I decided to upgrade the doohickey on my 06 KLR at about 11,000 miles a few years ago and opted for the torsion spring setup. When I opened up the cases, I found that I was not doing an upgrade but a repair. The old spring had long since failed, so long ago in fact that the broken end of the spring had worn a groove in the case. Apparently the broken off piece had come out with an oil change somewhere along the way, boy was I ever lucky!!
I just knocked out the Eagle Mike Doohickey kit with torsion spring. I bought the entire kit with the hub puller. I just wanted to say thanks for a great video! It made the job way less painful and explained alot of little things
This is the best tutorial I've seen, I like the attention to cleanliness on reassembly that any good mechanic should do. The only choice is the torsion spring, I don't understand why Eagle Mike bother with the hook springs, they are bad cheap design in a engine, and won't break but could fall off the hook post, letting the chain go again.
Wow, all because of a Kawasaki design flaw. I was seriously considering one of these bikes actually went and looked at them today for the third time. I’m very glad I came across this and it has easily helped me remove them from my list. No thanks...
A lot more involved than I had hoped. Makes me want to avoid the KLR like the plague. If buying used, every owner will claim the Doo Hickey has been done.
Interesting, but holy cow! I got about half-way through the video before deciding this is something I would never want to do myself. If doing this replacement is so important, what I don't get is why aren't more shops offering this service (e.g. a "KLR Upgrade Special - the Doohickey and the Thermobob")? I would think they could make some money from doing it. When I had a KLR, I called around to several shops to get their thoughts about the doohickey. In every case, they said it wasn't necessary. So I didn't do it. If I get a 2022 I guess I'll have to decide again about doing it at some point, but I won't be buying special tools for a one-time job and trying to tackle it myself.
I got the same reply from a mechanic. I have a 2001 and it is as quiet as when new and mine is still stock. But then I read the coments from people that open up the covers and find broken spring or doohickey. My real question is if that was a known issue, why didn't Kawasaki fix it in over 30 years?
I have been looking with interest in getting into a KLR lately. After watching this video I will have to think twice. Your video is excellent, all steps in the process fully explained. I however lack the space to work (condo apartment) and some of the tools. I seriously doubt a Kawasaki dealership mechanic will do as thorough a job as you have explained, at whatever the cost. And lastly, when asked if the doohickey has been installed I will have to doubt the response of any seller. It is a necessary modification, one that if ignored can leave you stranded in the middle of the woods if lucky. ...still thinking about it.... 🤔😕 .... Nah! I better keep my Beemer.
Are all the gaskets, etc. necessary when doing this upgrade on a brand new bike? Would it be wise to wait for the warranty period to be over before doing any such internal work like some are deciding to do? Very good video, thank you!
If your bike is brand new you probably won't need all new gaskets. If you're worried about the warranty, it would be best to wait until that is up to do this mod.
2 questions why can't you use the extension spring and torsion spring ? also once the doohicky bolt is tightened the springs don't do anything except allow you to retighten it later with the covers on is that correct ? I enjoy your videos most informative thanks
Good point on doubling up on the springs, but kind of redundant, not sure if it would cause any problems thought. As for the second question. I'm not entirely certain why the tension bolt has to be tightened, isn't the point to allow tension by way of spring pressure? It's no wonder the springs break on OEM parts, the bolt is too tight to allow free play of the tension spring.
The torsion spring is held captive if it breaks and wont fall into the engine the way the regualr doohickey spring can. That torsion spring offers alot of pull. I would guess from my experience with it, way more pull than the normal spring.
dragonrider385 If you don’t know how to change the oil filter (which they did show in the kit at the start), then you should not be working on the doohickey.
i do know how. i was just asking . yes they showed it but did not say that they put it in. I put 26000 miles on my KLR and never needed to change the doohicky. Maybe i was just one of the lucky ones. It was a 2011. Have a great day and a Merry Christmas.
yes i did. At 20000 it was fine. The crank pin was bad and had to replace that. And yes maybe i should have done it then but i was at the Tail of The Dragon riding. And didnt want to stay and wait on parts. Wheelers had a pin that fit it.
dragonrider385 Seems to be hit or miss. I am going to run mine to 5,000 miles or so and make sure I like the KLR enough to start putting a lot of mods on it. I did do the Thermobob as it just ran way too cold.
Great video. Bought all the tools and parts from Rocky Mountain. Took my time following the video step by step. Job was straight forward. I hope it’s my imagination but it feels like my bike has a little more vibration after this job. Anyone out there have the same issue? Any help would be appreciated.
Hi i have a mental dilemma about this maybe some one can answer this if i understand wright if he doohickey bolt is tightened the springs don't do anything only when is adjusted is making tension on the spring wright so question how or way the factory spring break? from vibration from the engine or is just a defective part that breaks whit the tension once adjusted and if so i guess just by checking the bolt is possible to find out is the spring still have tension ?
