Case splitting.

Got questions? We got answers....
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 5761
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Contact:

Case splitting.

Post by SS109 »

Well, the case splitter is an absolute necessity unless you want to trash the case halves. However, you don't have to buy the crank puller/installer. Plenty of people have put bottom ends together without one. I did mine without one.

What I did was the freeze the crank (for at least four hours) and drop it into the oven heated (200 degrees F- 20 minutes) right case half method. Smooth as butter! I let it all sit to come to room temp before going any further. Then I laid on a bead of Yamabond and then dropped on the oven heated left case half. Unfortunately, I couldn't work fast enough to get it all together before the bearings and case half gripped onto one another but did get it about half way on. I made my own poor mans crank puller (some extra trans gears and washers) and used the flywheel nut to cinch down the case halves. You could do the same thing with a small piece of pipe cut to the right length and some thick flat washers. If you have a Dremel you can make the pipe fit the case even better. Look at the post above with the crank tool in it and you can figure out how it works.
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
GKBO
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 213
Joined: 11:01 am Dec 28 2012
Country:
Location: Sooke(just north of Victoria)BC,Canada

Case splitting.

Post by GKBO »

I was despairing of even getting the 86 any farther yesterday so why send the $$ on tools to fix the dead engine if there's no carb?With at least the possibility I can get her up and going I 'm feeling better about it.Going to see if I can borrow a splitter from someone on my local bike forum to.
GKBO
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 213
Joined: 11:01 am Dec 28 2012
Country:
Location: Sooke(just north of Victoria)BC,Canada

Case splitting.

Post by GKBO »

ImageI bought this harmonic remover to get the flywheel off,If I can line it up with 3 or 4 case bolts would it work as a case splitter?
Edit:Never mind,I will not line up :sad:
GKBO
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 213
Joined: 11:01 am Dec 28 2012
Country:
Location: Sooke(just north of Victoria)BC,Canada

Case splitting.

Post by GKBO »

Found something interesting in the Clymer manual http://books.google.ca/books?id=x_qLnBH ... CDgQ6AEwAQ It seems the Kawasaki factory splitter is a 2 screw affair that attaches to the coil mounts.I tend to think this would not be ideal.Comments?
User avatar
rbates9
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 3164
Joined: 06:07 pm Apr 27 2010
Country:
Location: UPSTATE New York

Case splitting.

Post by rbates9 »

The design of that case in the picture is different from the newer liquid cooled engines. That book is for 83-88 air cooled engines.
GKBO
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 213
Joined: 11:01 am Dec 28 2012
Country:
Location: Sooke(just north of Victoria)BC,Canada

Case splitting.

Post by GKBO »

Yes it is because that is the engine I'm dealing with.I could probaly just use the harmonic puller I have here to split the case on my 86 I think spreading the load is a better idea.Or am I just being paranoid and using the 2 coil mounts will be just fine?
Edit:Since this is a question better asked in the air cooled section I've asked it there http://kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=13390 to stop my inadvertent thread jack.
User avatar
rbates9
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 3164
Joined: 06:07 pm Apr 27 2010
Country:
Location: UPSTATE New York

Case splitting.

Post by rbates9 »

It looks like for the case in the picture a two bolt puller should work just fine. The bolt holes look to be bigger then the stator plate mounting holes on the newer bikes.

And as long as you specify that it is an air cooled engine and it has to do with splitting cases then I wouldn't say your hijacking the thread. Just adding a note to the differences. :wink:
GKBO
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 213
Joined: 11:01 am Dec 28 2012
Country:
Location: Sooke(just north of Victoria)BC,Canada

Case splitting.

Post by GKBO »

Image
Decided I'd take the opportunity to try splitting the cases on my air cooled with the 2 coil mount bolts with this set up.
Image
It worked just great,hit the bearing with penetrating oil and heat as well.Might just need new mains :shock: :mrgreen: :rolleyes: :blink:
argclh6670
Supporting Member
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:01 pm Dec 31 2012
Country: USA
Location: port orchard, washington

Case splitting.

Post by argclh6670 »

Nice write up. i didnt use a crank installer tool such as yours, i did the heat n freeze deal.
some like to use a torch...thats too risky i feel...heat gun is safer and quicker. As far as freezing, i used dry-ice, 15 mins was good. I gotta get that tusk too. nice tool.

To the OP, where did get that puller at? that thing is girthy!
User avatar
rbates9
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 3164
Joined: 06:07 pm Apr 27 2010
Country:
Location: UPSTATE New York

Case splitting.

