After much trepidation I got stuck in and opened her up. Got the motor out after stripping the body work etc. When I opened the front clutch cover out drop a sheared bolt head. The origin of this bolt was to hold the guide plate and drum shaft that make up the gearshift linkage. Had to take off the centrifugal clutch and cluck assemblies to get to the sheared off bolt. Cleaned out the thread, reapplied Locktite and replaced the bolt with a high tensile cap screw. Checked that the gears would shift through the range. Reassembled the motor and put it back together. (sounds so simple and quick when writing it.) Adjusted the clutch. Once the motor was in place in the frame hooked up the electrics and did a double check before bolting everything back together. All gears and even reverse worked perfectly - phew!
All in all took me the best part of the day with a help of a friend.
Did an initial oil change after an half an hour to get any of the accidental foreign bits out.
Quad changes really smooth. I think better than when I got it.
It is strange that this bolt sheared off. It does not seem that it takes a lot of strain. Maybe it became loose thus causing the additional force to shear it. I am amazed that it was not a high tensile bolt in any event.
See attached image for the bolt location
Thanks again to the Honda Mechanic. Would not have started if you did not send me the info -
Thanks again - Tony
Foreman no longer dead in the shed up and about thats the sight
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