I aint gettin this.If the front wheel is non adjustable...then HOW can a rear be 'off' if the hash marks are equally aligned?I mean,if they aren't lined up with an axle adjustment,someone is doing it wrong.????-Grn

There are 55" or so between the axles. The marks on the swingarm are a couple of inches long. Lots of room for variations in tolerance between the two. You'll never know if the marks are accurate or not until you align the wheels and then check. Once the wheels are aligned, adjust the chain equally by counting flats on the adjuster bolts.

* Last updated by: Danno on 3/4/2015 @ 11:48 PM *

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Point your sprockets to the chain.

I'd say it's worth a try. I could make one of those but it would not be worth it for $14 on a MP tool.

We got Hub's "step on the chain" trick at the end of that vid.

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"Once the wheels are aligned, adjust the chain equally by counting flats on the adjuster bolts"..so,basically,disregard the hash marks...even though the manual says to line em up on both sides when adjusting chain slack.Hmmmm...interesting.

Can you tell me just HOW a wheel(front and back) would get 'out of alignment'?I honestly would like to know this.Not trying to bash anything..I really don't know.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/5/2015 @ 8:08 PM *

Romans, that tool looks like a dream come true <insert "that's what she said" joke here>

Has anyone here actually used it and does it actually work as well as advertised? I wonder why Kawasaki doesn't have a similar tool that costs something like $175

Can you tell me just HOW a wheel(front and back) would get 'out of alignment'?

By following the hash marks. If they're not perfectly perpendicular to the front, that's out of alignment. Could the marks be off by 2°? Say the marks are 92° to the front axle. The chain is ~ 30" from front sprocket to back. That extra 2° could amount to 1/4" out of alignment after 30". Never checked it, just saying, a few degrees makes a lot of difference over a span of many inches. Think of building a door frame. If it's off by 1° at the bottom, it will be off by almost an inch at the top.

...but does it really matter? The chain and sprockets are going to wear a lot more from ordinary use than they will from being a little out of whack in alignment. I doubt it makes much dif unless it is off enough for a guy to see it. Of course, I'd like to have it perfect but I'm not loosing sleep over it until I can afford one of those alignment tools.

Has anyone here actually used it and does it actually work as well as advertised?

Never tried the MP tool. Seems to me you could do almost the same thing by eyeballing. In fact, you'll need to eyeball it to use that tool. eyeball

I wonder why Kawasaki doesn't have a similar tool that costs something like $175

I think, because it doesn't make enough difference to justify the cost of producing it. If it did, we would hear a lot of complaints about uneven wear on parts and we don't have more than a couple that I can remember. I think the tool that inserts in the swingarm pivot would be a lot better but it costs a lot more too.

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"By following the hash marks. If they're not perfectly perpendicular to the front, that's out of alignment".

Yep...I get that.BUT...don't you think Kawasaki designed the bike to be 'in alignment' from the getgo?Look at brand new bike there,sitting...0 miles.Look at the hash marks.Are they or are they not aligned equally.The manual says,"kick tire forward'...then adjust the bolts 'the same'(hash marks)(my words)...look in the service manual,PG 2-31,drive chain slack adjustment.Any mention of a 'tool' or eyeballing a chain run?What's it say there about hash marks.Not trying to be argumentative about anything...but this idea that the factory didn't know how to stamp hash marks into their Flagship motorcycle just is...well...silly(to me);)

I'll say again(from my own trying)...using an 'eyeball' method for determining a straight chain is fallible.Getting a perfectly correct view at the rear sprocket and looking down to the countershaft gear just isn't reliable.It can appear to be straight when it's really not at the adjuster marks.

Honestly...and I've done it(tried adjusting equally by looking off center of the axle.Misalignment will occur)...the key here is to kick the wheel forward first...THEN position yourself looking through the axle.Adjust the bolts(hash marks) to were you want them to be.Recheck before tightening axle nut.Tighten axle nut gently but firmly.Recheck alignment marks.Final tightening...cotter pin.It will NOT be off doing it this way.EVER.You don't need a tool to confirm anything with this.

This whole mention of 'off alignment at the hash marks' is common.It's not the marks that are off...it's the way guys are looking at the axle at an angle when they're trying to align the marks.

Get the rear wheel on a stand.Off the ground.Use the screwdriver handle deal in the chain/sprocket method if you're more comfortable with that.You have to get the wheel firmly placed against the adjuster blocks.Remove screwdriver.The wheel will not move away from the blocks.Now adjust bolts.Check hash marks...snug axle nut up.Check hash marks.If good,slack is correct,tighten nut.Hold the adjuster bolt with an open end...snug up the locknut with an open end....You're done.

There's no marks on the Rookmiester's axle there.Personally,I wouldn't use any axle that didn't have a mark stamped into it(Or tapped with a chisel) at the top there.And on the swingarm.It looks to me like it has to be checked with a caliper or whatever to get the correct alignment.That just sounds like too much messing with it for me.BUT..it will work for sure.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2015 @ 8:57 AM *

I think Kaw designed the wheels to be set in alignment as much as they need to be. I don't think perfect alignment is necessary. Maybe off by 1° is close enough to perfect.

I always eyeball to verify the straightness of the chain. It's free and takes only a minute to do. I've never been able to detect misalignment with my eye after adjusting to the swing arm marks. I've even tried tying a string from front to back on the rollers and that looked perfectly straight with the side plates.

I believe I have had more wear on the inside of my sprocket in the past but that was after 20,000 miles or so. The thing to do would be to start using one of these alignment tools as soon as a new sprocket is installed.

