How To: Fit TTS Supercharger Kit (photo heavy)

When installing this kit a few years ago on my bike, it occurred to me that the TTS instructions that come with the kit are a bit out-dated, and completely missing the stage 2 bits (intercooler and smaller radiator), hydraulic clutch and supercharger oil circuit installation instructions.

Also, the website etc fails to mention a few “practicalities” that you should know before you buy.

So I documented my install experience with lots of notes, photos & videos with the intention of posting them up as a guide for anyone interested.
So here we are, 3 years later and with all the TTS question posts lately I figured it’s about time.

Also just a note – my TTS stage 2 is more like a stage 3, since I have internal work already done with the Carpenter 240hp kit. Some photos will show things that the standard TTS kit doesn’t have.

TTS say allow a good day to do the install – I say allow a good month lol.




What you need to know before ordering the kit

Ø You will need to cut up your coil #2 & #3 bracket – for a professional finish, paint or powder coat it after the modification.


Ø You will need to cut up your left hand side handlebar controls, to mate it with the hydraulic clutch lever, master cylinder & reservoir. Best get the modified part powdercoated to give a professional finish.


Ø Following from above, you will also need to modify the OEM clutch lever switch connector to work with the hydraulic clutch lever.


Ø You are directed to remove the MAP sensor, meaning your EMS light will permanently be on, if you use another map besides the TTS TuneBoy one. There are options though, e.g. 2 or 3 bar MAP mod, get Alain to remove MAP DTCs from a TuneECU map, etc


Ø You will need to cut a bracket off the chassis right side spine if you have a Roadster. It’s the one to which the ABS lines fix to for support, behind stock coil #3 position. It needs to be removed to allow coil #3 to move back out of the way of the pipe that crosses over the engine to the intake manifold.


Ø The website ad shows the parts such as engine cover, clutch cover, belt cover, intercooler, radiator and pipework as painted black. However when my package arrived the engine cover, clutch cover, belt cover were bare aluminium. Apparently I “didn’t ask for them to be painted”, but I could pay £100 to get them painted by TTS, plus shipping both ways.


Ø Lead time will be a couple of months, e.g. 3 months in my case.


Ø You will need to order another hydraulic clutch line, if you wish it to follow the same route as the stock clutch cable – the TTS supplied one was too short for the OEM routing, in my experience. Plus you can choose a better colour than silver if doing this.


Ø If going off standard with you kit, e.g. a different size pulley, ask the experienced guys on here – there are a few things to consider/be aware of.


Ø If you have or will install heated grips, you’ll need to drill a new hole in the handlebar as the OEM hole for heated grips cable is covered by the new hydraulic clutch lever handlebar bracket.


Ø Be prepared to have to do some light modification of the TTS parts to make them fit your bike.


Ø LHS front indicator clashes with top of intercooler - so full lock to the left will leave a scrape on top of intercooler. This later resulted in indicator breaking off.


Ø Stage 2 supercharger outlet clashes with footpeg engine bars on 04-09 models at least. You can just about get the silicone pipe onto the SC outlet but it's buckled around the footpeg engine bar.


Ø Intercooler and rad in my experience don't align great, which means part of stock radiator fan housing needs hacking off, also the radiator lower mounts must be bent out to clear the belt and belt cover etc, and bring the rad more into line with the intercooler.








Shopping List/Pre-requisites


Necessary parts

• 1no. Triumph Rocket III motorcycle
• 
  
• 1no. garage space equipped for servicing motorcycles
• 
  
• TTS Supercharger Kit for Rocket III Triumph Rocket 3 | TTS Performance Parts | Rotrex Car & Bike Supercharger Conversions
• 
  
• T1260107 Engine front (“clutch cover”) cover gasket
• 
  
• Liquid gasket for engines (high temp RTV silicone)
• 
  
• Black paint (same black as the chassis) if you have a Roadster
• 
  
• Crimpable hose ear clamps for vac hoses (7-9mm ear clamps), ear clamp pincers
• 
  
