4 Lessons - Costly, But Priceless

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Fred - your "17 ft pd all around" method seems logical to me and that's what I plan to go with.

For the record, what was found in my oil on Sunday was not black or grey dust, not diluted "splooge", and not brass (if there is any in the pumpkin). It is magnetic, shiny, and flakey metal. I am assuming that it is bearing metal. Either a race, cage, or roller(s) got too hot and the friction started flaking the metal off.

We might as well learn something - after I'm done with it, if my abilities and my tools will allow, I'll disassemble the grenade and post any pictures of what I find. Further, I'll gladly keep the grenade and offer any useful parts to anyone that needs them.

G-squared: Interesting research, thanks. I think I'll just remember to tighten the drain plugs and not worry about carrying a spare. I may forget other things, but if I live to be 100, I don't think I will ever forget to tighten (or torque) any drain plug ever again.

As many others suggest, I maybe able to just led it ride. It might go like it is for 200,000 miles (instead of its designed 500,000 life span). But I know myself and my paranoid tendencies. I'm just not willing to lather myself up over this anymore. This is why I'm fixing it now. A used pumpkin would be absolutely fine (and much cheaper). But it's a new bike - I bought it because I like all of the refinements over my former Gen I. But I also bought it because I want a few years of not worrying about mechanical issues. Just take care of regular maintenance, and ride. My gen I was in great shape, and may last many years for its new owner without any problems. But at 62,000 miles, it's chances of issues are exponentially higher than my brand new bike. If my brand new bike is 99.5% brand new, then in my mind, I still have to be concerned about the 0.5% that isn't. The chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Now in my mind, if I'm going to lather myself up over anything, then I'd just as soon have kept the old bike, saved myself a ton of money, and lathered myself up over EVERYTHING. So I'm going to pour money on this and make myself feel better.

The paranoia that I'm describing is not rational. These things are metal, inanimate, and can be rationalized like everything else, especially coming from an educated man with 40 years experience holding wrenches (hard though that may be to believe). And in reality, it's not really anything close to that bad for me. However to an extent, I freely admit that it's real. But the point of the motorcycle adventure is to enjoy the time and the miles TOGETHER. If I can't do that, why take the chance on getting killed with it? I'll just take up golf and move on.

I'm not trying to convince any of you that my way is best. Nor am I scolding any of you for thinking your way. I guess I'm just venting a little with my keyboard. The difference between being 25 and 50 is that a 25 year old thinks he is invincible and can truly guide the world where he thinks it should go. A 50 year old knows from his experiences that he is fallible, and accepts the world for what it is.

 
I think all of us suffer from a little bit of OCD about one thing or another. I'm willing to bet your new compulsion will be drain plug tightness. I always throw my wallet in my tankbag and yet 3 blocks from where I last used it, I find myself opening the tankbag to make sure it's in there!

You'll likely never forget to tighten the drain plug again on ANY vehicle you perform service on. It's just going to be one of those life lessons.

I saw a previous post suggesting using the old FD as a core for a regeared set. That sounds like an interesting concept.

 
Where's Bust when you need him? This is another thread that needs to die a painful death. Good God.

 
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I'm big believer in people doing what gives them peace of mind. Some folk even use synthetic oil :D

Seriously, it's your bike and you have to ride and rely on it. I go for long rides, from time to time, and a crucial aspect is that of reducing stress and worry as much as is humanly possible. I am about to leave on a 48/10, I would not be happy if I were leaving, already worried about the FD.

Part of making replies in a forum like this is remembering that others read the replies, and might be guided by them, so I always try to give what I think forms best advice. But I also respect a personal decision because the only person I really know here is me, and my actions and ideas are not the same as everyone's.

So change the damned thing, and be relaxed and happy. That is why we ride.

 
I have been so busy safety wiring the lug nuts on my truck that I have not had time to read all the new posts. Then I got my suspenders tangled up with my belt. I slipped and fell in the oil that drained out of my fish fryer because I failed to safety wire the drain valve. At least I was wearing my helmet, I always wear it around the house just in case.

