Nomad Engine Removal

[ndbigfish]

Does any one have a simple and cost effective method to remove the motor out of a Nomad? You about need to use two jacks or a jack and a lift of some kind. The repair manual shows a engine lift/stand that is "commerically available"; but not that I can find.

My poor old '99' (1500cc) began to hemorrhage Royal Purple out of the rocker cover last week. I went by the dealer on Friday and their shop technician looked it over and said the last repair like mine took 18 hours of labor. Lets see..... 18 hours × $65 an hour = Ouch!

I have nearly everything off to extract the motor but the right side frame and the running board assembly. I need a good way to support the engine I as remove the motor from the frame and support the motor while I work on the rocker covers. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[ringadingh]

You could use a jack to move the motor out of the frame a bit. I think all you need to do is lower it a bit to access the rocker cover.

[dogdoc]

labor here is $85 an hr. Sorry to hear about your ill Nomad.

[ndbigfish]

The motor must move forward before it can go down. This will allow it to seperate from the drive line yoke. Also the frame gusset would still cover a large amount of the rear rocker cover if left in place. A typical motorcycle lift/jack is too wide to fit under the bottom of the case. I'm not having much luck with transmission type jacks, due the configuration of the top or lift face.

Doc,
It would be a shame to spend $1,500+ in labor on a $4,500 bike. That is why it is being overhauled in the garage at home. Saturday it was 102°F and the heat in my uninsulated garage was about unbearable.

[macmac]

I am not sure what the job is. If it is just to pull the rocker covers off and re-seal you can lower the engine just enough, and do it in place.

No need to bench the engine really.

If the engine must be on the bench then 1 big guy can pick it up and 2 smaller guys a little wiser, can put it there too.

[ndbigfish]

Mac,
With the motor attached to the driveshaft I don't think the motor will drop down in place. The driveshaft will hit the swing arm. I think the motor will have to seperate from the driveshaft. I need a bad back method. Between the missing disc and two herniated discs I can't lift it anymore.

[macmac]

I hear bad back loud and clear.. very loud and clear... While i don't type like it it I guess..

The swingarm long bolt can come out and so lower the swing arm somewhat..

Hanging over the engine lowered enough to do this is going to hurt, no matter how you look at it.

Later today it is likey I will be hurting too, as I need to pull cly heads off a V-6 Toyota, in the doing hang in over the fenders. A miserable task.


If it isn't too late maybe you can get the bike up on low blocks. Maybe 1 and 1/2 inches up would be just enough to slip a lift in under the engine, and then allow the drop to be enough depending on your lift.

By pulling the long swing arm bolt alone, that should let the engine drop down just a little more, but do not bind the drive shaft hard....

I hear of clever guys not dropping the engine at all and still getting the valve covers off and out, but I don't see how. With a couple inches i can see how though.

What might help is to pull any and all bolts and leave them siotting in their own holes..

I do that with removing the ft reed valve assemblies.. Just pull the bolts and leave them right there just not threaded to anything.. Pull the unit that way.

[macmac]

A techy chair on rollers helps a bad back if you got any floor... I work off a 4x8 sheet of ply wood, since thew barn floor is powder clay for hosses. Ain't no hosses anymore, but nothing else can be done about that dammned floor.. no $$$$ for it...

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by ndbigfish

Mac,
With the motor attached to the driveshaft I don't think the motor will drop down in place. The driveshaft will hit the swing arm. I think the motor will have to seperate from the driveshaft. I need a bad back method. Between the missing disc and two herniated discs I can't lift it anymore.

Well, you're looking at a big job, but it's doable. Follow the procedures for servicing the swingarm which will get the exhaust and driveshaft out of the picture. Then you can work on dropping the engine down to get to the rocker covers.

[ndbigfish]

It is broken down to the point that the only thing left on the bike is the wheels, frame and driveshaft. The manual has you pull the the speedometer, tank, windshield, throttle, carb, fuel pump, surge tank, radiator, horns, shifters, engine ground, exhausts, engine guard, coolant hoses, clutch slave cylinder, running boards, rear brake master cylinder. The thing looks like a basket case now. If I take the rear end off there is nothing to support the bike, except to attach the frame to a cherrypicker or a come-along from overhead. I told the Missus that I might as well remove the tins and have them painted too.

I would really like to find a small transmission type jack (like the one shown in the manual)that would fit under just the motor.

[cactusjack]

I have a couple of automotive floor jacks, but I wouldn't trust them to completely support the motor for stability reasons.

[ringadingh]

Harbour Freight has a good selection of jacks that are priced pretty good. However it still adds up when you buy a tool you may only use once in a while. I have a pile of tools that I barely use because of those kinds of situations.

[macmac]

Did you take all that stuff off? The windshield??? The throttle grip ??

If I was where you are and had a KF lift as i do, I would build up blocks with a U shape for each tire so high as i needed, Set the brakes On with bungie cords and drop the engine down, just enough with the long bolt out for the swing arm...

I would not be after easy access, but would go buy what ever thinwall sockets and extentions i thought I need to sneak my in and sneak my way out, bad back or no bad back.

We are talking a maybe just 2 inches + a bit for this, not feet...

Let loose the shocks if you need to drop the forward end of the swing arm down.

Just make sure the bike can't fall....

You might need 6x8 blocks and long threaded rods and nuts to match. What ever you make, make sure it is strong and will do the job..

In the past I have made a lift of 2x10 and a long section of 2x4 bolted up strong, in a L shape.

Lift any bike made except maybe the Boss Hog.. and it might lift on of them for all I know.

[ndbigfish]

Mac,
The throttle cables had to come out to remove the carburator. I couldn't get the cables out with the windsield in place because of the windshield angle. Now I have found the pin on the bevel gear will not release. I guess I'll be removing the rear end like Scott suggested. Without the bike on blocks the bottom of the engine case is only 5 1/2" off of the deck. So it would be difficult to drop the engine down in place as commercial lifts or adapters and lifts are too tall.

[macmac]

I should think taking the cables off at the carb would be enough there.. I see no need of the windshield at all.

Yeah you might be stuck with the pin and the shaft needing 1 inch to move back if the swing arm won't swing back with the shock on that side.

Some things i just try to get barely the clearance, and will run in 1/4 inch drive sets and swivel sockets , to sneak out a part in a tight place.

If you have any rafters you might sling the bike frame and lift that up and away just enough too.. I will do anything to cheat the devil and the engineers.

I should think pulling the shocks and the swing arm long bolt would have the engine/tranny and drive line all on still and the whole thing could move.

And yeah you still need to support the upper rear frame. If I was there i would figure out something, but I can't see you shop..

I have blocks and tackel, chain falls, cable winchs (hand powered) and just stuff from years of cheating the devil..

probably I would have built a cradel of wood, and lifted the bike on my HF lift, then lowered the bike to that, which would hold the bike and then let the engine down on the HF lift what ever I needed, to just sneak in there and get the valve covers up..

It can take me a little monger to get things done due to a bad back, but I am used to doing what ever it takes so i don't blow my own gasket... I allow extra time on any project, and expect to use some of that time.

I get in all sorts of troubles with folks who want me to go fast and or too fast for me.

That happens and the whole project stops till things get sorted out. I don't like 1 ton things resting on my body parts much.

You are almost there..... I am sure you will figure out a little more clearance.