Husqvarna 2009 TE310 - Modifications
July 9, 2009, version
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Introduction |
Modifications |
Maintenance |
Tuning |
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Husqvarna 2009 TE310 - ModificationsJuly 9, 2009, version
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Click pictures to supersize.
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Setup After removing the crate material, I installed the handlebars, controls, and the front wheel and rolled the TE off the trailer. I removed the seat and connected a trickle charger to the battery; 30 minutes later the light showed green. Great; Hall's had charged the battery. I installed the seat, checked the oil level in the sight glass, noted that there was gas in the tank, then started the engine. After a suitable warm-up, I rode to the end of the driveway and back (400' total). I shut the engine off and rolled the TE into my garage and commenced installing some aftermarket goodies and making a few mods. |
But first I weighed the bike and took measurements. The TE weighed 260 pounds. That's quite a jump from the advertised weight of 235.9 pounds dry weight. This implies the fluids weighed 24 pounds; I don't think so. I estimate that there were 2 quarts of gas in the tank; it's pretty hard to tell exactly by just looking in. Using the weights for the gas in the tank and other fluids listed for the TE, I estimated that the fluids weighed about 8 pounds maximum. Could the air in the tires weigh 16 pounds? Maybe they don't count the battery. The seat height was 38" for the unladen bike. |
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I removed the tank and checked wiring and cables to make sure nothing was pinched. There was very little to check. I added some distilled water to the coolant overflow bottle to get it to the MIN mark. |
I removed the turn signals and the turn signal flasher unit. I removed the white plastic side panels; they will be replaced by red Kydex panels soon. |
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I cut the nubbin off the end of the sidestand bolt. It weighed 5 g. Now I can trust the bike to not fall over when I put the sidestand down. |
Lowering link, KoubaLink - about $150. KoubaLink |
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I set the rear suspension race sag at 4". The unladen seat height was measured at 36". I set the shock low-speed compression damping adjuster and the fork compression damping adjusters to full soft (all the way out, then in one click), which allows the suspension to break in over the full stroke. I set the rebound damping adjusters on the shock and forks to 4 clicks in from all out. |
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I removed the stock aluminum glide plate and plastic engine guards and installed the Hyde skidplate. I removed the plastic sprocket cover and the metal case protector in front of the sprocket. Skidplate, Hyde Racing - about $104. Hyde Racing |
I installed the OFG radiator braces. Radiator braces, OFG - about $100. Hall's Cycles |
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I removed the aluminum brace and large heavy stock taillight assembly and installed the petite lightweight Baja Designs LED assembly. I elected not to install the Husky-provided taillight assembly because I have the BD on my TE610 and the light is very bright and I've had no problems with it all year. Taillight, BD, LED Dropdown - about $60. Baja Designs |
You can just see the MSR fender bag that I installed on the rear fender (see picture on the left). It took me most of a day to install the taillight and fender bag because it is very hard to get the correct alignment of holes before drilling. Mounting the bag requires carefully cutting slots in the fender. The effort is rewarded with a clean and neat look. |
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I installed a set of STR fork bleed valves. STR does not make bleeders for Husqvarna bikes, but the KTM bleeders work fine. They installed and worked perfectly; no oil leaks and the air bleeds when I push the buttons. I used the smaller o-rings that were already on the bleed valves; the larger o-rings were not used. You can get the KTM bleed valves in polished, black, and orange (YUK). The polished ones match the fork tops nicely. Speed Bleed Valves KTM-all models - about $35. System Tech Racing |
Mirror I installed a wide-view mini-mirror on the left side of the handlebars. Mirror - about $3. Auto Parts store or WalMart |
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I swapped the TE310 black wheel set with the aluminum set from my TE610, but kept the wave rotors on the TE310. The already-mounted trials tires have a few hundred miles on them. Yeah, I shoulda' taken the time to mount brand new tires, but that really breaks the rhythm of working on the bike. |
Here's the rear wheel and trials tire. I installed a Supersprox Stealth Tri-Metal sprocket, 2 teeth larger than stock. This is to compensate for the large diameter of the trials tire. NOTE: I've gone back to the stock 50-tooth rear sprocket for the remainder of break-in. NOTE: I've installed a 49-tooth rear sprocket for slightly higher top speed on dirt roads. Supersprox Stealth Tri-Metal sprocket - about $78. Sprocket Center |
TE310 on 2/6/09.
