Hi All,
Just got my first rotary last week, an RE-5. Not sure if I have bitten off more than I can chew!!
I've been looking at these for a while, wanting something different to restore. I guess I'm hoping to be lucky finding some of the obsolete parts.
The main problem with the bike at the moment is the starter gear has shattered, I did post a message on the technical board for advice and perhaps where to get a replacement - so fingers crossed at the moment.
The internals on the engine seem in very good condition (apart from the starter gear) even the water pump is like new.
I'm sure I'll be on here quite a bit asking for advise and guidance on the rebuild.
Keep you all posted.
New owner of an RE-5
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Charles Wilson
- moderator
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:44 pm
Re: New owner of an RE-5
BarRE5 --
Congratulations!
Good News: The RE-5 is a lot of fun! Get'em running! Hop on and see where it'll take you.
Bad News: If, by "Starter Gear", you mean "Starter Sprag Clutch", go down to your local gym and start workin' out.
You're going to have to learn how to properly kick-start what is, in effect, a high compression 500 cc Single with a very high brake-away torque.
The Sprag Clutch for the RE-5 is more rare than hen's teeth. Letters to Suzuki about this do not get answered and no one around the world knows where they may be found.
I had 2 RE-5's and when the Sprags lock up, they take the starter with them. I lost 2 starters that way. I didn't mind 40-odd years ago. My back would mind now.
I would advise pulling the starter. If they still have such things as "Starter Shops" in you area, maybe your friendly Tech can find the match in an old catalog. The starter was a common body mated to a unique end piece.
Take the end piece and plug the central hole with a nut, washer and bolt of appropriate size and screw the end piece back into the bike. As you begin your "starting routine" practice, let your weight carry the kick-starter down and then give one last mighty push at the bottom of the stroke.
Want to get rich? If you can find more than one of these Sprag Clutches anywhere, you can virtually name your price.
Happy motoring!
Congratulations!
Good News: The RE-5 is a lot of fun! Get'em running! Hop on and see where it'll take you.
Bad News: If, by "Starter Gear", you mean "Starter Sprag Clutch", go down to your local gym and start workin' out.
You're going to have to learn how to properly kick-start what is, in effect, a high compression 500 cc Single with a very high brake-away torque.
The Sprag Clutch for the RE-5 is more rare than hen's teeth. Letters to Suzuki about this do not get answered and no one around the world knows where they may be found.
I had 2 RE-5's and when the Sprags lock up, they take the starter with them. I lost 2 starters that way. I didn't mind 40-odd years ago. My back would mind now.
I would advise pulling the starter. If they still have such things as "Starter Shops" in you area, maybe your friendly Tech can find the match in an old catalog. The starter was a common body mated to a unique end piece.
Take the end piece and plug the central hole with a nut, washer and bolt of appropriate size and screw the end piece back into the bike. As you begin your "starting routine" practice, let your weight carry the kick-starter down and then give one last mighty push at the bottom of the stroke.
Want to get rich? If you can find more than one of these Sprag Clutches anywhere, you can virtually name your price.
Happy motoring!
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Charles Wilson
- moderator
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:44 pm
Re: New owner of an RE-5
Ummm..."Breakaway Torque".
Dyslexia is a terribus whank...
Dyslexia is a terribus whank...
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kanonkopdrinker
- Site Admin
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:59 pm
- Location: Essex, UK
Re: New owner of an RE-5
Luckily the (UK’s) Rotary Owners’ Club has obtained from Jess Stockwell some of his newly produced sprag clutches!!
David
David
Re: New owner of an RE-5
Hi,
The sprag clutch seems to work when turning by hand, the problem is that the gear itself is broken. Not sure if this is a typical problem. I’ve attached a photo of what was in the bottom of the case - also explained why it wouldn’t index through the gears as the broken pieces were under the gear selector.
The sprag clutch seems to work when turning by hand, the problem is that the gear itself is broken. Not sure if this is a typical problem. I’ve attached a photo of what was in the bottom of the case - also explained why it wouldn’t index through the gears as the broken pieces were under the gear selector.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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johnbirchjar
- moderator
- Posts: 1659
- Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:20 pm
Re: New owner of an RE-5
Take more than a touch of super glue to repair that 
,.good luck,J.B.
,.good luck,J.B.Re: New owner of an RE-5
Looks as if the teeth are proper full depth involute form rather than the modified versions the Japanese seem inordinately fond of.
If so it might be possible to find a stock gear from folk like HPC with enough meat on it to be modified so a sprag clutch fits. If you can't find a stock gear cutting a special is no major undertaking in these CNC days. Won't be exceptionally cheap but if the firm has the right design software its pretty simple to knock out a CNC file.
Given the intermittent duty and likely short life needed, in terms of numbers of starts the machine is likely to be subject to, the material won't need to be exotic and hardening unnecessary.
Clive
If so it might be possible to find a stock gear from folk like HPC with enough meat on it to be modified so a sprag clutch fits. If you can't find a stock gear cutting a special is no major undertaking in these CNC days. Won't be exceptionally cheap but if the firm has the right design software its pretty simple to knock out a CNC file.
Given the intermittent duty and likely short life needed, in terms of numbers of starts the machine is likely to be subject to, the material won't need to be exotic and hardening unnecessary.
Clive