TWO WHEELER MAINTENANCE TIPS

For a trouble-free ride on your favorite two-wheeler, it is imperative that you maintain it properly and inspected it regularly for minor wear and tear. Proper maintenance is important for optimum and trouble-free performance from your vehicle.

 Preventive Maintenance

1. Make sure that you check your tyre treads once a week. Have the wheels balanced and the alignment checked if the wear is uneven.

2. Check your tyres for cuts and scrapes on your tires, which could cause a blowout. Add air pressure as required. Many blowouts are the result of low air pressure.

3. Examine both of your wheels for missing or loose spokes. Check the rims for cracks or dents.

4. Lift the wheel off the ground and spin it. Then watch its motion, listen for noise and move it from side to side to check for looseness.

5. For smooth operations, inspect the controls. Watch for kinks or broken strands in your cables. Also, lubricate the control mechanisms at each end of the cables.

6. Oil the chain and check the sprockets for worn teeth.

7. Does the motorcycle bounce several times after you ride over a bump? Do you hear a big clunk? If the answer to either of this is yes, adjust or replace the shock absorbers.

8. Be on the lookout for loose or missing nuts, bolts or cotter pins. If you keep your bike clean, it’s easier to spot the missing parts.

9. Adjust your brakes so they lock the wheel when fully applied (see your owner’s manual for instructions). If the wheel does not lock, or if you hear a scraping sound when you’re trying to stop have the lining checked.

10. If you suspect that your motorbike can land you into trouble, fix things right away. That is the only way you can avoid an acccident.

Cleaning the Two Wheeler

A clean bike is important for long-term fitness and for value of the vehicle. Maintenance of a clean bike is easier, and it also less expensive to operate.

A few tips that will help keep your vehicle clean:

• Before you clean the vehicle, ensure that the ignition switch unit, H.T. Coil and silencer are covered using plastic sheets.
• Clean the vehicle using low-pressure water.
• All painted surfaces should be washed only with water, as kerosene or detergent will damage the paint
• Take care not to apply water on the electrical parts
• For cleaning the engine externally, brush it with kerosene and wipe it dry with a clean rag.
• Dry the vehicle and lubricate it after you wash it

At times, water may enter on the brake liners during washing, leading to brake slippage. Therefore, make it a point to dry the liners by braking frequently till the brake starts working effectively.

After you’ve cleaned the vehicle :

• Replace or top up engine/ Gear box oil
• Clean the air filter
• Clean the spark plug, and seal the electrode gap
• Overhaul the carburetor
• Adjust the control cable
• Tighten nuts, bolts and fasteners
• Clean and adjust front and rear brakes
• Check and adjust steering column play
• Check for proper functioning of lights, switches and horn
• Check battery electrolyte level and top up with distilled water
• Check and adjust drive chain tension
• Check and adjust spoke tightness / rim runout
• Check and clean inline fuel filter 

Lubricating your Two Wheeler

For a smooth and easy ride, it is important to lubricate your vehicle from time to time. What are the parts that need to be lubricated?

• Rider seat pivot
• Control cables
• Brake lever, pedal and clutch lever
• Front suspension
• Speedo gear / pinion / cable
• Steering races
• Stand pivot
• Front wheel bearing
• Gear shifter assembly
• Brake actuating shaft

Tyres, wheels and windshields

To keep the performance of your motorbike at the maximum and improve its looks, due care of tyres, wheels and windshield is essential. A constant degradation of these parts takes place that may either cause a poor performance level of the vehicle or may even lead you into uninvited trouble.

This degradation caused due to friction or unfavorable driving conditions like uneven roads, road grease, insects, brake dust etc., can be slowed down by taking few simple steps. The following steps may enable your machine to deliver peak performance:

To keep the tyres intact and in perfect condition is very essential for safe driving and high mileage. The manufacturer's instructions should always be followed. The right air pressure assists the machine in giving high output and also protects the tyre from corrosion.

It also gives a smoother ride and excellent (skid free) braking. Do not use any cheap tyre cleaner, but always use a good quality cleaner. Moreover harsh braking is to be avoided for long life of the tyres as this causes depletion of the tyre rubber due to friction.

