MANUAL TENSIONERS

[mwross1964]

Ok,
debbens are out of stock(can you believe it!).Anyone know anywhere else?

Mark.

[ChrisC]

Hey Mark,

Went direct to Ape Racing in America - email -

salespat@aperaceparts.com for the attention of Pat. It was quicker than waiting round waiting for Debbans. Very quick service and very good, just took a couple of days to arrive.

Happy days
ChrisC

[mwross1964]

Good man chris.

[Jaglifter]

I've bought stuff from the States and its arrived quicker than the usual UK delivery.
Only problem is you may have to collect from the local depot so they can charge VAT (or whatever tax they call it).

[Jim67]

In the states on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-VTR-1 ... ccessories
It works out at approx £27 notes each, contact the seller to see if they do a combined postage.
Jim

[goody]

This fella advertises the ones he makes on ebay, I've contacted him and he can turn a pair around in a couple of days, just needs a gasket to work from (or an old tensioner I suppose or maybe an accurate drawing!)
I will get a pair from him when finances allow put stoppers in mine but still would like manuals.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suzuki-DRZ-400-Ho ... 7C294%3A50

[Jaglifter]

They're pretty easy to make. Made some for mine a couple of years ago. Main problem is in tensioning them correctly, because you obviously don't get the info. I found they need to be set up looser than you'd think because the alloy engine casings expand more than the chain when hot.

[Jbrebel]

Why is the tensioner such a weak spot on the VTR?

[Jaglifter]

Jbrebel, Long, long debate, lots of it on this forum.
Possible because of the frequency range of the V twin, although I have heard of problems on the 4 cyl models, but not so much.

[goody]

I suppose the tensioner is a moving part, doesn't move much but over a long period of movement of the spring with no lubrication the spring fails. Rear ones last better because they get some oil.
The bloke I bought my bike from owned it ten years and did 33,000 miles on it but because he never worked on the bike and doesn't go on forums like this was blissfully unaware of the CCT thing. Checking back through invoices that came with the bike they had been replaced at 16,000 miles as part of a service.

[tony.mon]

Jbrebel, Long, long debate, lots of it on this forum.
Possible because of the frequency range of the V twin, although I have heard of problems on the 4 cyl models, but not so much.

That and the fact that on most models they're angled pretty much straight, so are horizontal and so oil can run onto them.
On the front cyl on a FS it pokes up in the air and no oil ever reaches the spring.
But condensation does....