* Last updated by: Rook on 3/6/2015 @ 8:56 AM *

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It looks to me that the left side deal of your bike Rook is not mating quite right in that pic.There's a gap at both sides on those blocks...or maybe it's just a shadow...I don't know.They don't look straight up and down in there?The factory blocks don't allow any axle turning when installed.And the mark is stamped in the block for easy alignment right at the two marks(swingarm/block)No measuring needed.

I mean...think on this...if the factory wheel alignments are correct...and the hash marks are equally set from the factory..then the only thing that can cause it to not be correctly aligned are the pivot shaft bearings.We know that isn't gonna happen.Meaning...the hash marks are the only true way of getting the rear wheel aligned.(aside from measuring..which the manual does not state for alignment).Anyone of course CAN measure the adjuster bolt lengths...but you don't NEED to.To me,that's just extra time away from riding...and extra work.????And counting bolt turns for correct alignment is NOT mentioned either.Once the axle nut is tightened down and cottered,the axle isn't gonna move away from the adjuster bolts.It's just not.It'll always 'try' to pull against em.It's just simple.As it's supposed to be.

Say a guy does use a method of counting bolt turns.He does this...then looks at his hash marks after tightening everything up.What if they're 'off'.Does that mean...the swingarm marks are NOT correct from the factory?Some might assume...yes.This circumvents the factory method...and allows for misalignment to be 'acceptable'.When in fact,it's not acceptable.Not if you want the longest service life from the sprocket or chain.The manual method is THE way to adjust.Not bolt turn counting.Not measuring.Hash marks...aligned equally.Measuring is fine...once everything is aligned with the marks.But that isn't the primary way from the factory/manual.

If they aren't equally aligned...it's not the bike.It's the procedure that's not being done right.

"I believe I have had more wear on the inside of my sprocket in the past but that was after 20,000 miles or so"...the wear should NEVER occur like that if the marks are correct.It can't.It can only mean the axle wasn't adjusted correctly at some point.Again..it's not the bike.(unless pivot shaft bearings are wearing out).One other thing that COULD cause wear like that...a chain either worn out,or too loose..allowing for play(slop) across the sprocket teeth.You enter a corner...the chain flexes(slips) across the sprocket teeth...wears off the inside of the surface over time...and many left hand turns.Right hand turning would be just the opposite...wear on the outside of the sprocket.They mention there about chain slack...it's VERY important to get that right.The bike will shift better for one thing.The wear from a too loose chain will shorten the service life of the sprocket/chain for sure.Too tight will definitely harm the chain and sprocket.Once it starts wearing,you won't be able to determine WHAT's wearing where.All those components will be wearing incorrectly...getting worse over time.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2015 @ 9:54 AM *

It looks to me that the left side deal of your bike Rook is not mating quite right in that pic.There's a gap at both sides on those blocks...or maybe it's just a shadow...I don't know.

You mean it looks like the flats on the end of the axle and the chain adjuster flat have a bit more tolerance than they should? Maybe. I can't remember how much the OEM adjuster blocks had. The axle is definitely not going to spin after the flats are touching the adjuster flats so I'm not concerned if the Gille's adjuster has a wee bit more space than OEM.

I'll have to tighten my chain many more times than I have before I get an idea of perfection. I don't need to tighten that frequently. For now, the swing arm marks or the Gille's chain adjuster marks are good enough for me.

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"You mean it looks like the flats on the end of the axle and the chain adjuster flat have a bit more tolerance than they should?"...yes...they don't appear to be mating up flat in there.Like the axle isn't quite rotated fully up.You see it...Seems like that small amount there could cause an incorrect placement?Surprised actually to see it like that.Had no idea it could possibly be 'turned' like that and be tightened up(securely) with it like that.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2015 @ 10:37 AM *

Romans, that tool looks like a dream come true <insert "that's what she said" joke here>

LMAO, yep love my "Tool" Yet I do not own the one shown in the video.

I posted early in this thread to "Point"

When you guys skipped over it figured I would use a video to take the place of a thousand words. I have always used a Vernier Gauge to get close, then directly to point sprockets. Fast easy, perfect is perfect.

Keep in mind Any straight edge will work. The Longer the Tool(straight Edge)the happier she will B Lol

"I have always used a Vernier Gauge to get close, then directly to point sprockets. Fast easy, perfect is perfect"..I've never done it this way...perhaps I might.Now...what's a vernier?......V

I googled. looks lie a calipers. I think Romes is saying he measures the adjuster bolts with a calipers to get a rough setting, then dials it in with a straight edge from front sprocket to back.

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Yeah..I know what it is RooksterLOL.J/K a bit.Sounds like a good way to get things right though.I can always be wrong.That's fer sure.

The thread method flat for flat.

Signed,

Close Enough

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I think fancy tool use has to defer to experience on this. The only way anyone will know if one method or the other works better is to try something new each time they change sprockets so they can inspect for a difference in wear. How often does the average guy change sprockets? I've done it once in 6 years.

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"I've done it once in 6 years"...you're SUPPOSED to be RIDING Rookster!This makes me very sad...

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/7/2015 @ 6:54 PM *

Well, that's 43,000 miles + about 10,000 on the busa.

...but I agree, that is NOT very much miles, considering. The last couple summers have sucked for riding because the weekends are either work or kids. Oh well, if that's what there is, I'll take it. Probably goingto be the same old sh!t this summer.

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Hope ya know I'm funnin ya Daron;)

This thread went much further than I thought it would. Didn't pay much attention to it after messing with the dog gone Japanese instructed quick shifter sensor. Anyway I thought I'd add that the simple solution was to actually make sure one looks through the axle while eying up the marks. Makes a big difference.

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...To make sure you are viewing dead on center from both sides. Those swing arm marks are pretty far apart for how much you actually need to move the axle when you tighten your chain. Having a perfect line of site is key.

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