Factory spring can break easily. In addition the (doohickey) is also fragile. Also the spring is too long and will quickly run out of adjustment. Then it will fall off and likely break in the case there.
i just brought a 2011 klr from my mate who has a kawasaki dealership i asked him about the doohickey he said what are you on about i said videos on you tube show this problem never heard of it you watch to many videos he said i have seen klr with 70 thousand km on them rode hard no problems so who do i beleve he is a mecanic
Hi, After tightening the bolt to 144 Ft Lb, is the very tip of the crankshaft supposed to be touching flush to the flywheel? Or another way to ask, is the flywheel supposed to be right up against the top/flat part of the crankshaft? Thanks for the great video!
When did he retighten the bolt that holds in the adjusting arm/doohickey? He loosens it once he puts the torsion spring on the doohickey, and says he would “retighten later” but I don’t see when he does? Is it torqued or just hand tight? Any help greatly appreciated.
Every KLR has a doohickey - it's the counterbalance chain adjuster. If you bought it new then is has the standard doohickey. If you bought it used then ask the previous owner if it was upgraded.
Some people have to do this at different intervals. While some may need it at 7k others have made it to 11k without any issues. With that said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least take off the covers just to check it.
What I don't understand is Kawasaki made this model for decades and never addressed this supposed issue? If it's such a liability then where does the KLR's legendary reliability come from if a weak spring/design causes potentially catastrophic engine failure? Perhaps it's from people that have absolutely tortured their rides on world traveling excursions which me as a Gen2 owner will never come close to emulating. If I was planning on crossing the Himalayas or Sahara Desert then I would probably 'doo' the hickey and the thermal bob mods. Just my 2 cents.
The first link in the description of this video will take you to a page with all the parts and tools used in this video. You can also click this link: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/Sales/2949/KLR650-Doohickey-Install
On my 2002 with 24k miles, the washer between the rotor and the ring gear was blue from heat. Any idea what would cause that? I'm chasing a noise, and after pulling both side covers the discolored washer is the only odd thing I've found. No debris, clean oil, clean filter, clean wire basket...
Thx for the video on this. I am confused on the status of doohickey adjusting bolt though. You looosened it after hooking the spring to it and said you would tighten it back down after installing the inner case? Shouldn't it be left loose so the doohiicky can still rotate and the spring keep proper tension on it?
I think that bolt might have a shoulder / stop on it that keeps it from locking down the tension cam thing, so it just ends up being a guide, not a fastener. Not 100% sure though.
@@daviddunn7817 I asked the same questionn on EagleMikes install video and he replied as follows: "The bolt should be tightened to 70 inch lbs. Emphasis on inch, a few have used ft lbs, which always results in a broken bolt. The bolt should be loosened to allow the system to adjust about every 7500 miles, while the engine is off, then torque it up before starting. It must be tightened while the engine is running." There is a rubber plug on the engine cover that can be removed to access this bolt.
You should never use a click type torques wrench on aluminum. Took me cracking a aluminum head with a guide pin torqued to 18#/ft to learn that lesson.
Question: the side cover bolts are listed to be torqued to 14 ft. lbs. in the manual (= 164 in. lbs.) for my gen1. This guy says 78 in. lbs. on this gen2. Are they that different? Or is my manual wrong?
in case someone sees this is 71 in-lb for the gen 1 cause they are the 6mm ones... what you are saying (14 ft-lb) is for 8mm. You have to measure the cylinder of the bolt.
The new doohickey kits only come with the torsion spring. As per Eagle Mike, "you won't get, and don't need the extension springs. The torsion spring is far superior.". Hope that helps!
We really like the Bel-Ray Water Proof Grease or Maxima Hi-Temp Waterproof Grease. There will be links to each below. Bel-Ray Water Proof Grease - www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/bel-ray-water-proof-grease-p Maxima Hi-Temp Waterproof Grease - www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-hi-temp-waterproof-grease-p
using the puller is impossible to remove the rotor, i did try with the standard 22cm but is impossible, have you another idea or another technic to remove the rotor?
The balancer chain should still be inspected according to the manual, but this replacement doohickey and torsion spring shouldn't ever need to be replaced.
I was thinking of buying a new Fuel Injected KLR650, but won't buy a product that a manufacturer lets go to market with catastrophic potential failure.
Kawasaki would only recall if warranty figures showed there was a problem. Not many of these break during warranty, especially with the new lever that was introduced with the Gen II. Many KLRs probably go their entire life without having this touched. (I have an EM piece on my 08. When I changed it at about 20000 km the lever was good but the spring was broken)
Attention anyone that doesn't think this is necessary. Or they think it's some kind of scam? Or they're just cheap. Why not take a few minutes and pull the side of the case off and check out your system? You can inspect absolutely free of charge. If you like what you see? Put the bike back together and carry on.
@@chrsrumbaugh That's what you're supposed to do but I just installed a Doohickey on mine and I plan to keep the bolt loose to allow the spring to keep tension the way it's intended.
The 2022 model has an upgraded doohickey but the spring remains unchanged and is still a weak point. We have a first impressions video where we go over this and other features on the 2022 KLR650. You can check it out here: ruclips.net/video/vFv_GmIyNdE/видео.html
What keeps the torsion spring in place on the case cover? It is just a straight piece of of the spring with no hook into a drilled hole. Couldn't easily back out?
