Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

I was wondering if anybody could help me out. I posted this back in Oct. '08.

Midlife,
I never considered my self mechanically challenged. Heck, I change my own tires, oil, and never have to take a bike in for service. So I proceeded to change my countershaft sprocket this evening and was surprised to find another whole assembly under the chain guard cover. So, OK, I'll remove that to to get to the sprocket. Took out a number of bolts and was very careful with all of them since you said you broke the gear shift changer.....
Out came the bolts and the unit is still attached with a 12mm bolt connected to some line. So I proceeded to take that off and low and behold, it antifreeze. What the heck is a coolant line doing there! (should of taken a picture)
Anyway, I didn't have the time and it was getting more involved, so I buttoned it all back up before I got myself into something that would prevent me from riding tomorrow (nice day).
Can you help me out? Anybody have a shop manual blowup of that section of the bike. I know, I should get one, but geez, I was just changing a sprocket. It's not like the good ole days where the sprocket was right under the cover!

Midlifeuturn tried to help me. Has anybody taken any pictures of the process? I was hoping to get this done before the warm weather arrives.

This might give you a leg up. The first link is for a GSX650F part finder and the second is a manual. I know the manual is for a Bandit 1250 but it's all I could find at short notice.

http://www.temeculamotorsports.com/fich ... fveh=19001

http://www.scribd.com/doc/6547790/Suzuk ... hop-Manual

here's the proceedure

1/ Undo housing cover
2/ Remove gear shifter of shaft and mark the position on the shaft with texture.
3/ You will see the slave cylinder housing and line do not undo that.
4/ Remove approx 4 or 5 bolts surrounding this , note the slave cylinder is attached to the centre part of what your removing.
5/ Once you remove the bolts pull the casing off and keep level as you do this because if you dont you might bend the small steel shaft that engages the clutch.(looks like a thick piece of wire)
6/ You will now have clear access to the sproket which has an allen key lock nut that needs removal first, once you remove this then you can access the big nut that holds the sprocket on. You will need a rattle gun or a breaker bar to remove this nut.
7/ When you re assemble make sure you line the stick like shaft coming out of the clutch which goes back into the housing and adda little grease to the slot.

Note if you undo the slave cylinder from the housing and fluid leaks dont panic simply tighen and once you put back together simply bleed until the clutch has pressure.

I also saw another thread where folks were finding dealers who would do it for about 1 hour labor charge. Ask around a little and you might find a dealer who will do it for under $75.00. After changing my sprocket and seeing how much I like it I'd pay someone that much in a heart beat. Remember- As long as everything goes back as it came off you really can't hurt anything.

Thanks all for your help. With this information I am confident I can get it changed. Quick question. When breaking the big nut loose that holds the sprocket on are you leaving it in gear or do you have it in neutral while holding the shaft with something?
I think I'll try changing it this weekend.

I've read other threads that said put the bike in neutral and hold the brake, so that is the way I did it. (If you do a google search for changing countershaft sprocket you'll find various opinions) Here is an example- http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archiv ... 59129.html
I couldn't break the nut loose with a breaker bar so I'd just plan on borrowing an impact wrench, no comparrison. It is so much easier to hold with bike steady as well.

The brake...that makes sense. Good excuse to update my impact wrench

Thanks.

Leave it in gear and use the brake. But you will probably need an air wrench anyway. There was no way I was going to get my stock sprocket nut loosened without an air impact driver.

Above is great procedure for changing out front sprocket. Thanks 99sydrd!!
There one thing I'm not sure about ..... how to immobilize the engine so undoing the nut doesn't rotate the engine . . . . . . .
Did I miss that?

I reccomend putting the transmission in neutral, especially if using an impact wrench, and using only the rear brake to prevent engine rotation.

It will take approximately twice the engine's output torque to break the sprocket retaining nut loose, probably more. The transmission isn't designed for that much stress, especially as would be applied as a repeated shock load by an impact wrench.

Just my opinion but I didn't risk damaging my transmission. The rear brake worked fine for me and can easily hold the load.

Thanks, bud, for advice!!

Us Aussies just get a hunk of 4x2 and jam it through the back wheel. It aint good mechanics but works well when ya got a beer in your hand.
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actually, that's really good advice from cggarr having it in neutral and using the brake to prevent possible damage to the transmission. Thanks for the tip!!

Yep, I tried a broom handle and snapped it. 2 x 4 works great with a long breaker bar.

What the heck!

Called dealer for price on 17t front sprocket. He tells me that 17t not available for 650F. Also says their chief mechanic (who is "nationally known" ) does not recommend 17t.
Instead, like someone else who posted on this topic, they recommend changing front and rear!

Called another dealer and they say can get ONLY the stock 15t!

Dang!
???????????

They are usualy 'nationaly known' for all their f@#k Ups, not for being a Grade A mechanic.

anyway.............

Knolltop, just buy one off the net.

Vortex make a sprocket that fits our bike. They do not list a GSX650F spocket but the ones they sell
for a sv650 are the same as ours - another member on the forum has confirmed and fitted them.

They sell 15,16,17 & 18T for $28.95
This is the link to their site, but many other stores stock this brand. They are "Internationaly Known"
but this time for making good quality stuff.

http://www.vortexracing.com/index.php?submenu=Products&src=gendocs&link=VortexProducts&category=Main