how do I remove hepco and becker engine bars?

[agriff]

I cant get the alternator cover off or get at T.D.C. bung without taking the engine bars off of my 1150.
Haven't found any instructions so did a search on here and glad i did after seeing this: "It's not a difficult job as long as you take it step by step and don't do anything stupid like taking out all the bolts and seeing your back end fall out.....", lucky I didn't rush into doing it!
If anyone has any guides or instructions that would be very helpful.

cheers
Griff

 

[Lord Snooty]

Looks like nobody else is going to chip in so I'll try and share my experience.

First of all - why can't you get to the TDC bung, I have H&B bars fitted and I don't have too much of a problem.

Anyhoo - if you do want to remove them then sequence is as follows.

1. Off with seat and then off with the fuel tank.
2. Remove the nut and bolt at the front of the engine panel that connects the two halves together.
3. Remove the forward mounting bolt under the tank area.
4. Loosen off the mid- mounting bolt but leave in as this will support the bars whilst you remove the final bolt.
5. Now for the rear mounting bolt - this bolt goes through the H&B bars, the subframe and into the engine. When it is removed then things go out of line making it a pain to reinsert the bolt and catch the threads. It is easy to end up damaging the threads on the bolt or worse. So before starting to slacken it off find a way of supporting the subframe - I do this by placing a jack under the rear footpeg hanger, use a hydraulic jack as it makes it easy to make small adjustments. Remove the rear bolt.
6. Remove the centre bolt and take off engine bar.
7. Replace forward and centre bolt.
8. Replace the rear bolt, this is where you might need to make minor adjustments to the jack to either raise or lower the subframe to get it in line. If all is in line then the bolt will go in easily and immediately catch the thread. If you feel resistance then things aren't lined up correctly and you are probably catching the bolt on the sub-frame hole.
9. Now repeat on the other side.
10. Replace seat and tank.

Best of luck

 

[Steptoe]

You do NOT have to remove H&B bars to change the alternator belt.

Just undo the nut/bolt that holds the bars together in front of the cover.
Hold the bars apart and the alternator cover will drop down, it is fiddly but it will come off.

But of you want to remove the bars just take one side off at a time, and replace the bolts on the side you've removed before removing the other side.

 

[agriff]

Managed to get the bung out after taking the tank off, found I still had to take the engine bars off to remove the rocker covers. Have others managed to leave them in place? I only checked the right side, but after taken the bars off that side i didn't check the left. By the way what kind of torque settings should I use ? (it was a bugger to get middle frame bolt off the left side)

thanks for the advice,
Griff

 

[Lord Snooty]

You don't need to take the bars off to get the rocker covers off either! You are having a bit of a time of it aren't you The left side rocker cover is a bit of a wiggle to get it off but it will come out with the bars in place. Can't help with the torque settings - i don't think there are any TBH.

 

[ianboydsnr]

why would you need the bung off, I just take out the sparkplug, put it in top gear and use a straw, whilst turning over the engine using the back wheel

 

[agriff]

I have read on here before attempting it that you could get covers off without taking bars off. I tried all angles and directions to get the rocker cover off, I didn't want to give up but in the end I decided its not possible with my set up. Anyhow I thought the bung method (I downloaded the instructions from advrider.com) could be easier or more accurate than taking plug out. I would probably do it this way again.
I didnt follow all the instructions, I used the back wheel to turn engine too.
Griff

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Put a hole in the rubber bung, then fit a tie wrap, saves some grief. Some chance of pushing it into the engine. This way you can hold the tie wrap while prodding the bung in.

 

[agriff]

When you say fit a tie wrap do you mean wrap around and join, then cut off after fitting?
All tips welcomed, this forum is great for looking up ideas gained from other peoples experience and answers to help doing things yourself.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

 

[Timolgra]

why would you need the bung off, I just take out the sparkplug, put it in top gear and use a straw, whilst turning over the engine using the back wheel

For TDC just remove the two covers at the rear of each cyl head and rotate engine with rear wheel until the two lines on the cam sprockets are horizontal and both valves closed

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Fair doos, but why bother machining a hole in the engine then?

Your idea seems far better than this poke a pencil in the spark plug hole

In fact it seems better than aligning the marks on the flywheel, I have fretted about this before, wondering how much paralex error there is. at least there is none with these engraved marks..................... by comparison.

Hang on covers? i though you were talking about the marks that could be seen after removing the rocker covers, are you referring to the black plastic covers?

 

[Steptoe]

Your idea seems far better than this poke a pencil in the spark plug hole

This is the easiest, simplest and just as accurate as all the other methods of finding TDC. Just make sure it's on the compression stroke by watching the inlet valves close.