No mate, the Eagle Mike one steps out from the midcase to allow for the torsion spring to sit behind it, the best choice, it can never get out of the drilled hole.
I have owned three klr650s. The first one i put over 100k miles. Never replaced the doo hickey on any of them. I lugged and chugged all over the US. Stop worring and start riding. Brap!
That's what they ALL say. Mine said the same. I also replaced my doohickey and put in the torsion spring. When I got my bike at 7000 miles the spring had no more tension to pull the lever any more. Miracle it hadn't unhooked itself and taken a trip through the transmission
@@danmanthe9335 I guess I have to believe if it were as serious as eagle mike makes it sound..wouldn't we be hearing about thousands of these KLR's that have catastrophic failures? I'm not knocking on Mike, but let's remember he is making money off every unit he produces. So there's that.
@@markcrum5895 I agree with you. Speaking from personal experience, my doohickey lost the ability to take slack out of the system before 10,000 miles and the spring had no tension at all leaving it prone to making its' way into the transmission or somewhere else. I thought it would be prudent to be proactive regarding this issue and I have been pleased with my experience. The EM products fit better than OEM, the torsion spring will continue to provide tension for many more thousands of miles based on reports of others and my own judgment of the design. If you want to leave your bike stock then that's your choice. You certainly don't need my permission
We really like the contact cleaners from PJ1 and Maxima. You can check them both out here: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/pj1-professional-contact-cleaner-p www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-contact-cleaner-p
Exactly.. it's baffling that Kawasaki wouldn't have just used a torsion spring for the Gen3. I was just thinking to myself "Well, at least i can change the sprocket while I'm dealing with this bull."
My klr, two thousand twenty two has issues after driving it for a while. It won't start. I have to wait and then it starts. It'll turn over, but it won't start. Wait a few minutes, wait a few minutes, then it starts. This is after driving it with no problems.Whatsoever.
I recently bought a 99 KLR 650 with 28,000 miles on it from the original owner. After I bought it I read about the serious threat of my motor exploding if I failed to replace it. I call the original owner and he told me never replace the cam adjuster and spring. So I ordered one and paid 75 bucks for a kit including the 15 bucks for the silly round spring cause it's reported Kawasaki make junk springs. I also paid 12 bucks for the puller. Once I got the kit I pulled it down and discovers the actual cam adjuster was not the cheep one shown in videos, it was near the quality of the doohickey adjuster, the spring was not broke, and it was capable of self adjusting. Well, having been played I went ahead and replaced the doohickey and install the spring with the shorter spring that came with the kit. Any one want to by the round spring I paid 15 bucks for and didn't install? I'm thinking there was a problem with the first ktm 650 and Kawasaki became aware of it and improve the quality of the later ones sold. This Doohickey part is a check overpriced part and to make it even a bigger scam they charge 15 bucks extra for the spring they recommend and doesn't include in the kit. When I sat down and thought about it I realized it's stupid to thing Kawasaki would continue to manufacture and sell a bike that fails because of a 50 cent part, Of course they corrected it. Kawasaki INC. been in business for a long time and wouldn't rely on some doohickey man to save it's reputation with a 50 cent part. The reason Doohickey man doesn't claim your motorcycle is going to blow up is because he could be sued for scamming you. This is why other people do it for doohickey man who allegedly have nothing to profit from saying it will. Yes, I was scammed by the doohickey man, someone needs to scam the doohickey man and his trolls using fearmonger to sell you 5 dollars in parts for 75$ bucks. Of course I recommend you ask your local Kawasaki dealer if Kawasaki put a piece of shit cam adjuster in your year model KLR650 before you give away your money to the doohickey man.
Okay, finally someone I agree with. Fearmongering is the perfect word. I see it in the klr community all the time. People say "you need Motech crash bars, skid plate, rear rack, center stand, eagle Mike oil plug, doohickey, new rear suspension, aftermarket rear brake, upgraded shifter" and if you don't buy all this your bike will instantly fall apart and die. I'm calling a bit of bs on this. I own this bike for reference. I'm not spending $1.5K in uprgades on a 3500 hundred dollar bike
@@TitanFlare Crash bars are just useful protection, skid plates, another useful protection from anything from speed bumps to sand dunes/bad potholes in a beach parking lot. Rear Rack, useful for carrying stuff, whether it's an apple crate with a spare helmet inside, or whether it's a duffel bag with work clothes, a rear rack is just luggage rack. Center Stand: useful if you plan to maintain your own motorcycle. Oil Plug: I personally will say a Low Profile Oil Drain Bolt is a must have, the oil drain bolt that comes with the motorcycle sticks out CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN THE SKID PLATE, one speed bump, one pothole, etc wrong, and boom, you just lost your drain bolt potentially. That's not fearmongering, it's just not wanting to worry about something silly that can be replaced very easily when you're going up and down steep terrain. Doohickey: IF your motorcycle was worth the $3,500 you paid for it, you'd want to take care of it and maintain it well and make sure it lasts a while yeah? Not every spring will fail and get thrown in a transmission, but honestly.. you could go ahead and never worry about how a loose tiny spring could mess up your 3.5k form of transportation and now it's totaled.. because you didn't want to just install a new spring. *Everything you listed (rear suspension is just comfort, rear brake is if you go off-roading a lot, upgraded shifter? Who says that's needed for an ADV bike?) isn't fear mongering but rather just taking care of a form of transportation. If you want to go and buy something and never take care of it, go buy a dirt bike, beat the shit out of it, never change oil, never lube the chain, never clean the chain, and then.. well sell it to a pawn shop once it dies.*
I decided to upgrade the doohickey on my 06 KLR at about 11,000 miles a few years ago and opted for the torsion spring setup. When I opened up the cases, I found that I was not doing an upgrade but a repair. The old spring had long since failed, so long ago in fact that the broken end of the spring had worn a groove in the case. Apparently the broken off piece had come out with an oil change somewhere along the way, boy was I ever lucky!!
