Toby Lampson wrote:
[...]
> My 'base manual', on page 3-7, shows the best illustration of the
> manual type tensioner. This base manual is for the 84' year and has
> a pic of that bike on the front cover........a KL600 A series bike.
I don't see how that tensioner is 'manual'. This is the type I
currently have on my bike (damn authorised dealers).
The pushrod runs on a coarse thread and is wound by a spring.
If your tensioner doesn't have the spring then it sounds like
the device has been butchered.
AFAIK, any truly manual tensioner would have some kind of screw
and locknut system to set the pushrod.
> My 'supplement' for the 85' (KL600 B) series bikes shows the
> 'newer' ratchet type(or automatic) tensioner......so I'm clarifying myself
> here as we go........
That's the first thing I noticed when I bought my supplement.
> What's interesting is......my KL600 B had the earlier manual
> design tensioner in it when I did cam chain work. Indeed
> the bike was used.....perhaps this was done by the previous owner.
Possible. I suspect that dealers were not very fussy about what
tensioner they put on, as long as it sort of fit and the customer
could be charged for it.
> So the 'upgrade' took place between 84'-85' according to my
> manuals................'possibly' some 85's still had the manual type
> according(to my experience), but this is still largely speculation.
> A parts number query on this ought to cement it..........
I'll have to try out one of those ratchet type tensioners one day.
Mister_T