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I replaced the diminutive 1.9 gal stock tank with the 3.0 gal IMS tank. I checked the capacity: 3.1 gallons filled almost to the very top. It was 11,750ml according to my metric fill bottle. I made very small black marks on the tank external at the 1 and 2 gallon fill level. Decals are extra. I did get the decals, but am going to wait a while before installing them. I added tank foam later. |
IMS 3.0 gal tank - about $275. Hall's Cycles |
TE310 on 2/9/09.
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Handlebars and handguards
I replaced the fat handlebar with a Pro Taper SE CR Hi bend handlebar and added a set of Tusk handguards. I swapped the start button assembly to the left side, where I prefer it to be. I also removed the large switch assembly that was on the left side and added an off/lo/hi light switch with a horn button to the right side of the handlebars. Detailed pictures later. |
Red trim
I finally found some time to make Kydex side panels to cover the electrics and add some color to my TE. The instructions for installing the IMS tank called for trimming the stock air guides. When I held them up to the tank to check how they would look, I didn't like what I saw. Since I had just finished making Kydex side panels, I decided to make a set of Kydex air guides. They look small, but the functional part is identical to the stock black ones, so I'll use these for now. Detailed pictures later. |
TE310 on 2/15/09.
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From the very first ride, the rear brake pedal seemed to be 'tight'. It took some effort to actuate with my toe press and it seemed to have a very short throw. Finally I had a look and found a small problem. If you click the picture and look at the black frame protector just above the brake pedal arc, you'll see a wear mark where the pedal has been rubbing. The drag against the protector was causing the 'tight' feel and also prevented the brake pedal from returning to rest after use. I suspect that manufacturing tolerances will be such that not everyone will experience this problem. I thought about what I could do to fix this minor problem: Ignore the problem and let the protector wear until the pedal moves freely - not acceptable to me. Remove the frame protector - not acceptable to me. Trim the frame protector - not acceptable to me. Bend the brake pedal - not acceptable to me; the pedal costs about $76. Eventually I decided to install a shim/spacer behind the pedal. |
The first thing I tried was actually a TE610 drain plug crush washer because I thought I needed a large hole in relation to the washer o.d. but that didn't work because the pedal was pressing on the washer and wouldn't turn on its pivot. After staring at the brake pedal and pivot bolt, it dawned on me that the pivot bolt shoulder had to rest on the washer in order for the brake pedal to move freely. So I looked through my washer collection for something suitable but gave up - nothing was quite right. As I turned to head for the car, I spotted a small stack of washers laying on the workbench, left over from some previous project. I tried one and it was a perfect fit.
The important measurement is the i.d. to insure that the pivot bolt shoulder rests on the washer. One small detail about reassembly. There are two small o-rings that rest in machined pockets on each side of the brake pedal. Be careful that you don't pinch them between the pedal and pivot bolt head or washer. It helps to grease them up and keep a slight pressure squeezing the pedal between the pivot bolt and washer as you slowly screw the pivot bolt in. If you look again at the picture on the left, you'll see the washer between the frame and brake pedal. It works sweet now. |
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Fork mods I rode the bike about 200 easy, break-in miles. I knew that I was going to make spacers for the damper rods to shorten the forks (like I did on my TE610), but I wanted to get some miles on the suspension so I could decide on spring rates and damping changes also. However, I felt that the stock suspension fluid was making the fork action harsher than I was willing to tolerate, so I drained the stock fluid and replaced it with Amsoil 5 wt suspension fluid at 120mm from the top of the collapsed forks. I also backed off the pre-load on the rear shock a bit. This was much better. And so I continued break-in rides with more comfortable suspension. At 325 miles, I decided it was time to get the spacers made and installed. I pulled the forks off the bike and disassembled them to find they were almost identical to the forks on my TE610. Differences included larger diameter tubes, different shim stacks, and of course, the adjustable compression dampers (unlike the stock '08 TE610). The fork springs are 4.8 N/mm (Owner's Manual p.43), 18" long with .205" wire diameter and 46mm o.d. overall. I disassembled the compression dampers to measure the shims. The order of parts from top to bottom as mounted in the forks is:
Bolt All of these mount on a large threaded aluminum piece with a 21mm hex head on the bottom. This piece contains the adjustable compression damping needle and adjusting screw on the bottom. |
The fork internals and compression valve shims are shown here. The shim sizes, from top to bottom are (o.d. and thickness in mm):
I installed 1.820" spacers on the damper rods, then cleaned and reassembled the forks leaving out the black plastic spacers (which are 1.820" long), adding Amsoil 5 wt suspension fluid about 120mm from the top of the collapsed fork. I reduced the fork stroke to about 10 inches. My goal was to lower the steering head 2" vertically. With the fork stroke reduced by 1.820", I still needed about .5" reduced length from axle to steering stem to get that vertical drop. I installed the forks with the caps about .5" above the top triple clamp.
