Dealing With Cracked Hand Levers; Nuts And Bolts - MINSK Repair Manual

get the bike rolling and then change into second gear. If you have a #13
spanner then you can tape it to the locking nut which protrudes from the
generator cover and push it down with your right foot to hold the clutch
in. This is much easier if your #13 spanner has a circular end. Some
Vietnamese even go so far as to weld a lever onto this lock nut so that
they can open or close the clutch with their foot rather than their left
hand.
Dealing with Cracked hand Levers
If you drop your Minsk then the levers can snap.
Luckily the brake
interchangeable so if the clutch lever breaks then at
least you can sacrifice the brake lever to get the bike
to move, if not some what dangerously. If you crack the lever again then you are
in trouble. You will be able to get the bike started but getting it into gear without
stalling will be difficult unless you're moving. If you are all alone in the wild then
as a last resort take off the number plate and remove the strip of metal bracing it to
the mud guard. This piece can sometimes be used to wrap around the broken lever
in such a way as to keep the cable from falling out. If you were driving an
expensive Yamaha then this would not be possible. That's why Minsks are best.
If the bolts which hold the brake or clutch levers to the handle bars fall off then
you can use a nail or piece of wire as an alternative until you find someone to fit a
proper size bolt and nut onto them.
Nuts and Bolts
Tighten up all the nuts and bolts you see on the
bike, especially if you have bought it new. The most
important ones are the nuts on the back brake bar, the
nuts connecting the engine to the frame, the nuts on
the front and back wheel and the nuts holding the back
suspension on.
Keep an eye on the two bolts holding the two side
panels on either side of the bike, the two bolts which
keep the petrol tank from shaking around, and all the
little nuts and bolts which keep the back gear rack on.
Use the exhaust pipe removing tool to tighten up the exhaust pipe's connection
screw to the engine. Use a hammer or rock to really make it tight. Also use this
tool to tighten up the caps at the top of the two sides of the
front suspension, the lock washer on the steering column
and the large lock nut on the back wheel.
If you are out on the road trying to undo a bolt or nut but your spanner is one
size too big then wedge your flat end screw driver into the gap to make things
©Digby Greenhalgh 2000
Minsk Repair Manual
and clutch levers
39
are
nut bolt