Pleasant Valve Shim Related Surprise

[sweller]

This weekend checked the valve clearances on 96 Tiger, no great surprise the inlets had closed up necessitating the purchase of 2.00, 2.05 and 2.20 shims.  The exhausts were ok.

The big surprise was the cost - the local bike emporium was selling generic shims at GBP £10 each <gulp> what would they be from a Triumph main dealer?

GBP £4.35 each (about USD $6.50).

Not too bad - shame one's now at the smallest available.

[Bixxer Bob]

World of Triumph (run by Lings) in the UK shows £5.06 or £5.22 for the in between sizes.  Stealer is not always dearer (just most of the time...)

[threepot]

What about Yam/Honda shims?

[windscreenman1]

Bugger thats more competition for a good second hand head !!

[sweller]

Yam/Honda ones seemed to be around £8 but didn't seem to go down small enough - although I didn't look properly at prices.

Having done a bit of investigation the way round the lack of smaller shim problem is head off, valve out and grind a half a millimeter off the end of the affected valve stem.  Allows a thicker shim to be used.