K&L valve shims 5 ea, 2.60 - 3.05, total $6 -- Score!! : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

e1_ZX-9r · 11-04-2009, 12:09 AM

I feel like a thief. 50 7.50mm diameter valve shims of the sizes above $5.95 by K&L and ordered through Powersports360 out of Huron, Ohio. DGY.com sells the kit for $5.36, while this site sells the exact same 13-7014 kit I'm looking at right now for $222.00. WTF!

I wanted to wait until I received the Kaw starter kit to verify this wasn't a fluke. I measured the diameter of the Kawi OEMs that came out of my bike and they measured 7.50mm as opposed to the Hotcam 7.48mm. So both appear to fit and that kit was ~$80. It also included only 3 of each size and had gobs of sizes my bike will never use.

After my last valve adjustment I recorded that I potentially needed three 2.90 shims. So I got greedy and ordered two sets of these for $12. Now I have 100 of the exact range I need for my ZX-9r.
Go figure!

zaneyzrex · 11-04-2009, 05:31 AM

cool. good deal.... i bought the hot cams kits but at that time i had two bikes that used the same shims.... YZ450f motard and my zrx...

Nightmare · 11-04-2009, 11:27 AM

When I need shims I just go to the dealer and buy them per one or how ever many I need. I figure I would most likely never use and entire kit.

zaneyzrex · 11-04-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightmare

When I need shims I just go to the dealer and buy them per one or how ever many I need. I figure I would most likely never use and entire kit.

ur dealer sucks.....he wont trade ya shims? ive never had a dealer yet that charged me for shims unless i had none to trade...

LancoRider726 · 11-04-2009, 03:17 PM

my dealer only trades used shims for used shims. sucks but better than nothing at all.

rileydeed · 11-04-2009, 03:34 PM

I needed a total of 9 shims when I did my last adjustment. I found one shop that traded me straight accross, but only had 4 of the ones I needed. I got three more from another shop where they charge $4.00 each with a trade in. The only place in town that had the last couple I needed did not do trades and sells theirs for almost $9.00 each.

e1_ZX-9r · 11-04-2009, 08:14 PM

I had not thought about trading shims at the repair shop.

I just knew the Kawi dealer didn't even want to work on mine until the end of the [2008] season and wanted to charge $750 for the work. At $0.20 each shipped, this starter kit seals the deal on that decision and saves me a drive into town.

Thought I would share what I figured would be the deal of the century.

zaneyzrex · 11-04-2009, 08:50 PM

thats def. a hell of a deal but im really hoping they are HARD SHIMS and not some soft pot metal crap from china....... keep a close eye on them....

e1_ZX-9r · 11-04-2009, 09:49 PM

I wondered that same thing, since I don't know anything about what the OEM hardness was. The container they came in proudly boasts a Santa Clara address, but trying to find out where the shims are made is like trying to chase your tail. Their claim below is the same hardness scale that HotCams boasts for their shims...ARH "C"... I don't have a scale to weigh them, but both kits' shims feel the same, just colored differently

K&L shims exceed the maximum of the Apparent Rockwell Hardness "C" scale. Our shims average 47.0 compared to the 46.0 maximum.

zaneyzrex · 11-05-2009, 06:18 AM

well thats a good thing......

ryedenhard · 11-05-2009, 07:15 PM

Hello e1 I cant find the kit listed on either site? Could you help me out?

e1_ZX-9r · 11-05-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryedenhard

Hello e1 I cant find the kit listed on either site? Could you help me out?

The original underlined links should take you to the exact 'add to cart' page, but I'll put the hyperlinks here again. Kit number is 13-7014:
Powersports360 $5.95
DGY.COM $5.36
Powersport Superstore $222.57
Google Shopping Search for "shims 13-7014"

e1_ZX-9r · 12-11-2009, 08:24 AM

All but one of these companies must have screwed up their pricing, raising the kit price from ~$6 to ~$242. So if you want them for the ridiculous incorrect price I paid, click on all the Hyperlinks above to find who's still losing money on them. Here's one for example.

So think about it. I saved $470 buying two kits for $12. That's legal robbery!!

To the wise go the spoils.

ebay manual like mine $23

Ch 1 pg 18 (9r-B) pg 19 (9r-C/E/F).

How-to procedure w/pics (from Calamari Chris' Web site).

ryedenhard · 12-11-2009, 08:58 AM

I got mine Thanks alot e-1 now I hope they work in my 96, also I have no manual so I have to find out the specs for the tolerances tight and loose. I tried to download a manual but it took forever then when I opened it it was crazy symbols? I googled the info I thought I found it but it wasnt the right year.

e1_ZX-9r · 12-11-2009, 09:23 AM

see above

bluedevil10r · 12-12-2009, 10:19 PM

Yeah I usually trade shimms. I do have a whole Hot Cams kit sitting in my tool box though.