Windshield looks good and is useful only when it does not have any scratches. Therefore it should be dampened for some time before washing for easier bug removal. Scratch-removing products should also be used to erase the scratches.

Wheels are very important for smooth driving and perfect looks and are easily damaged by the use of harsh chemicals, brake dust and road salts. To avoid such ugly looks wash and wax your wheels weekly and use a corrosion protectant.

During washing, however, take care to avoid excessive wetting of brake shoes and discs as this may affect the braking while driving. Do not wash brake discs with cleaners whose compounds include chlorine or silicon. Chlorine causes rust and silicon makes brake discs slick, diminishing their usefulness and safety.

After the initial 500 miles...

·         Change engine oil.

·         Replace oil filter.

·         Inspect air cleaner and service as required.

·         Inspect brake pad linings and discs for wear.

·         Inspect oil lines and brake system for leaks.

·         Lubricate the front brake hand lever, the throttle control cables and the clutch control cable.

·         Check engine idle speed.

·         Check operation of electrical equipment and switches.

·         Check tightness of all fasteners, except engine head bolts.

·         Check tyre pressure and inspect tread.

·         Check rear drive belt.

·         Change transmission lubricant and clean magnetic drain plug.

·         Inspect fuel valve lines and fittings for leaks.

·         Check rear shock absorbers.

·         Check brake fluid reservoir levels and condition.

·         Check stabilizer links and engine mounts.

·         Check primary chaincase, lubricate and clean magnetic drain plug.

·         Check wheel spoke tightness.

·         Check cruise control/disengage switch.

·         Check rear fork pivot nut.

·         Check air suspension for correct operation and leakage.

·         Check idle speed.

·         Road test.

·         See your dealer.

First aid for your Two Wheeler

      If even after following the above maintenance tips your vehicle continues to give you problems, you should take it to an authorized dealer. However, follow these simple steps before approaching the dealer.

In case of starting trouble

• Check fuel in fuel tank / fuel cock position / fuel tank cap vent hole
• Check fuel pipe for pinched / twisted
• Check and clean air filter element
• Check and clean spark plug and adjust electrode gap
• Check ignition switch / engine kill switch position
• Check fuel in fuel tank / fuel cock position / fuel tank cap vent hole
• Check fuel pipe for pinched / twisted
• Check and clean air filter element
• Check and clean spark plug and adjust electrode gap

In case of high fuel consumption

• Check for fuel leakage from fuel pipe, petrol tank cap, and petrol cock
• Check tyre pressure
• Check and clean air filter element
• Check and clean spark plug and adjust electrode gap
• Check whether brakes are dragging

VACUUM CLUTCH

The vacuum clutch is operated by the vacuum existing in the engine manifold. Fig shows the mechanism of a vacuum clutch. It consists of a vacuum cylinder with piston, solenoid operated valve, reservoir and a non-return valve. The reservoir is connected to the engine manifold through a non return valve. Vacuum cylinder is connected to the reservoir through solenoid operated valve. The solenoid is operated from the battery and the circuit incorporates a switch which is placed in the gear lever. The switch is operated when the driver holds the lever to change gears.

When the throttle is wide opened, the pressure in the inlet manifold decreases due to which the non-return valve closes, isolating the reservoir from the manifold. Thus a vacuum exists in the reservoir all the time.In the normal operation, the switch in the gear lever remains off, the solenoid operated valve remains in its bottom position. In this positions the atmospheric pressure acts on both the side of the vacuum cylinder, because the vacuum cylinder is open, so also atmosphere though a vent. When the driver holds the lever to change the gear, the switch is closed; energizing the solenoid which pulls the valve up. This connects one side of vacuum cylinder to the reservoir. Due to the difference of pressure on the vacuum cylinder piston, it moves. This movement of the piston is transmitted by a linkage to the clutch, causing it to disengage. When the driver is not operating the gear lever, the switch is open and the clutch remains engaged due to the force of springs.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CLUTCH

