Most Common Shim Sizes?

[dpep]

It has been 20 years since I have done my own valve adjustments, and I would prefer to keep it that way. But I have come to the conclusion that if I really want somebody I trust to do my work, that would have to be me, regardless of how much of my time it eats up.

I can't spare the time to beg around at dealerships and salvage yards to accumulate a set of replacement shims required for my 8 valve machines. It is worth it to me to buy them online and Cycle Recycle II has them for $4.95 in sizes from 2.30mm to 3.00mm in 5mm increments. I figured I would just get one of each (15 in all) plus a few extras of the most common sizes if there are in fact a few common sizes.

I would like to ask those of you who have been adjusting your 8 valvers all along if you have found certain sizes to be used more often than the others. My guess would be for the sizes toward the middle of the range, but that is strictly a guess.

[Sleepy]

You need progessively smaller shims as the valves wear into the head.

I needed a bunch in the 2.50-2.60 range

Got a few used from a local shop, bought the rest from Z1 ENt - $4.75 each

[jeff.saunders]

Most of the 29.5mm shims we sell are in the 2.35mm through 2.65mm range with the 2.40mm through 2.55mm being the top sellers. Much will depend how many miles are on your bike - the more miles, the more likely it is the shims will be in the thinner end of the range.

We've only sold a handful of shims over 2.65mm.

We recommend you keep a chart of all the shims in the bike and the clearances - that way you know what you are going to need next time around. The nice thing about the GS motors is it's easy to pull shims out and measure them.

Attached is a shim sheet I use to keep track of shims in all my bikes. I also have it in Excel spreadsheet form if anyone needs it.

[JayH]

I would imagine that Jacksonville would have a couple of dealers that would carry these shims. If you really want to be frugal check the valves and just buy the shims you need. You might also see a packaged set of shims on an eBay auction.

You didn't mention it in your post but do you have the shim tool so you don't have to pull the cams?

[rustybronco]

Not to hi-jack this thread, but Jeff do the shims that you carry run as listed or do they run a little thicker or thinner? the reason i ask is, i am in the process of adjusting my valves, just waiting for the shim tool. I found out you carry it, a little to late i'm afraid, sorry!. I've read here that the shims from crc2 run a little fatter.

[dpep]

You didn't mention it in your post but do you have the shim tool so you don't have to pull the cams?

I figured I would pick that up from CRC2 also, unless someone knows of a better deal.

The shim chart is a great idea.

[jeff.saunders]

Not to hi-jack this thread, but Jeff do the shims that you carry run as listed or do they run a little thicker or thinner? the reason i ask is, i am in the process of adjusting my valves, just waiting for the shim tool. I found out you carry it, a little to late i'm afraid, sorry!. I've read here that the shims from crc2 run a little fatter.

Most of the shims are darned close to spec - although if you mike a new 2.55 shim you'll find some are 2.551 and others are 2.549 - that's true even with some of the new Suzuki shims.

I like to have a mix of new and used shims to get a little variation in thickness to fine-tune the valve lash.

We sell the same tool CRC sells (from MotionPro) - only ours nearly $6.00 less... $27.04 versus $32.95

[dpep]

We sell the same tool CRC sells (from MotionPro) - only ours nearly $6.00 less... $27.04 versus $32.95

Do you sell the shims as well?

[rustybronco]

looks like i'll be ordering from you soon Jeff.
z1 shim link http://www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=SPEN1A

[bwringer]

Some of the aftermarket shims from CRC2 (they're 20 minutes from my office) measure .02mm larger. But the last two I've gotten have measured dead on. YMMV.

For some stupid reason, just about everything in this country is marked in stupid inches instead of millimeters. Therefore, it's far more trouble than it should be (but it's well worth the effort) to track down metric feeler gauges and a micrometer or caliper that measures in mm.

I found a set of metric feeler gauges at my local Advance Auto Parts (might be Checker or Kragen in your part of the country). They only go down to .04mm, but if they're that tight, it's probably time to drop a shim size anyway.

Last year, I gambled $15 on an el cheapo digital caliper from my local chinese tool emporium. Believe it or not, the digital caliper is a very well made, high quality tool and has always been dead accurate. You'll find them under a variety of brand names, but they have a red, a blue, and a yellow button. It reads in millimeters or (yuk!) inches with the press of a button, and is about 1,000,000 times easier and faster than dinking around with a micrometer. By working and thinking in millimeters all the way through, you'll avoid the risk of some very expensive conversion errors.
This is the one to look for:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47257

I wouldn't order from HF because of the ridiculous fees they tack on at the last minute, but that's what you're looking for.

I've learned the hard way that very few Suzuki dealers (none in Indiana, anyway) actually stock shims these days. You might have better luck with your local grungy no-name shop. Or just order a passel of them from CRC2.

You DO have a Real Gasket valve cover gasket, right?

http://realgaskets.com

[debby]

I have a set of metric feeler gauges that I bought years ago for my GS750. They go down to .02mm and work great for the job.

To verify shim sizes I use a Chinese-made digital mic I bought off ebay. The display can be switched from metric to inches by pressing a button.

$5 per shim sounds like a great price. I paid $10 per shim from BikeBandit recently.

Debby