| Author | Message | ||
     Tombo |
My Buells have proven to be very reliable over the years, but I still make changes when something needs to be replaced to enhance reliability even further. I am curious what others have tried that might improve reliability further. Some of the changes I made for this purpose include: Xb rocker boxes Stentzel bar (see picture) Newer style isolators Xb drive belt Updated exhaust hanger Updated primary chain tensioner 9 pin rotor Spurgen oil cooler Gel battery upgraded wheel bearings A lot of stainless fasteners Bronze foot control bushings American Sport Bike frame brace  | ||
| 01x1buell |
Stentzel bar (see picture) what does that do??? | ||
| Tombo |
It braces the top of the motor mount to the top of the engine and reduces the rocking pressure on the motor mount, thus reducing potential motor mount breakage (at least in theory). | ||
| 01x1buell |
ahh very interesting, thank you. | ||
| Buellistic |
Have 111,819.6 miles as of the last ride ... Blast PCV in my OEM covers in 2000 ... No STENTZEL BAR, "BUT" "i" added tie bar from front motor mount to frame ... Still have a -79C front isolator and have up-dated to latest rear isolator up-date ... SPORTSTER DRIVE BELT ... Up-dated front exhaust mount ... Up-dated PRI. CHAIN ADJUSTER ... Still running OEM FRONT ROTOR ... SPORTSTER OIL COOLER w/thermostat ... SPORTSTER BATTERY ... Still running original OEM wheel bearings ... Still running OEM FASTENERS ... Up-dated to later BUELL shifter kit ... Have a S3T ... Top end has not been off yet ... Still running Original OEM stator, rotor, and voltage regulator ... | ||
| Rick_a |
Don't forget the updated oil pump drive gear. If your bike has the failure prone OEM front motor mount, that's worth upgrading. If it's an older bike the updated oil pump's a good one, too. I also did braided brake and oil lines. The old style starter gasket is a guaranteed leaker, as well. I like the Stentzel bar idea. May have to get me one of those. All I can say is that I've caught failures before they've gone catastrophic... | ||
| Tombo |
Buellistic, impressive miles, have you had any fairing or inner bag cracks? | ||
| Buellistic |
Tombo: "YES" and "i" just drill a small hole at the end of the cracks ... Rick_a: Up-dated oil pump drive gear at 60K miles(forgot) ... Also Up-dated to -98 BUELL oil pump ... | ||
| Dom |
Does the stenzel bar reduce the overall shaking of the bike like at idle too or is it not as noticeable | ||
| Tombo |
The Stenzel bar does not reduce any vibrations that you can feel, even though it should help the motor mount itself. Bellow is a picture of the bar alongside two motor mount options. One is from an S2 (I have never seen a broken S2 mount) but it will not fit an S1, S3, or M2 without modification. The other mount is from England and will probably go on my S3 this winter. My S1 is a 96 and has a mount based on the S2 mount.  | ||
| Lakes |
Tombo did you make the Stentzel bar yourself? i just put another tye rod from motor mount to frame when i fitted the billit engine mount i put the update front issolator but drilled it on lathe so i could use the bigger bolt. | ||
| Tombo |
Lakes, I bought it from a company in Germany. Not sure if they still make them. It is made from aluminum and fit perfectly and came with a longer isolator bolt. | ||
| Jhuppdog |
Buellistic, what sportster oil cooler kit are you running? You have any instructions on it? | ||
| Buellistic |
Jhuppdog: When "i" bought these parts it was 1997/1998 and they have probably been up-dated ... SPORTSTER OIL COOLER PN 62497-82A ... THERMOSTAT PN 26251-78 ... FAN KIT PN Z0008.MA ... | ||
| Lakes |
Buellistic what part number is the Sportster Battery? & how does it differ from the Buell Battery? | ||
| Lakes |
Tombo i used the link to that company in germany. and i could not understand german. but i e mailed then in english and the guy will ship me one to Australia. so should be good with billit engine mount and engine mount to frame tie rod on now. does he supply the large bolt size? & what grade as the one i have now is the large size in grade 12. they way i see it the more support the better. | ||
| Oldog |
Bullet proofing Remove spring plate from clutch, replace with steel & fiber plate replace steel oil pump gear with bronze re-wire headlight plug with heavier ground bypass side stand switch inspect and replace oe key switch at first sign of trouble replace primary shoe of bike was built before 2000 replace cast mount with billet on cylinder head. [ critical use the right bolts and method! ] replace intake manifold seals about every 2 years or sooner if air leak symptoms develope change brake fluid every year (THANKS Buellistic) every few years do an "IRAN" and go over bike replacing wear out and worn parts, inspect every thing. I change fork oil, grease chassis bearings, replace seals, replace brake parts etc. I have had to have 1 ride home when the rear belt self destructed ( rock I think? ), I have pushed the bike home after breaking another belt [ MY Fault ] never left me or caused a problem | ||
| Tombo |
Oldog, I was not aware of the headlight ground issue, great to know. Rick a, I also did not know about the starter gaskets. Lakes, I don't believe the isolator bolt is the same strength as the motor-mount to head bolts. I am not sure the stock one is either but certainly worth looking into (is anyone on this thread aware?) I have been running the Stenzel supplied bolt for about a year with no issues but I would like to confirm the required strength for that bolt myself. A few other items I have not yet installed, but that are waiting for the winter include several that have already been mentioned. Newer style oil pump (98 and up) Race oil pump drive gear Spine-lock cylinders (xb that also have added finning) Forged timing cup Platinum plugs Forged pistons | ||
| Snafu5962 |
Updated: shift linkage, isolator, primary chain tensioner, exhaust bracket, shift detent, AGM battery, led signals & tail lamp, and wheel bearings. AND I run Lucas 20/50 synthetic oil. | ||