Man that's waaaaaaay more in depth than I imagined
I just knocked out the Eagle Mike Doohickey kit with torsion spring. I bought the entire kit with the hub puller. I just wanted to say thanks for a great video! It made the job way less painful and explained alot of little things
I've seen a lot of how to's on the Doohickey. This is the best one. Simple step by step process, easy to understand. Excellent job.!
This is the best tutorial I've seen, I like the attention to cleanliness on reassembly that any good mechanic should do. The only choice is the torsion spring, I don't understand why Eagle Mike bother with the hook springs, they are bad cheap design in a engine, and won't break but could fall off the hook post, letting the chain go again.
At the end - and that’s all there is to the install........
Me thinking “man that’s a lot!!!” 😖
Now, that's how you do a "how to" video! Thanks
Remember everyone, it's INCH pounds for the small bolts. Don't be cranking them to foot pounds.
And this is why the whole world should be metric by now!
Wow, all because of a Kawasaki design flaw. I was seriously considering one of these bikes actually went and looked at them today for the third time. I’m very glad I came across this and it has easily helped me remove them from my list. No thanks...
Excellent video. I have 3 of these to do on 1st gen KLR's. I'm gonna go out in the garage and work on it!
did you start yet?
Do you need help?
A lot more involved than I had hoped. Makes me want to avoid the KLR like the plague. If buying used, every owner will claim the Doo Hickey has been done.
I stopped at 10:55 thinking the exact same thing. Ill just go with a different bike
I made it to 9:55
😂 Weaklings
Anyway according to Kawasaki the failure rate for the factory tensioner is very low
It’s a three beverage job. Very simple to do. Put on some music and enjoy the process and you’ll be done in an hour.
This isn’t a very difficult job for a motorcycle mechanic or anyone with average mechanical ability.
Interesting, but holy cow! I got about half-way through the video before deciding this is something I would never want to do myself. If doing this replacement is so important, what I don't get is why aren't more shops offering this service (e.g. a "KLR Upgrade Special - the Doohickey and the Thermobob")? I would think they could make some money from doing it. When I had a KLR, I called around to several shops to get their thoughts about the doohickey. In every case, they said it wasn't necessary. So I didn't do it. If I get a 2022 I guess I'll have to decide again about doing it at some point, but I won't be buying special tools for a one-time job and trying to tackle it myself.
I got the same reply from a mechanic. I have a 2001 and it is as quiet as when new and mine is still stock. But then I read the coments from people that open up the covers and find broken spring or doohickey. My real question is if that was a known issue, why didn't Kawasaki fix it in over 30 years?
Great video...anyone with a bit of mechanical know how could do this job. Thank you so much for posting this ! Cheers.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. Outstandingly done
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have been looking with interest in getting into a KLR lately. After watching this video I will have to think twice. Your video is excellent, all steps in the process fully explained. I however lack the space to work (condo apartment) and some of the tools. I seriously doubt a Kawasaki dealership mechanic will do as thorough a job as you have explained, at whatever the cost. And lastly, when asked if the doohickey has been installed I will have to doubt the response of any seller.
It is a necessary modification, one that if ignored can leave you stranded in the middle of the woods if lucky.
...still thinking about it.... 🤔😕 .... Nah! I better keep my Beemer.
RM ATV MC makes the best videos hands down. Thanks for doing these
just completed this kit install, your tutorial was/is the best out there! thank you!
I saw the title and was interested immediately
Поменял ,сегодня .Открыл ,увидел лопнутая пружина!
Спасибо за видео,собирал по нему .
you should be inspecting the timing chain guides while performing this job. the slack can be related to worn guides.
steve arr and a worn chain!
The guides are only worn hard, if the spring has snapped and the stock lever has moved off, on this bike the spring was intact, so no need.
Need to check this video later in case of installation. Glad you post it... must be Kawasaki enemies 😅
Thanks for the video helped me through it no problems 👍
Glad it helped. Thanks for watching and happy riding! - Wes
Are all the gaskets, etc. necessary when doing this upgrade on a brand new bike? Would it be wise to wait for the warranty period to be over before doing any such internal work like some are deciding to do? Very good video, thank you!
