DRZ 400 Gears

[Gary M]

Hi, I did a trip up to Chobe at the end of last year from Durbs and the bike (DRZ 400) was great up till I climbed Inchanga back towards Durban. The gearbox seized up briefly with the gear lever also jamming. The only way to limp home was to shake it which bounced the gears from 4-5 and into neutral every now and again (no grating etc).
Problem is now that the mechanics say that I've got about 3 gears that are buggered. Looking at a total cost of close to R8k apparently (still waiting for a quote 2 weeks later). Does anyone perhaps have a spare box I can buy some gears? Do I have to go original or do you get pirate gears? I'm a little miffed as I really can't afford to spend 8k right now, was hoping for a TV!
Cheers
Gary

[lecap]

You say you have lost 1, 2 and 3 or they are noisy or you just can't select the gears?

Most of the repair cost is disassembly and assembly.
Engine has to come out, top end off, split crankcase and then the whole lot in reverse. If your price of R8k includes three gearsets and whatever else in your box is thrashed and all the other parts such as gaskets and labour I think it's not a bad price.
I'd replace the main and countershaft bearings too if I were you.

I am not sure if you can get pirate gears for the DRZ. Looking at the amount of money & time and possible collateral damage of a gear failure I'd think twice before fitting aftermarket gears unless they come with a track record of top notch quality.

[MildDog]

I know you can get gearbox bearings aftermarket (i'm having some fitted to my bike currently), not sure about gears.

But yeah, as Le Cap most of the cost is labour. My parts were about R2500 and I think labour will be close on R3000 or R4000. Waiting for final quote as well.

[tinusvdb]

C'mon guys surely you can buy a whole new engine for R8000

[lecap]

C'mon guys surely you can buy a whole new engine for R8000

Yah maybe a Moto Mia

[Dakarboy]

C'mon guys surely you can buy a whole new engine for R8000

Yah maybe a Moto Mia

Probably more reliable, but a little less fun I have heard.

[MildDog]

C'mon guys surely you can buy a whole new engine for R8000

Yah maybe a Moto Mia

Probably more reliable, but a little less fun I have heard.

you'll get very similar performance to an F650GS.

no, suzuki take advantage of prices.

[Dakarboy]

C'mon guys surely you can buy a whole new engine for R8000

Yah maybe a Moto Mia

Probably more reliable, but a little less fun I have heard.

So my bikes an f650gs now 
you'll get very similar performance to an F650GS.

no, suzuki take advantage of prices.

[Grumpleton]

Hi I had a gear leaver seize up on me yesterday, no gears only 5th and the lever is jammed, what could the problem be.

[lecap]

Impossible to diagnose without disassembly.

Could be something simple like damage to the shifter claw mechanism.
Could be a broken shifter drum too.

But if the lever does not want to move I'd suspect the claw.

[Grumpleton]

Impossible to diagnose without disassembly.

Could be something simple like damage to the shifter claw mechanism.
Could be a broken shifter drum too.

But if the lever does not want to move I'd suspect the claw.

Ok so got the clutch off , have noticed the man gearbox shaft bearing has only 5 balls in, the rest are missing, we will strip further tomorrow and see what also needs doing , so far not looking good for a quick fix everything else is clean in there thou.

[Grumpleton]

Ok so the deal is a spring in the gear selector had broken, but having opened the motor we found that the cage in the bearing on the man gear box shaft had disappeared completely    and the shaft was wondering around in the bearing casing, also the bearings on the crank were showing some sign of bluing (getting hot)    so it’s now a complete re-build, new bearings, new cam chain and guides the hole bank shoot, what a great start to the year, and Suzuki south will make budget out of me.

[Grumpleton]

Well all the sparse will arrive today, and let the building begging, after this I will have a brand new DRZ 400 motor with all new bearings, and oil pump, the welsh plugs in the head have been replaced with stainless steel , we are not replacing the rings , small end and big end as this was all in great shape.
morel of the story, if you find tiny particles of metal in the oil tank sieve , get all the oil out of the bike , get to the oil pump and clean it out as well, because if you don’t its going to cost you .

Check out the invoice from Suzuki South, and there is still an invoice from Bearing Suppliers in Vredenburgh that came through with all the other bearings except the two crank bearings, but that invoice is under R500.00

I have a great friend that is a great mechanic and extremely thorough at what he does, and he has helped me with this, (Thanks Thys,) so only part costs,