[mrsand]

When I was picking up the bike after the 600 service the shop manager showed me how to adjust the slack in the dive chain. He said have a person sit on the bike when you measure the slack and then make the adjustment.

The owners manual says put the bike on the side stand and measure and adjust according to the directions.

Can someone explain how they do it. I was also wondering if the adjuster turns clockwise to tighten the chain. Thanks for any comments....

mrsand

 

[cowasockee]

It NEVER fails to go with the owners manual. Keep in mind that a slightly loose chain is much better than a tight chain.

After you adjust it, according to the manual, hop on the bike and make sure it's not too tight.

I believe it is clockwise to tighten the chain but if it doesn't then turn it the other way. Hehehe.

 

[mrsand]

Chain Tighting

OK.........I cleaned the chain and then for the first time adjusted the slack.

I loosened the 2 pinch bolts at the end of the swing arm and used the allen wrench in the tool bag to make the adjustment....I had to tap the allen wrench clockwise with a hammer to move the adjuster...man...it was tight...but it worked...then I tighted the pinch bolts to 47 or so ft.lbs...has anyone else had to use a hammer?

 

[cip57]

OK.........I cleaned the chain and then for the first time adjusted the slack.

I loosened the 2 pinch bolts at the end of the swing arm and used the allen wrench in the tool bag to make the adjustment....I had to tap the allen wrench clockwise with a hammer to move the adjuster...man...it was tight...but it worked...then I tighted the pinch bolts to 47 or so ft.lbs...has anyone else had to use a hammer?

Little late but I just joined, Hammer would not be a good choice, cut a 6" piece of 3/8 or 1/2 pipe and use it for leverage. You could even use a piece of 1/2 PVC.

 

[Dan]

Just tightened mine last weekend..

The allen wrenches in the tool kit are almost useless for this procedure because they just do not give you enough torque unless you extend them somehow (and that ends up being a bit awkward).

A much better way is to buy a cheap set of metric allen wrenches on 3/8 inch drive sockets. I bought a Craftsman set for about $8. Moving the cam to adjust the tension takes a lot of force even with the pinch bolts loose. Clockwise on the left side and counterclockwise on the right side tightens the chain. When you move one side the other side moves too so it might be good to use two wrenches. It took me a few minutes to get it right. A VERY small rotation of the cam (less than one notch) cause a big change in the slack.

 

[mrsand]

chain adjustment

yea...it doesn't take much movement on the adjuster to tighten the chain

 

[Mikey1000]

2d that motion. Seems like I hardly moved the cam at all & the affect was large.

 

[Michael D. Smith]

Hey I just bought a 2012 N1K and have had to tighten the chain twice...do these things get loose easy or am I doing something wrong?

 

[Loudcptcrunch]

Hey I just bought a 2012 N1K and have had to tighten the chain twice...do these things get loose easy or am I doing something wrong?

Are you tightening the pinch bolts properly? How often are you adjusting the chain? Do you still have the stock chain on it if not then what brand? If you lube the adjuster it’ll slip I’ve heard, I’ve also heard of people not tightening the pinch bolts enough and having it slip forward. If that’s not happening that chain may need to get replaced

 

[kenors]

Can someone explain how they do it. I was also wondering if the adjuster turns clockwise to tighten the chain. Thanks for any comments....
mrsand

About as complete a description as you can have:

Chain Adjuster Allen Wrench Size????

I needed to do my first chain adjustment tonight and I went into the bike's trusty tool kit to get the tools I needed and discovered it's not much of a tool kit! I noticed the pouch was pretty small. As I figured, the allen wrench I need to advance the adjuster is not there. I do have an...

www.kawasakininja1000.com

 

[Murphyau]

Ummmmmm, Everyone does realise that this discussion thread was started in October 2014 ?? And that the OP (mrsand) has not been seen since July 2019, and that MD Smith has not been seen since May 2020 ??

 

[rcannon409]

I'm thinking that tightening a chain twice, since 2012, is pretty good.

 

[Riv]

Hey I just bought a 2012 N1K and have had to tighten the chain twice...do these things get loose easy or am I doing something wrong?

I had the same, when it was initially delivered it was too loose. Adjusted it, then after about 300 miles had to adjust (tighten) it again. New chain breaking in I assume.

 

[Volfy]

Hey I just bought a 2012 N1K and have had to tighten the chain twice...do these things get loose easy or am I doing something wrong?

This was posted in 2015, so it might have been a new-to-him 2012 that had some miles on it. If so, it might have been a chain that was on its way out.

I didn't adjust the chain until the first tire change. Maybe I was just too lazy to bother before then, but it wasn't excessively loose. I figured it was better a bit too loose than a bit too tight.

 

[rcannon409]

The front sprocket has a rubber ring on it, from the factory. When its brand new it touches the chain and makes the chain act like it's more tight than it really is.

After the first 100miles, or so, this ring compresses and it looks like the chain became really loose.

Volfy is correct in that the chain needs to be loose. I think the manual says 20-30mm of play? Leave it at 30mm. Nothing bad will happen. After break in, mine gets adjusted when I change tires.

If you find yourself constantly tightening, it's probably too tight. This will do a lot more harm than having it slightly loose.