Wilsons Sandbox

EdgyDrifter wrote:

> Hello > While riding around Ellensburg WA last weekend with my brother on his 00 > klr and me on my '96 I noticed that his front sprocket is held on by one big > bolt and mine by two smaller bolts. It's the first time I did a side by side > on the two years....does this difference signify the change over between the > "reworked" klr? I bought my bike used, runs great and have no complaints. > But was wondering if their is anything else I should know about maybe having > the antique model?

Odd. I have a rather early '96 KLR and it uses the single nut arrangement. There might have been a transitional period very early in the production run. As for the rest of the bike, I wonder how much of it is old and how much new? -Tom '96 KLR 650

Yes, it's part # 11060-1108. It's a copper gasket that crushes when torqued down so it is best to replace it. Be real careful not to over tighten the pipe flange, it will crack, got the weld on mine to prove it. I replaced the nuts with crimped lock nuts (nylocks will melt) and more caution with the wrench. Sprocket wobble can be shimmed but it is floating by design. In theory letting it float takes some stress off the seal and bearing when the chain is flopping around off road and helps correct any misalignment in the chain run. The downside may be increased spline wear on the shaft. A compromise, shaft replacement or bearing/ seal replacement. When the kawasaki engineers designed it they chose to let it float? The only shaft spline/bearing/seal problems I have ever seen have been from overtightened chains not sprocket tightness. One more thing, is there a replacement gasket available for the stock

> exhaust pipe connection with the cylinder head? > TIA, > Eric > A 8