If your bike is brand new you probably won't need all new gaskets. If you're worried about the warranty, it would be best to wait until that is up to do this mod.
What is the average cost for the Doohickey to be replaced with a torsion spring by a professional shop
man this seems like a project, not having my own garage probably be easier to have a mechanic do this
I personally don’t trust ppl for important jobs like this
Great video. I love how to videos on engines that don’t end in starting the engine at the end of the job. Sarcasm.
Thanks for the input and checking out the video!
2 questions why can't you use the extension spring and torsion spring ? also once the doohicky bolt is tightened the springs don't do anything except allow you to retighten it later with the covers on is that correct ? I enjoy your videos most informative thanks
Please answer this question.
I'm thinking you wouldn't want to because it's double the springs that could break
Good point on doubling up on the springs, but kind of redundant, not sure if it would cause any problems thought. As for the second question. I'm not entirely certain why the tension bolt has to be tightened, isn't the point to allow tension by way of spring pressure? It's no wonder the springs break on OEM parts, the bolt is too tight to allow free play of the tension spring.
The torsion spring is held captive if it breaks and wont fall into the engine the way the regualr doohickey spring can. That torsion spring offers alot of pull. I would guess from my experience with it, way more pull than the normal spring.
This is a great video. Thanks guys.👍👍
Just finished up documenting it on my channel
great vidieo what is that bigger sprocket called is the coper hub washer replaceable
nice work but you forgot the new oil filter..thanks for the video
dragonrider385 If you don’t know how to change the oil filter (which they did show in the kit at the start), then you should not be working on the doohickey.
i do know how. i was just asking . yes they showed it but did not say that they put it in. I put 26000 miles on my KLR and never needed to change the doohicky. Maybe i was just one of the lucky ones. It was a 2011. Have a great day and a Merry Christmas.
dragonrider385 Are you sure? Did you take it apart to see if the spring still had tension in it at 26,000 miles?
yes i did. At 20000 it was fine. The crank pin was bad and had to replace that. And yes maybe i should have done it then but i was at the Tail of The Dragon riding. And didnt want to stay and wait on parts. Wheelers had a pin that fit it.
dragonrider385 Seems to be hit or miss. I am going to run mine to 5,000 miles or so and make sure I like the KLR enough to start putting a lot of mods on it. I did do the Thermobob as it just ran way too cold.
Great video. Bought all the tools and parts from Rocky Mountain. Took my time following the video step by step. Job was straight forward. I hope it’s my imagination but it feels like my bike has a little more vibration after this job. Anyone out there have the same issue? Any help would be appreciated.
Did you ever figure it out?
@@calebehlers3679 think it was in my head. Already put another 8k miles on her since. Lol
The manual calls for 130 ft lbs on the flywheel bolt not 144 I just broke the end of the bolt off going for 144 and now have to back it out tomorrow
The manual calls for 130 ft lbs on the 1st generation KLR and 144 ft lbs on the gen 2 KLR's.
Hi i have a mental dilemma about this maybe some one can answer this if i understand wright if he doohickey bolt is tightened the springs don't do anything only when is adjusted is making tension on the spring wright so question how or way the factory spring break? from vibration from the engine or is just a defective part that breaks whit the tension once adjusted and if so i guess just by checking the bolt is possible to find out is the spring still have tension ?
Factory spring can break easily. In addition the (doohickey) is also fragile. Also the spring is too long and will quickly run out of adjustment. Then it will fall off and likely break in the case there.
how long does the doohickey job last?
i just brought a 2011 klr from my mate who has a kawasaki dealership
i asked him about the doohickey
he said what are you on about
i said videos on you tube show this problem
never heard of it you watch to many videos he said
i have seen klr with 70 thousand km on them rode hard no problems
so who do i beleve he is a mecanic
Met a guy at the superbike races in Birmingham who had his "Around the World" KLR on display. Claimed the engine was untouched...
For the cost of the doohickey kit and the insurance it provides I think it's worth the peace of mind
Thank you
Hi, After tightening the bolt to 144 Ft Lb, is the very tip of the crankshaft supposed to be touching flush to the flywheel? Or another way to ask, is the flywheel supposed to be right up against the top/flat part of the crankshaft? Thanks for the great video!
The small gap is normal
Did you not replace the rotor bolt? I've heard it's required
We did replace the rotor bolt in this video 14:49
When did he retighten the bolt that holds in the adjusting arm/doohickey? He loosens it once he puts the torsion spring on the doohickey, and says he would “retighten later” but I don’t see when he does? Is it torqued or just hand tight? Any help greatly appreciated.
The doohickey bolt gets torqued at 17:53 in the video. 👍🏼 Here is a link ruclips.net/video/ySKRxMYjq5A/видео.html
@@rmatvmc duh! I was wondering what that one was. Thank you very much
I completed mine. The spring was broke. Any idea Wby my bike isn't starting and is now backfiring
I bought a KLR 650 while back I don't know if it has a doohickey on it.
