New Project TMAX 500

OK no plans of letting the SW go, she has proved herself over two years and 30K that she's a keeper in my stable BUT I fancied trying another scoot and picked up a non runner 01 TMAX 500.

Perfect time for a project you say , well yes it is but I have other jobs round the house to do so its going to be a few weeks away yet before I look a bt closer into Max's guts.

The issue does not appear that bad on the fac of it , the bike starts and runs and you can do about 5MPH but then the clutch slips. The previous owner told me the local bike shop said the crank has been damaged so its a engine out job, well I dont fancy striping the engine down to that level but a bit puzzled how the crank could get damaged by a slipping clutch ubles the ejits have damaged it while attempting to remove the clutch!

All shall become clear in the next few weeks , given its spring now in the uk and the rainy season is here not to mention the covid 19 lockdown. Any advice on how to remove the clutch or a source of engine information would not go a miss TIA

Stay safe people

I know almost nothing about a T-MAX . Looked at a few parts diagrams and clutch basket bolts to crankshaft. If someone tried to pull it and damaged threads then maybe so.

As you are in the UK I suggest that you register on the MaxiMuppets forum where there are many people with the information you require plus the opportunity for occasional meetings with Meldrew !!

bikerboy wrote:

As you are in the UK I suggest that you register on the MaxiMuppets forum where there are many people with the information you require plus the opportunity for occasional meetings with Meldrew !!

Good idea, although the X9 Owners Club forum might a better place to get technical advice on the TMax generally.

Meldrew! he was err.... socially isolated from the Muppets early last December, and all his posts were deleted,

You'd have heard about it, but Brexit and all that Harry and Meghan nonsense kept it off the front pages.  

I hear that he's well  over it.

Meldrew wrote:

Meldrew! he was err.... socially isolated from the Muppets early last December, and all his posts were deleted,

I hear that he's well  over it.

Me too! Probably more a case of what I didn't say - basically just lost interest. Didn't seem to be any posts worth commenting on.
As with Meldrew, well over it!

Some years back I bought a new TMAX----fun to ride/maybe the best handling maxi scooter. Complicated to work on/I traded mine as the miles piled up fearing high Maint. /parts cost.

Before tearing into I would first secure Genuine Yamaha shop manual....and make sure you have reliable source for parts.

Winger61 wrote:

Meldrew wrote:

Meldrew! he was err.... socially isolated from the Muppets early last December, and all his posts were deleted,

I hear that he's well  over it.

Me too! Probably more a case of what I didn't say - basically just lost interest. Didn't seem to be any posts worth commenting on.
As with Meldrew, well over it!

Me also, I got fed up with my comments being deleted by a moderator who seemed to think like a dictator.

john grinsel wrote:

Some years back I bought a new TMAX----fun to ride/maybe the best handling maxi scooter.  Complicated to work on/I traded mine as the miles piled up fearing high Maint. /parts cost.

Before tearing into I would first secure Genuine Yamaha shop manual....and make sure you have reliable source for parts.

There are a whole series of informative youtube videos by “bigwheelsturning” on T-Max DIY service. Dunno if he covers engine disassembly but he sure covers a lot of stuff. And as Mr. Grinsel counsels, ‘do buy the FSM’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LsEsxyER1c&list=PLEgktj58yzp3f8hhosw1PE98JCvT9F2CC&index=13&t=0s

I can confirm (because I've just checked) that there is a manual for the 01 T-Max 500 available to view and download on the X9OC Forum.

Incidentally, the one for the Silverwing 600 is also there.

Well that was not hard, it was pretty dam easy and now have a working Tmax with 25K miles on the clock, the clutch plates were burnt out , even the metal discs were brown, sourced a clutch kit from France, less then a week to turn up and changed the oil and filter as I think the precious owner put the wrong engine oil in her.

Bit too soon to compare her to the swing but I am pretty sure I will keep them both , the swing seems more robust and so far reliable transport, the Tmax a sportier ride with better suspension but not half as practical imo.

