Spindle & collars.

Hey guys; I need some help/advice.

I've got a '77 650C, that I've been putting miles on, and have just started to notice some travel in my spindle/spindle collars.

If you're sitting on the bike, and looking down on the front wheel, the threads have started to SLOWLY creep out the left hand side.

Aside from drilling holes and putting in cotter pins, what can I do to fix this/ why does it happen/ why did it just start?

Don't resort to cotter pins, that will just hide the problem. Do you have the Kawasaki Service Manual and torque wrench? If you do, there are instructions in the manual on how to properly mount the front wheel on the bike. When mounted properly there is zero creep. If you do not have the manual let me know and I'll try to post the instructions. They are very clear on how to do this. However, you will need a torque wrench to do the job correctly. If you do not have a torque wrench and don't have the $$ to buy one you should be able to borrow one at a major car parts store or a service station. You shouldn't need to actually remove the front wheel to correct the problem, you should be able to just loosen the clamp nuts and axle collars and then tighten them in the correct sequence & torque to set things right. It should take no more than 10 minutes. Ed

Thanks for that, 650ed.

I can't seem to find any instructions on the installation, or torque spec, of the spindle and it's collars....

Are they supposed to sit flushed, or should the left side threads be sticking out a bit, and the right side threads be sunken into the collar?

I'm not sure how they would be torqued...

Be sure to pay close attention to the torque and especially the sequence in which the fasteners are tightened and where the axle clamp gap should be. Also, ensure the speedo unit is oriented correctly or it can hang things up. On mine each end of the axle is about 1/64" shy of the outside edge of the collar. Ed