[tlbullfrog]

Good lord! Just when I think I'm getting an upper hand on putting this thing back together, I shoot myself in the foot by dropping a washer into the gear case.

I have a 1996 Honda Fourtrax 300. The thin, flat washer at the end of the kick-starter shaft fell into the gear case. I've spun the gears, but nothing binds. I can barely see into the bottom of the casing and have fished around with a thin-guaged wire. No luck. Is there any chance it could have hung up on the gears somewhere? Seems like rotating them would have already allowed it to drop to the bottom.

You guys have any "tricks" for resolving this issue. I'm honestly at my wit's end and there's no way I have the skills (or patience) to completely tear the gear case apart!

Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!

 

[tomgodd]

Try a magnet. Thats the best i can tell ya. Sorry!

 

[Helmut]

Yeah, one of those telescoping magnets would be the only thing that I could think of.

 

[tlbullfrog]

You know, I guess I could also use my compressor to shoot air into the case and, hopefully, force the washer to the bottom. (?)

I'm just gonna walk away from it for awhile and pick it up later.

Keep posting up ideas, though. Anything will help!!!

 

[tomgodd]

When upset that is the best IDEA! I am frustrated with jetting issues on my quad. I will sleep on it.

 

[shadetree]

your not the only one that has done that bro..lol..for future refference..when you get the washer out ( will get to that part in a min )..dab some grease on the kick starter washer after you put it back on the end of it..this will keep it in place while your installing the kick starter. now.as for getting the washer out..i fished one out on a bike that did that too me..yeah..your right..it sucks..lol..anyway..if you can't fish it out with a magnet and flashlight..try removing the left side cover..yeah..i know..you hate to do it..but..it will make it easier..after you get the left side off..tilt the bike up on the right tires...support it with some jack stands..now..with a air compresser..blow through the case holes from the left side...this will get the washer over on the right side..you probaly can get it next to the case hole..with a magnet or coat hanger..you should be able to retrieve it. this is how i got the one out that did this to me..and no helmut..not my '96 trx300 project bike !..lol..after that one time of this crap..i learned real quickly to put grease on that kick starter washer simply because of this.

 

[shadetree]

You know, I guess I could also use my compressor to shoot air into the case and, hopefully, force the washer to the bottom. (?)

I'm just gonna walk away from it for awhile and pick it up later.

Keep posting up ideas, though. Anything will help!!!

thats the best thing you will ever learn when it comes to atv repair ..WALK AWAY..IT MAKES IT ALL GO BETTER..you can't work on something when your upset..all this does is make it worse.

 

[Helmut]

LOL. I've worked on a lot of them that didn't have that washer when I took it apart. We all know what happened to it. LOL.

 

[shadetree]

LOL. I've worked on a lot of them that didn't have that washer when I took it apart. We all know what happened to it. LOL.

it wasn't droped by me..thats for sure ! one time was enough for me to learn my lesson..lol.

 

[Helmut]

LOL. I've worked on a lot of them that didn't have that washer when I took it apart. We all know what happened to it. LOL.

it wasn't droped by me..thats for sure ! one time was enough for me to learn my lesson..lol.

The washer usually sticks to the block for a second when you pull the shaft out and then it falls. I always turn them on their side, so it won't fall down, but that still doesn't guarantee that it won't end up down in there. LOL.

 

[shadetree]

LOL. I've worked on a lot of them that didn't have that washer when I took it apart. We all know what happened to it. LOL.

it wasn't droped by me..thats for sure ! one time was enough for me to learn my lesson..lol.

The washer usually sticks to the block for a second when you pull the shaft out and then it falls. I always turn them on their side, so it won't fall down, but that still doesn't guarantee that it won't end up down in there. LOL.

kinda reminds me of the first time i pulled the out put shaft from the engine on a trx250 many moons ago..lmfao..all i heard was..clunk..clunk..clunk...lmfao..found out..those were the tranny gears falling off the shaft from the inside..i'll NEVERRRRRRR DO THAT AGAIN !..LMFAO.

 

[Helmut]

it wasn't droped by me..thats for sure ! one time was enough for me to learn my lesson..lol.

The washer usually sticks to the block for a second when you pull the shaft out and then it falls. I always turn them on their side, so it won't fall down, but that still doesn't guarantee that it won't end up down in there. LOL.

kinda reminds me of the first time i pulled the out put shaft from the engine on a trx250 many moons ago..lmfao..all i heard was..clunk..clunk..clunk...lmfao..found out..those were the tranny gears falling off the shaft from the inside..i'll NEVERRRRRRR DO THAT AGAIN !..LMFAO.

Yeah, that definitely makes for a bad day. LOL.

 

[shadetree]

The washer usually sticks to the block for a second when you pull the shaft out and then it falls. I always turn them on their side, so it won't fall down, but that still doesn't guarantee that it won't end up down in there. LOL.

kinda reminds me of the first time i pulled the out put shaft from the engine on a trx250 many moons ago..lmfao..all i heard was..clunk..clunk..clunk...lmfao..found out..those were the tranny gears falling off the shaft from the inside..i'll NEVERRRRRRR DO THAT AGAIN !..LMFAO.

Yeah, that definitely makes for a bad day. LOL.

and some !!!..lol.

 

[tlbullfrog]

Hey thanks, guys!

After a good night's sleep (and before reading your posts), I actually did what you both described.

When putting it all back together, I even had enough snap to stand it up on it's side for reassembly. Worked GREAT!

The washer had grease on it and was helping it stick, I just fumbled the ball and dropped it in the case.

Got everything back together and buttoned up, but shifter still isn't working right. Gotta re-open it and see what's outta sync. So... I might be back with more questions!

Thanks again, guys. Great info and insights!
TL

 

[smokyjoeko]

Same thing happened to me. Kickstart stayed in right side cover when I was removing it for clutch adj. trouble. washer feel off and into case. I got lucky and found washer hideing in the small amount of oil left in bottom of case. Used magnet to get it over to right side by small hole. As things go washer to big to come out thru hole.Pushed thin solder down from where it fell in. Fished end of solder out small hole at bottom with hook. Used magnet to hold washer half over small hole in case. Looped another piece solder around washer secured two ends of solder together and gently pulled washer out top hole.Hope this makes sense to you. Worked for me. Good luck.

 

[Hairlord63]

Good lord! Just when I think I'm getting an upper hand on putting this thing back together, I shoot myself in the foot by dropping a washer into the gear case.

I have a 1996 Honda Fourtrax 300. The thin, flat washer at the end of the kick-starter shaft fell into the gear case. I've spun the gears, but nothing binds. I can barely see into the bottom of the casing and have fished around with a thin-guaged wire. No luck. Is there any chance it could have hung up on the gears somewhere? Seems like rotating them would have already allowed it to drop to the bottom.

You guys have any "tricks" for resolving this issue. I'm honestly at my wit's end and there's no way I have the skills (or patience) to completely tear the gear case apart!

Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!

I know this is an old post but I need to help out.....this just happened to me when trying to put the kick start gear back on....the washer fell straight down by left hole on case where I could see it. I took a small telescoping magnet and grabbed the washer but it doesn't fit thru the hole!!!!! DON'T PANIC!!! Look to the right and you will see the oil screen......pull that out, push the magnet holding the washer straight back to bypass the small wall inside the case, you will be able to see thru the oil screen hole, use a part grabber(the flexible kind with the little fingers that expand)put the grabber into the oil screen hole and grab the washer and it will easily slide thru that hole!! I took pictures and will post when I figure out how to do that.......just joined,first post,hope this helps because I thought I was up the creek!!

 

[timmymahon9]

Still no luck getting the washer out of the block