I adjusted the rear shock spring pre-load to balance the bike front to rear, lowering the entire bike about 2 inches overall. (Remember, I installed the Kouba link for the initial drop of 1.5" in the rear as one of my first mods.) The unladen seat height is 36". I installed a shorter front brake line and had the side stand shortened about 2 inches. AMSOIL suspension fluid - about $8. Mike Troast AMSOIL dealer |
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Muffler The muffler on the '09 TE310 is free flowing and very loud. If you look down the center of the muffler, you see a cylinder of perforated metal about 1.5" i.d. with absolutely nothing inside it to diffuse or interfere with the exhaust gases as they pass through the muffler. There is packing outside the metal cylinder, and that serves to reduce the sound somewhat. Make no mistake, this is a loud competition muffler. I venture to say that it's very similar, if not identical, to the power-up kit muffler for the '08 TE250. The legend stamped on the muffler body says it's rated at 80 dBA, but I'm quite sure that it was not measured according to any USA sound standard. I have three motorcycles in my garage rated at 82, 86, and 86 dBA, and they're all quieter than the 310. My '08 TE610 is quieter than the 310! Please don't misunderstand; I'm not knocking Husqvarna (BMW). This muffler is what the buying public wants. Well, most of the buying public. And Husqvarna has stepped up and responded to the market. It's just that I need a quiet bike. My riding buddies and I don't ride with those who have noisy bikes. It's just what we do. When I first started riding my TE310, the noise was so disturbing that I felt physical discomfort after each several-hour, break-in session. In desperation, I began looking for muffler parts that I could cram into the stock muffler to quiet the bike. Nothing looked like it would work. Finally, I looked in the '09 TE310 Parts Catalog and discovered that there is an alternate exhaust diffuser shown (see page 133, part 11, 8000H0827 - Noise reduction device). I called Jeff at Hall's Cycles to see what he could do; Jeff called the alternate part the "db Killer" and said that it was available from Husky (about $63). I asked him to order one for me and sat back to wait. Unfortunately, I still wanted to ride the 310, so I looked for something to do in the interim. It turns out that the exhaust diffuser from a Honda CRF250X will fit (with a little shortening of the main body and filing of the mounting flange) into the TE310 muffler in place of the stock diffuser. This insert quieted the 310 down to an acceptable level. However, the Honda diffuser did affect engine performance; the back pressure created by the more restrictive diffuser caused the fuel injection computer to get 'confused' now and then. On constant and increasing throttle, it worked just fine, but on trailing and decreasing throttle, the engine loaded up and popped a bit. But I could ride around that, so that's the way I rode the TE310 for three weeks.
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I installed the new diffuser and started the engine. "db killer" is an apt nickname; the TE310 purred like a kitten. When I gave the throttle a blip, the sound rose but very discretely. What a pleasant and welcome surprise.
The next day, I rode the TE310 on a favorite loop, and the sound was much mellower. It does get noisy at 7,000 RPM and up, but hey, you can't be quiet ALL the time. The engine performance was excellent. It doesn't rev out as freely but builds slowly. It seems like there is more bottom-end pull, probably from the additional back pressure. I'm happy at last, and now I can ride with my buddies on their quiet bikes and hold my head up with quiet pride. No BS!
