My Red Tecate Project

[jb2wheels]

Last July, I picked up this red Tecate on the cheap.
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/159592-I-think-I-have-a-problem?p=1240194#post1240194

Since then, I sold both my green ones and the parts Tecate is dwindling away so this is, technically, my only runner.

I decided, after the spring ride in OK, I'd like to have a T3 to ride at Rampage so the thrash is on!

This trike ran and I rode it when I bought it but it needed, primarily:
- front brakes top to bottom
- replacement fork tubes & fork rebuild (no damping at all)
- swingarm bushings
- rebuilt or replacement shock (no damping at all)
- chain and sprockets
- some welding on the frame (broken coil mount and replace steering stops)

But, you know how these things go:
- if I have the swinger off for bushings, I should repaint all that stuff since somebody went nuts with a rattle can
- if I have the forks off for a rebuild and the rear suspension off, I'm about 10 bolts away from pulling the engine and painting the frame

Anyway, I have the rear suspension apart and wanted to compare the swingarm and dogbone with some of my assorted spares.

Turns out, my swingarm is just under 2" extended.
Also, I learned about some Tecate rear suspension differences you experts probably already know:
- 84 and 85 dogbones are different, 84 is shorter and it looks like my custom one is an 84 extended to about 3/4" longer than the stock 85
- 85 bolts have grease fittings and the dogbone bearings can be lubed but the 84s do not have zerks or easily greaseable bearings
- 84 v 85 carrier mounts attach differently

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[JasonB]

sounds ilke you have some serious work to do before rampage! you got 2 weeks lol. And i hate how it works out like that; take a few parts off and somehow end up rationalizing a full tear down to redo the entire bike lol. good luck! in for updates

[3 Wheel Drive]

I spoke with atv-innovations today and they said they have in stock Red Low Pro Maire fenders. The guy said Maire made some molds for the T3. I've never seen the red ones up for sale lately, not sure if that's what you need?

It looks like your all set up for swapping different shocks with that collection of parts. Do you know what that shock is from? I've been wanting to try a banshee shock, I heard its a bolt on deal.

[barnett468]

...my swingarm is just under 2" extended.Hello jb2wheels;

I like that length, it's close to what I ran on my race bike.




I have the rear suspension apart and wanted to compare the swingarm and dogbone with some of my assorted spares.

Also, I learned about some Tecate rear suspension differences you experts probably already know:
- 84 and 85 dogbones are different, 84 is shorter and it looks like my custom one is an 84 extended to about 3/4" longer than the stock 85

The rocker and shock are different also between the two years.

The 84' Tecate was made in a rush and by the time the first prototype was built and we had tested it and determined the rear bottomed excessively, it was too late to redesign the suspension links so we had to modify the shock to get it to work as well as possible. One of the band aids installed to reduce the bottoming was a VERY long bottoming cushion. If you look at an 84’ shock the cushion takes up around 1/2 the shaft length, lol.

This was one of the issues we addressed in 85’. I ended up using a different rocker ratio and the link and shock were designed up around that.

I suggest you use the 85’ set up of you have it otherwise the frame will bottom out on large jumps and your feet will smash the ground, lol.


84 rod . . - 46102-4008

84 rocker – 39007–4006

85 rod . . - 46102-1128

85 rocker - 39007-1078


84 parts “fish”

http://www.xtremeusa.com/OEMpartfinder.htm#/Kawasaki/KXT250-A1_Tecate_(1984)/REAR_SUSPENSION_(%2784_A1)/KXT250-A1-1984/080182D-6


85 parts “fish”

http://www.xtremeusa.com/OEMpartfinder.htm#/Kawasaki/KXT250-A1_Tecate_(1984)/REAR_SUSPENSION_(%2785_A2)/KXT250-A1-1984/080182J-6


Hope some of this info helps.

[jb2wheels]

I spoke with Chaplin Kawasaki or atv-innovations today and they said they have in stock Red Low Pro Maire fenders. The guy said Maire made some molds for the T3. I've never seen the red ones up for sale lately, not sure if that's what you need?

It looks like your all set up for swapping different shocks with that collection of parts. Do you know what that shock is from? I've been wanting to try a banshee shock, I heard its a bolt on deal.

