Refitting outer cover, ball problems:

Don't laugh. I'm having trouble getting the selector shaft into the floating ball as I slide the cover in place.
Should the selector arm be in neutral? I'm not having much luck getting it aligned. I can't see much, and the slightest touch knocks the ball crooked. I do have it mounted in thick grease.
I'm thinking if I put it in 4th, it will be easier to see down thru the crack. Will this be ok?
Any tricks would be appreciated.
JD75

Oh I had a bear with this one too. its kinda like putting a snadwich together with stuff on both sides. The heavy grease is the track and for me I could get it on but there was something in the selector mech that keped hanging up. I got it finaly by jiggling it a tiny but at the same tim as pushing it on.

Manual Section D, fig D8.

L.A.B. said:

Manual Section D, fig D8.

Click to expand...

I was looking at that, but it doesn't say what gear the box should be in.
JD75

jaydee75 said:

L.A.B. said:

Manual Section D, fig D8.

Click to expand...

I was looking at that, but it doesn't say what gear the box should be in.
JD75

Click to expand...

Neutral.

If the tranny is out of the bike its easy. Here are some pics to show what i do. It is a little harder if the tranny is in the bike but not bad.
Put it in second gear so the hole in the ball and the hole for the shift shaft line up then stand it (tranny) up on the main shaft

then put the ratchet plate on so the shaft goes into the ball and the hole lines up for the shifter

then take the cover and place the shaft through the shifter hole and the kick starter through its hole

finished

Doug, that's it! It goes easily that way, even on the bike.
Your pictures are good, I just had to compensate for gravity a little:

I put it in neutral,
put the rachet shaft into the ball, let the ratchet assy droop where it will.
ease the cover on by first barely engaging the shifter shaft into the ratchet and moving it up to align into the cross shaft bearing,
finally line up the KS shaft and slide the cover on.
It is hard to describe in words, and there is no room for pictures, but it works easily (remember this is MKIII, I don't know about others)
I did it twice in less than 10 minutes. Once dry, then with sealer.
Thanks again,
JD75

jaydee75 said:

It is hard to describe in words, and there is no room for pictures, but it works easily (remember this is MKIII, I don't know about others)
I did it twice in less than 10 minutes. Once dry, then with sealer.

Click to expand...

Easy when you know how, isn't it, and a similar procedure can be used for the pre-MkIII box, the index finger of the right had holds the spring in position as the outer cover is fitted (Section D12.2 of the pre-MkIII manual). It is still possible to fit the MkIII outer cover with the ratchet plate attached to the ratchet mechanism but it is more difficult.