In this system the clutch is controlled by means electric current supplied to the field windings in the flywheel. The fly wheel is attached with the field winding, which is given electric current by means of battery, dynamo or alternator. The construction feature of main components is almost similar to the single plate clutch. When electric current is supplied to the windings the flywheel will attract the pressure plate and clutch plate is forced between pressure plate and flywheel resulting in engagement. When the supply to the winding is cut off the clutch is disengaged by releasing the pressure plate due to the force exerted by the helical springs or tension springs. Electromagnetic clutch consists of a clutch release switch. When then driver holds the gear lever to change the gear, the switch is operated cutting off the current to the winding which causes the clutch disengaged.When the vehicle is stalling, the engine speed is lower & the dynamo output is low, the clutch is not firmly engaged. Therefore, three springs are also provided on the pressure plate which helps the clutch engaged firmly at low speed also.

The forces of the electromagnet can be regulated by means of an electrical resistance provided with acceleration system and controlled by the accelerator pedal. When the speed is increased, the accelerator pedal is pressed and the resistance is gradually cut off and thus in this way, force of electromagnet is increased and clutch transmission becomes more rigid

CONE CLUTCH

Cone clutch are wedge clutch provides a positive drive when the external face of the male cone member engages with the internet face of recessed conical member. The facing is usually fitted to the female or recessed member in order to improve heat dissipation and durability. Normally cone clutch are used with epicyclic gear trains for a higher torque transmission. The energy which a cone clutch can absorb during on engagement is less compared to the energy absorbed by a multiple clutch. But it is compact, cheaper and requires low clamping load due to the wedging action. The cone clutches are loaded by spring or hydraulic cylinders. Wedge angle and accurate axial alignment are the two important factors for good cone clutch performance. If the wedge angle is very less, it results in excessive wedge action and fierce engagement. This in turn results in difficult operation for disengagement. If the wedge angle is too large it reduces torque transmission capacity of the clutch and make the clutches to skid. Semi-cone angle of 12-16 are commonly used for effective torque transmission.

The torque transmitted by a cone clutch is given by  

T = μW (r₁ + r₂) / 2 sin α

Where, r₁ and r₂ are the radius of large and small cone (friction) in meters. α is the semi – cone angle.

During the engagement of clutch the driven member is forced towards the driving cone by the spring force. Hence the power is transmitted from the engine to the driving cone, driving cone to driven cone and driven to the gear box. When the clutch is to be disengaged the driven cone is to be pulled off by means of actuates cenkages and contact surfaces are separated hence no power is transmitted to the clutch shaft.

      OVERDRIVE

Overdrive is a device to step up the gear ratio in the car. It is fitted in between transmission and the propeller shaft. It enables a high cruising speed to be attained with a comparatively low engine speed (upto 20 – 25%) on long journeys. This results in less wear of the engine and decreases vibration and noise. As the friction lows at lower speeds is less, there is a saving of fuel also with the overdrive. Overdrive is generally fitted on top gear only. But in some sport cars, over drives are also fitted on gears other than the top gear which increases the torque ratios available. For examples, when overdrive is fated on top, third and second gear, seven forward speeds or torque ratios are available. The overdrive may be operated either manually or automatically at a predetermined speed.

To understand the working of an overdrive, consider the above figure. It consists of an epicyclic gear train in which the sun gear is free to rotate on the input shaft, while the carrier can move on splines, on the input shaft. A freewheel clutch is also fitted on the input shaft splines. The output shaft is connected to the ring. When the sun gear is locked with the casing i.e., it becomes stationary, of the output shaft is increased i.e., overdrive is engaged.

When the sun gear is locked to the carrier or to the ring, solid drive through n is obtained. Thus depending on the locking of the sun gear with ring gear or with carrier the overdrive or the normal direct drive is obtained. There is another possible control of the mechanism i.e., when the sun wheel is kept free to rotate on the input shaft. In this case there is direct drive through the freewheel clutch when the engine develops power. However when the accelerator is brought to zero position and the engine is simply idling, the output shaft tends to override the input shaft. The roller of the freewbeel clutch in this case no longer remains wedged and the car free wheels. Thus for gear changing one simply has to lift his foot off the accelerator pedal, the clutch need not be operated.