• 1’ Length of 6 rib V belt
• 
  
• 7mm Allen bit
• 
  
• Medium strength “blue” Loctite 243 threadlock (big bottle)
• 
  
• High strength “green” Loctite 270 threadlock (small bottle)
• 
  
• Assembly lube
• 
  
• 1no. oil filter
• 
  
• 6L oil (spec as per manual)
• 
  
• 4L coolant (spec as per manual)
• 
  
• 1no. K&N 62-1340 air filter
• 
  
• DOT 4 brake & clutch fluid (500ml or more)
• 
  
• Walbro GSS 342 - 255LPH High Pressure fuel pump
• 
  
• TuneBoy or TuneECU
• 
  
• TTS Supercharger "Early" Rockets map (20222 Base)
• 
  
• TTS Supercharger Roadster map (20355 Base)

If engine number is <249177, i.e. with the needle roller thrust bearing T1170029;

• 1no. Pressure plate ball bearing T1170067
• 1no. Pressure plate T1170061

If keeping a MAP sensor;

• 1m length of internal Ø4mm silicone vacuum tubing
• 4-way / 3-into-1 Ø4mm barbed connector

If you have a Roadster;

• Small bottle of Triumph black chassis paint

Not necessary but recommended parts

• 6no. DPR8EA-9 spark plugs
• T1243510 Throttle body/cylinder head O-ring Ø55.25x2.62mm (3no.)
• 3600160T0301 O-ring water pump to engine front cover
• T3600169 Formed O-ring 2.60mm thick Water pump body seal
• T3550542 Water pump drain bolt crush washer OØ12.5mm IØ6.4mm 0.8mm thick
• T3600910 Water pump to cylinder head O-ring IØ17.86mm 2.62mm thick
• T3550128 Fuel tank banjo crush washer M12 x 1.45mm (2no.)
• T3700062 Plastic bracket for tank prop wand (2no.)
• 925mm long hydraulic clutch cable, with 45° M10 banjo, M10 to 1/8” BSP fitting, colour of your choice 825mm -1200mm Custom Stainless steel braided Powerhose Plus brake lines VENHILL | eBay
• Samco coolant hose kit for Rocket III
• MTC clutch fibers
• 5no. M6x1.0mm 50mm long steel hex socket head bolts
• 5no. stainless steel M6 penny washers (Ø20mm, 1.5mm thick)
• Carpenter Racing clutch springs (5)
• Evans waterless coolant or Engine Ice / Triumph coolant combo

If engine is older than engine #249178 (around 2009 I think)

• 1no. camchain tensioning guide T1142048

READ ALL OF THIS BEFORE STARTING WORK ON THE INSTALLATION



Instructions

1. In a dry clean sheltered place (this is quite an operation), jack up the bike so it sits on the engine and rear wheel, with the front wheel well off the ground, so it can be removed. Ideally the engine will be at a height you consider comfortable for working on. Use a spirit level to aid getting the engine level





2. Remove the seat, disconnect and remove battery

3. Drop oil and remove oil filter as per manual section 9.8, fitting new crush washers and (pre-wicked) oil filter, but don’t put in new oil yet





4. Remove fuel tank as per manual section 11.149 (11.153 Touring) – not entirely necessary but greatly aids ease of working especially removing OEM air ducting and fitting supercharger oil lines

5. Remove air filter, intake ducting (filter box can stay) including air temp sensor as per manual section 11.164, and throttle bodies including fuel rail and MAP sensor & tubes, as per manual section 11.188



6. Remove ignition coils #2 & #3, including their HT leads and mounting bracket

7. Remove the front wheel as per manual section 16.8 (16.10 for Touring)



8. Drain coolant, remove coolant expansion bottle, radiator including both hoses to cylinder head and water pump as per manual section 12.11

