Rebuilding Ace 100 Kick Starter Levers

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Rebuild a Worn-Out Hodaka Ace 100 Kick Starter Lever
As many Hodaka Ace 100 owners already know, The OEM Hodaka Kick Starters eventually wear-out and will not position the “Foot Kick Starter Lever” (FKSL) to the original 90 degree Stop position. (Parallel to the Engine's Starter Shaft)
They will also become loose since all of this relies on the “Spring Tension Washer” for Tension and hold it to the Position Lock.
To Rebuild the Kick starter 's Lock Position, and to allow for Re tension it later if it gets loose...

1. Place the “Kick Starter Shaft” (KSS) in a vice, then push the retaining “Clip Retaining Cup” down, then remove the FSS's FKSL retaining “Clip”.

2. Dissemble all the parts.

3. With a Ball Peen Hammer, Peen the worn - out “Start Position Lug” on the KSS, until you get some material back to (or past) the Original Location.
Option 2: Also Braze a “Glob of Brass on the “Original Lock Location” of the KSS, using a Propane torch and small diameter Brazing rod and flux.
3 B. Do the same to the FKSL.

4. Now File both “Locking Position Areas” of the FSSL, and KSS until they match up and the FKSL is 90 degrees to the KSS (Parallel to the Engine Starter Shaft.)

5. Drill out the FKSL hole to a size slightly under a steel rod (that will become the “Shim”) with a O.D. of something slightly smaller than .5 inch diameter (so it will become a press fit).

6. Cut the “Shim Blank” close to the length to the thickness of the FKSL, and press it into the new drilled out FKSL 's hole.

7. “Drill the “Shim's” I.D. to 10mm, Straight Thru as close to the Original Parallel Hole as possible”, and Hand File the top and bottom of the FKSL's Hole, flush to Original faces. Drill this as good as you can.

8. Using a 10 mm 1.25 Die, Thread the KSS end about .5 inches down, about +- .100 inch).
It is Not a big deal if your “File Down FSS End Job is Not Perfect since the Threading Die will Cut the 10mm 1.25 thread good enough to hold the FKSS and it's Tension.

9. Lubricate the KSS and FKSL in the “Bearing area only”.

10. Finally, assemble the FKSL, the “Spring Washer, and Adjust the 10mm Nut until it just allows the FKSL to move to the “Start Lock Position”.

11. Then put a few drops of “Red Loctite” on the threaded area, and tighten the 10 mm 1.25 Nut until the FKSL just moves to the “Starting Position and will stay there by itself.

If the FKSL ever becomes loose, just tighten the 10 mm 1.25 Nut and re apply some “Red Loctite”.

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I forgot to mention..... just before #8,
After you disassemble the Kick starter, File the KSS "Clip Area", and about 1/2 inch down from the end, until the "Clip Ring" just about disappears. This is about the 10mm Tap Die size.
Then do #8.
(Note the last 2 pictures above)

[Bruce Young]

If one does not want to do themselves or try this suggestion, I know Greg Watkins in Arz does rebuild them as well for you phone number is 1--626--324 0303 does a great job, but thanks for sending in the How to do the fix, lots of the kickers really get worn out,.

[bobwhitman]

Nice piece! If you send me the pix labeled (and any other pix or
Information you’d like to include), we’ll run it in the winter Resonator.
Bob Whitman,
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[dirty_rat]

Why not just put the retaining clip back on, instead of threading and replacing with a nut???

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The Main reason for Threading the end of the KSS is the Main reason all of this is needed.....

The Spring Washer is All that keeps the FKSL from destroying the Kickstarter!

If you just reuse the "Clip" after Restoring the "Stop Locations", it will just wear out again since you can't Tighten up the FKSL.

[taber hodaka]

Good point. Clarence