Hello, New Steamer owner!!

[Lostviking]

Hi all,

Newbie here with a very clean '96 with 16k on the clock.
I have it sort of torn apart at the moment, going over it. Tightening loose parts and cleaning and lubricating where needed,

Got a quick test ride when buying it.

Very excited.

[Mustang]

Hi
welcome to the group

Here are a few things to watch for on the steamers ........

1. They are prone to DAR (Dreaded Alternator Rattle) broken bolt on the alt. drive
2. Ignition Failure ..............$70 Igniter Pulse Sensor on the RHS crankshaft
3. Coil Breakdown .stock Gill coils will eventually die replace them with NOLOGYS for 1/2 the price of stock . If your coils say PVL on them you are good that's what nologys are .
4 Spaugue Clutch to starter motor ....if you don't keep a fresh battery in it or try cranking with a dead battery , causes the sprag clutch to fail which will require the cases to be split to repair ( some good news with 2 tigers and over 100k between them have had no sprag failure , shit now I'm doomed )
Those are the major failures that usually happen to the steamers !
It is a very solid bike , I just took my ten year old stemer with 50+k on it  on a 8000 mile solo USA trip and had no problems at all , other than I wore the tires out ! :D
Enjoy your new to you tiger and this forum is a great place for info and help as well as great people !

[JetdocX]

I suggest you remove the valve cover and check valve clearances.  It's time if it has not been done yet.

[Mustang]

yeah what the jet dr said forgot about that , I prolly got a valve job coming for my steamer in another 10k and am trying not to think about it , I still want a speed triple head and cams for mine .

[Lostviking]

Yeah thinking about the valves. Not sure I have balls enough to tackle that myself yet.

I checked, I have PVL coils.

I need to check the air box next. Can they still be bought through Triumph?

I need a headlight relay, the thing shorted out on the way home from Detroit Wednesday night, in a monster rainstorm. All of a sudden the headlight starts flashing in my rearview mirror. Not much I could do in a downpour. After about 10 minutes it quit. I knew it wasn't good. $8.00 and on the way.

But this way, I tore it all apart instead of riding it until fall (My original plan).

The tupperware comes off easy. Plugs were not as bad as some have said. Overall so far It makes sense to me. Comes apart better than some of the Beemers I've had in the past.

While I have it in dry dock, I'm going over as much as I can. But man I want to go riding.

Are you guys running stock handlebars?

Thanks for the welcome and the advice is greatly appreciated.

Walt,

[JetdocX]

Airbox price???  Wait for it.......$75-80.  I just bought one.

And now for the real fun...the carbs come off before the airbox.  You thought your beemer was convoluted, just wait...

At that point, check your valve clearances because you are already almost there. :roll:

[Mudhen]

Are you guys running stock handlebars?

Thanks for the welcome and the advice is greatly appreciated.

Walt,

I'm using Renthals, with 2" articulating bar risers.  It was one of the first things I did after reading about people bending them - and knowing I don't have a great record of keeping my bikes upright...

[JetdocX]

Mudhen, you have heated grips?  I would if I lived there. :shock:

[Mudhen]

Mudhen, you have heated grips?  I would if I lived there. :shock:

I do.  Got the ones from Dual Star.  They're not enough when it gets really cold, though, so I also use Gerbing glove liners when the temps fall below 40 or so.

[Lostviking]

What should have been in my tool kit?  

I have the spark plug wrench & two Hex keys.  

Also, what size are the axle bolt & nut. I went to 4 stores, Two auto parts, Sears, and a farm supply and nobody carries anything larger than 10mm.

[JetdocX]

I didn't even get a toolkit with mine. :oops:

You will need sockets up to 24mm, I think.  Axle bolt is a 17 and a 19, IIRC. :(

[Mudhen]

I didn't even get a toolkit with mine. :oops:

You will need sockets up to 24mm, I think.  Axle bolt is a 17 and a 19, IIRC. :(

Close.

The front axle bolt is 22mm.  I got one of the tire iron/box wrench combos for that one...I think from Motion Pro.

The rear axle bolt is 12mm and the eccentric adjuster pinch bolts are 8mm.  Don't over torque those pinch bolts, btw...tighten them to spec and say a little prayer each time.  The swingarm has been known to break...(that's one of the 1000 little things we Steamer owners keep secret until we sucker some newbie into getting one    )

[Mustang]

The rear axle bolt is 12mm )

somewhere along the line in 1996 the rear axle bolt switched from needing a 12mm allen wrench to using 19 mm bolts . Triumph did that just to keep us guys guessing .  :roll:

[Lostviking]

That makes sense, It looks bigger than a 12mm. I'll be gentle on the pinch bolts. I have a bad history of over torquing stuff.

Thanks for the help guys, While still not riding, at least I'm getting some solid advice and should have a good handle on a lot of the bikes little quirks by the time i get it back together.

You guys are gonna be jealous if I ever get it back together,

She's a Looker.

[Mudhen]

The rear axle bolt is 12mm )

somewhere along the line in 1996 the rear axle bolt switched from needing a 12mm allen wrench to using 19 mm bolts . Triumph did that just to keep us guys guessing .  :roll:

Wow, I didn't know that...thought they were all the same.

A buddy was over with his 2k Girly this afternoon and we did the rear tire on it...it uses that 19mm.  We think it still had the original tire on it...man what a FPITA it was to break that bead.