Circlip on countershaft

[maxi81]

Is it alright if the front sprocket is held on by a circlip instead of the nut? Just noticed this on my RM 400 when I've come to replace the countershaft seal. The nut seems hard to find these days which is why I think it's there instead of the nut when it was rebuilt.

[PeterC]

If the workshop manual, showd the front sprocket being held on by a nut (most adult sized bikes use a nut and lock tab), you should definately use the nut. A motorcycle dealer shouks stock a nut. Allowing the sprocket to move or come loose can lead to catastrophic faikure if - engine cases and or sprocket shaft. I would strongly recommend following the factory fastening system.

[pokey]

Just a circlip? err noo. A bit of frame of swingarm flex and you have a hell of a lot of side load on that circlip and ....Pop bang, cue the tears as cases dont like a shaft being jammed at 8000RPM.

09140-22006 is used on a few bikes including the rear axles

Nothing that special about it and you can still get the slotted washer ex suzuki.

[John Orchard]

If it has a nut, most surely the countershaft needs to be pulled hard to that side by the nut, so that all the gears sit in the correct position.

[maxi81]

Thanks for the replies. Have found a nut.

[sleepy]

This is getting a bit old now but I only lust read it. Circlips are use on a few different brands with success and the one that comes to mind are the Narrow case Maico's including the 490's. The biggest problem going with a clip on a motor designed for a nut is keeping the oil in as the nut is generally used to pull up against a sleeve that the seal runs on and without it the oil find a way out but it will negate the need to oil the chain ever again. I did once against my advice machine a circlip groove into a KX250 shaft after the thread had stripped to keep it working and I didn't hear anything bad happened. A better repair would be to weld the shaft end and re-thread it but that is a difficult repair.

[PeterC]

Keep the "outside of the box" fixes coming. As the bikes get older we aften have to resort to alternative fixes to keep the bikes running.