Since my '99 SH got trashed at a trackday I purchased a '99 SH with 22,500 miles and included in the initial maintenance is switching to APE CCTs. Adjustment seems to be controversial as to "finger tight + 1/4 turn."

Will this method work? I made a CCT removal/installation tool per the diagram on page 8-4 of the SH service manual--I used about 1 3/4" of hacksaw blade and crudely shaped it into the tool; ugly but it works (jpg of tool below). It seems that all this tool does is remove spring tension from the OEM CCT plunger. I will insert the tool and set the tool to "just barely" remove the spring tension from the plunger, and then remove the OEM CCT. Now I will measure the distance from the contact point on the plunger to the base of the OEM CCT. Then, I will set the APE CCT base-to-plunger length to that distance and reinstall. Will that work?

 

I just did hand tightening on my manual CCT's... I also researched greatly and saw the finger tight + 1/4, but noticed when I was tightening the lock nut that it actually turned it 1/8-1/4 anyways... so, finger tight, then just lock it down, should be fine.

I read through http://dl.dropbox.com/u/219618/cctwt.pdf which user lazn pulled together on this forum.. very important to follow its instructions to make sure your timing chain doesn't skip.. it makes what could potentially be a 6-10 hour job retiming your bike, to a 40-60 minute job..

Good luck

 

Interesting concept...

I find after doing 4 CCTs, the best method is finger tight and adjust using your ears. If you tighten it too much, especially when cold, once things warms up, it is too tight on the chains. You can tell this by running the bike and after shut off, restart. If it is too tight, it will have a howling weird sound upon start up. If it too loose, it will rattle. Just tighten after warm up and until the noise goes away. Just my experience.

 

I know this thread is a month old but I have a similar question.

I'd been hearing a rattle on decel so I adjusted the rear APE, but couldn't figure out how to get to the front one. The rattle went away for a while, and when it came back I figured out how to get to the front one.

I've adjusted it a couple times now. It was already finger tight to me, so I did 1/4 turn twice and maybe a little less the third time, so it's more than half a turn from where I started.. I've also adjusted the rear again, because I still hear rattling.

I'm adjusting it cold because I don't know how else to get to the front one, seems like I'll get burned. I'm hesitant to adjust it more because I don't have any gauges so overheating would be harder to see coming and shut down.

Any ideas on where else I could look for this rattle? Could I be hearing the drive chain, would that rattle on decel if I need to adjust it? It was adjusted not too many miles ago, but that's subjective.

 

Any idea where the rattle is coming from? I had a kink in my chain once that caused a very ominous clinking sound on deceleration that was difficult for me to diagnose. May be a long shot (and at this point I have a hammer and your problems is my nail), but you could check your chain for kinks.

 

It's not easy adjusting the front one. It might hurt a little but as opposed to tearing up your engine it's worth it. When tightening, you have to kind of JAM the wrenches in there too. A real pain, slow going but it can be done.

 

So better to overtighten and back it off if necessary?

7moore7, there has been a rattle in the main chain in 6th on accel since I bought it almost 3 years ago, and it is getting a little worse, but I've never seen a kink when putting on lube. Maybe it's just getting past me, I'll take a look tonight.

 

The correct way of setting manual CCT's are by using your ears... Not by counting turns in any way... That's the safe/not blow up starting point for setting them cold when installing... Nothing else...

First of, you adjust it with a hot engine, nothing else... Second, getting to the front isn't even complicated... You are just using the wrong tools/technique... Open ended wrench won't work/straight handle is a PITA... You figure it out...

No, overtighthening isn't a good thing... Neither is undertightening... Close to correct is fingertight at cold, then warm up the engine and adjust until it goes quiet...