Post by rbates9 »

The crank puller is a Tusk from RMATV. The puller I used for splitting the cases is a Snap On wheel hub puller. The wheel hub puller will run you probably close to what you could buy another KDX for. :shock: But it is what I had and it worked well. It is by far overkill and way more then you should ever need to split the cases. You probably wouldn't even need to take the case bolts out. :lol:
frenche200
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 245
Joined: 12:56 pm Oct 04 2013
Country:
Location: france

Re: Case splitting.

Post by frenche200 »

Great topic! Excuse me if the question already been asked, but my feeble understanding of English make me some trouble to reading ..
I see you put the bearing in the half case first, and not on the crank: a particular reason?
thank you :grin:
i'm French and I don't speak English very well, so, please, excuse me :)
User avatar
scheckaet
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 3740
Joined: 12:09 am Nov 10 2005
Country:
Location: edmond oklahoma

Case splitting.

Post by scheckaet »

easiest way that i know.
User avatar
Tedh98
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 1576
Joined: 01:08 pm Mar 20 2009
Country:
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Contact:

Re: Case splitting.

Post by Tedh98 »

rbates9 wrote: Image
Quick question/clarification on the crank installer. Does the base of the installer rest against the case or does it somehow rest against the inner bearing race?

I would think it has to rest against the case, otherwise the seal would be in the way and get damaged if the installer rested against the inner race. But if it rests against the case, it would cause a side load on the bearing when you crank is pulled through.
User avatar
rbates9
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 3164
Joined: 06:07 pm Apr 27 2010
Country:
Location: UPSTATE New York

Case splitting.

Post by rbates9 »

yes. It sits against the case. It does side load the bearing but the bearing should be hard enough to not be harmed by it. Pretty much any way you put the bearing in will side load the bearing.
User avatar
Tedh98
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 1576
Joined: 01:08 pm Mar 20 2009
Country:
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Contact:

Re: Case splitting.

Post by Tedh98 »

Thanks for confirming that.
DJNiedz
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: 08:14 pm Aug 02 2015
Country:

Case splitting.

Post by DJNiedz »

i had the spare time, lathe, and mill. I made my crank installer rather than spending the money. worked like a charm (on my friends yz125, havent used it on my kdx yet, probably this winter).

Image
Image
scriberman
Supporting Member
Posts: 44
Joined: 03:06 pm Feb 03 2015
Country:
Location: Sunny Andover UK.

Case splitting.

Post by scriberman »

rbates9 wrote:yes. It sits against the case. It does side load the bearing but the bearing should be hard enough to not be harmed by it. Pretty much any way you put the bearing in will side load the bearing.
Big engineering NO NO to side load ball bearings . I remove the crankcase lip so I can install the bearing correctly. Also means crank seals can be replaced without splitting cases. Plus plus.
User avatar
Tedh98
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 1576
Joined: 01:08 pm Mar 20 2009
Country:
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Contact:

Case splitting.

Post by Tedh98 »

scriberman wrote:Big engineering NO NO to side load ball bearings . I remove the crankcase lip so I can install the bearing correctly. Also means crank seals can be replaced without splitting cases. Plus plus.
Do you have pictures of the retainers you setup to replace the lips you removed?

I was going to attempt this on an extra set of cases but couldnt see bow to securely fasten a retainer.

I have found heating up the inner race is the way to go.
scriberman
Supporting Member
Posts: 44
Joined: 03:06 pm Feb 03 2015
Country:
Location: Sunny Andover UK.

Re: Case splitting.

Post by scriberman »

No retainer needed. Seals are a nice fit in the cases , smear of wellseal is all thats needed. Most modern stuff just press fits from the outside. Done 3 engines so far, all running well.
riknull
Supporting Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 10:13 am Apr 06 2016
Country:

Re: Case splitting.

Post by riknull »

A million thanks to rbates9 for the post and photos, they were a tremendous help while replacing crank seals on my motor.

However, I made a boneheaded mistake which I hope to help others avoid--I left 2nd gear off the input shaft and pressed the case crankcase together. When checking the trans through all the gears afterward, 2nd acted like neutral (no kidding!) and several gears seemed to be the same ratio. Without that gear in place, the input shaft could slide left and right within the cases.

All told it cost me a couple of days and $30-ish for a new left side crank bearing. The bearing stayed with the crankshaft when I took it apart, and I didn't feel comfortable putting it back in after being pressed off the crank. Pay attention, focus on your work, and don't do what I did!
Post Reply