Shim Swap Thread

[greg78gs750]

well, i was thinking you could lap them on a stone, i was going to suggest a diamond stone because they are fast, but you would want to watch out for magnetization....the fine sandpaper glued to a plate glass might work too....works for flattening woodworking tools, and you can get a mirror polish on those with fine grits. worth a shot?

[robertob]

I can afford them, sometimes I'd rather not wait days to get the correct ones, and sometimes I'd rather go make myself a 2.57mm shim instead of leaving a valve at either extreme of the .03 - .08 tolerance. I could make them all exactly .05 if I wanted too.
I would certainly rather spend five minutes changing the thickness of one or two shims myself than go through all this monkey motion.
So does anyone have a method for thinning shims involving the use of normal tools and not a machine shop?

Well, if you have an accurate micrometer I'd just lap those suckers down on a glass plate with a sheet of 600 grit wet-or-dry taped to it. Keep checking around the edge to make sure you aren't making it angled.

[salty_monk]

I tried this... it does work but you end up taking the skin off the tips of your fingers & it takes forever to make any progress. I didn't use a valve lapping tool though which might help matters. (Guess you could also spin it with a drill/driver).

Not really recommended my way because it took so long. I did it because I was stuck & nobody had stock of the 2.6 at the time. I used 800 grit with 2000 to polish them back up.

Dan

[KRISTI'SGS550]

2.57?
that's getting a little picky! lol

Sorry 2.75, I'm a little dyslexic.

Cory

[TAFF]

i,ve ground down 6 shims, done them on the side of a grinding wheel while holding the shim with a valve lapping suction cap,at the same time rotating the cap so as to evenly grind them down, it take about half an hour on each one because you have to cool them down in water every couple of minuts other wise the rubber cap get hot and may start to melt, i,m sure there case hardened all the way through , thats why its time consuming, the first couple i did, i used a large blob of Blu-Tac to hold the shim but was a bit weary of my fingers being to close to the grinding wheel.
i know they are cheap to buy but mine was a time problem

[greg78gs750]

well, im all shimmed up!!! thanks guys!! though i COULD still use a 2.65x if anyone still has one......pm me

this forum is my hero.

[salty_monk]

Need 2 x 2.75 shims

Have a 2.80 & a 2.85 I can switch out.

Dan

[Nessism]

Need 2 x 2.75 shims

Have a 2.80 & a 2.85 I can switch out.

Dan

Dan,
Think I've got a couple of 2.75's, don't need any as thick as you have though. You are welcome to the shims if it means getting the bike on the road. Give me a call.

Ed

[salty_monk]

Great, thanks! That's what I did today, valve cover off & checked the valves, 3 out of spec but one I could swap to another to make two.

DJ Kit & tyres are still in the post so no movement on that front yet. I have an order to go into Z1 in a week or two & can replace shims then with ones of your choice if you like.

Dan

[salty_monk]

I'm now all shimmed up thanks to Ed

[KRISTI'SGS550]

Anyone have a 2.70 shim? I need two. I will keep looking elsewhere in the meantime. I have some to trade, but they are 2.80, I haven't seen a need for any that size yet.

Cory

Also, thank you Ray for the 2.75!!!

[SDK]

how are you able to check the size of the shims with out taking them out?

Shane

[KRISTI'SGS550]

how are you able to check the size of the shims with out taking them out?

Shane

You can't

Cory

[SDK]

one word, DANG

Shane

[dardoonk]

Anyone have a 2.70 shim? I need two. I will keep looking elsewhere in the meantime. I have some to trade, but they are 2.80, I haven't seen a need for any that size yet.

Cory

Also, thank you Ray for the 2.75!!!

I might have 2 of them. I'll check on Tuesday