I managed to wreck the rear tire valve so have ordered a 90 degree replacement and once installed will post some pics of the new ride if your interested. As i said first Yam for 30 odd years but always liked Yamaha's never owned a Kawasaki and dont like Suzuki's having owned a few. For me Honda Yam and Husqvarna all the way!

Thanks for the advice gents

I am just astounded at how so many of you know your way around these drivetrains. Anyhoo. I just put new shows on the Swing, but they are quite scrubbed-in yet. Plus, they shop left them at low pressure. Suffice to say, I still feel my Max is the better handling, more comfortable ride. The Swing's engine shines in lower revs, quieter noise, less vibe and less abrupt throttle response.

I'd love to try an electric conversion and having seen a TMAX 500 naked, it's the one I'd go for.

I keep having fits of t-max last, but the toybox is full, something else would have to go...

Worse here. I have six non-runners in the queue and about the same number of the working ones need fairly big jobs in the medium term. I think the T-Max is by far the best handling of the big scoots. With the inboard vario and clutch and relatively conventional final drive, it has the best potential for gutting and filling with frankenstein electrickery. Lots of room for whatever batteries you want wherever you want the weight.

Further update on the TMax, tyres check , pressures check, bearings check , forks check , rear wheel And Swingarm check but I now have a nasty deceleration wobble from just about any speed!

I have experienced a sensation like this on a C90 that had a 45PSI in the rear wheel but thats about it, its very reminiscent of that as initially as you shut the throttle nothing nice and steady then after about two seconds of gradual speed loss the bars wobble in your hands.

Its so bad that I will strap the GoPro on and you can see what I mean, any ideas?

I have no top box, am about 13 stone anfd apart from that the handling is all good cruising or cornering..... Mmmmmmmmmm

cello33 wrote:

Further update on the TMax, tyres check , pressures check, bearings check , forks check , rear wheel And Swingarm check but I now have a nasty deceleration wobble from just about any speed!

I have experienced a sensation like this on a C90 that had a 45PSI in the rear wheel but thats about it, its very reminiscent of that as initially as you shut the throttle nothing nice and steady then after about two seconds  of gradual speed loss the bars wobble in your hands.

Its so bad that I will strap the GoPro on and you can see what I mean, any ideas?

I have no top box,  am about 13 stone anfd apart from that the handling is all good cruising or cornering..... Mmmmmmmmmm

As I found recently, headshake on the Swing seems very affected by the steering head bearing tension; too little allows it to shake, too much takes away natural steering balance.

Thanks I checked the bearings and they seemed to be smooth no free play , and seemed ok. Not done a spring balance test though.

The only thing that has changed is I had filled the tank up to 50% , previously to that was running on limited fuel, so there is more weight on the front end of the bike , the swing is rock steady as always!

Then that sure would indicate (to me) that the steering head bearings need to be tweaked.

Sounds like the 35 mph, decelerating hands off, coasting head shake that most fared Goldwings seem to have. On some of the earlier GWs, (GL 1000 and 1100s_there's a 6lb steel weight under the plastic mounted on the steering tube. Take that off and one will get a real lesson on head shake. I can't remember which models it affected but it was only the faired models, the naked GWs of the same vintage didn't have the weight. I kind of wonder what something similar would do for the the Silverwing.

t think I have found the issue today, closer inspection of the front wheel showed up a slight flat spot/run out on the wheel rim, the roads in the UK are not the best and i think it got damaged when i hit a hole on the road.

Hosted a video on Youtube (search tmax wobble) but excuse my profanity as I got baulked by a codger in a Audi......other videos on my channel are similar in that, I can get wound up , hot under collar when car drivers attempt to kill me.......I'm actually quite a nice guy really Cheers People

cello33 wrote:

I can get wound up , hot under collar when car drivers attempt to kill me.......I'm actually quite a nice guy really  Cheers People

My grandad said two things to me when I started riding a bike:
1. Everyone else on the road is out to kill you;
2. There's a steamroller stopped in the middle of the road around every blind bend.