Camso DTS 129 install-what is involved/degree of difficulty?

[Ben 500RR-S]

I forget who it was that mentioned an easier way to tear the bike down to clear the way for the track-install is to just simply remove the countershaft sprocket, the rear brake pedal and master cylinder, dogbone, the swingarm bolt and maybe the top shock bolt and bottom shock bolt and the entire swingarm, rear wheel and brake can all come out as one piece.

I had taken the master link off and took everything off piece by piece, which was ok as I could clean and re-grease on the way back in and as I had just gotten the shock, swingarm, linkage, chain, rear wheel on last night, it was all pretty easy to get done.

I have to install the rear brake line and bleed the master cylinder as I had messed up taking it out and had to get a new rear brake caliper assembly. Compared to the track/rear wheel, the front wheel is simple as will be the handlebars.

 

[Ben 500RR-S]

Funny how it was just over a year ago when I had started this thread and here it is, I just finished the install of the DTS 129 kit for the second time and for sure the second time was a LOT easier.

Front ski is simple. I even drop the fork legs to slide the Seal Savers over the fork sliders.

I had tried to take a shortcut and had tried to remove the entire rear wheel/swingarm all in once piece but no-go for me. I had realized that it is easier to just take the rear wheel off and the linkage/dogbones and then grease them all up over the winter so that come the spring, all is freshy-fresh.

Install was sort of easy as well as having the bike-jack helped a lot. I also learned that I need to loosen the strut rod so I can simply get the top of the rod lined up enough to get the top shock bolt through as it is almost impossible to get it all lined up with it bolted tightly to the track.

I'm glad I had spent some time a couple of weeks ago swapping out the handlebars as I had left the heated grips on them as well as the flag handguards to make it easier for when it comes time to do the switchovers.

I'm now just waiting for the dealer to call me for when my BIL's Camso 129 kit comes for his 300 XC-W and I'll install that too. I had spent a few hours removing the front wheel and the rear wheel/swingarm/shock to get the bike ready for the kit.

I also bought my BIL's 2011 Expedition so I'm psyched to also ride that in between riding the snowbike. I really got it for the wife as it is e-start, quiet, no smoke and with a FBWire throttle-it is really light and the clutch effortlessly engages at around 2,500 so it can be ridden really easily which she likes as do I. I had spent all day Saturday changing the oil and filter, the gearcase oil, greasing the skid and replacing the belt and then washing and then waxing the shiny plastics so it is now like new and it only has 1,376 miles on it. I had also adjusted the chain tensioner so now the Reverse-lever now pulls down easily.

Now for the snow to start piling up up north.

 

[Ben 500RR-S]

Do not do what I had done.

I had gone down on the gearshift lever at least once or twice. One is not riding like one should if the bike, and even the rider, don't go down on the dirt/mud every now and then, right? And bend stuff up that can thankfully, like levers and foot controls, so this is what I had done.

My gearshifter, an aluminum square Hammerhead Designs shift lever, it is bent in towards the engine.

Dumb me, takes out the bolt that keeps the shifter tight to the splines, then decides that once the bolt is off, why not pull the shifter out away from the case, and make it perfect-like out of the package-perfect.

I start pulling and pulled so hard, because the bolt was out, the entire knurled upper section of the gearshifter-teeth had bent and the aluminum teeth were all gnashed and rendered unuseable.

A new shifter should be here Saturday. I figure that mine was worn out and that I needed a new $31 gearshifter anyway.