How the hell does this kicker shaft work?!?

I guess I get it too. I could never bring myself to grab a splined shaft with channel locks, lol. I think we've just found our Bob Kelly #5, lol. All that's left to do now is wire it up to his turn signals, lol.
 
i thought i got it, but that bolt under the kickstarter only partially catches the thread. all other bolts can be tightened nicely except that one. yes gasket is in there and greased. and no i did not bang on the kickstarter with a rubber mallet (not yet).

another issue is that when i try to actually kickstart it, the thing is locked and doesnt go back (counterclockwise if you are standing on the right side of the bike and looking at the bike)
 
I guess I get it too. I could never bring myself to grab a splined shaft with channel locks, lol. I think we've just found our Bob Kelly #5, lol. All that's left to do now is wire it up to his turn signals, lol.

:whistle:
 
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WOW, why can't we all just get along ????????????????
tim
 
I totally comprehend what you did in that video but I can't endorse practices like that. They're very crude and risk damage to the parts. There is a simple and safer install procedure outlined in the factory shop manual that doesn't involve grabbing parts with pliers.

All I can say is if you don't want your mechanical skills and procedures critiqued, don't post videos of them on the web, lol. What did you think would happen? I'm just surprised it didn't happen sooner. I should have said something when you first posted the video, that's the only thing I'm sorry about. You asked when you posted the video if anyone objected. Well, I do now. Please delete it before somebody damages their kick start assembly. But I'm afraid it may already be too late for poor blank slate. He tried your "gorilla" method and now his kicker is locked up. Hopefully it's just not installed quite right yet but he could have damaged something thanks to you.
 
The jaws of pliers, channel locks, vice grips etc. are made to deform, cut into, bite into, a part to hold it. They cannot hold a part without deforming the part. Some parts should not be deformed, some parts can be deformed, some parts can be deformed and sacrificed/discarded.




Tekton-USA-Slip-Joint-Pliers.jpg
 
if no one has any objection I thought I'd add this video to the thread in case its helpful in the future to anyone else looking for help .
Don't forget to put the shim washer on the kickstart spigot before replacing the cover or the kickstart assembly will float . Guess who forgot !

G'day Paul,
Great video helped me enormously.

GW
 
thank you for your feedback GW its very much appreciated ........glad it was of help.

My video has now been viewed by over 10,000 people and judging by the overwhelmingly positive comments and feedback it has clearly been very helpful to many thousands of xs650 owners .

There are some members on this forum however who whilst incapable of making an instructional video themselves, are jealous of the videos success and will go to any length to insult and try to discredit other members and their contributions .

Clearly their efforts in this instance have seriously backfired and left them with egg on their faces .:laugh2:
 
I saw a photo from an outside link...posted down some rabbit hole on this site where a repair was made to replace a broken off spring stop with a 6mm bolt. With my covers off held up a 6mm bolt to the end of the aluminum stop. No way a 6mm can be drilled into the case next to that horizontal case seam. Maybe if a Swiss watch maker gets lucky or the case half is removed and put up on a big drill press. gggGary, you ever seen any of those repairs come in?
Here's the link/ photo of the 6mm bolt fix: https://thexscafedotcom.wordpress.com/category/m-engine/motor-kick-start/page/2/. I carefully pulled my spring/ kick unit out...seems no o-ring. Shouldn't oil leak through the shaft hole/ But, probably doesn't matter as both side's (try to) hold oil.
 
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Never had to, but it doesn't look too hard?
kickstart tang fix 6mm.jpg

I might use a sleeve on the bolt instead of the lock nut.
 
That is a very tight bit of drilling to do looking at the 6mm thread, but it would have been drilled at 5mm. May have even been done with a series of drill bits starting at 2.5mm. If you a confident at drilling 2.5mm then it is easy stepping up to 5mm in 0.5mm steps. Also the hole was drilled at the widest end. Personally I do not like the look of the repair, but other options like MIG will require splitting the cases.

If I found that damage I probably would have just cried....:(
 
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