Belay that. During a 30 mile check ride, the split ring expanded and no longer pinched the screen. I removed the split ring. The spot-welds are holding just fine. |
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Muffler comparison - TE models only I was able to obtain an '08 TE250 stock muffler recently to compare to my '09 muffler. As you may know, the '08s have a quiet stock muffler and an optional power-up Arrow muffler. The '08 stock muffler is totally unlike my '09 muffler. I had expected some differences, but was suprised at what I found. I'm showing 310 in the table because I own a 310; all of the '09 TEs have the same muffler.
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Power-up parts for the '09 come in a small box with the bike and include: plug, gasket, lambda sensor connector, and air cleaner cage. Parts installed on the bike that can be removed are the lambda sensor, throttle stop, and restrictive air cleaner cage. I suspect that the ECU has been set up differently for the '08 250 and '09 310. With both bikes in stock mode with the lambda sensor installed, the '09 310 exhaust system will require richer jetting than the stock '08 250, even accounting for the displacement difference. I suspect the same holds true for the '09 250 vs '09 310 as well. From all of the foregoing, I conclude that the '09 USA model TE310 comes from the Husqvarna factory with a power-up muffler installed on the bike and PU components in a box in the crate. For '08, riders had to buy the unrestricted muffler and PU kit. Most riders will probably have their '09 TE bikes set up by their dealers with the PU components installed. Except for those poor souls whose dealer has retained the PU kit and sold it to others; distrubing and very rare, but sadly true. |
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Shifter I like the shifter tip to be a bit higher than stock, so I adjusted the shifter up one notch. Oops - the shifter arm hit the chain on an upshift. So I rotated it back to the stock position and rode it stock for a month. Meanwhile, I started looking for aftermarket shifters. I found shifters for older Huskys but nothing for current models. Hammerhead used to make shifter tips that increased the reach and also raised and lowered the tips. A check of their web site shows that their current tips now only increase the reach. ZipTy has just come out with new tips that increase the reach but do nothing to raise or lower the tip. I took out the spare stock shifter that I ordered when I bought my TE310 and thought about what I could do to modify it. I could have the arm cut and rewelded to raise the tip, but how much would be the right amount? If I did too much or too little, I'd ruin a $64 shifter and have to start over. I wanted a non-welding solution, so I studied the shifter and thought about what I could do. Finally, I drilled the end of the rivet out to separate the tip and arm and played around with the parts for a few days. I bolted the tip to the top of the arm, directly over where it is usually mounted. This looked too high. Then I noticed that I could mount the tip with the lower edge inside the arm flanges and the upper edge above the upper arm flange. But the holes didn't all line up. I had to cut a small notch out of the tip lower edge.
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I noticed a rub spot on the frame of my new '09 TE310 at about 500 miles on the odo. It's right above the swingarm pivot on the left side, and it looks like the chain is doing the damage. This is really annoying. I don't want that pretty white frame getting worn away by the drive chain. My solution: use a narrower chain. I did some comparisons between different drive chains when I was modifying my '04 Honda '04 CRF250X and found that there is quite a bit of difference between the various chain types. I compared the stock CRF250X drive chain (DID 520MXV) to a t-ring chain (DID 520VT), an x-ring chain (DID 520VM), and an o-ring chain (Tsubaki 520 QR). The DID chains were 120 links long, and the Tsubaki was 110 links long, but I normalized its weight to 120 links. All the chains were new, fresh out of the box or bag. The VT is a fairly new chain from DID described on the box as follows:
The colored ends of the rivet-type master link pins on the MXV, VT, and VM chains get mushroomed when you use the rivet tool to install the master link. The information in this table tells me that the stock Honda MXV and new VT t-ring chains are lighter and narrower than the VM x-ring chain that I've used for the past 10 years. The MXV chain is metal-gray; the VT chain has gold outer side plates. Other than that, I could not detect any difference between the MXV and the VT chains. Their t-rings look identical also. The DID 520MXV (06405-KSC-003) is available from Service Honda for about $90 (Jan '06). The DID 520VT is available from Kevin's Cycle Racing for about $100 and from the Sprocket Center for about $95. There is a newer version of the VT chain called the VT2. I could not find any description of the VT2 and how it differed from the VT, but I noticed that the VT2 can be ordered with a clip or rivet master link (the VT is rivet master only). The VT2 is available from CRF's Only for about $124 and from Dennis Kirk for about $119.