That's interesting. I should call them. This Tecate has a set of cracked up Red Maier low pros on it now.

I have 2, 85 Tecate shocks. The one on my parts trike has damping but the reservoir is damaged. The one on this trike literally drips oil on the floor if it sits shaft side down. I have a seal kit for it and thought I would try a rebuild since I've never done it before.

I also have a Banshee shock on the way ;)

[NO-SCALES]

You gonna have it ready in time? Sure wish i could make it

[jb2wheels]

I'm cutting it close!

It's completely down to the frame now. Frame and other black bits (pegs, shock mount, triples, bars) painted with epoxy today.

I'm not touching the engine. It ran good when I got it and the piston & cylinder look great through the exhaust port. Although, I sent my flywheel to jeswinehart for some preventative work and he turned it around in days. Excellent!

I rebuilt the shock today. I've never done that before. Good thing I had a spare shock - the piston in the reservoir had a hole in it. Unfortunately, I don't think the new seal will last long - the shaft has some significant wear on it. Regardless, it was a fun experiment. I have a Banshee shock for a backup when this one pukes again.

I rebuilt the Forks, too. No surprises there since I already had useable tubes and new seals ready to go.

More painting tomorrow. And swingarm bearings. I might actually start bolting pieces back on it.

[jb2wheels]

Nuts - I had to work late a couple of nights this week so no working on the Trike those nights but:

Monday:

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Clean parts waiting:

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I put the stock sock I rebuilt back on with the Banshee spring. Here's why:

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It's a little longer and a little heavier. The stock Tecate spring is approx 5 kg/mm and the stock Shee spring is closer to 5.4 kg/mm. With a +2 arm and heavy rider, I probably need a significantly heavier spring but this is what I have.

Here's where I left it Thursday night:

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Back on 3!

[MojaveRider]

Looking good!

[jb2wheels]

About as done as it's going to get. I still need a couple of parts for the front brake - the little rubber seals/mounts. Should have them today.

Runs good. No leaks yet. I mixed up a batch of 20:1 since I have no clue about the history of the trike. Seems to like it.

Runs the lights with no problem.

Fenders suck but they always did.

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[barnett468]

It's a little longer and a little heavier. The stock Tecate spring is approx 5 kg/mm and the stock Shee spring is closer to 5.4 kg/mm. With a +2 arm and heavy rider, I probably need a significantly heavier spring but this is what I have.Hello;

It's looking good.

Unfortunately, if you plan to jump it that 5.4 will be to light especially if you are using the 84 link and not the 85. If this is the case, it will bottom out like a pig dropped from a roof. That 5.4 approximately compensates for the additional length of the swing arm.

All you can do if it bottoms is run up your preload, max your damping and install a long bumper on the shock shaft.

The spring you need is 5.8 p/n 92081-1857 but they are no where to be had.

If you need a stuffer spring and can't find one, Eibach can make one for you, just call their toll free number.

http://eibach.com/america/en/support/contact-us

[The_Steve_Man]

Don't let scuba on it. He will break something.

[jb2wheels]

Don't let scuba on it. He will break something.

That green trike was a fickle bi...girl. Really messed him up good.

[jb2wheels]

No doubt this spring is wimpy. I'm all 85 for the rear suspension but I'm closer to 300lbs in full gear than I should be and probably need something closer to 7 kg/mm. I'll sort it out someday.

ON the plus side, both the front and the rear are under sprung for me so it balances out ;)

Not much jumping for me. The air time is fun but the landings...


Hello;

It's looking good.

Unfortunately, if you plan to jump it that 5.4 will be to light especially if you are using the 84 link and not the 85. If this is the case, it will bottom out like a pig dropped from a roof. That 5.4 approximately compensates for the additional length of the swing arm.

All you can do if it bottoms is run up your preload, max your damping and install a long bumper on the shock shaft.

The spring you need is 5.8 p/n 92081-1857 but they are no where to be had.

If you need a stuffer spring and can't find one, Eibach can make one for you, just call their toll free number.

http://eibach.com/america/en/support/contact-us

[jb2wheels]

Just got back from Rampage 2014.

This Tecate is a LOT tamer than the foot breaking green one I sold last year. I don't know if it's just a tamer engine or the +2 arm but it's a lot easier to ride.

