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On the Cheap

Not just for KTM's anymore!

You can get by with about 10 inches shorter. The hex socket on the right is 14mm, for use at the compression valve cap. The other two came with the Auto Zone set.

Close-up of the cut-outs. These match up with the cartridge inside the fork and keep it from turning as the compression valve cap is tightened or loosened.

And speaking of fork tools, here's what I use to drive the seals on my KTM 43mm WP forks.

It's a 2-inch PVC male adapter, about $1.50 from Home Depot or Lowes. I cut it in half and put the two halves around the fork tubes, connected with duct tape. The smaller-diameter end is just the right size to drive the seals.

Clutch and Front Brake Assemblies
Priced a new front brake assembly through a KTM dealer lately?  Get ready for sticker shock.  Just the clamp that
holds the assembly onto the handlebars retails for $29.75 (ktmtalk.com).  On the clutch, the clamp bracket is
$29.32 (ktmtalk.com).  We're taking about tiny pieces of pot metal with maybe 5 cents worth of material.

Rest assured, the King of Cheap has done his research and found alternatives.  The cheapest, of course, is to
use a plethora of zip ties and duct tape to hold the assemblies tight after you break them.  This actually worked
when I broke the clutch bracket.  Did a whole race with no problem at all (and got 2nd place to boot).  For those of
you averse to this kind of economy, you will be happy to know that Dennis Kirk sells replacement parts for the
Magura hydraulic clutch, including the clamp (part number 571176; $13.99 --> didn't see this part in the new '03
catalog, but it still shows up on the web site).  The appearance is the same as the '00-01 model clutch bracket,
kind of a tan-metallic color, but it fits perfectly on the '98-99 models as well. If you go this route, DON'T use a
ratchet to tighten the bolt - nut driver only!

Update 03/03:
I just picked up a clutch bracket for KTM's made out of billet 6061-T6 aluminum. Very cool. The manufacturer,
CNC Dynamics, claims they are unbreakable. If anyone can put that claim to the test, it's me. Mine sold for about
$10 on eBay; not sure what the direct price is. The company can be contacted at:

CNC Dynamics, Inc. (ask for Dave Daum)
2574 FORTUNE WAY SUITE 2
VISTA, CA 92083
FAX: 760-598-9470 PHONE: 760-802-1616
DAUMINATOR@EARTHLINK.NET


For the front brake, replacement parts can be found at this Brembo distributor:

http://www.tawvehicle.com/fnsmc.htm

These guys quoted $7.50 for the brake assembly clamp (part number 110.4372.20) and $90 for the whole brake
assembly (10.5393.50).  They also have the lever and other parts on both the brake lever assembly and the brake
caliper. Take a look around the site; there's a lot of good information.

Update 04/04:
I just noticed that Enduro Engineering is now selling most of the replacement parts for the Magura clutch.

Throttle & Cable
A Magura throttle can be made to work if you break your throttle housing like I did.  Dennis Kirk sells Magura's
Model 314 and Model 312.22 throttles.  The 314 is all plastic, while the 312.22 has a partly metal housing.  Both
are 77-degree throttles that work well for off-road use.  The only downside to these throttles is that you have to
drill out and tap your own threads where the cable comes into the throttle. Pretty easy, though, since that part of
the housing is plastic.

A throttle cable from a mid-1990's Honda CR250 works very well and is available from Motion Pro for $10-15.  It is
a bit longer, which is popular with those of us who run Scotts steering dampers and need more slack to route the
cable around the damper.  The end that fits into the carb slide needs to be filed down just a bit, but otherwise it's
perfect.

Odometer Cable
An odometer cable from a 1998 Yamaha WR400 replaces the stock cable.  KTM gets $40 for their cable, while
the WR400 cable is about $12 through your Yamaha dealer.  Plus, the Yamaha cable has metal ends that thread
onto the odometer and the odometer drive, rather than the plastic ends used on the stock cable. Enduro
Engineering also sells a replacement cable for under $20.

Heim Bearing - Lower Shock Pivot
Try Hirschmann Engineering for a heim bearing.  They have a greaseable (bronze-lined) bearing for about $20
(part number SC-16).  Only downside is having to grease the thing periodically, and you still have to buy the seals
and spacers seperately.  Hirschmann can be reached at 847-419-9890. KTM's list price for the heim bearing kit
has come down to about $40 in recent years, so the alternatives aren't as attractive as they once were. I've also
seen that Enduro Engineering is carrying the heim replacement kit for $30.

The "Other" Heim Bearing
Take a close look at the back side of the rear brake pedal and you'll see a small heim bearing where the bolt
attaches the brake pedal to the actuating rod. Take a look at the replacement part (546.03.069.000) and you'll find
a $33 list price. This small heim doesn't keep its lubrication very long and eventually develops play, so I was
tempted to replace it until I saw the price tag. Don't worry, there's an alternative. Check out the McMaster-Carr
online industrial catalog and do a search for part number 59935K52. Get the right-hand version, which fits
perfectly and is only $5.47 (as of January 2003).

Other Bearings and Seals
The KTM parts guide lists all the bearing types and the seal measurements.  Your local bearing supply shop can
match you up with the same bearings and seals, and probably better quality.  For the 608 bearings in the chain
roller and the brake pedal, go to your local skate board/inline skate shop and get a pack of replacement wheel
bearings.  The bearings in skate wheels are the same size, but they are usually not the sealed type, so expect to
change them more frequently.  Generally, these bearings are about $1 apiece.

Rubber Seal - Pipe/Silencer Junction
When my silencer broke during a race, the rubber piece that fits over the pipe/silencer junction was lost. Instead
of paying $20 for a KTM replacement, I used a 4-inch piece of mountain bike inner tube.  It's the perfect diameter,
and you can put a dab of silicone sealer inside each end to keep away the spooge. For a tight fit, use a piece of
new, never-inflated bike tube.

Homemade Fork Cartridge Holder - KX250
While the KTM’s WP 43mm fork cartridge was fairly easy to keep from spinning (compression on the fork spring
would usually keep it from moving), the Kawasaki fork cartridge was pretty much impossible to hold still while
tightening or loosening the compression valve cap. Loosening the cap was doable with an impact wrench, but I
don’t like to use an impact driver to tighten such a critical part of the bike. Instead, I built my own cartridge holder
with 1” PVC conduit. It was remarkably easy and cheap.

Step 1:
Get a piece of 1” PVC conduit, about 18 inches long (does not need to be as long as what’s pictured…it was
laying around and close enough in length). Eight-foot (or longer) lengths are just a couple bucks at Home Depot
or Lowe's.

Step 2:
Using a Dremel tool or equivalent, cut four ¼” slots, spaced evenly (every 90 degrees around the circle). The
slots should be about 3/8” deep. I used a cutting wheel to carve out the slots.

Step 3:
Drill a hole in the opposite end of the pipe, big enough to insert the end of a screwdriver or any other object that
allows you to grip the pipe and keep it from moving.

That’s it. Just stick the pipe down the fork, line it up at the cartridge, hold on to the opposite end with your
screwdriver (or whatever you choose to use), and tighten the compression valve cap to 45 ft-lbs.

Another mini-cheap tip: the 14mm hex/allen head socket you need to loosen or tighten the compression valve
cap can be obtained at Auto Zone. It comes in a set of three ½” drive sockets – 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm. Costs
about $8.

I tightened it with
a 3/8" ratchet and
it held up just
fine...unlike the
stock clamp.