crank
Once together there will be side load on the bearings, although centering the crank is not crucial, the only way to relieve the side load is moving the crank towards the centre, you can use a crank puller if you have it or the service manual states a light tap with a soft hammer and a wedge put in the crank webs to stop it going out of true, I did it both ways on my 3 kdx's, pulled the crank roughly to centre then a few taps either side with a nylon hammer
Once that side load is relieved you can really feel the crank free up and move easily
Dang it I didn’t really do this. I used the puller to put the halves together but not sure if I pulled it enough to the left side once they were together. crank seemed to move free. I put the top end all together yesterday. Do you think I should try to use the puller on the flywheel side to pull in just a hair? I wont be able to see its location since the top end is on now.
You may be ok since you used a puller to put it together rather than heat and freeze method, tough call, using the puller without seeing how far you pulled the crank webs seems tricky
I've personally never used a puller to assemble the cases
I thought it needed to be pulled from the clutch side but it's 7am here in Thailand and just sipping my morning coffee after 1 too many beers last night so my brain is a bit foggy
If it was my engine and my call to make I would give it a few taps with a nylon hammer on the side you think it needs to go, using the heat and freeze method it's the flywheel side from memory
Currently building an nsr150 engine on my kitchen bench so I lost a bit of kdx memory

As posted by chuck78, I think chuck harder produces some of the most knowledgeable videos, I've messaged him personally asking for advice
1999 KDX220SR (KDX220-B5)
Jacobtm
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by Jacobtm »

I ended up taking the jug off and pulling the crank over a hair just to be safe. I also couldn’t remember if I double checked that the rings went in to the cylinder correctly so I got to check that. Got the top buttoned back up and put the engine into the frame. Been about two years since the PO’s faulty top end job grenaded cant wait to get it fired up.
IMG_4267.jpeg
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Had to mock up what the plastics were going to look like.
Had to mock up what the plastics were going to look like.
IMG_4266.jpeg (1.42 MiB) Viewed 380 times
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billie_morini
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Re: 220 Crank install

Post by billie_morini »

Jacob, Getting close! Let us know when she crackles to life!
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