KTM 950 and 990 Shift Spring Install

These are ROUGH and GENERAL and abbreviated clues - and NOT to be used without a genuine KTM Service manual for proper assembly.

Tools, Partial list
1/2" air or electric impact wrench
32mm  /  1 1/4"   1/2" drive std depth socket
46mm 1/2" drive std depth socket
normal hand tools

KTM Service Manual for reassembly process!

Because my last instruction is to re-install all the non-shift parts as per the KTM Service manual.

This is the magic F-Pro Shift Spring.
If you were going to do a water pump replacement, like our bike, this is about where you'd be.


Remove the 5 clutch pressure plate screws and springs.

Remove outer pressure plate.
Remove slipper clutch hub.

Remove clutch plates, keep them in order.

Remove 46mm crank nut  (REVERSE THREAD!!)
Remove the ignition trigger rotor.


Remove 32mm clutch nut with impact wrench (regular thread)
Remove thrust washer (the 2 small holes are not threaded - like most other bikes)
Remove the needle bearing.
Remove clutch basket.
Remove shift lever (8mm) on left side of bike. no pic 
Remove the shift shaft.

Be careful to not lose the shift shaft thrust washer.
(still stuck to the case in this pic)

Have a better picture than this blurry one? marc@factorypro.com
Remove Shift Detent Arm pivot bolt.

Remove the shift star.
Assemble detent arm with stock collar and new F-Pro Shift Spring.


Install the arm and collar and spring and bolt. Use a drop of regular loctite on the 6mm bolt threads.
Take a lever of some sort (a screwdriver, for example)  and lever the detent arm down with one hand and

with the other two hands, line up the star to the shift drum, rotate the drum to the end of the shift drum groove stop and tighten up up the shift star retaining bolt.
Use a drop of loctite on the retaining bolt.

Takes 3 hands or two hands and an elbow or knee to lever the arm down. Or?
This is the backside of the Star - the slot is offset - it only goes on "right", one way.

But, you can easily get it "not right".    

When indexing the star to the drum, when installed in the engine, the detent arm roller should be in this 1/2 height "peak" when in neutral. 


If the roller is in any of the "valleys", the bike should be in a gear.

The transmission doesn't have to be in any particular gear when assembling.


Once you THINK the star is aligned. Spin or rock the clutch transmission shaft (to let the gear dogs align for each gear) and check:

1. That the Detent Arm isn't pinched and pivots freely and follows the Star's peaks and valleys.

2. That neutral is in the right place on the Star and that the bike is fully in gear at the bottom of each valley.

If it's not fully in gear in each valley and in neutral at the 1/2 mini peak - then the Star is not indexed to the drum correctly - Try again.
If the star isn't indexed properly with the shift drum, it will stick out from the engine and the shift shaft arm plate will hit the flat part of the star (closest to the engine) and when you try to shift it will not be in neutral at the little 1/2 peak.

Do NOT skip the above cross checks.

Because it won't fix itself later, after it's assembled.
Reinstall the Shift Shaft.
Be careful that the shift shaft thrust washer goes on first.

Before reinstalling the clutch basket.

Retest the shifting, using the shifter on the left side of the bike.
Reinstall parts as per KTM Service manual