Getting back to the stock Husky chain and the frame-rubbing problem. The stock Husky chain measures 20.4mm across the staked pins, and the DID VT measures 18.5mm across the staked pins, about 2mm narrower. I think the narrower chain will not rub the frame or at least not rub it as much as the stock chain. Additionally, the VT chain weighs 1697g compared to 1788g for the stock Husky chain, so that's good also (I have a shortened chain - 112 links). I also made a Kydex frame guard just for insurance. Although it looks like leather or vinyl, I assure you, it's a very hard plastic. |
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George at Uptite Husqvarna recommends replacing the crossover hose that connects the radiators at the top with a high pressure hose. The stock hose has been a failure point in the past. I bought some 5/16" fuel injection hose from the local Auto Zone store and also bought four small hose clamps with integral nut and bolt instead of the usual worm screw. Click the picture to see the hose description.
Later that afternoon while talking to George, he reminded me to position the hose clamps so the pointy ends don't hit the radiators and/or wiring. I had already done that, but good advice to pass on. Fuel injection hose and hose clamps - about $7 at your local auto parts store. |
George sells a cast aluminum Y replacement for the plastic T in the radiator hose array on the left side. The stock T has been another point of failure. The Y shape is designed to equalize water flow to both radiators, something the T shape did not do. George notes that you'll feel more heat on the right side with the Y installed. That's also the side that the radiator fan mounts on, so now it will have some heat to dissipate. The stock hose clamps were very difficult and almost impossible to reinstall. Thinking about having to deal with these in the field, I decided to replace the stock clamps with regular screw type hose clamps. Unfortunately, my local parts store did not have the narrow clamps, so I went with standard width for now. I'll replace these with the narrow clamps as soon as I locate some. The narrow clamps are supposed to be a better fit. I made sure to position the hose clamps so that the pointy ends were not a problem, even bending the tails of the bands inwards so they wouldn't scratch the fuel tank. While I had the coolant system empty (required to work on the hoses), I installed Engine Ice coolant. I've used this coolant on my CRF250X and TE610 and it has reduced engine temperatures and virtually eliminated boil-over problems on those bikes. Y - about $35. Uptite Husqvarna |
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IMS tank foam I put some tank foam (aka safety foam) in the IMS tank to minimize gas sloshing. I've read that a bike with tank foam will change directions side-to-side easier than a bike without. So I gave it a try. I used three 6" x 3" x 16" blocks. I cut the foam with a scalpel into six pieces to fit the various pockets and open areas: two pieces for the front extensions (one in each side), two pieces for the main side pockets (one in each side), one piece across the main body, and a last piece just above the fuel pump. I measured how much gas the new setup took: 11,400ml or about 3.01 gallon. This works out to about 1 1/2 cup less gas than the tank took when there was no foam inside. (See my IMS tank panel above.) I did not take pictures because there's not much to see. I can see the foam through the tank plastic in some places, but otherwise there is nothing much to look at. Safety foam - about $11 per block. Summit Racing |
This minor problem is the only problem I've had with the IMS tank so far. I've got about 600 miles riding with the tank on the bike and the tank is holding up just fine. |
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The stock vent line from the valve cover goes to the rubber boot between the air box and throttle body. This allows oily air to pass through the throttle body. As I discovered on my TE610, oil residue builds up inside the throttle body and on the butterfly. Here is the stock hose removed from the head cover (hose clamp end) and air box (metal tube end). The metal tube is about 3/8" o.d. and either of the two filters shown fit perfectly. The left filter is from Auto Zone and is a bit larger and flashy; the right filter is a UNI filter from Chaparral. Continues ---------------> |
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Hose barb 3/8" - about $1.50 at your local hardware store. |
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Pipe and boot guards I wrapped my TE610 exhaust pipe with header wrap but for the 310, I decided to buy carbon fiber guards to keep the heat off of my pants leg. At first, nothing was available, but then, P3 announced their 2009 pipe and boot guards and I ordered a set. They're not cheap, but they sure look good, and they work great. I can touch the pipe guard after riding at full throttle for 30 minutes. It's hot, but not burning hot. Both guards - about $200 - pipe 103 & boot 96. P3 | Pirie Performance Products |
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Valves and spark plug at 600 miles I took the opportunity to check the valves while I had the seat and tank off; measurements are in inches. L EX .007 R EX .008 L IN .006 R IN .005 All within tolerance at 600 miles. Not unexpected based on what I have heard about Husky valves and heads, but it was nice to see the actual numbers within tolerance at this stage. |
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Bags, tools, et al I installed three bags on my TE310 to carry items I always want to have on hand when I ride. I do this with all the bikes I own. The contents have slowly evolved over the years, and the bags' contents on my TE310 and TE610 are nearly identical.