9. Remove front engine/clutch cover as per manual section 4.7



10. Referencing section 4.8 of the manual – remove the 5 pressure plate springs and bolts. If following the recommendation, replace the stock clutch fibers with the MTC fibers, leaving out the anti judder spring and washer. Reuse the stock steels assuming they’re within specification. Make sure you soak the fibers in clean engine oil for a while before installation

11. Replace the bolts with the 50mm long ones with accompanying washers if following that recommendation





12. Replace the 5 clutch pressure plate springs with whichever spring you have chosen to use – recommended ones are from Carpenter Racing

13. If your engine is older than #249177, you will need to replace the pressure plate with the new version and also the pressure plate bearing with the new version – use assembly lube on the bearing

14. Make sure the TTS hydraulic clutch pressure plate pullrod tip groove is nice and deep – about 3-4mm – if not, deepen it – when you are setting it later on with locknut, it is very easy for the flat screwdriver to slip out, rounding off the edges of the groove

15. Replace the stock lifter piece/pullrod with the TTS hydraulic clutch one – there is no need to reuse the wavy washer as the hydraulic clutch pullrod is held static at all times by the slave cylinder, unlike the stock cable clutch setup where the pullrod floats a little

Note: The pull rod should be free to move in and out and also it should be free to turn. Use assembly lube on the pullrod

16. Tighten up the spring bolts in stages, using a diagonal pattern until torque of 10nm. Be accurate with this, do not over torque or unevenly torque the bolts.

17. Mask off around the crank to stop swarf entering the engine



18. Remove the 8mm crank bolt from the end of the crank, and also the hexagonal shaped nut thingy Triumph call a “clamping spacer”. Careful not to remove/lose the crankshaft key. Measure the stock bore depth.



19. Put a depth marker on an 8.0mm drill bit to mark 32mm from the tip



20. You can skip this step if you want – the existing M8 bore should guide you in well enough – but for additional peace of mind ensure the engine is level, fix a spirit level to your drill so you know when the bit is level, and make a platform for the drill to slide along. This way you can watch left-right straightness from above while the platform and spirit level ensure up-down straightness.





21. Use the 8.0mm bit to ream the bolt bore (left in the end of the crank by removing that bolt) into a pilot hole 32mm deep






22. When you get close to the drill bit marker, pull out and check the bore depth – need 32mm depth



23. Clean up your swarf and remove the cloths used to line the engine front to ensure no swarf gets into engine

24. Use fresh/clean cloths in around the end of the crank to stop swarf getting into it, but unlike last time don’t cover the front faces of the crankcases, as you have to put the front cover on temporarily

25. Get the drill guide TTS supply, the longest one with a Ø10.8mm hole through it, locate it onto the end of the crank – it is a snug fit over the end of the crank timing gear

26. Fit the TTS front cover, and fit the bearing housing into the front cover and over/onto the Ø10.8mm drill guide – ensure the bearing housing is central on the crank and use 3 of the supplied M6 bolts to hold the housing in place – you can ensure home & centre of the drill guide by barely finger tightening the 3 bolts, and using a flat piece of wood for protection, tap the drill guide end into the crank with a hammer, then tighten up the 3 bolts (no more than 10nm) – you can also check things with a spirit level









27. Mark the TTS supplied 10.75mm drill bit at the depth needed (allow for internal length of drill guide)



28. Setup your drilling operation like before for added peace of mind, slide drill bit into guide fully, i.e. it has bottomed out the guide and is about to start cutting metal out of the crank



29. Check to see that the drill bit depth marker is in the right place





30. Using the TTS supplied 10.75mm drill bit, drill through the guide into the crank to a depth of approximately 32mm

31. Check depth before removing anything other than drill



32. Drilled but not yet tapped bore;



33. Remove the bearing housing and replace the drill guide with the tap guide (the one with the 12mm thread in the middle), fit the whole assembly into the TTS cover, ensure the guide is home and centre again, locate with 3 M6 bolts again





34. Thread the starter tap into the tap guide, ensure it is square etc



35. Tap out the crank to 12mm, make sure you have at least 28mm of thread – when done with the starter tap, run the finisher tap through also




36. Remove the front cover and VACUUM out (do not use compressed air etc) all the swarf, remove the rags etc and clean the newly tapped thread of all grease and oil



Note: a bolt to fix the pulley and spigot to the crank has been supplied in the kits for a few years now, however TTS instructions still specify a stud.