Do I have to go through all that crap just to check if there's one on there?
Every KLR has a doohickey - it's the counterbalance chain adjuster. If you bought it new then is has the standard doohickey. If you bought it used then ask the previous owner if it was upgraded.
At how many miles should this be done ? I just rolled over 10k miles
Some people have to do this at different intervals. While some may need it at 7k others have made it to 11k without any issues. With that said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least take off the covers just to check it.
you did.nt show tightening the last adjuster bolt down before putting the last cover on???so now this makes me not sure about this
There are 2 loose washers that came off with the outer cover but I have no idea which starter gear they go on.
How many miles were on this klr650?
Does one still need to still do this on a 2022 KLR 650?
What I don't understand is Kawasaki made this model for decades and never addressed this supposed issue? If it's such a liability then where does the KLR's legendary reliability come from if a weak spring/design causes potentially catastrophic engine failure? Perhaps it's from people that have absolutely tortured their rides on world traveling excursions which me as a Gen2 owner will never come close to emulating. If I was planning on crossing the Himalayas or Sahara Desert then I would probably 'doo' the hickey and the thermal bob mods. Just my 2 cents.
Hi, like your channel. I’ve got a 1998 model where do I get the aftermarket replacement doohickey. I’m from South Africa.
Thanks Ian
The first link in the description of this video will take you to a page with all the parts and tools used in this video. You can also click this link: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/Sales/2949/KLR650-Doohickey-Install
On my 2002 with 24k miles, the washer between the rotor and the ring gear was blue from heat. Any idea what would cause that? I'm chasing a noise, and after pulling both side covers the discolored washer is the only odd thing I've found. No debris, clean oil, clean filter, clean wire basket...
Replace washer, put oil back in, and ride. It's a KLR not a Porsche. They make noise and rattle.
Thx for the video on this. I am confused on the status of doohickey adjusting bolt though. You looosened it after hooking the spring to it and said you would tighten it back down after installing the inner case? Shouldn't it be left loose so the doohiicky can still rotate and the spring keep proper tension on it?
I think that bolt might have a shoulder / stop on it that keeps it from locking down the tension cam thing, so it just ends up being a guide, not a fastener. Not 100% sure though.
@@daviddunn7817 I asked the same questionn on EagleMikes install video and he replied as follows: "The bolt should be tightened to 70 inch lbs. Emphasis on inch, a few have used ft lbs, which always results in a broken bolt. The bolt should be loosened to allow the system to adjust about every 7500 miles, while the engine is off, then torque it up before starting. It must be tightened while the engine is running." There is a rubber plug on the engine cover that can be removed to access this bolt.
@@lunarluna makes sense, thanks for the update !
Great video!💪✌🏻
Where are I can buy the kit ? The 1 that u are showing ....Thanks
The first link in the description will take you to a page with all the parts used in this video.
⭕️ does the gen 3 need this or did they upgrade it at the manufacture ?
Yes it does
You should never use a click type torques wrench on aluminum. Took me cracking a aluminum head with a guide pin torqued to 18#/ft to learn that lesson.
Wow. Great job. I'm a DR 650 owner. I haven't owned a KLR yet. Did Kawasaki re-engineer this for the 2022 bike?
Unfortunately it does not seem so.. (KLR650 2022 future-buyer here.)
Nope
Good
Good
what is the dimension of the screw you put into the rotor to remove it?
22mm x 1.5mm
@@rmatvmc thanks 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Question: the side cover bolts are listed to be torqued to 14 ft. lbs. in the manual (= 164 in. lbs.) for my gen1. This guy says 78 in. lbs. on this gen2. Are they that different? Or is my manual wrong?
in case someone sees this is 71 in-lb for the gen 1 cause they are the 6mm ones... what you are saying (14 ft-lb) is for 8mm. You have to measure the cylinder of the bolt.
and rotor bolt for gen 1 would be
88 ft-lb to seat
then loosen
129 ft-lb final
(120 & 175 in Nm for the metric system)
Is torsion spring one time fix and don't need no maintenance?
That is correct!
Excelente muy profesional
What year is this bike?
The kit in the description doesn't show the heavy duty springs
The new doohickey kits only come with the torsion spring. As per Eagle Mike, "you won't get, and don't need the extension springs. The torsion spring is far superior.".
Hope that helps!
@@rmatvmc I seen that after watching it again thanks for responding. Does the torsion spring ever need replacing?
what type of grease do you reccommend?
We really like the Bel-Ray Water Proof Grease or Maxima Hi-Temp Waterproof Grease. There will be links to each below.
Bel-Ray Water Proof Grease - www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/bel-ray-water-proof-grease-p
Maxima Hi-Temp Waterproof Grease - www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-hi-temp-waterproof-grease-p
Do you have to do this to a 2022 KLR?
As far as we are aware, this is still a problem on the newer bikes.
using the puller is impossible to remove the rotor, i did try with the standard 22cm but is impossible, have you another idea or another technic to remove the rotor?
