New Tecate Wheels....Problems Solved!

[Frankencelery]

I got these awesome looking new wheels for my '85 Tecate, but so far I have only been able to look at them. (Oh, and I smelled them too...love that new tire smell)



Got the correct hubs from a member here (Thanks John!), and I'm ready to go. Then I remembered that the .190 Douglas rims are too thick and the studs don't come through far enough. I'm trying to remember what I did when I had this same issue on my 250SX, but I can't for the life of me remember where I bought longer studs. Can anyone point me in the right direction? The stock ones are 10x30, or 35mm long if you include the head. I figure I need about 45mm. I've been poking around, but I haven't found any where they're pictured and I can be sure what I'm getting. Stopped at the local Kawasaki shop in town and they were no help either.

[just ben]

my local auto parts store carries several size wheel lugs and usually come up with whatever I need.

[Frankencelery]

You've got a good parts store then. I've been to one auto parts store, and they showed only one 10mm wheel bolt in their catalog, and it was the same length and didn't have the right knurl size. Tried another Kawasaki shop, and they only know how to look up parts by machine. I said to the guy "I need a wheel stud by size, rather than by application, can you help me?", and he said "What year and model is it?". Sheesh!

I finally DID find the ones I had ordered for my 250SX. They were original honda parts and were 36mm long which still seems too short if I plan to use a washer behind them. Still searching.

[jb2wheels]

Nuts - you're having a crappy wheel/tire experience for sure.

I did not realize the rims are that much thicker than the original Tecate rims. What a pisser.

[barnett468]

Hello;




Ok, the motorcycle parts guy is a MORON. This why he is a parts guy. Most, if not ALL the wheel studs for ALL the bikes have the same or close to the same first 5 numbers. This means they will ALL be in the same "bleepin" section sitting RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER on the "bleepin" shelf.


Hi, I am an experienced motorcycle parts guy...how can I not help you today?




Most big auto stores like NAPA, Pep Boys, Kragen and Checker have a selection of these an stock. NAPA will likely have the biggest selection. They are often stored in orange boxes that says Dorman on them. If you call a store and ask if they have wheel studs in Dorman boxes, they might have what you need. If no one has them in stock ask if they have a Dorman catalog. If they do, have them hand it to you and look them up yourself, because...well...you are probably smarter than a parts guy.

If the od and/or length of the splines is too large, you can turn it down. A machine shop or local high school will do this for a couple bucks.

If just the length of the splines is too long and you do not want to turn it down you can probably just put some metric grade 8 washers over them.

[Frankencelery]

No kidding Barnett468. You'd think someone would be willing to go in back and look through the bins. The second place I called rather than stopped in, so that probably explains that one.

When I put these same Douglas .190 rims on my SX, I went through the same thing, and the splines were indeed too long, so I just ground them down at the end, and that took care of that. Not machine shop quality, but it did the trick. At lunchtime I'm going to go to the Honda dealer where they have a clue. I just *might* be able to use the 36mm ones that I used on the SX, but it will be close. I was really hoping for 40-45mm, but I've spent all morning calling places and searching the net, and nobody has anything.

Dorman lists only 3 M10 wheel studs in their catalog, and they're all 29mm in length.

NAPA next, if Honda doesn't have anything.

[barnett468]

.

No kidding Barnett468. You'd think someone would be willing to go in back and look through the bins.

Well they certainly exist. You might get them from the site below if they sell small quantities, 46 mm long and a whopping grade 10.

http://www.bdcoldheadedproducts.com/...%20Bolts%20M10

[jb2wheels]

Sounds familiar. I had the same problem trying to put later ATC/TRX wheels with inserts and acorn lug nuts on my stock 1st gen 200X hubs. Studs were too short. I bought some 400EX hubs. Problem solved but not an option here.

On a side note:
- isn't metric grade 10.9 equivalent to SAE grade 8?
- and similarly, metric grade 8.8 equivalent to SAE grade 5?

Strangely, Honda does not list the stud for the 400EX but does for the 450R. They're the same hub. only 36mm though and $5 each. Jeez...

Maybe upgrade to 12mm studs?

[jb2wheels]

Go international?

UK:
http://www.caravanparts.co.uk/7050-w...l?currency=USD

Ireland:
http://www.genfitt.ie/New_ATV_Wheel_...fault.239.html

[ironchop]

http://www.bdcoldheadedproducts.com/wheel-bolts.php

or this....


http://metric-threaded.com/detail.as...S10762&id=3951

[Frankencelery]

Honda saved the day!

Part #90103-HA2-003

Here's how it looks...



In other news, it turns out that my Tecate isn't really an '85 after all. I made a stupid newbie mistake when I bought it and assumed that it was what the guy said it was. So I didn't clue in when I had to get proper '85 hubs, but today when I was looking up parts, I realized I've got an '84. Checked the VIN, which has been painted over so heavily that I could barely read it and confirmed the year code. So...lesson learned. Don't take someone's word for it when they say what year it is. I had never actually seen a KXT250 in real life, so I didn't know any better.

[Frankencelery]

I just realized I forgot to post pics of new wheels & tires on the trike!



So that's one more thing done. It's got several more things to do on it, but it's rideable now!