I used the supplied bolt initially, but later switched to the stud with a Nyloc nut – the stud saves you having to undo the 'permanent' green Loctite in the crank nose bore when changing pulleys, or even just removing front engine cover.

If using the stud, include steps 38 & 39.


37. Check that the bolt or stud will go in fully into the new threads



38. If using the stud – clean all the grease off the thread of the 12mm stud and coat the thread with high strength ‘green’ Loctite – also put some on the threads in the crank nose, as when you thread the stud in, a lot of the Loctite will get cleaned off



39. Thread the stud into the end of the crank, have the bike in high gear, chock the wheels and press rear brake, and torque the stud up to 40ft lb – clean up excess Loctite

40. Clean off any old gasket material from engine cover faces, apply a thin layer of RTV silicone sealer to each mating faces







41. Fit a new paper gasket to the engine face, the liquid gasket will hold it in place





42. Fit the new TTS front engine cover, apply a nice lick of medium strength “blue” Loctite to the first few threads of each M6 bolt, and torque them to 8ft lbs / 11nm in a criss-cross manner



43. Put plenty of moly grease in around the bearing housing oil seal, then fit the crank spigot into the bearing in the bearing housing



44. It should be supplied in the kit, but just in case it isn’t, you can buy a length of o-ring locally



45. Fit the o-ring length into the groove on the front engine cover around where the bearing housing will go



46. Locate the spigot (over the stud, if you used the stud, and) onto the end of the crank – ensure that the crank key locates in the spigot

47. Make sure it is all located centrally, and then screw the 6 housing M6 bolts to hold the housing into the TTS cover – the M6 bolts should have a nice lick of blue / medium strength Loctite thread locker all around the first few threads – and torque them down criss-cross to 8 ft lbs / 11 nm

48. Fit the crank pulley onto the spigot and make sure it is seated correctly





49. Check the depth from the face of the pulley to the bottom of the crank nose bore is more than the length of the bolt (if using the bolt). If using the stud, check the thread goes past the face of the pulley







50. If using the bolt – fit the washer and then coat the threads with green / high strength Loctite threadlocker



51. If using the stud, fit the washer and Nyloc nut – if using the bolt, thread it into the end of the crank through the pulley and spigot – to hold the crank pulley on

52. Have the engine in high gear, chock the wheels and get someone to press the rear brake hard to prevent the crank from turning – then torque the Nyloc nut up to 85 ft lb / 115nm, or if using the bolt, torque to 100 ft lb / 136nm

53. Make sure pulley is running true – there are a number of methods, including removing a plug per cylinder, taking the engine out of gear and using the nut or bolt you just torqued down to turn the engine over with a dial gauge on the pulley







54. It should be the right way already, but just in case it isn’t, you will need to change the position of the supercharger outlet relative to its body – e.g. a stage 1 kit the outlet points directly up, with the “this side down” side of the supercharger body down flat, and in a stage 2 kit it’s pointing directly down (at least when the revision of the intercooler design uses the bottom entry), etc.









