This is going to be rather lengthy, but sure would appreciate and feedback pertinent to this problem.
I bought my 650 in June. Rode it about 90 miles in Arkansas with no apparent problems.
Participated in the Rocky Mountain ATV Jamboree in September, riding about 500 miles at which time a loud noise started coming from the converter area. Kawa rep at the Jamboree said to keep on riding it and get the problems fixed at my local dealer when I got home (Post Oak Bend, Texas). Local dealer replaced a bearing, not sure which one, which fixed that problem.
No furthur riding of any significance until going to SW Arizona and a lot of desert mountain riding in January. After another 200 miles ( approximately 700 miles on odomter) the belt began to slip big time. Took it to Kawa dealer in Lake Havasu City, Az. They allowed that the belt needed replacing and Kawa did it under my extended warranty but said they would replace no more belts as belts are not a warranted item. Called Kawa and and asked them just how long the belt was supposed to last and got no real answer. I also told Kawa that there were 3 other 650's in my RV Park all were having the same problems. Kawa said there was no design deficiency as our problems were not statistically important. Another 200 hundred miles and again the belt was again badly slipping. On a ride, 10 miles from home, the belt
tripped the CVT switch which limited my top speed to 8-10mph. Slow trip home. Took it back the LHC dealer. (200 mile round trip each time) They called Kawa who told them there was no problem and the belt deflection adjustment need to be made. Kawa also told the LHC dealer, who had also had several other complaints about belt slippage, to get used to it. Ther was no fix for belt slippage at the low end. Kawa did provide a kit to protect the CVT switch from being tripped by a loose belt. The LHC dealer installed the kit and adjusted the belt deflection. (Involves shimming the driven pulley). Rode about another 500 miles before coming back home week. The belt is now beginning to slip again. Have not had time to take it back to my local dealer yet.

Anyone else having similiar problems????? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

Sorry I can't help, but you can be sure this is a thread I'm going to check in on.

 

I have over 500 miles, and my belt is still perfect, and tight. It grabs just above idle rpm (it grabs higher when it is loose). I know I don't have as many miles as you, but they have been hard miles with 28" mudzillas, giving the belt an extra workout.

I got it wet once, because I went in too deep, but I revved it in neutral for a while and pushed it to help it move forward in low range. It grabbed after few feet and did not ever slip again.

I read that most 650's do not have belt problems, from a mental statistic I take from people that post on forums and people I know or talk to. From this, I know the 650 is a really well made quad. The reason I mention this is because I feel the 650 is so well made, when a lemon comes along (yours at least is a lemon in the belt area) Kawi and the dealers are less responsive because most 650s are not doing this. I don't know if they somehow think you are at fault, or they feel that they can be unresponisive to one guy and it won't affect sales.

I know this is not fair to you, but it seems to be dealer nature (human nature?), or corporate nature to be that way.

I hope your quad gets (stays) fixed.

 

I'm not getting any belt slippage yet but I am getting alot of loud noises coming from around the belt. Some days it sounds like an old diesel engine and other days I get a thumping sound. The other day I took the belt cover off and started my bike up to see what's going on in there (I unhooked the engine brake first). When it was idling it was as if the clutch was out of round because it was thumping like a flat tire. When I gave it a little gas and the clutch started to engage the noise went away. I'm thinking maybe the bushing is getting bad. I have an appointment at my dealer tomorrow so hopefully they will be able to find the problem. Is this like the noise you were hearing ?

 

At 1000 miles I have had to change the belt ($130.00+taxes) since the dealer did not have the shims to correct the belt deflection. It would squeak slightly when taking off in high range. I have never experience the belt sliping with 1200 miles so far on the machine....MJSTX

 

1) The thumping or knocking from the converter area is the wear shoes doing their job. In the service manual they list about 10 or 15 different sizes which will correct your noise although it wont cause any problems to simply ignore it.
2) Slipping belt = reshim driven pully.

 

Hi geebee
My wifes 650 Prairie has had some clutch/belt problems also. After the Utah jamboree it started making a grinding noise from the clutch area so we took it back to the dealer where we bought it and they replaced the belt and shimed it under warranty. Next big ride it started grinding and howling from the same area so I took it to another dealer which came highly recomended and while they were test riding it the belt tripped the sensor and wouldnt go over 10 mile per hour also. They reshimed it and installed something to stop the belt from tripping the sensor again just like they did for you. Next long 100 mile plus ride no problem, next ride and its back again grinding and howling. I will take it back to the same dealer for more repairs since Kawasaki extended my factory warranty for free, but I am not a happy camper.
Bearman

 

PrairieDust: What are these wear shoes that you are refering to? Are they in the primary clutch? After 1200 miles on my machine, with 26" 589m/t's on it, everything in the drive system is as rock solid as the day I bought it......MJSTX

 

Somewhat difficult to explain where they are without a picture but here goes.
They look like small "pucks" and are in fact in the drive pully. There are of course two halves to the drive pully and the inner half has guides which allow the outer half to move in and out. These little "pucks" are on the outer half and there are eight of them which ride against these guides. As they wear it can cause a small knocking noise.

 

I had my bike to the dealer today and Prairiedust was right. They said it was the wear shoes that were making the noise. They do this as they start to wear.Of course they don't cover them under warranty so I didn't bother replacing them yet. They did replace the front wheel bearings under waranty because there was a little play in them. Now that I know what the knocking noise is and that it's not serious I can relax a little.