09 yz450f crank access cover - genius required

[pembell]

My mate's yz450f has a 13mm allen key slot in it. I'm in Saudi Arabia. You can't even specify 13mm bolt heads here, never mind find a 13mm allen key!

Has anyone got a good idea as to what I can use to get the cover off? Is there something on the bike that, presto turno, you can get it off with?

I am going out (again) tomorrow to try and find a 13mm hex bolt or similar to get the bugger off, but any great ideas in the meantime would be much appreciated.

And what was wrong with the big straight slot they all used to have in the first place?!

[grayracer513]

If you have the OEM spark plug wrench that came with the bike, the small end of that works.

[pembell]

If you have the OEM spark plug wrench that came with the bike, the small end of that works.

Thanks, Gray, but the bike was a secondhand purchase and I don't think Al got that with it. I'll ping him - he's in the UK and expecting me to fix the thing while he's away....

Thanks also for your advice elsewhere on the forum, regarding camchains jumping teeth - looks like that's what has happened to his.

While I'm on, I haven't got that far yet, due to the inability to get the crank cover off.... but, will it be possible to turn one of the camshafts without taking the cover off it such that the dots line up properly, or is it a 'cam out' operation only?

Anyway, back to the original question - you have confirmed that there is a bit that came with the bike that does the presto turno thing! Thanks!

edit: but if anyone has any other great ideas as to what might fit, I'd love to hear them...

[Blackwoodz]

a 1/2 inch standard allen key should fit it. can you find one of those in SA?

[pembell]

a 1/2 inch standard allen key should fit it. can you find one of those in SA?

Well, funny enough, you can get up to 10mm, then you can get a 22mm.....

I'm sure there's a perfectly good sociological reason why 22mm allen keys are popular here, but not one that interests me just now!

No luck so far, I'm afraid...

[rmcr250r]

I use the bolts from the head stay brackets and just put two nuts together on the threads it works just like a 13mm allen key.

Edited December 12, 2010 by rmcr250r

[Blackwoodz]

Well, funny enough, you can get up to 10mm, then you can get a 22mm.....

I'm sure there's a perfectly good sociological reason why 22mm allen keys are popular here, but not one that interests me just now!

No luck so far, I'm afraid...

something to do with oil wells I am sure. ?

The last posters ideas sounds like a good one.

[ForsheeMS]

I use the bolts from the head stay brackets and just put two nuts together on the threads it works just like a 13mm allen key.

That's odd considering the head stay bolts are 14mm.

[rmcr250r]

That's odd considering the head stay bolts are 14mm.

Ya i know that. I couldn't find a 13mm allen key anywhere at the time and then i got creative and came up with that idea and sure enough it works perfectly.

[pembell]

That's odd considering the head stay bolts are 14mm.

Forshee, it could be 14mm - all I know is it's bigger than both my allen key sets!

rmcr - thanks - that's the solution I've come up with too...all I need now is to find someone who sells nuts that fit....

I still can't imagine why anyone would think it was a step forward to make the slot a big hex in the first place.

[brentn]

I use the bolts from the head stay brackets and just put two nuts together on the threads it works just like a 13mm allen key.

Genius was needed here and it looks like we found it ?

[pembell]

Well, thanks for all the suggestions. I went to SACO World Today, the local hardware store, and couldn't even source two nuts to use on the bolt!

However.....I did spot a cycle wrench set (for a pushbike ) which had a thin enough wrench to slip onto the bolt head while still having enough bolt head to get purchase in the slot. And hey presto, off came the cover.

Thanks again, all!

[pembell]

Also....thought I'd better redress the balance a bit....

Here's the real advantage of being in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.....

My 426 in my back yard, about 20 minutes from the house:

Al's WR450 atop 'le grand fromage des dunes'.

And...'Which way next?'

[myoung]

Maybe it sounds a little 'shade tree mechanic', but I just go at it with a spare bolt with a 14mm head and a pair of pliers.

[pembell]

Maybe it sounds a little 'shade tree mechanic', but I just go at it with a spare bolt with a 14mm head and a pair of pliers.

Ahh, takes me back to my apprenticeship where my nickname was 'Bodger Bell'. Can't think why.