55. Fit the banjos with the banjo bolts to the supercharger, including a new crush washer each side of the banjo, like a brake or clutch line banjo – don’t torque them down yet though

56. Offer the supercharger up to the main mounting plate, with the ‘THIS SIDE DOWN’ marking at the bottom, the outlet of the supercharger will be pointing up if it’s a stage 1, or down if a stage 2, etc, and bolt it on using the 4 long bolts supplied, torque 7 ft lbs / 9nm






57. Set the banjos to a point so that the oil pipes can be pushed on – tighten the banjo bolts to 16 ft lb / 21nm – make sure you have the copper washers in place either side of the banjo

58. It should be installed already, but if not, fit the supercharger pulley, use the length of old 6-rib V belt to protect the pulley, hold it steady with a chain vice grips and torque the centre bolt to 37 ft lbs / 50nm

59. Remove the chain grips and old belt, and turn the supercharger pulley over by hand CLOCKWISE ONLY to check it is running true – it should also have the same gap between it and the front cover as the crank pulley has





60. Refit the front wheel, as per manual section 16.9 (16.11 Touring)





61. If you have footboards not pegs, then the brake pedal has to be bent outwards and up, sort of an S bend. If you have 2 pairs of adjustable wrenches (quite big ones) you can do this in situ (it’s very malleable steel), put some tape around the jaws of the wrenches to stop them marking the chrome. First bend the lever away from the bike as close to the pivot point s you can, then bend the end back the other way by keeping the first wrench firmly holding the angle and the second wrench twisting it back. Most wrenches have a hole in them at the top of the shaft you can put a bar in that to make the twist, you won’t get it back 90% but it actually feels better under your foot as you always have your foot pointing out.

62. Now you have the supercharger mounted, the belt and belt tensioner can be fitted – slide the belt on the crank and supercharger pulleys



63. Put a drop of blue / medium strength Loctite threadlocker on the first few threads of the eccentric tensioner wheel fixing bolt

64. Fit the eccentric tensioner wheel, with the fixing bolt left slightly loose – using a spanner e.g. abrasive wheel spanner – I just used a jack with protection to the tensioner as I didn’t receive or have a spanner - turn it clockwise to tension the belt – the belt should have 45 deg twist with your thumb and forefinger to have the right tension – when this point is reached, tighten the fixing bolt to 18 ft lbs / 25nm









Note: the tensioner wheel has been updated since my install – it fits and works similarly, except you get some spacers with it



^^Pic @Justin Lakes

65. Fit the cover using the four M6 bolts provided, torque down to 7 ft lbs / 9nm – you can use a drop of medium strength Loctite here for added safety – I don’t because I hav the chin spoiler over it, and I haven’t had a loosening issue with these yet – don’t forget your Rotrex sticker on the pulley



66. Refit the water pipe from cylinder head to water pump, and the water pump as per manual section 12.8 – you might have to sand down the hole in the new front cover a bit so the pump will go in – take care not to shear the o-ring – you might also need a couple of stainless steel washers to fill a gap, also the bolt pointed out in the photo needs to be taken back out to fit the water pipe to cylinder head (clean threads and re-Loctite)



67. This is what the supercharger traction fluid or oil circuit looks like;


These are the lengths I used when fitting mine;


650mm from outlet of supercharger to inlet (top) of oil radiator

1300mm from outlet (bottom) of oil radiator to inlet (top) of canister/bottle/catch can

370mm from outlet (bottom) of canister/bottle to inlet of oil filter

1500mm from outlet of oil filter to inlet of supercharger

+++++

68. Fit the supercharger to oil radiator hose to the supercharger outlet, and the oil cooler top end fitting

Note – the Rotrex circuit diagram has the radiator in a horizontal position, however we must mount it in a vertical position on the left side of the engine coolant radiator – the logic used is that if the hot oil from the supercharger flows into the top of the radiator and downward through it, heat rises naturally so will leave the oil in the opposite direction to the downward flow of the oil



69. Fit the supercharger inlet hose to the supercharger inlet also – you might get a better fit by using some elbow connectors – run both the hoses from the supercharger across the front of the engine, tucked under the lower radiator mounts, to where the oil radiator will go



70. Fit the canister/bottle/catch can in the stock air filter box, using the band clamp to hold it to one of the old air filter cover bolt holes



71. Run a hose from the bottom fitting on the oil radiator to the top fitting on the canister, taking the route of up over the engine coolant expansion bottle, under the left chassis spine, down under where the fuel tank hinges and into the stock air filter box