1968 Viking 260 Kick Start Return Spring Jumping Out Of Hole

Hello, I'm new to the forum. I picked up a 1968 Viking 360 from my father in law. Houston, TX. Got spark and cleaned carb so I think I'm close to starting it. The kick start doesn't engage each time and didn't feel right so I pulled clutch cover and watched when the kick lever is pushed down. The problem is the return spring goes a little diagonal under tension and the top elbow drops out of the driving disk hole. The return spring looks ok (perhaps a little bent), so I'm not sure why its not staying straight under tension. A new spring is $30 or so on ebay, but it would seem I could bend the spring to fix it. When I jam a wrench between the bottom of the spring and the inside of the clutch cover to keep it straight it works fine. Any thoughts? Thanks. Here is a pick of the spring under tension.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qNbrvSe33KxJg9gK8

I experienced the same problem on a 5 spd motor. The end of the top elbow, per your picture, comes from the factory mushroomed to keep it from falling out of the plate. I fixed mine by using a hammer to mushroom the end of the spring but some heat would have made the process easier. I can't offer any info as to why the ratchet isn't engaging when its together.

Actually the end of the spring isn't mushroomed, about 3mm of it is flattened just enough to keep it from falling out.

Here's a look at my 71 enduro c kick mechanism. Hope it helps. I did not notice any edge on the end of the return spring on mine. but wasn't looking for it either. Chris
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sgPmWaetabyX9CES9
Your spring looks like it is over loaded! The cam on the outside gear should be pushing down on the spring until the shaft is moves to the rear clockwise and the internal spring pushes the two ratchets together.
Sorry I missed the UNDER TENSION part. But I think in the proper position the spring is a little lower on the shaft, with the other ratchet gear on top. Chris

I think he had the kicker lever engaged when he took the pic thats why the ratchet gear isn't in the disengaged position.

Yeah I saw that but without the other rachet gear on the shaft does that make the spring not captured and allowing it to flex uncontained? I don't remember but I thought the whole set needed to be compressed( between the cases) to work correctly? Chris

Thank you everyone. I heated the elbow and mushroomed it a bit and that helped. No more slipping. I reassembled and got the engine to start with a cloud of smoke. First time in 15 years according to my grandpa. Then I started it a few more times and the return spring popped out of that washer again at the top and I had to reassemble. I must not have tightened the kicker bolt down enough and now THE SPLINES ON MY KICKER ARE STRIPPED AND SMOOTH. I'm looking on ebay for one that fits. But besides a direct replacement, does anyone have any ideas for how to repair? I guess I could try a machine shop.

Glad you got it going. Those kick lever do need to be cranked pretty hard. If your lucky youll find one for less than 100$. I ended up welding mine to one of my motors and have been searching for a replacement also. You might see if someone has one apart to measure the spring tail for you also. Time for a pic. Good Luck. Chris

You are correct!

Ethan, theres no cheap fix besides welding the kicker to the shaft but know that the same kickstarter shaft was used from at least 68 through 79 on all 250cc up to the 450, excluding automatics, even some 125 and 175's may work but I'm not 100% sure. Husqvarna was known for using proven parts in different generation motors. The part # for the shaft you need is 12-25-434-01. Be sure to install the spring in the correct hole and not to apply to much tension to the spring when installing the kicker lever.

Thank you Chrashaholic. When you say correct hole for the spring, do you mean in the washer? There are two holes in it. Which should I use? I don't see anything in the 68-74 shop manual about it.Thanks

Also, the splines on the shaft look fine. It's the kick start lever that has the stripped splines.

Yes,

use the hole furthest clockwise when viewing the washer from the spline end. Also, install the ratchet cam wheel on the shaft so that the sloped area lines up with the right screw hole located in the case. Refer to the picture. The alignment of the ratchet cam wheel to the screw hole may vary a bit with your application due to wear.

Having trouble figuring out how to share photos from google photo. I'll work on it tomorrow when my head doesn't feel like its going to explode.

Got it, I still have no solution other than another kick lever.

The stripped kicker has been a problem for motorcyclists since about 2 weeks after kickers were invented.
I've seen many attempted repairs...none of them good.

So true!!