Sorry, but something's not right here ....
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RM wrote:
>The wear limit is 193.4mm (7.614") across 20 links.
>Normal spec is 190.5mm to 190.9mm per 20 links.
So the chain has reached its limit when it has "stretched" 2% (2.9
divided by 190.4) . The stock chain pitch is 3/8", the pin to pin
length of 1 chain link. (are you reading this Fred?) The balancer
chain has 70 links overall. The Kawi parts book describes the
chain as BF06X70L, now Fred can order 1,781 higher quality chains
and sell them to every lister for 1/3 of Kawi's outrageous price
(over $200 - USD) and finally buy his own KLR.
>I measured 5 7/32" (5.21875" or 132.56mm) over 14 links.
I'm not comfortable with measurements that are only accurate to
1/32", there is too much room for error. If you remove the "outer"
(rear) balancer chain guide, you can use 16 or 17 links for your
measurement, cutting down any error factor. You've gone this far,
it's not much more work to remove the chain & measure it properly.
>This works out to 9.47mm per link, or 189.37mm per 20 links.
>If I stick a 10mm wrench on the idler shaft and pull the chain
>tighter, I can get an extra 1/32" out of 14 links. That would
>make 14 links 133.35mm which works out to 190.5mm per 20 links.
I doubt that any higher mileage KLR would show no chain stretch.
>I'm measuring side pins here, and Kawi's spec may be designed
>around using a dial caliper against the rollers (impossible without
>taking the chain out). Since the wear of two rollers cannot possibly
>account for that much variance, I guess I can safely say that my
>balancer chain is not worn out.
Gotta disagree here, we're not talking about the wear in 2 rollers,
rather the cumulative wear in a 20 link chain length. Compare any
brand new chain with a well worn chain by moving them side-to-side,
instead of the "normal" up & down. The wear in the chain's pins &
bushings accounts for increased side to side play and overall chain
stretch.
>I still don't understand why the tensioner spring is so close to
>being fully contracted.
Probably because the lever that the spring is connected to has rotated
enough, taking up chain slack, to have the spring nearly fully relaxed.
>I now feel that the balancer adjust procedure (at least on my bike)
>is useless and will never be performed again for as long as I own
>the bike.
I think you're jumping to conclusions here, look at the picture on page
4-17 in the "base" service manual for the KLR600 that shows the
spring's setup on a (probably) brand new engine and you'll see that
the spring is not relaxed. Page 4-18 shows the IDLER LEVER in the
middle of the adjustment range. If your new doohickey is near the
end of the adjustment range, you've got serious chain wear and/or
badly worn chain guides.
>Since the spring doesn't have significant tension, doing the balancer
>adjust procedure cannot possibly accomplish anything worthwhile.
>But it sure can mess things up.
>I *might* get ambitious and re-measure the chain in 15k miles or so.
>Carry on.
>RM
10K miles is a good interval for checking the chain & balancer setup.
Elden feels that 30 - 40K miles is the maximum safe service life for
the balancer chain.
I've long since learned that there aren't too many shortcuts that can
be taken when dealing with things mechanical. Now is NOT the time
to take shortcuts. Remove the chain, measure it with an accurate
vernier caliper. In this case, better to be safe than sorry.
Professor A9 Federal Way, WA. [USA]