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woodruff key problems

By lid,
in WR400F/426F/450F

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Apprentice

lid

Posted
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I have a 2003 wr 450 and im having problems with my flywheel spinning on the crank and shearing the woodruff key. Its done it three times now and every time im out some where miles from home and im getting a bit pissed off with the thing, To a point of contenplating of stepping back in time to another trusty xr400. Ive rebeded the flywheel with grinding paste for a good fit to the crank and tightened it to the recommended torque setting ect but it always seems to break when i stall it. Has this happened to any of you guys, Am I going to have to carry a torque wrench around with me every time I go any where.

HELP!!!!

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Proficient

mjslim

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Go to www.wr450.com

Click on "Photos", fiind instructions and pictures for 04 starter conversion mod.

Don't need left side case cover, buy bushing for torque limiter instead and save $$.

Remove 03 idler gear cover, remove 03 idler gear, install bushing for 04 torque limiter, install 04 torque limiter with thrust washers, install 04 torque limiter cover, done (20 minutes).

Go have beer, agonize over whether or not to replace chewed up crank.......

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Community Regular

blireef

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Look in the archives and you'll find tons of stuff, but the one thing I did not notice in your post was the application of the special locktite that you can get from your dealer. You must apply the locktite and then do the starter upgrade and it should hold. Big Jim

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Apprentice

02WR426

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My local dealer replaced cranks in 50% of the '03 450's he sold. Yamaha recognized the issue and provided '04 cranks under warranty. Contact Yamaha's technical service group and see if there was any time limit on the upgrade. There shouldn't be, they F@#$'d up.

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Grand Master

Indy_WR450

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Yamaha recognized the issue and provided '04 cranks under warranty.

Yeah I wish they would have supported us down here in the US. ?

Yamaha US remained in denial the entire time and helped only a few people that had a lot of problems in the first month. We all basically got screwed! ?

Maybe that is why I just bought a KTM. ????????? ?

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Enthusiast

viper77

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Go to www.wr450.com

Click on "Photos", fiind instructions and pictures for 04 starter conversion mod.

Don't need left side case cover, buy bushing for torque limiter instead and save $$.

Remove 03 idler gear cover, remove 03 idler gear, install bushing for 04 torque limiter, install 04 torque limiter with thrust washers, install 04 torque limiter cover, done (20 minutes).

Go have beer, agonize over whether or not to replace chewed up crank.......

You obviously also don't need the gasket for the side cover. I just did mine this weekend and it was a piece of cake.

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Experienced

ETP

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Using loctite will keep the flywheel from spinning, but something else will have to give during a backfire. Another weak point, like the flywheel, and or the sidecase. ? .

Gotta do the 04 upgrade to fix the problem. It provides a clutch to absorb the shock during a backfire.

I just upgraded my 03. Indy and his buddies did a great job documenting the proceedure for us. Thanks guys!!! ?

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Grand Master

simon@vic

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Yamaha US remained in denial the entire time and helped only a few people that had a lot of problems in the first month.

at the time of the 03 coming on the market i was working as a mechanic at the local Yamaha dealership. Yamaha Canada only supported the BS loctite fix. if some cranks got replace in Ontario that is because the shop had some good pull with the Yamaha rep for some reason.

Using loctite will keep the flywheel from spinning

sometimes. the major problem was the taper and size of the crank its self. the pressure fit on the crank is what hold it all together. the key just guides the flywheel on to the crank in the right orientation.

my advice would be to do the 04 starter upgrade, loctite the flywheel and hope for the best. if it fails again, i will buy it off you for $1 or trade you for an XR400 ?

if it fails again and you still want it. PUT AN 04 CRANK IN IT. good luck.

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Grand Master

Indy_WR450

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No I am not jumping ship. :D I love the WR450! ? It will remain my main stead and I will use it for technical riding! ? I plan to have and keep both! :o

I am setting up the 525 for straight dual sport and high speed desert riding with twin 8" HID lasers and a 210 Watt super stator! A Baja Type machine!

I really like the 6 speed gear box and I plan to punch her out to a 575 Big Bore kit as well! ?

You only live once! :D

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Community Regular

Dirty_Sanchez

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Guys, a dab of Loctite 660 in the keyslot, and another smear around the shaft before you install the flywheel will fix your problem for good. And before anyone asks, yes, you can still remove your flywheel with your flywheel puller.

660 is made especially to keep keyways from wallowing, and to repair keyways that have already been buggered up.

I am a Loctite Factory Rep down in Louisiana and have been building engines for nearly 20 years. I know which product to put where on an engine, and 660 will be the fix.

Dirty

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Collaborator

Vick115

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i have an "03 and I have mine covered with locktite and I have never had a problem in 3 years now. I never changed to any of the '04 parts. I also have it street legal and have lots of time on this motor. I did jet it up quite a bit and its running on the rich side so it has not backfired in years.

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Grand Master

Indy_WR450

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I was in the same boat as you. I ran nearly 6,000. miles on the 03 WR450 without a failure and I was one of the first to upgrade. Yamaha did not do the 04 starter upgrade for kicks and giggles it really is just a matter of time before one backfire brakes the key or even worse back drives and cracks the case. My buddy WRer recently took of all his starter stuff because it cracked the case during a backfire. His is over a year old. Then he started riding it as kick only and just recently broke the kick starter stop and it fell down and broke the oil pump gear. Now $250. later he can kick start it again and still has the e-start drive train out. ?

If we would have listened to TT members he would have been better off and no worse financially! ?

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Grand Master

Indy_WR450

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Posted
Good to hear from you INDY. How was your trip South?

The southern trip was awesome. We rented 3 cabins on the Alabama, Tennessee border and had a 2000 foot drop off the back porch overlooking a wide valley! Cabins were new and well furnished. Showers, Kitchen, TV etc. We rode from our cabins a few miles down a road to the Carter Mountain property which is private and run by the CMRA. 17,000 acres of riding! About 100 miles of tight single track and another 100 miles of jeep wide trails. We had a great guide family. Darryl Moody his wife Suzy and son to show us 11 guys all the trails. We will probably do this again next year. I will end up organizing it again for early February 2006. You also got to go to WudI8 next year at the end of February in Hot Springs Arkansas that was some of the best single track I have ever ridden! I will make both a regular annual event like Moab in the spring and fall! ?

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