I used an impact and it worked like a dream
Is this a permanent fix for the doohickey problem?
The balancer chain should still be inspected according to the manual, but this replacement doohickey and torsion spring shouldn't ever need to be replaced.
I was thinking of buying a new Fuel Injected KLR650, but won't buy a product that a manufacturer lets go to market with catastrophic potential failure.
Has this been rectified by Kawasaki in the new 2021 model?
Kawa never acknowledged any issues with the Gen 1 or Gen 2 so it’s unlikely they’ll own up to any fixes on the Gen 3.
Nope
No, the KLR650 2022 model has the same doohickey as previous models.
How much is it reasonable for a job like that done at a motorcycle shop?
about an hour for labor + parts
Not showed how works after instaled eagle.
58,000 views… and Kawasaki doesn’t think there needs to be a recall.
IDK why we keep buying them
Kawasaki would only recall if warranty figures showed there was a problem. Not many of these break during warranty, especially with the new lever that was introduced with the Gen II. Many KLRs probably go their entire life without having this touched. (I have an EM piece on my 08. When I changed it at about 20000 km the lever was good but the spring was broken)
TO DO THIS, YOU MUST GET THE MOTOR OIL OUT?
The bike can be leaned over on the right side if you don't want to change the oil.
Has anyone had a problem reusing the stator bolt ?
Good how to. I thought you were putting a washing machine part on it. (wig wag)
Attention anyone that doesn't think this is necessary. Or they think it's some kind of scam? Or they're just cheap. Why not take a few minutes and pull the side of the case off and check out your system? You can inspect absolutely free of charge. If you like what you see? Put the bike back together and carry on.
Forgot to swap the oil filter.
So is this a (permanent ) fix? Once this is done most likely I will never need to be done again?
Yes that is correct. Once you do this upgrade you shouldn't have to mess with it again.
@@rmatvmc don't you have to loosen the bolt every once in awhile so the spring can add tension? Then tighten it back down?
@@chrsrumbaugh That's what you're supposed to do but I just installed a Doohickey on mine and I plan to keep the bolt loose to allow the spring to keep tension the way it's intended.
@@greggriesel892 Would like to know how this worked out two years later
Does anyone know if Kawa resolved this issue on their new 2022 models? The 3rd Gen KLR
The 2022 model has an upgraded doohickey but the spring remains unchanged and is still a weak point. We have a first impressions video where we go over this and other features on the 2022 KLR650. You can check it out here: ruclips.net/video/vFv_GmIyNdE/видео.html
So you still recommend this for gen3?!!
What keeps the torsion spring in place on the case cover? It is just a straight piece of of the spring with no hook into a drilled hole. Couldn't easily back out?
The torsion spring tip is in the drilled hole in the midcase, it's under tension all the time and can't come out.
Did he put the doohickey on backwards?
Nope
No mate, the Eagle Mike one steps out from the midcase to allow for the torsion spring to sit behind it, the best choice, it can never get out of the drilled hole.
Just saw them interview 30 year Kawasaki mechanics they said BS don’t worry about it all if you actually maintain bike I dunno
Ahh, kLA is now off my list.
No one should need to fix the engine due to a defect.
I have owned three klr650s. The first one i put over 100k miles. Never replaced the doo hickey on any of them. I lugged and chugged all over the US. Stop worring and start riding. Brap!
thats just what my mate who ownes a kawasaki dealership said to just yesterday
here in australia 👍👍
The thing is, its about a 20 percent chance, and then youve got bits of metal floating around in ur engine. Do this, and its a 0 percent chance
Funny thing, i bought the doohickey to preventively change it and it was already broken, fishing out the parts was a pain.
I'm would pass on a klr at this point
Talked to a mechanic at the local Kaw dealer and he said in 20 year he has never done this or seen one fail...
That mechanic is telling you a story.
That's what they ALL say. Mine said the same. I also replaced my doohickey and put in the torsion spring. When I got my bike at 7000 miles the spring had no more tension to pull the lever any more. Miracle it hadn't unhooked itself and taken a trip through the transmission
that is why until i see or hear about a gen3 2022 failing, i ain't doing it.
@@danmanthe9335 I guess I have to believe if it were as serious as eagle mike makes it sound..wouldn't we be hearing about thousands of these KLR's that have catastrophic failures? I'm not knocking on Mike, but let's remember he is making money off every unit he produces. So there's that.
@@markcrum5895 I agree with you. Speaking from personal experience, my doohickey lost the ability to take slack out of the system before 10,000 miles and the spring had no tension at all leaving it prone to making its' way into the transmission or somewhere else. I thought it would be prudent to be proactive regarding this issue and I have been pleased with my experience. The EM products fit better than OEM, the torsion spring will continue to provide tension for many more thousands of miles based on reports of others and my own judgment of the design. If you want to leave your bike stock then that's your choice. You certainly don't need my permission
It not spring that is wore out, It is the chain guides the are wore out.
Aha can anyone tell me a good contact cleaner??
