Cannondaleriders

hey, ive liked cannondales for a long time and i just found a nice deal. its an 02 cannible, really nice shape. ive been browsing around on here hearing about the crank problems. i know quite a bit about engines, and my dad is a machinest... so we can do about anything. i want this thing to be reliable, i ride mx and fqx... pretty hard on stuff i guess. im not sure yet if its had the updates, but what are the "updates" exactly? any other common problems? any info would be great. thanks.

thanks, but i want some more detail than that. is anyone running the stock crank and bearings without troubles? i dont really have a problem with digging into it, but that means more down time... which would be the reason i would get it in the first place.

I put abotu 200hrs on my 02 cannibals motor before tearing it down (the case is on my counter as we speak). I think it would be easier to drop the motor when you get it, spend the 3 weeks or so to get it done right (make it a true 450, or just make sure everything is in order (Crank, top end, valves, etc) than to have to worry about something happening. It is costing me about $900 to get my motor done.

Broken down:
Crank: $350 (doesn't need new rod, rod costs $125)
Head work: $375 (port polish, valves checked for spec, 1 was sticking so it was machined to be fixed)
Piston: $60
Various seals and o-rings and gaskets: $40ish

All that is a great deal for $900, and the piece of mind is a big thing, not to mention the almost 50hp this thing will make!

Do it right the first time, besides if you and your dad are mechanically inclined it should be no problem for you to do all but the machining yourselves. You might even be able to do the machining if you wish to venture that far, me I don't have the tools or the skills, so I will leave it to Timbo, whom I trust will do it right.

I have an 02 myself, its got around 160 to 180 hrs, somewhere in there. It does worry me a little when I put her through the paces about the motor coming apart. I am stalling a little trying to make it until winter then its going down and Haydug or Timbo will be biulding it. However, I havent had any problems that werent small and trivial. The 02 did have a better case and seemed to have better quality in the motors, especially the early 02's. Ask ****** about the vin and he can tell you what number you have and when it was biult. If its reasonable, go for it, just be very deligent in the care and maintainance. After every ride, I mean every startup, tour around the yard, whatever, I tip it on its side and check the filter, if I get steel in it, the motors coming out. You just have to be meticulous with these bikes and they'll last a good long time.

alright, but what esle besides the crank needs to be updated? we can port it and check all the specs ourselves, and we can balance cranks.... ect.

The chassis is pretty sound, not to much to do there. There is an airbreather update that will keep the oil from puking into the plenum box. I just keep the oil from over flowing by not overfilling it. Theres a motor mount update, that one is a must, theres two bolts that bolt the motor to the cratle in the front. That bolt needs to all the way through with a spacer in between them. A stage eight update, basically keep the trans bolts from backing out into the clutch hub. I think those are the big ones.

Man, I raced my 03 for 2 seasons before I put a 450 kit and crank in it, and the crank and bearings were still perfect. I just wanted a 450 kit and decided to do the crank while I was in there. But yes, there is a lot out there that had or has no problems with stock.

Ive got about 60 hours on my 03 everything stock.

well good news, he said it has an atk 450 piston and z400 crank bearings.... so at least i wont have to worry to much about it. im glad to hear there are some people out there that havnt had problems. thanks guys.