Chain Adjustment

How to strip down the rear of a T595/955i

I couldn't shift the eccentric adjuster to adjust the chain. Hitting the c-spanner with a hammer didn't help, soaking the area with penetraing oil didn't help and when I took it to my local dealer he broke his extended c-spanner trying. Only option left was to strip it down and copper grease it so that it wouldn't happen again, which would be expensive at a dealer. So, I bought a Triumph manual for Ł50.00 (Haynes don't do one as at 4 May 2001) a sachet of copper grease and did it myself. This is what I learned (it is slightly different to the manual as this method works). P.S. I accept no responsibility for any mis-prints or foul-ups blah, blah, blah...

Required Tools - some optional depending on how it goes, get 'em all if you want to be sure

Torque Wrench(s) - (range must include 55Nm and 146Nm (if you have a wrench that will cover 9Nm to 40Nm then that will come in handy too but it's not essential)
46mm socket and a stepper/converter so that it will fit your torque wrench
Some 'loctite'
The C-spanner from your Triumph tool kit
A paddock stand that will lift the bike in the middle, not by the rear spindle (ABBA stands are perfect for this job) or some way of supporting the bike when the rear wheel is removed
A hefty tommy bar or a really solid socket wrench
Allen keys from your Triumph tool kit
Cable ties or strong wire
A mate/neighbour/wife/other
Strong long nose pliers
4 foot scaffold bar or something similar
Sachet of Copper Grease
General tools - socket set, hammer, spanners, screwdrivers, pliers
Huge but short piece of wood, 4 inch cube or something, for putting between metal and hammer
A place to put the bits when you take them off the bike
Pentrating oil, degreaser and WD40
Patience and time

Use pliers to release the springs that hold the end can to the exhaust, then undo the bolt that attach's the end can to the rear footpeg hanger (be careful, the end can is heavy so it may be worthwhile getting someone to support it while you undo it). Removing the end-can allows you room to remove the wheel later on. Put the nut/bolt bits back on the end can in the correct order for re-fitting later. Later, when you need a break because something won't undo take the opportunity to clean the can while it's off the bike (if you want to). Using pliers or a screwdriver remove the clip from the nut that holds the rear wheel to the spindle.
Go round to the left side of the bike and using a small screwdriver and hammer open up the part of the nut that has been flattened against the spindle. Take your time.
Pour penetrating oil/WD40 over both large nuts, right and left side and then get your helper(s). To get these two nuts undone I left the bike on it's sidestand, put it in first, had my girlfriend stand on the rear brake pedal, got my neighbour to hold the 46mm socket onto the nut and the hold the scaffold bar securely over the socket wrench and then I heaved like billy-oh until it shifted (okay, I struggled for ages with different method's until Neil Fox of T595.net advised me to do this and it worked). Only loosen the nut slightly so that you can undo it on your own later and then undo the nut on the other side using the same method. Take a break, you all deserve it.

Raise the bike. As you can see an ABBA paddock stand is perfect for this. The downside to this stand is that it is fiddly to fit to the bike on your own (but not impossible). Having said that I've never used any other kind so I can't compare and if I hadn't had this one I couldn't have done this job so that made it worth it's price, about Ł115.00 as at March 2001.

Undo the wheel nut and remove the washers etc (keeping in the right order for re-fitting later) and remove the wheel. We used the rear brake to hold the wheel steady to undo the large nuts, which is why we didn't remove the brake caliper before (as per the manual). Get a box or tin handy that you will be able to leave the caliper sitting on so that you don't have to undo any brake pipes. Use a 14mm socket to undo the brake caliper bolts and once undone screw the bolts back into the caliper so that you don't lose them.

Remove the large nut from the left hand side. The manual says discard this nut and later fit a new one. I refitted the same nut but promise I will put a new one on soon (couldn't get hold of one when doing the job). You can now pull the rear spindle out to the right of the bike, which means the rear sproket will fall clear to the left, and out may drop a washer or two. Cable tie the chain to something to keep it out of the dirt, although the ABBA stand lifted the bike high enough for it to stay off the ground anyway. Again, remember where any washers came from so that they can be refitted correctly later. Take the opportunity to clean the rear sprokect while it is off the bike (if you want to).

Here is where my problem was. The brake caliper carrying plate (black bit) was seized solid to the eccentric adjuster (silver circle showing through it). Use an allen key to remove the pin that keeps the plate in place. Remove the bolt from the rear hub with a 17mm socket. Remove the huge circlip that holds that brake caliper carrying plate to the eccentric adjuster. To do this I used a large screwdriver and had my neighbour insert smaller screwdrivers until we worked it off. Large long nose pliers or massive circlip pliers (if they exist) might also do it. At this point you should be able to spin the eccentric quite freely. I couldn't shift it. If you have the same problem either bolt a long bar (I have a large picture frame clamp which worked) to the brake plate and rock it up and down until it comes off or use a hammer and the wooden cube mentioned earlier and try to 'shock' it off. Soaking it in penetrating oil might help. You should be able to pop the plate straight off the adjuster (or you should be able to eventually depending on how you get on).

Clean all the bits up using a combination of toothbrush, rags, degreaser, WD40 and a lot of effort. Mind you, it was something to do whilst sat in front of the telly watching the GP.

The offending items after they had been thoroughly cleaned.

As metioned elsewhere, I took the opportunity to clean everything as I had better access to it, including the swingarm.

And finally, liberally smear the copper grease inside the swing arm and around the area between the plate and the eccentric. You can now put all the bits back on in the order you removed them. Torque settings for the large nuts (both) are 146Nm and swing arm pinch bolt 55Nm. The brake caliper bolts should be tightened to 40Nm. However, I couldn't get my torque wrench in there so I coated both bolts in 'loctite' and did them up 'fairly tight' with a socket wrench. I made sure I didn't ride the bike for a couple of hours to make sure that it had set. To get the huge circlip back on I used a pair of large long nosed pliers, placed the bottom of the clip on the eccentric and then forced the pliers open and pushed the open end on. Before re-fitting the rear wheel I gave the chain a really good clean and lube, well I had better access than usual.....

All back together again.

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