Just trying to gather some useful information here. I'm new to the whole quad thing so bare with me.

I found an 89 250s and couldn't let it sit and rot any longer. It's in decent shape *over statement* and turns over. Now for what is wrong with it. The common Magneto cover issue.. The mag cover is broken up pretty good. As well as a 1/2" x 1/2" chunk from the case where the mag cover bolts.

The swing arm bearings are all shot, which my research tells me, that is why the chain is thrown and the mag cover is busted.

Is there anything else I should kno about this beast. Annd, I'm trying to dispatch an aluminum welder, because I am cheap and DO NOT want to spend $149.99 on a mag cover. Or $150 on a new case halve seeing how I only spent $45 on the quad itself. Thanks for any Info!

 

$45 on the quad. Nice. Yeah those swing arm bearings need attention often it seems. I plan on having to lube mine often once I get riding it. I bought a new side cover since I had a small chunk taken out of it where it screws in. If you're doing the bearings in the back you might as well do the ones up front as mine were just as bad on the a-arms as they were in the swing arm.

Are you going to go through it or just fix it and run it? Parts were not that hard to come by, but lots of ordering from Suzuki I did for mine. I got the stainless bolt kit from motorsportfasteners on eBay and it worked out pretty good. Not perfect, but still a lot cheaper than getting them from the dealer or trying to find them in the bolt bin at my local hardware store.

Here is the progress on mine.
1990 Suzuki LT250S Photo Gallery by dirtweed at pbase.com

(Everyone that has already seen it can ignore the link as I am sure you're all sick of it by now)

Mine sat so long I didn't want to run it without going through motor. We plan on taking the top end off this winter and adjusting it and getting new gaskets in it.

 

Wow. I had to wipe the drool off my chin after flipping through your pictures. As for now, I plan on getting the important things fixed on my 250s. I know that it ran recently and ran good so I will hold off on fully tearing it down for another year. How much was the bolt kit? and if you don't mind me asking, how much did you have wrapped up in the quad after all said and done?

That is one nice looking wheeler, and I'll be impressed with myself if I can get mine 1/4 as good looking as yours.

 

The bolt kit was around $110 or so. I needed a lot of bolts as many of mine were not useable again. I bought it for $500 and I stopped adding things up once I hit the $2K mark.
Plus I keep finding new stuff for it now and then so I just keep getting more for it. It'll be new by the time I am finished with it.

The reason we haven't worked on the LT250s lately though is my brother is redoing a truck for his kid and me and my kid got distracted
rebuilding a 1999 YZ 125 that he picked up from his friend for $400.
http://www.pbase.com/dirtweed/1999_yz125&page=all

 

That sounds pretty reasonable for an entire bolt kit. I have to tell you, I'm probably the luckiest guy in Ohio right now. Today I found a 90 lt250s at a Junk Yard that my buddy owns. He told me to come see if it the parts I needed were the same on this bike. I turned the corner and seen the 90 suzuki sitting there and about lost it! So I got my magneto cover for $50, and a few other odds and ends for my bike. I have my engine sitting in the freezer right now *JB Weld kept running n droolin so I plopped her in the freezer to get it to set quicker* Hopefully tomorrow I can start puttin her back together. I'll post pics soon.

And about your boys 125. You are definitely a master craftsman from what I can tell. That is one nice rebuild you got going on there. Thanks for sharing the pics.

One more thing. Would it be ok if I stole a few of your lt250s pictures for when I do my rebuild? I think it would make for a great reference guide.

 

Nice score on a parts LT250s! I have never seen another one in my area at all. I have been trying to find a sprocket guard for the swing arm and have had to one fabricated since it is NLA from Suzuki.

No problem. If you want some full size shots let me know as I have LOTS of pics of everything as I took the LT250s apart so I would know where everything went.

If you look at all my galleries you will also see the John Deere tractors I have restored. It's fun to make the old look new again.

 

Yes, I did notice the Deeres before. They looked smooth man. I do have one final question for you. I cannot for the life of me find online, a sprocket cover that bolts onto the right side of the mag cover. I'd hate to get this all together and throw the chain and be back at square one. I do have a bearing kit on the way, but I'd still like to have to peace of mind of having the case saver on there. Any idea's

Oh, that parts bike at the local junkyard had a sprocket guard on the swing arm, to bad I didn't know that sooner, I could've sent it to ya.

 

I ordered a new sprocket cover from Suzuki so you should be able to get one as well.
I ordered mine from Partzilla.com

Those guards are hard to find. Seems my brothers guy can't make a guard for me so the hunt is on.

 

Ohhhh man, I'm getting so discouraged ... I finally got everything together, took it for a test drive and it ran great!!! Shifted Perfectly, except for the splines on the shifter linkage were worn..

Now I got that fixed and go to ride and it won't shift to 2 3 4 or 5... It goes into 1st, and Reverse easily, neutral also... But for some Magical reason, now it won't shift above 1st at all..

My buddy said it could be shifter forks, cluctch stuff IDK.. but how could it be fine one day after literally putting around and then THIS??? Should I just cut my losses now or keep at it?? Any idea's on if it could be something simple? Thanks Alot for any Input at all.

 

You probably didnt put the new shifter in correctly. It has to be lined up perfectly pr you wont be able to shift through all the gears