Late Model KTM (NOT VMX related)

[Hoony]

This is a caution to all late model KTM owners, possibly mine could be an isolated case.

the other night i changed the chain & sprockets on my KTM300EXC. this is the first change on the bike since new.

i needed to pull the axle forward toward engine to get the correct tension as old chain was stretched, the axle adjusters were tight then really tight. when i tried to back them out the bloody things were nearly frozen in each direction, now as it has a 10mm hex i was worried i was going to round it off with a open ender so pulled the axle out and got a 3/8" drive single hex socket onto to it to no avail. i had to use some heat, penetrene and finally managed to get it out.

The adjusters had slight damage where they bound and are high tensile M10 x 1.25 metric fine thread, i had a thread file and cleaned them up and then run a Tap thought the swingarm only to find it did not go through freely and i was surprised at the amount of swarf caught when i removed the Tap. I found the same thing on the other side. i then assembled using anti seize.


So if you have one of these i recommend you check yours, imagine getting the bloody thing stuck in there on the side of the trail !

[shoey]

Hoony

what year model was it

Thanks

shoey

[b490]

Have heard that it can be common problem . I checked /greased  the adjuster bolts from new. (2006)
     I remove the adjusters on my 300 & grease on a regular interval  ( at rear tyre change), so at least 2 -3 times in a year.
 

[Hoony]

2005 KTM300EXC

[shoey]

Thanks guys

i will check mine tommorrow.

[bigk]

Welcome to the world of KTM and now Husaberg. This is common if you aren't made aware. If they break (they do), it's a huge pain in the arse to fix as you need extra long drill bits to start with. If you own one and haven't already done so, pull them out now and put some anti sieze on the threads. If they are already tight, good luck!
Cheers,
K

[Hoony]

Hey K,  anything else i need to be aware of?

i have done hardly any maintenance on this bike as i have hardly ridden it since new .

[Mike52]

Any body notice the pitch of that bolt?
I was taught at TECK  that you put a course pitch in aluminium.
Because the thread was deeper and had less chance of stripping.
Guess we don,t do that anymore.
After all what did they know in the old days

[Hoony]

Mike the back of this arm is some kind of weird alloy, the tap when it went through felt like steel more than aluminium?

[Mike52]

The ones on my husky are forged but all the same still not as tough as steel.
The fine threads are a new thing.
I have noticed them lately and wondered.
Have some in the exhaust and inlet  flanges on my 240 wr and yes they are all stripped.
Put recoils in , they fixed it.

[bigk]

Just normal maintenance Hoony, but don't overtighten the chain as the rear hub doesn't like it due to the PDS system. If you are unsure, go on the looser side rather than tighter. The PDS bush (bottom of shock) wears out semi regularly, but are easy to replace and not badly priced.
Cheers,
K

[dalesween]

Yeah,been a prob for a long time,i just had the wheel out of my 360 the other day and the right hand side adjuster was pretty stiff but still working,i went strait down to Bursons and got a small container of anti sieze and applied ,did up the adjusters and undone a couple of times and now all is sweet.

P.S. mines a 97 so its not for just modern models.

dale.

[BAHNZY]

A few extra things on top of Micks points.
The KTM & Berg adjuster bolts always have been and always will be a pain in the bum. Tends to be an issue more so when people take the "optional" items off the swing arm, chain guards etc, and dont block the holes off. Water then sits on the inside of the swing arm and corrodes and seizes the bolt. EVERY time you take the wheel out, back out the adjusters and re-apply the anti-seize.
And.......
1, Check the rear sprockets at the start and 1/2 way through each decent ride. The amount of TALON rear hubs that we have fitted to KTM's & Bergs is incredible, al because the bolts come loose.
2. The lower PDS shock bearing cops a flogging. Watch them carefully.
3. Watch the subframe where the seat sits/rubs on it. Seen quiet a few badly damaged.
4. Side stand bolts. KTM have had problems with them for ages and their modified ones are marginally better. The amount of riders that come in with nothing more than a spring with the rest lost in the bush is hugh. If it happens dump the KTM system and fit a TRAILTECH unit.
5. If the bike is a few years old and she's hit the deck a few times, replace the clamp mounting bolts. Seen bikes that have come off a big errosion jump and landed to a broken bolt.
6. If you have a 4 stroke, and it's a few seasons old, check the throttle cables, they wear out and faster than the 2 stroke single cable.

[dalesween]

Thanks, good info.

Dale.

[evo550]

I have a 09 250 sx (2t) and had alot of issues with bolts seizing threads. Everything that comes off now gets a dob of grease before going back in. The nuts and bolts seem to be made of plasticine.
I have snapped of jets, just by looking at them. In two strokes there is a nut that holds the needle in the slide, not the usual plate held by throttle return spring. This rounds off without even getting a spanner out of the toolbox, an costs $85 to replace.
Stripping sump plug threads is another fairly common problem, 'specially in the smaller bikes.
All that said, what a great bike......makes pre '90 bikes feel like model "T" fords.