Swap To 6 Speed From 5 On '96 Thunderbird? Easy As It Looks?

I am right there with Carl, can't handle that cold.
 
Sissies ROTFL
 
I am a warm sissie, if you don't like that i will hit you with my purse!
 
You would adjust in a matter of 2 years.
 
Carl S. >Florida, eh? Spent a good bit of time in Florida; Drive 1/2 hour, make left turn. Drive 1/2 hour, make right turn. Repeat, repeat, repeat on square tires!:)
 
dearborn said:
Carl S. >Florida, eh? Spent a good bit of time in Florida; Drive 1/2 hour, make left turn. Drive 1/2 hour, make right turn. Repeat, repeat, repeat on square tires!:)
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LOL Very true. Of course you can go to an Interstate clover leaf and race around it for a while. BGRIN

But I can ride year round!
 
Had family members from Broward come for a visit to the Motor City. Came home from work, beautiful April day, maybe 70 degrees; they had turned furnace on, cranked heat up to 85, were wearing our winter coats and gloves!! What the hell?
One thing; used to have 500 Kawasaki 2 stroke 3 cyl. On a crisp 20 degree day= BIG POWER!!!!
 
dearborn said:
Had family members from Broward come for a visit to the Motor City. Came home from work, beautiful April day, maybe 70 degrees; they had turned furnace on, cranked heat up to 85, were wearing our winter coats and gloves!! What the hell?
One thing; used to have 500 Kawasaki 2 stroke 3 cyl. On a crisp 20 degree day= BIG POWER!!!!
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:y23: 70 degrees is a winter day. I don't bame 'em!! BGRIN
 
I have a 95 Thunderbird. I had the engine blue printed and did the 6 speed , Speed Triple cams etc and it was an easy affair. just a matter of removing the spacer and pressing on the new gear. It made some difference as far as Miles per tank of gas alright !!! Very happy I did it when I had the engine done
 
Use 5 speed shift drum? shift forks? I bought a complete Sprint transmission, waiting for weather to warm up a bit, no heat in garage. According to factory Triumph service/workshop manual all gear ratios, etc exactly the same on most models except for the addition of the 6th gear instead of the spacer, but not clear on shift drum and forks.
 
dearborn said:
Use 5 speed shift drum? shift forks? I bought a complete Sprint transmission, waiting for weather to warm up a bit, no heat in garage. According to factory Triumph service/workshop manual all gear ratios, etc exactly the same on most models except for the addition of the 6th gear instead of the spacer, but not clear on shift drum and forks.
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I seen on another thread, under the sprague replacement, you were discussing the finish of this swap.

What all is needed for the 6 speed swap ?

we have a customer bringing a bike in the local Triumph dealers won't help him or take the sprague on, So was researching the process to get a quote together for him, Seen the 6th gear addition. While Im there Id like to give the customer the bank for the dollar on shop labor for the project as it is a large project it appears unless he's lucky to have the access panel some of the 95's have, which we haven't seen yet so I'm trying to prepare for the worst an give him a honest quote with the 6th gear added while we are there!
 
mistressmotors said:
guess he's gone :(
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Other projects took over! ( engine/trans install on hot rod Volvo V8, Norton Commando engine refresh, old house remodel projects, search for potential house move, etc, etc)
'96 Thunderbird still runs perfectly, rode about 500 miles so far this season- be gentle with gear change and no problem although I keep reaching for that top gear that isn't there!
On 6 speed swap- I bought a complete transmission from a same year Sprint, ('96), off Ebay. Don't remember what it cost, but was not a lot and all parts measure within factory spec. For seals, etc, "Sprint MFG" in UK sells complete set.
 
dearborn said:
Other projects took over! ( engine/trans install on hot rod Volvo V8, Norton Commando engine refresh, old house remodel projects, search for potential house move, etc, etc)
'96 Thunderbird still runs perfectly, rode about 500 miles so far this season- be gentle with gear change and no problem although I keep reaching for that top gear that isn't there!
On 6 speed swap- I bought a complete transmission from a same year Sprint, ('96), off Ebay. Don't remember what it cost, but was not a lot and all parts measure within factory spec. For seals, etc, "Sprint MFG" in UK sells complete set.
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So it’s not just a spacer delete / gear add on with a drum

As others have mentioned ?
 
I bought the complete transmission because it was cheaper than buying the individual parts. And since my bike had a problematic 1-2 gearchange, I assumed either a shift fork was either bent or worn. Luckily, all of the forks are like new!
I have a FACTORY dealer workshop/repair manual, (I worked as a mechanic in Triumph dealer, bought stuff when my dealer dropped Triumph), and yes, it IS a spacer delete/gear add on. I also am pretty sure that ALL triples and fours used identical transmission internals, save for the sleeve/6th gear delete on the Thunderbird/Legend/Adventurer. So, if a complete, good used transmission come up on Ebay- BUY IT! (I paid a whopping $45 for a complete trans from a Sprint.
The only place I have been able to source a complete engine gasket/seal set is "Sprint Mfg" in UK. Parts support for these Hinckley triples and fours in USA is pretty awful- LOTS of items NLA- No Longer Available.
I have NOT done the job yet- my bike runs like a top and as long as I'm gentle with the 1-2 gearchange, it just isn't worth taking it apart---yet. But, at some time it will.
 
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