Wilsons Sandbox

Conventional wisdom says that the 2008+ doohickeys are "adequate" however the 2008+ springs are bad and loose their ability to adjust/tension the doohickey after a few thousand miles. If I owned a 2008+, I would definitely install an Eagle Mike doohickey and torsion spring. Mike's doohickey is superior to the 2008+ doohickey. ________________________________ From: fw189uhu To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 10:56 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] '09 Doohickey Replacement? Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in preventative maintenance. From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? Thanks. Dave ------------------------------------ List Sponsors - Dual Sport News: http://www.dualsportnews.com Arrowhead Motorsports: http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok: http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/app/peoplemap/view/map Group Apps: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/grouplets/subscriptionsYahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

It's not going to fail, but you are not going to be able to adjust it more than once or twice. So it's not essential, but it's a rite of passage. If you don't do it you don't get to learn the secret handshake.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "fw189uhu" wrote: > > Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in preventative maintenance. > > From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? > > Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? > > Thanks. > > Dave >

I have a 2006 and I had a mechanic at a Kawasaki dealership tell me not to worry about the doohickey. He said he has been hearing about it for years and has never seen a problem from one. Is this guy an idiot? Josh

On Jun 14, 2011 1:36 AM, "Jud" wrote: > It's not going to fail, but you are not going to be able to adjust it more than once or twice. So it's not essential, but it's a rite of passage. If you don't do it you don't get to learn the secret handshake. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "fw189uhu" wrote: >> >> Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in preventative maintenance. >> >> From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? >> >> Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? >> >> Thanks. >> >> Dave >> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

He is a dip or a liar. Either the doo will break or the spring will get where there won't be enough tension. Mine had about 3/8inch chunk missing but was still kinda working so I had no clue until I checked it. I had to put a different spring as mine didn't have enough tension to work. I forget what milage.....probably 20,000 to 30,000 miles. A friend helps people check them. Seems like about half have a problem. The missing chunk I have never found. This is on 2007 and older, I don't know about newer ones as Kawasaki did make it stronger. They can't admit to a problem as they would be sued. I am going to the torsion spring next as zi have heard it will always have enough tension. Criswell Sent from my iPad

On Jun 14, 2011, at 1:42 AM, Josh Cissell wrote: > I have a 2006 and I had a mechanic at a Kawasaki dealership tell me not to > worry about the doohickey. He said he has been hearing about it for years > and has never seen a problem from one. Is this guy an idiot? > > Josh > On Jun 14, 2011 1:36 AM, "Jud" wrote: > > It's not going to fail, but you are not going to be able to adjust it more > than once or twice. So it's not essential, but it's a rite of passage. If > you don't do it you don't get to learn the secret handshake. > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "fw189uhu" wrote: > >> > >> Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. > Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in > preventative maintenance. > >> > >> From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory > unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? > >> > >> Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? > >> > >> Thanks. > >> > >> Dave > >> > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:42:56 -0500 Josh Cissell writes:

> I have a 2006 and I had a mechanic at a Kawasaki dealership tell me > not to > worry about the doohickey. He said he has been hearing about it for > years > and has never seen a problem from one. Is this guy an idiot? > > Josh

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Josh, I don't have enough info to declare the mechanic an idiot. I doubt he's a liar. I'm guessing he's speaking the truth when he says he's never seen a problem from one. From what I've read over the last 8 years or so, most KLR owners replace the doo and spring themselves. Very few have a dealer do the work. That might account for the dealer's mechanic not having experience in this area. There are plenty of documented doohickey and doohickey spring failures. Some include ruined engines. I would put an EagleMike doohickey and torsion spring in any KLR650 I owned. If I bought used and didn't know for absolutely sure about the doo and I'd open the engine and check. The 1987-2007 doohickeys were more prone to failure than the later versions. I think there is more spring failure in the early bikes than doo failures. The 2008 and later doos are a cast part that is a bit more robust but they don't fit on the shaft as tightly as the earlier versions. The later springs are known to not correctly tension the doo, sometimes in as little as 500 miles. So all stock doos and springs should be replace with EagleMike parts in my opinion. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . . ____________________________________________________________ Mom Is 55, Looks 30... Her clever $5 wrinkle therapy angers Botox Doctors. Find Out How! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4df758765a2683d7cf3st04vuc

It s all about Piece of Mind . If it bothers you, you should check it out and as long as you are checking it out, you might as well replace it. As far as I know there has never been a lever failure on a late model KLR. The spring was made stronger on the late model but also slightly longer and this is the weak point. This spring will not adjust your lever after a while because it is too long. It will take many thousands of miles before this happens, but it will happen. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com From: fw189uhu Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 11:56 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] '09 Doohickey Replacement? Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in preventative maintenance. From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? Thanks. Dave [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

We have had this same question many times in the past. Your mechanic is telling you the truth as he sees it. What percentage of all KLRs has he seen? A very low number I will bet. The internet will show a much higher number, that s the nature of the internet. Fred {(>>)} www.arrowheadmotorsports.com From: Josh Cissell Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 12:42 AM Cc: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: '09 Doohickey Replacement? I have a 2006 and I had a mechanic at a Kawasaki dealership tell me not to worry about the doohickey. He said he has been hearing about it for years and has never seen a problem from one. Is this guy an idiot? Josh

On Jun 14, 2011 1:36 AM, "Jud" wrote: > It's not going to fail, but you are not going to be able to adjust it more than once or twice. So it's not essential, but it's a rite of passage. If you don't do it you don't get to learn the secret handshake. > > --- In mailto:DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, "fw189uhu" wrote: >> >> Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in preventative maintenance. >> >> From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? >> >> Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? >> >> Thanks. >> >> Dave >> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

He's probably not an idiot, and he's probably not lying. You will most likely never detect a broken spring or a broken quadrant unless you pull the rotor to inspect them. The broken spring may never cause you a problem except that the quadrant will not self-adjust. A broken quadrant may never cause you a problem as long as the adjuster bolt can hold the pieces in place. So, unless you pull the rotor to inspect the quadrant and spring, you can't know if you have a problem. Once you have gone to the trouble or expense to acquire the special tools necessary to pull the rotor and inspect, then you might as well replace the parts even if nothing is broken. FWIW, the experience of the collective is that on inspection, about one quadrant in six is broken, and one spring in four. That means there is about 1 chance in 3 that you will have a broken part on an older bike,

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Josh Cissell wrote: > > I have a 2006 and I had a mechanic at a Kawasaki dealership tell me not to > worry about the doohickey. He said he has been hearing about it for years > and has never seen a problem from one. Is this guy an idiot? > > Josh > On Jun 14, 2011 1:36 AM, "Jud" wrote: > > It's not going to fail, but you are not going to be able to adjust it more > than once or twice. So it's not essential, but it's a rite of passage. If > you don't do it you don't get to learn the secret handshake. > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "fw189uhu" wrote: > >> > >> Still not clear on whether my '09 really needs a replacement doohickey. > Not currently experiencing any particular problem, but I'm a big believer in > preventative maintenance. > >> > >> From what I've read the '07s and earlier badly need to have the factory > unit replaced, but what about the '08s and later? > >> > >> Has anybody had a problem with their late model doohickey? > >> > >> Thanks. > >> > >> Dave > >> > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >