Starter clutch woes

[RobTx]

Ok, everything came apart easy enough.  The bolts were loose as expected.  The cylindrical rollers have flat spots worn in them, do they have to be replaced?  The disk that everything mounts in is cracked at one hole that the spring and pin go into.  Do I need to replace this, or is there a repair?  On bikebandit.com it's $95.00!!!!!!!  Ouch!!!!!!!  I'd settle for a kickstarter at this point.  This bike is a time and money pit, but I am learning more than I had ever hoped to know about them.  Fork seals are next, then swingarm bushings or bearings.  This is soooo frustrating.  At least I have the engine running right, thanks to all the help from here.  It was 70 degrees here today, better for riding than working on motorcycles.
Rob

[Dave T.]

Never had my starter clutch off, but my bolts are peened (I looked from the outside). If you peen the bolts, won't you ruin the threads when you remove them?

When I started my V a month ago, the starter started "clunking". I don't know if the crank just went backwards and jammed up the starter clutch or what. Hopefully I won't have the same problems you are having Rob.

I hope you didn't pay much for your Vision Rob. I paid $830 for mine and put much more than that into it getting the bike reliable. I would not expect much from a Vision if you paid less than $1000 for it. It's easy to get a good deal on an old motorcycle, but hard to get an old motorcycle that is as good as new for a low price.

I went through all the things you did. Just keep pluggin along. If you like to work on motorcycles just as much as riding them (like I do) the V is the bike for you. If you want to ride all the time, maybe you better get a newer motorcycle.

Just my .02

Was that too harsh?   :-/

[RobTx]

Not too harsh at all.  I knew going in that it was a project, not a jump on it and ride happily ever after kind of thing.  I very much enjoy working on it.  Just get a little frustrated when the weather is nice and it's not finished yet!  I guess I have about $800 in it at this point.  My starter would clunk loudly or just freewheel, that's why I took it apart.  The bolts were loose, but not falling out or anything.  My understanding is that if you peen the ends of the bolts then you have to grind them flat with a dremel tool to remove them.  
Rob

[Lucky]

Yes, if you peen the bolts over they will be hard to remove, and that is the point, this is a permanant repair.  But (and mine is a big but, but you didn't want to know that.) to remove the bolts at a later date, all you need to do is grind the head off. the biggest obstical to this is the limited space and the magnetic pull of the rotor.  

Here are my tips:  When prepairing the bolts for peening (remember to get longer bolts than stock, 2-3 threads only, you don't want them to hit your precious stator.) thread a nut on the bolt & clamp the bolt in some vice grips or a bench vice and make 2 cuts, in an "X", into the threads, from the end, with a dremil tool.  when you are done, remove the nut which will clean up the threads.  After the bolt is installed, and torqued, it is simply a matter of placing a pointed punch in the center of the "X" and smacking it a couple of times with a hammer.  The bolt will spread sufficently to keep it permanantly in place.

--Lucky

[qqbs]

Regarding your cracked housing and flat rollers:  The housing can be repaired by welding up the cracks.  All flat spotted rollers should be replaced.  While its' not absolutley critical, you may want to also consider replacing the springs as insurance.  Cheers.

[RobTx]

Thanks Q.  Someone has offered to sell me a complete flywheel/starter clutch assembly for a very good price.  Bolts already peened and everything.  This is the simplest solution I think.
Rob