It ran great all weekend until I moved the shifter to accommodate the new boots I bought. I could not get the shifter to stay in place after moving it. The splines are crap on the shifter but it was fine before I moved it. Nuts.

The light looks great and makes a lot of light, but I'm not sure I like the pattern. I might change it before the next dune ride. I like the pattern on "The_Steve_Man"s 250R better.

The shock is not great. The damping is wimpy. I expected a weak spring (confirmed) but it has almost no rebound damping. I must of screwed something up. I'll try the Banshee shock next.

The damn swing arm pivot bearings are shot already. Something's not right. I had a hard time getting one into the arm. I bet that's the bad one. I'll have to take a look when I get it apart. I have a stock arm but this thing is so much nicer to ride than the other one's I've had I hate to go back. We'll see.

I have lot's of time before by next sand trip. Maybe OK in October? Maybe Glamis in March? We'll see...

[jb2wheels]

Some "in progress" pics...

The engine leaks at the output shaft and shift shaft. And I wanted to change the shock. I decided it would be easier to change the seals with the engine out. Six bolts and the axle's out, another 10 or so and the engine's out. Tecate's are sooo easy to work on:

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Got Banshee the spring off the Tecate shock and back on the Banshee shock and put the Shee shock on:

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I used the Banshee bolt in the upper mount (formerly the Banshee lower) and drilled the rocker to fit. I slipped the swingarm in without the dogbone and cycled it to be sure - no issues.

I'll use the longest, custom dogbone since the Shee shock is shorter. We'll see how it works out.

I pulled the shift shaft out to change the seal. Makes it easy. Although I butchered the output shaft seal so I have to get another.

I still need to find a shifter. I bought an XL650?? shifter after I read somewhere they work on the Tecate. They don't. They have the right splines but hit the chain. I'm contemplating cutting the splined section off it and welding it on the Tecate shifter. I really don't want to ruin a shaft with the crappy shifter.

[jb2wheels]

While waiting for some parts to arrive, I fixed the shifter.

The splines on my Tecate shifter were stripped. My original plan was to remove some material from the gap in the clamping area to let it clamp harder. However, I was worried about stripping the splines on a good shift shaft so...

I read somewhere an XL650R (?) shifter would work so I bought a $20 Emgo shifter. Splines fit perfectly but there's no way the shifter will work on a Tecate.

Since Tecate shifters are hard to find and expensive if you do (currently 2 on Ebay - 1 for $90 and 1 for $150) and non in stock in the 3WW shop, I decided to combine the 2 shifters I have.

I cut the splined sections off each shifter and weld the Emgo spline section on the Kawasaki shifter. Interestingly enough, looks like that's how the original Tecate shifter is made.

Came out great I think. I welded it with my $100 Harbor Freight flux MIG welder. Came out pretty good but I won't know for sure until I stomp it a few times with my boots while in the heat of mad riding action!

These are before shots of the shifters side by side:

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This is the before shot of my Tecate shifter - you can easily sse the butchered splines:

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And the after shots (but before paint). In some of the pics, it looks like the weld fouls the splines but it does not. Fits on the shaft perfectly!

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So, for $20, problem solved!

If I did not have a Tecate shifter already, the one in the 3WW shop seems like a good deal.

[nd4speed]

Dave at IRL performs this OEM T3 shifter repair and it is as easy as finding a spline block to cut off new shifter and removing OEM stripped one and welding on new one. That is how the OEM one is made..lol

Surprised the Honda XL650R shifter didnt work, I have seen a picture of one on a T4. But I dont know if the year of shifter or brand matters? Not much to go on there except now your input.

[jb2wheels]

FYI - this is the donor shifter I bought:

Emgo part # 83-88068 for '93-'04 XR650L

I saw a picture of one on a T4 - so I bought it hoping it would bolt on.

The problem putting it on the T3 is the shifter needs to be rotated up further due to peg placement (at least for me) to let me get a boot under it. Once the shifter was rotated up enough, it hit the sprocket/chain solidly.

[jb2wheels]

At Little Sahara OK last weekend with the Sand Sports and DG pipe.

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I really like the Banshee shock. I had to back way off the compression damping to deal with the never ending whoops.