I added three additional sockets (6, 14, 17 mm with 1/4 to 3/8 adapter). Continues ---------------> |
The Husky Pro tool kit has some very useful tools, but the main reason I had to have it was because of the name "Husky Pro". The wrench in the kit is inscribed with the words "Husky Pro". Is that kewl?
Motion Pro tool kit - about $30. Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Are you a HUSKY PRO? Let's see your Husky Pro wrench. |
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The MSR bag contains an MSR Pak Jak (a waterproof, slip-over shell), a pair of 5" vise grips wrapped in a soft cloth to prevent chaffing the jacket, and a small tin of spare fuses. MSR Fender Pak - about $18. Rocky Mountain ATV/MC |
The WM bag holds a pair of foul-weather riding gloves plus some poly-pro liners. I've tried about a dozen foul-weather gloves over the years, beginning with the original MSR Cold Pro gloves, and this pair of ARC Back Country Gloves is the best I've found. They have "a Hipora waterproof membrane to keep your hands dry and a Bemberg fleece lining for extra warmth and comfort". I get them in XL for use without liners and XXL for use with liners. If these gloves won't keep my hands warm, it's too cold to be riding anyway.
Walmart bag - about $2.97 at your local Walmart in kitchen supplies and camping sections. Note - comes in black, blue, green, red, and gold. |
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While I'm on the subject of what I carry on rides, I'll mention the two other bags that I carry on a belt around my waist. On my right hip is a small bag holding my camera in a soft-lined pocket so as not to scratch the LCD viewer. In a separate pocket are extra batteries and car/house keys. On my left hip is a slightly larger bag holding my wallet, cash, cell phone, laminated phone list, several small and medium sized bandages, razor blade, and some Neosporin. In 4 small, sewn-on elastic tubes on the outside of the bag are a pencil, small screwdriver, containers of antihistamine tabs and Ibuprofen, and some nuts and short bolts. |
On the handlebar, I have a Maier 1 qt plastic enduro jug filled with water and a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. On most rides, I mount a SPOT on the MSR Fender Pak behind me. In pockets on my riding pants, I carry a nylon balaclava, a handkerchief, and extra kleenex. Now and then, I slip a small bag onto my belt so I can carry any mineral specimens (gold, silver, etc.) I may find. I may also carry an extra black silk shirt (good insulation) in the bag. |
Labels
Safety Regulations label - on the outside of the front fender, lower rear This label declares compliance with applicable safety standards. On one forum, a post stated that removal of the label would ruin the label, so leave it on the fender. Hope you don't have to buy a new front fender some day. |
Vehicle Emission Control Information label - on the rear fender panel, under the seat
This label shows tune-up specifications and adjustments, fuel and oil specifications, and a schematic of the evaporative control system. |
EPA Noise Emission label - seat underside
This label shows the EPA noise level that the exhaust system meets: 80 dBA at 6400 RPM. |
EPA Noise Emission label - on the muffler
This label shows the EPA noise level that the exhaust system meets: 80 dBA. The label is actually stamped into the aluminum body of the muffler. |
ECU label - on the ECU, under the seat
This label identifies the ECU with the part number in the upper left. |
