Found it- https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...al-tool-26452/

 

Whoops.

Forgot the FLYWHEEL HOLDER. IF you have an air impact wrench, you can USUALLY hold the flywheel with a gloved hand or a towel tourniquet-wrapped around the flywheel to keep it from turning while removing the flywheel bolt and using the M20 bolt to extract the flywheel from the tapered crankshaft. Not much good for re-installing the flywheel to torque specs.

Using an arm strong wrench will require something more substantial to secure the flywheel than your hand. Ma Kaw sells a specialized tool for this purpose and demands a premium price for this gem. I contend the only single purpose item one should buy is a fire extinguisher. Improvise.



Strap wrench or belt wrench.







Auto parts store, Hardware store, plumbing supply, Harbor Freight....once you have one, you'll find uses for it.

Light reading.

 

OK, I took the left side case off today.

The axle thing did not work, almost stripped the threads. I pulled the axle out of it and put it back on the rear wheel. Loaded it up and took it to the moto shop for further work. Did not want to mess around with the flywheel anymore.

If your starter is starting to make kinda loud grinding noises, better pull the case off and replace the gear races, otherwise they will end up like mine & the gear is heavily worn. I told the shop to replace the gear on the flywheel starter clutch (it may have worked, but a few consecutive teeth are about 1/2 worn off for about 8 teeth, the others looked ok).

Attached are photo's. Oh yea, I got 8400 miles on the bike, 2007 KLX, probably a little more than average starter use.

I took the extra time I have to workon straightening my skid plate out so it is not smashed into the water pump. Had some pretty good wear on the bottom and bashed in there too. Straightened the bottom chain guard out so it's not rubbing on the chain.

Photo's attached.

 

Sounds pretty much like dan888's scenario awhile back.

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...e-cases-39378/

 

I should have payed more attention..... I think I caught it before it broke the case though.

 

Darrel, that's not many miles for that kind of problem, is it? I was thinking of a common theme between your bike and Dan's, and the only one I can come up with is the 351 kit. Now, that's not saying that has any bearing...no pun intended...on the failure. Just thinking out loud.

 

Last year, Dan suggested I take my cover off and have a peek. I'm thinking it's time to do it.

 

Went over to the moto shop to get my GPS yesterday. They informed me that those bushings are pressed in, cannot order them separately. Have to get the whole half case & left cover.
The moto shop is thinking of somehow getting them out & machining their own bushings.... stay tuned.
I think this is a design error by Kawa, planned obsolesence.

 

Good to hear of some "old schoool" thinking!! Hope they can do it. It's just a bronze(?) bushing.

 

They are not bronze, look at my pictures. I think they need to be harder steel, I would rather the gear wear out first (easier to replace) than the bushings which for some reason are designed as a permanent bearing (which wears out too quick).