Rebuilding a motorcycle transmission is much easier than you probably think it is. Honestly, any work on a motorcycle is going to be easier than work you do on your car. That’s because you don’t need to put your motorcycle on a lift over your head and you don’t need a dedicated jack to raise and lower the transmission and you won’t need a 250 ft-lb torque wrench or a 20-ton press.
This turns out to be good news because motorcycles often take more abuse than our daily driver does. Sequential transmissions shift faster by nature and motorcycles are designed to be fast and efficient so there usually isn’t much that is over-engineering in your transmission. These together can lead to higher failure rates for motorcycle transmissions over car transmissions.
If you’re ready to venture into a transmission rebuild, it’s important to get together all the parts you’ll need before you start your job.
What You Need for a Transmission Rebuild
- Rebuild kit
- Tools
- New Fluid
- Assembly Lube
- Instructions
Start with a rebuild kit for your transmission. This should include all the gaskets and seals you’ll need, new bearings and it helps if they come with new snap rings as well. If you suspect major failure it may be worth looking into a local dealer or another source for hard parts in case you need them. Next, gather up the tools you’ll need. Besides your normal socket set, you may need a bearing puller, a small press Next it’s important to get the fluid you will refill your transmission. Most transmissions can be broken in using the gear oil you will fill them with normally, but it’s a good idea to check the user’s manual before you purchase anything.
Simply filling your freshly rebuilt transmission with good fluid won’t be quiet enough to keep things lubricated on your initial drive. That’s why it’s important to use transmission assembly lube while you’re putting your transmission together. When most of us think of assembly lube we think of the goop you get in a tube and slather on your engine during a rebuild. While that worked 30 years ago, today’s transmission assembly lube is much more advanced.
PJ1 Assembly Lube is a specially formulated mixture of extreme pressure high-grade lubricants that protect your transmission during the first drive ensuring all your hard work pays off and you don’t destroy your new bearings.
PJ1 Assembly Lube is used by NASCAR®, Indy cars, and professional drag teams because they trust it to protect everything when it really counts. PJ1 Assembly lube comes in an easy to use spray can to ensure even coating of all components without excessive build-up or wasted product.
Lastly, you’re going to need a good set of instructions. No matter how much experience you have it’s imperative to have a repair manual. The basic procedure for rebuilding a transmission can come from experience but specific values like clearances and standard measurements to check hard part wear needs to be checked against the nominal value given by your transmission manufacturer.
When you’re ready to rebuild your transmission make sure you’ve got a can of PJ1 Assembly Lube to ensure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash