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[Six Dollar Doohickey]

The wear limit is 193.4mm (7.614") across 20 links. Normal spec is 190.5mm to 190.9mm per 20 links. I measured 5 7/32" (5.21875" or 132.56mm) over 14 links. 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'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. I still don't understand why the tensioner spring is so close to being fully contracted. 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. 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 <-- waiting on his new doohickey so he can ride again

[Jim Hyman]

Sorry, but something's not right here .... ++++++++++ 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]

[Ted Palmer]

Jim Hyman wrote: [...]

> 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 assume that the outrageous price of the OEM balancer chain is due to the two bright links on the chain to simplify the timing of the balancer shafts. In theory, if we could buy the chain without the special bright links at a much cheaper rate, then it wouldn't be too hard for a keen person to mark or paint the correct links. I have a factory balancer chain (purchased at the customary outrageous price) waiting to go into my 600. All we would need to know is the number of plates apart the bright links are, and if I can actually find the chain here at Chateau_T then I can report the info. But is it possible to buy such an unmarked chain in the correct length at a good price? Mister_T Melbourne Australia

[Tengai650]

>At 1:16 AM -0600 12/12/01, Six Dollar Doohickey wrote: >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 guess I can safely say that my balancer chain is not worn out.

A long while back, I measured a chain at 44,000 miles and it was still very much in spec and had no significant visual signs of wear.

>I still don't understand why the tensioner spring is so close to being >fully contracted.

The rubber guides are doing most of the wearing and are the biggest contributor to chain slack. Those are good for ~30,000 miles. Everything else can go 60K in my opinion. Mark B2 A2 A3

[The Mule]

OK........... I'll change the rubber guides at 30,000, too! Steve Miller A14 "The Mule"

----- Original Message ----- From: "Tengai650" To: "Six Dollar Doohickey" Cc: dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com>; SoCalDualSport@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 9:00 AM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Tensioner doohickey - 2nd update > >At 1:16 AM -0600 12/12/01, Six Dollar Doohickey wrote: > >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 guess I can safely say that my balancer chain is not worn out. > > A long while back, I measured a chain at 44,000 miles and it was > still very much in spec and had no significant visual signs of wear. > > >I still don't understand why the tensioner spring is so close to being > >fully contracted. > > The rubber guides are doing most of the wearing and are the biggest > contributor to chain slack. Those are good for ~30,000 miles. > Everything else can go 60K in my opinion. > Mark > B2 > A2 > A3 > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

[Krgrife@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/12/01 5:00:28 AM Pacific Standard Time, tedp@... writes: << I assume that the outrageous price of the OEM balancer chain is due to the two bright links on the chain to simplify the timing of the balancer shafts. In theory, if we could buy the chain without the special bright links at a much cheaper rate, then it wouldn't be too hard for a keen person to mark or paint the correct links. I have a factory balancer chain (purchased at the customary outrageous price) waiting to go into my 600. All we would need to know is the number of plates apart the bright links are, and if I can actually find the chain here at Chateau_T then I can report the info. But is it possible to buy such an unmarked chain in the correct length at a good price? >> Last year I tried to find this particular size chain through several SoCal industrial chain suppliers including the master distributor for Tsubaki, we were unable to find it. Kurt Grife

[bradcdavis]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Jim Hyman wrote: > 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. > > Professor A9 Federal Way, WA. [USA] How long should the chain guides last and how do I tell if they are worn? Other than buying a new set, is there a minimum thickness I should be looking for? Brad

[richard6121]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Jim Hyman wrote:

>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.

The inner left engine cover is still in place. How much extra work is necessary to remove the chain at this point? How many of the balancers will need to come out? I guess I'll need external snap- ring pliers for the circlips that hold the balancer weights on their shafts? I can't really measure any more than 14 links as long as the inner cover is still installed.

>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.

I'm confident that the new part, when installed, will be near the end of its adjustment range. Any ballpark idea as to how much chain the chain guides cost? RM

[Bogdan Swider]

> Since the spring doesn't have significant tension, doing > the balancer adjust procedure cannot possibly accomplish anything > worthwhile. >

I suppose I should believe you and not my own lying ears. One example: Adam Badylak, novice klr rider, pulled into the campground at Moab last year. It was the last leg of a round about trip from Chicago on a bike he bought from Mariola's husband Kris. He asked me about the noise coming from his engine. I turned my motor on for comparison. Indeed, his was making a louder and looser sound. He adjusted his balancer tensioner and the noise abated to normal. There were other witnesses. Bogdan

> Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >

[Bogdan Swider]

> The rubber guides are doing most of the wearing and are the biggest > contributor to chain slack. Those are good for ~30,000 miles. > Everything else can go 60K in my opinion. > Mark > B2 > A2 > A3 > >

My guides showed no meaningful wear when observed at 33 and then 40k miles. Bogdan