Yeah, this one started off good but like all of them it went downhill eventually.

 
I have been so busy safety wiring the lug nuts on my truck that I have not had time to read all the new posts. Then I got my suspenders tangled up with my belt. I slipped and fell in the oil that drained out of my fish fryer because I failed to safety wire the drain valve. At least I was wearing my helmet, I always wear it around the house just in case.
Yeah, this one started off good but like all of them it went downhill eventually.
I don't think I want to wire my nuts.

 
If I'm reading this correctly, you were riding with a Yamaha salesman. So two questions come to mind.

He was close enough behind you that he got hit by the bolt, but not so close as to notice the oil spewing from your final drive?

I applaud your honesty regarding the Y.E.S. warranty, but how were you going to square this with a riding partner who works for Yamaha had you wanted to make a false warranty claim?

Just wondering

 
Glad o hear that everybody is OK! I'm with you pants, I would probably replace the pumpkin with a new one to keep the YES.
Greg,

I accidentally clicked unlike to your post. I meant to press like. I would have done the same thing. Ain't nothing like being 2000 miles from home on a deserted road and worrying about such things. Personally I think the cost of repair was not significant.

 
After much thought, I'm going to convert my axle nuts to the ones I had on my RM250. Screw safety wire, I want a nice beefy cotter pin.

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Boker:

1. Gary noticed the oil on his bike when we stopped, but not before. It's 0.21 liters of whale ****, spewing out at 80-ish mph on a 95 degree afternoon in 70% humidity. Not exactly a tidal wave coming at him.

2. I have no clue. It never occurred to me to even think about making a false claim, whether or not Gary was behind me.

 
2. I have no clue. It never occurred to me to even think about making a false claim, whether or not Gary was behind me.
One the many lessons passed down from my father. "When you screw up, man up."

I've had some experiences that has drilled that into me more than ever, on both sides of the coin. Karma is a real thing. Kudos.

 
Learned my 'drain plug lesson' by stripping the sump pan threads on a Suzuki in a past lifetime,

so learned the 'One task - all focus - lesson'.

Hope the fix goes well, and that any future mistakes for any of us, costs less than $1000.

 
Safety wire is used for just in case. You say a properly tightened plug won't come off. OK. And you are never going to make a mistake. Safety wire prevents the consequences of the mistake.
No I don't lose sleep at night over whether I have remembered to tighten my drain plug because I tighten the damn thing immediately as a part of installing it. It's not a multiple step process to install a drain plug. And, if somehow I were distracted (or drunk) enough to forget to install the drain plug the big puddle of clean oil on the floor would be a sure tip-off.
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What about the caliper bolts. Do you safety wire those too? Or the axle nuts? What about those fork pinch bolts? There are numerous fasteners that you don't want to come loose, shouldn't they all be safety wired?
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Further, most people on this forum recommend less than the Yamaha torque spec for engine drain plugs. If I am going to use half the factory torque spec, I am going to safety wire it just in case.

Seriously... hasn't this topic been beaten to death yet?

The incorrect torque spec is on the ENGINE oil drain plug. The manual says 31 ft-lbs, which is ludicrous. That is the one that gets stripped.

The (correct) torque spec in the manual for both the FINAL DRIVE fill and drain plugs is 17 ft-lbs. I have never heard of a final drive drain or fill plug being stripped, or coming loose if torqued to 17 ft-lbs.

As observed earlier, it's the same damn plug, threaded into soft aluminum alloy in all three instances.

17 ft lbs is the correct spec. It will crush the crush washer (if you have one) and will be tight enough to not come loose.
Well, if you go to the track they demand that the drain plugs and oil filters are safety wired. Just being stupid I guess. You think that the Yamaha folks are stupid or that the manuals for all these years have a typo in them that they refuse to correct. You could be wrong. Look, it probably won't come off. I safety wire mine. You don't have to.

 
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