Wilsons Sandbox

I don't believe the spring usually falls off while still whole. It first breaks. Bogdan

> as an aside to this post .. > when I first read about springs > falling off and then saw the > diagram of the spring .. i thought > why doesn't the spring have 360 > degree hooks .. like a key chain ring .. > and then it couldn't fall off ? > > Barnaby. > > > > > > >

Carsten, The stock spring is of larger diameter, but will no longer tension your system. Did you notice that when you put it back on it took very little effort to install it? I choose the springs very carefully. As you stretch the spring, tension on the system increases. The larger the wire diameter, the greater the tension per amount of stretch. I could have gotten a larger wire diameter spring, but what is needed is a spring with more travel, not more tension. The springs I buy are made at an ISO certified aerospace spring company, after quite a consultation with their in hoouse engineer. They arew made from music wire, which they said (and my experience agrees with) was the best material possible. There is a phone number in the instructions to call me on if you have any questions. Mike Eagle Mfg & Eng San Diego, Ca.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "glucovite" wrote: > I installed the Eagle idler shaft lever (aka. doohickey) today on my > 2003 KLR 650 (4500 mi). When I also wanted to exchange the spring, I > found to my surprise that the stock spring was not only in great > shape, but also much more robust & stronger looking than the two > springs that came with the Eagle doohickey. So I left the stock > spring in. Has Kawasaki perhaps improved the spring for the 2003 > model? > > Carsten

Carsten, Looks are deceiving. The stock spring may have looked robust, big and strong and all that crap but let me assure you it is pure junk. Hope you haven't put it back together yet, cause if you have you're gonna have to take it back apart and put in the Eagle spring. I've had 4 2002 and 2003 KLR's apart in the last year and three of the four had broken springs. One of these bikes only had a few hundred miles on it. Broken right off the assembly line?? One can only wonder.... But on the bright side, they are much easier to take apart the second time!! Good Luck George "Just ridin' away the Nebraska winter...."

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "glucovite" wrote: > I installed the Eagle idler shaft lever (aka. doohickey) today on my > 2003 KLR 650 (4500 mi). When I also wanted to exchange the spring, I > found to my surprise that the stock spring was not only in great > shape, but also much more robust & stronger looking than the two > springs that came with the Eagle doohickey. So I left the stock > spring in. Has Kawasaki perhaps improved the spring for the 2003 > model? > > Carsten

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "glucovite" wrote:

> I installed the Eagle idler shaft lever (aka. doohickey) today on

my

> 2003 KLR 650 (4500 mi). When I also wanted to exchange the spring,

I

> found to my surprise that the stock spring was not only in great > shape, but also much more robust & stronger looking than the two > springs that came with the Eagle doohickey. So I left the stock > spring in. Has Kawasaki perhaps improved the spring for the 2003 > model? > > Carsten

Carsten, Same situation on my A16 when I replaced the doohickey at about 2k miles, the stock spring not only looked good but it had plenty of room for tension and adjustment. Had a new one on hand, but like you I used the orignal. Of course, as has been reported, these things are all over the place on different bikes as to the way they fit. I checked mine during my last valve adjustment at 12k miles and everything was A OK. I don't agree that the stock spring is junk, seems to me that any spring would eventually fail if the doohickey is loose on the shaft and the spring is cycling a couple thousand times a minute. As I see it, on a properly working doohickey, the only time you're asking the spring to do anything is when you loosen the adjustment bolt on the doohickey. Just my opinion, but if your new doohickey fits nice and snug on the shaft and the spring is under reasonable tension, you're good to go with the stock spring. On an unrelated note, I saw A14 or newer KLR on front of the Bright Angel lodge on the South rim of the Grand Canyon the day after New Years day, obviously touring, thing was loaded to the max with gear, If your on the list, my hat (helmet) is off to you. Last place I expected to see a KLR, sheet ice and snow all over the roads and temp down in the teens at night. Dan Bittner Sacramento A16 03 YZF 600

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "ltrcman" wrote:

> Same situation on my A16 when I replaced the doohickey at about 2k > miles, the stock spring not only looked good but it had plenty of > room for tension and adjustment. Had a new one on hand, but like

you

> I used the orignal. Of course, as has been reported, these things > are all over the place on different bikes as to the way they fit.

I

> checked mine during my last valve adjustment at 12k miles and > everything was A OK. I don't agree that the stock spring is junk, > seems to me that any spring would eventually fail if the doohickey > is loose on the shaft and the spring is cycling a couple thousand > times a minute. As I see it, on a properly working doohickey, the > only time you're asking the spring to do anything is when you

loosen

> the adjustment bolt on the doohickey. Just my opinion, but if your > new doohickey fits nice and snug on the shaft and the spring is > under reasonable tension, you're good to go with the stock spring. > > On an unrelated note, I saw A14 or newer KLR on front of the

Bright

> Angel lodge on the South rim of the Grand Canyon the day after New > Years day, obviously touring, thing was loaded to the max with

gear,

> If your on the list, my hat (helmet) is off to you. Last place I > expected to see a KLR, sheet ice and snow all over the roads and > temp down in the teens at night. > > Dan Bittner > Sacramento > A16 > 03 YZF 600

Dan, The quality of the stock spring is all over the place. I've seen some pretty decent, and some broken, but I have a hard time trusting them. Bogdan Swider put a new factory spring in his bike wth a new aftermarket lever a while back. When we opened his bike up during Moab, the spring was broken. An extension spring is really wrong for this sort of application, but it's what we were set up with. all the best, Mike Eagle Mfg & Eng San Diego, Ca.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "takes2serious" wrote:

> I bought Eagle's doohickey upgrade and it came with two springs.

How

> do you decide which one to use?

try the monger one first, if it doesn't work use the shorter one. if you bike is new it will most likely use the long one, if it has alot of miles it might use the short one. but thats not a 100% thing