Honda chain adjusters

Got tired of the flimsy stock Mk III rear chain adjusters, so grabbed some used CB 750 items off Fleabay. Quite a difference between old (on the plywood) and new (Honda on the swingarm)

First was resizing for the Norton rear lugs, which are a bit thinner than their CB 750 counterparts.

Then the inside leg of each was ground for thickness so as not to spring the swingarm apart.

The result (hopefully) will not collapse and bend like the factory parts. The only issue, if it is one, is that the Norton Axle is 5/8" and the Honda's was 3/4. Replating and some new bolts and locknuts will come later, so I might have some bushings made and welded in before re-chroming.

Nice work.
I worry about the week adjusters too.
Wish someone (Matt at CNW) would come up with a one piece axle, and new adjusters for the Mk3.
I would even be willing to buy a whole new swingarm with new adjusters.
How about a new swingarm with eccentric adjusters at the rear - eliminating wheel alignment issues for like ever....
OK, that's a little crazy, it is a Norton after all.

Or you could swap the flimsy ones for the old-style threaded lugs forward of the axle. Never had a problem until they changed the patent.

BritTwit said:

Nice work.
I worry about the week adjusters too.
Wish someone (Matt at CNW) would come up with a one piece axle, and new adjusters for the Mk3.
I would even be willing to buy a whole new swingarm with new adjusters.
How about a new swingarm with eccentric adjusters at the rear - eliminating wheel alignment issues for like ever....
OK, that's a little crazy, it is a Norton after all.

Click to expand...

I think you will find that the Honda 350 Adjusters fit better and the axle will fit as a one piece replacement with a re threading for the nut.

Would they be any stouter than the stock pieces? I would be worried they'd fold up also, being engineered for the 30 or so bhp a 350 puts out.

Adjusters are just that, adjusters, not meant to hold the axle against the torque. The rear axle needs to be properly torqued (both stub axle and spindle) so there is minimal strain on the adjuster. The only time I have had any issue with MkIII adjusters is when I lost a rear chain master link keeper and the chain wadded up in the guard. The adjuster bent the bolt.

If these fold up I'll believe I'm not putting proper torque on the stub axle nut.

Nominal bhp figures for a CB 750 are not that much higher than a tweaked 850. As I said, never a problem with the original types, so the change to Mk III spec adjusters was the answer to the question nobody asked.

Maybe if I used a crank link in the chain, I could adjust so the bolts have more sticking out the back than toward the swingarm lug and less side torque on the adjuster body. I think if you adjust the chain on a Mk III, tighten both axles and then back off the adjusters, the engine torque will pull the axle forward on the drive side. And if that's true, as I suspect, the adjusters do a bit more than just locate the axles before tightening. If not, what is the logic behind adding a 2nd primary chain adjuster?

The logic of adding a second primary chain adjuster with a belt drive is to assure proper alignment, which is more critical with a belt. Why else would a second adjuster be needed when you are simply replacing a chain which works perfectly with one adjuster with a belt?

......because it could be pulled out of alignment by the torque of the engine.

also the logic behind an outrigger bearing on the mainshaft.

Something about a 500cc twin getting re-engineered to the point of producing too much power for it's original design parameters and needing continual fixing to go with the power ups.

The stock Mk III drive chain adjusters are shit. If anyone wants the ones I removed, you can have 'em for postage.