| Jayvee |
RRC sells the Stenzel bar, their web-site has an English option. I just got one a short time ago. Haven't even installed it yet. The Instructions need a better translation though. | ||
| Gixxer86g |
As of now, I'm still running the old six button rotor. That'll probably change over the winter. My base gaskets are leaking, so I'm planning on doing a 1250 kit over the winter as well. I run an AGM battery. It's the Drag Specialties/Yuasa one from American Sport Bike. I did the primary tensioner upgrade, but when I got in there I found out the previous owner already did it! I installed a Stebel airhorn behind the flyscreen and love it. After much delineration, I don't think I'll be installing an oil cooler. I don't think I need it. I beat the piss lout of the bike on many hot days this summer and felt no change in operation. And i almost forgot about the shorter recall shock with bracket, and the new y exhaust hanger required by the D&D full exhaust. I have my crankcase vented to an aluminum catch can from Pegasus Racing and a super sweet carbon fiber ham can intake from American Sport Bike as well. (Message edited by gixxer86g on September 11, 2012) | ||
| Lakes |
Tombo, i asked the guy at the dealer to look up the size & type front Isolator bolt and it came up as grade 12. its a much bigger stronger bolt than the two engine mount to head bolts. it has to be as the whole front of the motor hangs from it. i have been e mailing with Stenzelparts & Stephan said they don't supply a bolt as the stock one is long enough. might be different model to model? i'm still not sure it will fit with the update front isolator as that does not use the big D washer. i'm thinking Stenzel Bar runs without the big D washer? but i don't have the instructoins on fitting one so only guessing. | ||
| Oldog |
Platinum plugs Imo hi dollar plugs are a waste of $$ unless you have done major work | ||
| Tombo |
Oldog, you may be correct but I enjoy a little overkill. I had an engine once that burnt oil in one cylinder and fouled the plug every every 3,000 miles until I put a platinum plug in it and it never fouled again. Lakes, it may be that my longer bolt actually came with the billet motor mount. I still have the large D washer in place, but my bolt threads go all the way to the end of the locknut, which is important to check. | ||
| Lakes |
Tombo, your set up must be slighty different to my 00 M2. i'll wait to see what Stephan say's. i might go back to the old style front isolator & use the Stenzel bar as i think it was designed to help the old style isolator. what do you think? I'm with Oldman on spark plugs, normal plugs work for me Champion. seen a guy buy 8 fancy spark plugs, the most expencive on the planet, to go into a V8. he was getting a friend of mine to tune & dyno the motor on an engine dyno. pulled out a set of champion, put in the expencive plug set that had some big claims. not one extra Horse or not even one extra foot pound of TQ, it was just the same. but he was lighter in the pocket. Oldman i know the ATF Type F i use does not hurt the electric's in the primary. as i have used that from new in primary of my twin cam Dyna & that has 90,000 with same alternator plus i've drag raced this bike and had the Flywheel slip out of copoling and had to replace them then weld the crank pin to stop that happening again but the alternator is fine & always used ATF Type F. ps i think the flywheels slipped because i run very high compression might have detonated causing the crank to slip, but the JE forged pistons looked ok & the rings looked ok. | ||
| Tombo |
The Stenzel bar should fit with the new style isolator but given the slightly smaller diameter of the new bolt that comes with the isolator there is a greater chance of shifting or walking within the Stenzel bar bolt hole that could compromise its effectiveness. However, that looseness of fit also applies to the motor mounts themselves. Bellow you see an old style bolt (this one is longer and came with the billet mount) next to the newer style bolt. You also can see the isolator bolt end of the Stenzel bar.  The next picture shows the top of the motor mounts with the bolt that is the old diameter having very little play around it and the new style bolt fitting more loosely (the newer bolt is the one in the billet mount).  I believe the Stenzel bar will work with either setup but I would expect it to be more effective with less potential play. I would also think that would hold true for the play in the motor mount isolator hole as well, but perhaps that play reduces the stress on either the isolator or the motor mount. It would be interesting to hear from someone involved in the redesign and the choice of the smaller diameter bolt. | ||
| Preybird1 |
Bullet proofing for me means no HD parts go back on the bike unless that is the only part made! I will spend up to 3 times as much money on a high quality after market part than buy HD garbage parts ever again. I love americansportbike.com and hate The HD parts game and the fools behind the parts counters. | ||
| Lakes |
Thanks Tombo, my bike is still at my friends, just waiting for a part that i should have today. as i said my late update mount is drilled out to take the larger bolt that is grade 12 ( or so the Buell parts lists it as ) it has 12 on the head. | ||
| Snafu5962 |
Preybird1: I agree with everything you said except the thing about the fools behind the parts counter (I am one). | ||
| Victory |
Stenzel Brace makes me feel good. The Bike vibrates same as before. AT Idle. Smooths out when moving. I have no hand wringing or problems. As you can imagine acceleration hits with more authority. Cold enrichment time / Wheelies is something to look out for and maybe easier now. I have about 10 hours on it this year and have not used my touring gloves yet so I can say for sure. No issues with vibes operating and seems the same thumper at idle. I am using the new style 2013 Barry top iso. |
