It is important that the amount of pull of the chain adjuster is the same on both sides.
Adjust the amount of pull on the axle shaft by aligning the end of the confirmation window on the side of the swing-arm with the knurled line on the chain adjuster on both sides. If the axle shaft nut is loosened too much, the adjuster will play inside the swing arm, so it is important to keep the amount of loosening of the nut to a minimum.
With the weight of the motorcycle on the tires on the side stand, it can be difficult to reflect subtle changes in the adjuster. Therefore, once adjusted, put something between the sprocket and the chain and move it slowly forward. When the chain sticks and there is no more play in the axle shaft, temporarily tighten the axle nut to check the amount of deflection. Turning the tire too hard will damage the chain and sprocket, so it is sufficient to confirm that the chain adjuster has no more play.
When adjusting the chain adjuster, it is of course important to pull the same amount on both sides. Putting aside the question of how reliable the adjuster and swing arm adjustment scales on mass-produced vehicles on the market are, it is not a problem if they are off by even a single graduation from side to side. If there is play in the adjuster, it may deviate slightly, but even in this case, by forcibly stretching the chain with padding between the chain and sprocket, the play in the adjuster is eliminated and the scale can be adjusted more severely.
For drum brakes, be careful how the torque rods are installed.
If the chain adjuster is adjusted only slightly, it is not necessary to loosen the torque rod as much, but for models that are fixed to the brake panel and do not change angle, it is smoother to loosen the nut slightly to allow the brake panel to move freely and then pull the axle shaft. Rod-type drum brakes require chain deflection = pulling the axle shaft backward to actuate the brake arm, so it is also necessary to adjust the brake pedal free play.
Continued driving with a large deflection in the drive chain can scrape the chain slider at the front end of the swingarm. The chain slider is supposed to be in contact with the chain itself, but if the deflected chain continuously hits and wears out and makes direct contact with the swingarm, it can cause the chain to break.
When adjusting chain deflection, we tend to focus on the left side of the body where the chain is located, but it is also important to check the brake side. Particular attention should be paid to the torque rod on the drum brake motorcycles. There are two types of torque rods for positioning the brake panel: rigid and floating. For the rigid type, the angle between the panel and the rod is fixed, so before adjusting the chain adjuster, loosen the nuts at the mounting point.
If this is not done, the extra force will be applied to the adjuster on the right side because the brake panel through which the shaft penetrates will not move when the rear axle shaft is pulled backward, making it difficult to pull the right side. Even if the end of the rod and the part that secures it to the motorcycle body are floating, the degree of freedom of the rod and panel attachment part is important when moving the axle shaft back and forth. Especially if the axle shaft has not been adjusted for a while and the deflection has increased, the amount of pull on the axle shaft will also increase, so it is important to maintain the freedom of the brake panel.
It is also important to realize that when the rear axle shaft is pulled, the brake rod is also pulled, which reduces the amount of brake pedal play. If you normally have less pedal free play, the chain deflection adjustment may cause the brakes to drag, so be sure to adjust the brake pedal free play after the deflection adjustment as well. At this time, the brake light switch, which determines when the brake lights come on, should also be adjusted. This is not necessary for most disc brake models, but some Kawasaki models have the caliper support bolted to the swingarm. On those models, the axle shafts will not move unless the bolts are loosened, so remember to loosen and free them before adjusting the deflection.
POINT
Point 1 - Check the instruction manual or caution label for the proper amount of deflection of the drive chain, as it varies from model to model.
Point 2 - Specific procedures may vary depending on the type of chain adjuster and brakes, so check the structure of your motorcycle before adjusting the deflection.