We really like the contact cleaners from PJ1 and Maxima. You can check them both out here:
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/pj1-professional-contact-cleaner-p
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-contact-cleaner-p
Can ANYONE confirm a SINGLE gen3 failure yet????
Bought my 22 new. As of spring 2024 i have 21,000 trouble free miles
Ma è un difetto operazione costosa
You forgot to tighten the doohickey bolt
That drive chain was dryer than an 80 year old woman lol
So...it's,buy new KLR650,do the break in miles,change Doohickey at the 1st service before long haul trip...an expense i could do without Kawasaki
Exactly.. it's baffling that Kawasaki wouldn't have just used a torsion spring for the Gen3. I was just thinking to myself "Well, at least i can change the sprocket while I'm dealing with this bull."
When all the KLR guys tell you its easy and then you see this sht.
My klr, two thousand twenty two has issues after driving it for a while. It won't start. I have to wait and then it starts. It'll turn over, but it won't start. Wait a few minutes, wait a few minutes, then it starts. This is after driving it with no problems.Whatsoever.
Ikea should sell this bike since you're building it at home
50/50 chance of "legendary reliability" and catastrophic engine failure
I recently bought a 99 KLR 650 with 28,000 miles on it from the original owner. After I bought it I read about the serious threat of my motor exploding if I failed to replace it. I call the original owner and he told me never replace the cam adjuster and spring. So I ordered one and paid 75 bucks for a kit including the 15 bucks for the silly round spring cause it's reported Kawasaki make junk springs. I also paid 12 bucks for the puller. Once I got the kit I pulled it down and discovers the actual cam adjuster was not the cheep one shown in videos, it was near the quality of the doohickey adjuster, the spring was not broke, and it was capable of self adjusting. Well, having been played I went ahead and replaced the doohickey and install the spring with the shorter spring that came with the kit. Any one want to by the round spring I paid 15 bucks for and didn't install? I'm thinking there was a problem with the first ktm 650 and Kawasaki became aware of it and improve the quality of the later ones sold. This Doohickey part is a check overpriced part and to make it even a bigger scam they charge 15 bucks extra for the spring they recommend and doesn't include in the kit.
When I sat down and thought about it I realized it's stupid to thing Kawasaki would continue to manufacture and sell a bike that fails because of a 50 cent part, Of course they corrected it. Kawasaki INC. been in business for a long time and wouldn't rely on some doohickey man to save it's reputation with a 50 cent part. The reason Doohickey man doesn't claim your motorcycle is going to blow up is because he could be sued for scamming you. This is why other people do it for doohickey man who allegedly have nothing to profit from saying it will. Yes, I was scammed by the doohickey man, someone needs to scam the doohickey man and his trolls using fearmonger to sell you 5 dollars in parts for 75$ bucks. Of course I recommend you ask your local Kawasaki dealer if Kawasaki put a piece of shit cam adjuster in your year model KLR650 before you give away your money to the doohickey man.
Okay, finally someone I agree with. Fearmongering is the perfect word. I see it in the klr community all the time. People say "you need Motech crash bars, skid plate, rear rack, center stand, eagle Mike oil plug, doohickey, new rear suspension, aftermarket rear brake, upgraded shifter" and if you don't buy all this your bike will instantly fall apart and die. I'm calling a bit of bs on this. I own this bike for reference. I'm not spending $1.5K in uprgades on a 3500 hundred dollar bike
@@TitanFlare Crash bars are just useful protection, skid plates, another useful protection from anything from speed bumps to sand dunes/bad potholes in a beach parking lot.
Rear Rack, useful for carrying stuff, whether it's an apple crate with a spare helmet inside, or whether it's a duffel bag with work clothes, a rear rack is just luggage rack.
Center Stand: useful if you plan to maintain your own motorcycle.
Oil Plug: I personally will say a Low Profile Oil Drain Bolt is a must have, the oil drain bolt that comes with the motorcycle sticks out CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN THE SKID PLATE, one speed bump, one pothole, etc wrong, and boom, you just lost your drain bolt potentially. That's not fearmongering, it's just not wanting to worry about something silly that can be replaced very easily when you're going up and down steep terrain.
Doohickey: IF your motorcycle was worth the $3,500 you paid for it, you'd want to take care of it and maintain it well and make sure it lasts a while yeah? Not every spring will fail and get thrown in a transmission, but honestly.. you could go ahead and never worry about how a loose tiny spring could mess up your 3.5k form of transportation and now it's totaled.. because you didn't want to just install a new spring.
*Everything you listed (rear suspension is just comfort, rear brake is if you go off-roading a lot, upgraded shifter? Who says that's needed for an ADV bike?) isn't fear mongering but rather just taking care of a form of transportation. If you want to go and buy something and never take care of it, go buy a dirt bike, beat the shit out of it, never change oil, never lube the chain, never clean the chain, and then.. well sell it to a pawn shop once it dies.*
To hell with this. I just decided to buy a DR and a windshield.
This has been a known issue for decades, yet Kawasaki does nothing about it. What does that tell you about their engineering?