I have an '04 ST13 that I bought one year ago with only 4500miles on it, I now have about 18,000 on it. The bike had considerable road salt induced rust on the left side (only) from sitting dirty for a number of years, Last year I gave it a complete tupperware removed detailing and fluid freshing up. This spring it got the full maintanence service treatment at 15,000.
After the Lyle rally back in May (heavy rain, lots of thick muddy dirt roads) I noticed he rear brake was starting to drag and grind. I replaced all brake pads and cleaned all the calipers...still draging and getting worse, checked and cleaned the needle bearing, next was a full bleed/flush which I also did when I first bought the bike. No better, hot weather set in and the drag was getting really bad. Pulled apart the SMC - pretty clear this was the problem - did a super clean job and reasembled it, worked OK for about 10 miles
I have a trip planned to the east coast and can't get the part in time to pull it all together ...this issue is why I did not ride to Curt's service and came in a cage...which really bummed me out to not have my ST there - My "other" bike an '02 V-Strom did not make it home after the MN1000 due to fractured wheels, but no crash! Anyway in light of my schdule I had to come up with both a test to confirm that a replacement SMC would take care of my problem and also if possible allow me make the NE Lyle rally July 14th in Plymouth, MA.
I went shopping for some hard rubber and found a 3x3 Y shaped boat trailer stop...cut it up with a chop saw and was able to make a perfect shim to disable the SMC...just got back from a long hot test ride...good to go! I can now confidently order a new SMC to fix the bike, in the mean time feel comfortable heading on a trip with the shim in place. I have attached pics for anybody that might be interested. After I get my part I am willing to send this "shim" out for people to use as a SMC test "tool".
After the Lyle rally back in May (heavy rain, lots of thick muddy dirt roads) I noticed he rear brake was starting to drag and grind. I replaced all brake pads and cleaned all the calipers...still draging and getting worse, checked and cleaned the needle bearing, next was a full bleed/flush which I also did when I first bought the bike. No better, hot weather set in and the drag was getting really bad. Pulled apart the SMC - pretty clear this was the problem - did a super clean job and reasembled it, worked OK for about 10 miles
I have a trip planned to the east coast and can't get the part in time to pull it all together ...this issue is why I did not ride to Curt's service and came in a cage...which really bummed me out to not have my ST there - My "other" bike an '02 V-Strom did not make it home after the MN1000 due to fractured wheels, but no crash! Anyway in light of my schdule I had to come up with both a test to confirm that a replacement SMC would take care of my problem and also if possible allow me make the NE Lyle rally July 14th in Plymouth, MA.
I went shopping for some hard rubber and found a 3x3 Y shaped boat trailer stop...cut it up with a chop saw and was able to make a perfect shim to disable the SMC...just got back from a long hot test ride...good to go! I can now confidently order a new SMC to fix the bike, in the mean time feel comfortable heading on a trip with the shim in place. I have attached pics for anybody that might be interested. After I get my part I am willing to send this "shim" out for people to use as a SMC test "tool".
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