I see in one of your other post you said the cannondale valves don't have to be adjusted, but in my owner's manual It says every 25 hours. Is the owners manual wrong or has the been an update that I don't know about? I hope your right.

 

Aaand, have you guys located a source for the inline fuel filter that is recomended for replacement every 5 hours? Aand, does your bike mist/drip oil from the left frame resevoir vent tube. My cannibal is dripping a steady amount.

 

Hey Ryanstones I can't answer your question about the oil mist I only have about 20 minutes on mine so far weather here In Iowa is rainy and 40's. As far as the filter goes I was going to check with my dealer then check the local auto parts stores as long as it's the right microns for filtering any brand should work. The owners manual says what micron you need I can't remember of the top of my head.

 

Hmmm. Well bently your manual may be right and mine wrong. I don't know. I'll find out for shure tomorrow and let every one know for shure. When I picked my FX up, one of the first things I asked was if I could adjust the valves myself and it not effect my warranty in anyway. The mechanic told me that the valve setup was like a car, and the valves never need adjusting. He also told me that he's never adjusted his on his FX. I was kind of not shure about this but when I looked in my owner's manual where it says inspect valve clearance its blank all the way across. Also on the chart at the far end where it says performed by (either dealer or owner) its blank as well. I hope I'm right also because I ride the crap out of mine and I have more than 25hrs on it! I shouldn't worry though I don't guess because it's not making any noticable valve noise, but this would be hard to hear over the gear driven cams. Anyway I'll find out. Ryanstones you should be able to get the filter at an automotive parts store.

 

The valves do need to be adjusted. The manual does recommend 25hrs. As the cam and buckets wear the clearance between the two will increase.

 

My fx has the same mist or drip.I brought it to the dealer yesterday
for a new clutch and asked them to check the leak.

 

One of the biggest problems seen with the Cannondale owners is the maintenance habits! You got what you wanted, a race ready, high horsepower, high RPM performance quad. It does require the highest maintenance habits, clean the air filter more than you ever cleaned it on a 400EX or Raptor.

Watch the chain slack, watch for wear on the rubber chain slide on top of the swingarm, it will begin to wear through onto the swingarm after 50 - 100 hours if it is not kept lubed well.

The valves MUST be checked and clearences maintained, disregard anything to the contrary!! This does require the removal of the engine. The cam cover will not come off without removing the engine. If you want to remove the cam cover the second time you do it without needing to remove the side cover, then leave the locate pin out at the top of the side case, the one that retains the cam cover.

 

I've got a question for you. How much of a pain is it to put on Graydon nerfs? I'll have mine sometime next week, and I was wondering if you could give me a few pointers. I also bought some Tag handlebars and put them on last night. I really like the way they feel. I had Protapers on my 400EX when I had it, but I think I like the Tag bars better.

 

Putting the Graydon nerfs on is the norm. It's all there and made well but it is going to take time to get them on the way you like.

Put the front cross bar on first, just snug it up the u bolts so you can still slide it around. If you are really tight on the left side, you may need to tighten the inside nut just until the bolts comes to the top of the nut and tighten the outside nut more than usual, it becomes unlevel and I don't like the looke but it gives you more clearance with the engine side case bolts.

Some of the front cross bars that go between the frame and engine from side to side are to tall. This piece is a chromed steel hollow steel tube and may need to be put in a vise and bent flatter to clear the left side lower engine side case bolts. No big deal but it may need to be done to clear, and be careful or you can flatten it to much because the chrome and the actual steel tube will begin to crack and split because of the small thickness of the metal as it becomes to flat.

Next, assemble the aluminum nerfs onto the cross bar, push the aluminum tube onto the steel cross bar as far as it will go. Slide the steel crossbar front to back to locate the flat aluminum plate up against the footpeg. It will not rest against it by itself, you must get it close and then put vicegrips on the plate and the footpeg right in the middle of the front of the footpeg so you have room on each side to drill holes.
I usually put cardboard between the teeth of the vicegrips and the footpeg and plate so as not to chew up the parts. Locate the top of the aluminum plate at the bottom of the "v" of the teeth of the footpeg. If you put the top of the plate level with the very top edge of the teeth of the footpeg it will make it slick and drive you crazy.

Next, drill two holes in the plate and footpeg. Make sure to drill to be in the center(top to bottom) of the footpeg and not center (top to bottom) of the plate. Be sure to clear the bottom crossrails of the footpeg, the heads of the bolts will need to clear also. And don't get to close to the outside of the footpeg as the metal gets very thick and your bolt head will not clear. Bolt to the footpeg.

Go back and tighten the crossbar ubolts now.

Last, drill down through the steel cross bar through the existing hole in the aluminum nerf where the two attach to each other. Attch bolts, we usually get stainless bolts to replace these bolts provided.

Not to make a simple task hard but I have done it all wrong everywhere in the process to get it down to where this looks the best and makes it the easiest.

Install webbing and ride hard.

 

Hey guys, sorry but my internet service has been down for a few days. bently I'm still waiting on an answere from Cannondale about the valves. I shure you are right as well as cddcpa and others but I said I would check so I'm waiting on them to tell me something. AWSOME250R, like cddcpa said it isn't a five minute job. Ive always used Graydon products and they are worth every dime. You should also get a good cobalt drill and use lots of coolant because the pegs are very hard. You will burn up a regular drill in about 3 sec.