Thanks guys,
The new bolts are 8.8 and I torqued them to about 35 in/lbs and loctited them as well. I bought an inch pound wrench just for the purpose.

 

You know, if you didn't safetywire them you'd get a really nice round "access hole" in your side cover when they backed out far enough!

Remember the Bul ads poking fun at Yamaha with the "Bultaco piano". Then you come to learn they built a washer!

Oh well, you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish...

 

There ya go, everybody's happy.

Keep the reference for torque specs though, you never know when it will come in handy.

 

I made a note in my '09 manual. If I ever go into there I might not recall this thread until things have gone south, so noted.

 

At my age I probably won't either!!

 

Well I did not find this post until after I broke a clutch bolt trying to torque it to 69 in/lbs – however I learned a few things worth sharing.

First, KLX678 was dead right (no surprise) on the torque spec being suspect.
Second, standard torque specs are reduced with oiled threads (more to follow).
Third, the 2007 manual spec of 29 in/lbs is probably about right.

So,
After breaking the head off a clutch spring bolt, I got on the web and searched for anyone else having issues and found this post. Last night, I went to my local home improvement stores and they only had grade 8.8 bolts in this size.

Today I went to my local specialty fastener shop and the counter guy shared that:
- The Kawasaki provided bolt with a “7” on the head was actually slightly inferior to a standard 8.8 bolt
- The standard torque spec for a M5-.8, grade 8.8, bolt is about 50 in/lbs, HOWEVER,
- The torque spec is REDUCED by about 50% with oiled threads! Based on this, he said 25-30 in/lbs (or the 2007 Kawasaki manual’s spec of 29 in/lbs) is probably about right.
- He said 69 in/lbs could have been a dry spec for an M6 fastener like KLX678 said, but even an M6 bathed in oil would be a much lower torque spec. Related, an M5 is not commonly available in grade greater than 8.8.
- Finally, he opined that about ¼ or the time a customer has an issue with broken fasteners, the documentation or torque spec they are using is wrong! Are you listening Kawasaki?

So the 29 in/lbs is probably a safe spec to follow, or even the 35 in/lbs redpillar used, on our 2009-up bikes as well as the 2006 and 2007s.

My last thought is completely out of the blue, but because I had changed my clutch one time prior to this, successfully using the 69 in/lbs spec. This makes me wonder about torque-to-yield or single use bolts, but you would think Mama Kawi would have told us if these needed to be replaced each time (and the counter guy said the provided bolt was just a lower than 8.8 standard bolt).

Hope this helps or sheds some light on the subject,
TC

 

Good thread revival.
Added to the FAQs.

 

I must have been really lucky last yr when I changed the clutch out on my kids KLX after he burned it up. I'm sure I used the 69 in lbs from the manual......... I now know for next time.