Sprag Clutch Service Bulletin

[Dr. Mordo]

I went down to the Lone Star BMW/Triumph in Austin just to see what they wanted for the sprag clutch itself for my 96 Tiger ($10 more than bikebandit plus tax), and the saleswoman told me they were no longer available, and that there was a service bulletin that she was going to have to look up and get back to me about it.

No longer available?  I'm pretty sure they are just back-ordered and that she was just wrong, but does anyone know anything about this?  How about the service bulletin?  About the bulletin, she told me it would take a while to look it up, and that I couldn't read it because it was confidential.  I don't normally deal with dealerships.  Doesn't that sound like BS?

[Stretch]

Try Ma's Cycles and / or Baxter Cycle.  They're both very good dealers and Triumph folks themselves.

http://www.mascycles.com/ (http://www.mascycles.com/)

http://www.baxtercycle.com/ (http://www.baxtercycle.com/)

[Dr. Mordo]

Thanks mucho!  I knew there had to be some other places people dealt with.

[Mudhen]

They could be thinking of the smaller sprag for the '93-'95...it's NLA and there was a special service tool (dremel sort of thing) that dealers had back in the day to machine the engine case so they could use the bigger sprag.  Maybe that was the service bulletin she spoke of...

[Mudhen]

Googling sprag clutch service bulletin shows we're not the only ones that have had to deal with this problem.  I bet this is the last time Robinson farms out motor design to Triumph!

http://asms.casa.go.kr/asms_ad/file/99-07-17.htm (http://asms.casa.go.kr/asms_ad/file/99-07-17.htm)

Check this out, taken from Triumphrat:

'You need to look at service bulletin #194, which dates back to 1995.

I don't have a copy of that, but I do have a copy of 196 which refers back to 194. 196 is dated September 1995.'

Maybe that will help them find it.  Sounds like some people have gotten the part for free...

http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-clas ... letin.html (http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-classic-triples/20689-sprag-clutch-service-bulletin.html)

[Dr. Mordo]

I appreciate the help.  The saleswoman from my local Triumph called today and told me the service bulletin just changes the parts numbers for the sprags, which sounds reasonable.  

Here are my big questions that I have been pondering:

I am a little unclear as the the difference between the different sprags.  Assuming I have the 51t sprag, is it worth it to switch to the 53t sprag?  Is the 53t sprag actually heavier than the 51t, or are all the sprags heavier now than they were in the 90s?  (I know you have to switch the idler gear, also if you change the gearing.)

Has anybody "machined" the case themselves without the Triumph tool?

If you installed the old sprag, did it fail again?

Let me reiterate: I really appreciate the help.

[Mudhen]

Hopefully someone that has actual experience with this will pipe up, but just in case...as far as I've known since I got into Steamers back in '05 there is only 1 sprag available.  The earlier one is no longer available which is why the dealers were forced to machine the cases on the early bikes.  So unless you find some new old stock or something you'd have to get the 53t.  But if you search around I think you may read that people with 51t sprags sometimes had to replace them more than once.

I've have definitely read about someone machining the case themselves.  It must be here, triumphrat, or most likely over on one of the Yahoo groups.  The Yahoo groups, starting at post 1, is the best source of info on sprags.

I wish I had first person info I could give you...but I guess I'm glad I don't!  (I say, crossing my fingers and praying my '96 never has this issue)

Good luck.

[steammoto]

Dr. Mordo
I have yet to tackle the fix but I have compiled some notes from threads and emails with people who have done the job. Some contradicting info therefore I am also unclear in some areas. Give me a few days to clear my plate(completely swamped at the moment), I will locate info and pm you what I have.