Front end setup = Pick a bike.

Let the entertainment begin...

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/1/2011 @ 5:40 PM *

Hub,

were you waiting on someone to pick? If so, I'd be interested in doing this with our good ol'e trusted 14! More importantly, how to make sure after a chain adjustment, that the bike is still tracking straight and true. Thanks.

BWz,

At the front end; It said:

X. Set receiving fork in triple trees; e.g., the leg that takes the nut/axle receiver; to lock the axle down.
Y. Tighten to your height = Test for drag/street/closed course steering, factory height, etc.
Z. Float then tighten; the other fork leg, meaning, until the axle can be sent square into the other leg without effort.
1. That says: I'm going to measure with a ruler the factory height [up top at a fork] crown point.
2. Which says: I may be close both ways, but I'll take the first number on the one fork and that is the notebook number.
3. This states: I want the top squared to the one fork is the axle calls the other set of the fork leveling. My pinch type nut should float in that receiver leg as will the axle end that floats and that is where both forks have zip for bind at the X or the Y is Z that shit happening so smooth are the forks to axle?; as if a gear slides on a shaft. The dogs slide in the grooves and bang is the lock [the rest down to the last fork pinch].

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rear SkideerSkis:

X-Factor. We are stuck with the ovals. The eccentrics would be fast and straight but add weight. It's all 'downhill form' here. I've seen all sorts of ideas. Wood beams, string, laser, anchor the one side of the tire; the other size hangs an elaborateye me up straight with the front end pointedown two sights to line each other up.

Y-Go Thru all that? We are stuck with picking a center point on the axle and hope the other side evens up? I don't see the point is trying to float that axle as square as the front? I don't think you need any kind of tool but a magic marker.

Z-Here is what I do. I run the nuts and bolts back into the swing arm. They should hand spin. So, in they go and when they bottom out, you are now splitting hairs with the rest of the lineup my rear wheel tools.
1. Withatsaid: I now mark one flat of the 8mm bolt head. I match the other side with an even flat as well.
2. Whichinches the count is to run the axle back to the chain slack point of one and a half inch of travel at the shortest point of the swing of the axle remember. That means, we hit a bump, that swing arm is going up the fender. We have that for that purpose. This is where we rather be on the loose side of book. If we miss a lot of shifts, we have it too loose.
3. Which brings us back to the flats; should both turn equally and stop on whatever flat sets the chain. They should have 'both-matched' at that stopping point. This gets us about as close to having the tool on the bike, meaning, painted with nail polish and clear over it. Use her polish remover on the bolt flats so you don't contaminate her bottles; she had an excuse you borrowed a whole nail or less for both flats. Cleaned and delivered back, sweetie. Kiss her. Touch shit lady! Bike comes first! Your nails come secondon'tell her I said that!

Hey BigWillie...you want to uninstall the front wheel and reinstall?That's what you're asking?(like for a tire change or something?)

REAR...How 'bout lining up the hash marks on each side,looking through the axle as the reference point?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 1:09 AM *

Hub - Thanks! That pretty much sums up what I was wanting to know!

Grn14 - Thanks. I wanted to make sure that once that rear tire is removed then replaced that I could make sure that it was still tracking as true as from the factory. I know the hash marks are pretty damn close, but are they dead accurate?

I'm gonna say...yes.They are dead accurate...IF you line em up using the same method each time.And on both sides.It's only my observation and opinion.The only thing that I could see as possibly causing them to NOT be accurate would be IF the swingarm Pivot bearing(s) were shot.But the marks would still be accurate....in relation to the swingarm.Running over the front sprocket...now that could be misaligned if the pivot bearing(s) were toast.And THAT's not going to happen very easily.I'm sure someone will disagree with me....I only can go by my own experience with MY bike.Never had any alignment issues doing it the way I do it.(as per the service manual).

The argument that 'somehow' Kawasaki misstamped their swingarm hash marks...repeatedly and knowingly...and instructed the consumer to use them for rear wheel alignment is to me...well...pretty far fetched.But lots of guys think that.They certainly have a right to do that.

I haven't seen anyone take any actual measurements from the centerline swingarm pivot shaft hole(not the bolt)and on back to the hash marks to see.That would clear the air once and for all about 'poorly aligned stamped hash marks on the zx14 swingarm'.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 1:53 PM *

http://youtu.be/WSMb4VM9X8c

BW,

Grn is going to turn blue in the face and is missing a step. I am walking a thread pitch that can be measured with a dial indicator. Blue is going to keep screwing the bolts up the the slash marks, trying to be as accurate as what the threads have shown is show me my method or blue's is the best part is take your pick and I know know won list tins to turd dull.

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/1/2011 @ 1:52 PM *

NOT the threads HUB...the HASH MARKS... "come back....come back"....

I don't remember reading ANYTHING in the SERVICE MANUAL about measuring threads...hash marks...ya...I saw that

Besides...I like to ride,not spend all day measuring to the inth millimeter back and forth to make make sure she's lined up PERFECTLY to what?Heck,you're normal sprocket/chain wear is gonna shape that puppy to where she's lined up anyway...if you ride at all.(no,I'm not saying..."go ride with a maladjusted wheel,and expect your drivetrain to magically align itself! )

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 2:12 PM *

LOL, blue, I should have added yours to the list or just match slots. I hear ya, blue. I just don't throw in any old shim and take off... Sounds like that is your attitude and like I said... Your bike "Ain't my bike!"

Dear Hubster...there are no shims in the rear wheel adjuster....only hash marks

Now that you mention it,I can't think of ANY video I've seen where the racers come into the pits and the 'team' gets down there and measures the axle distance....Must have somehow missed that.I certainly don't ride like one of those guys.Guess my way(service manual)will do okay...it is my bike as you say

blue ~ Took a tape measure, found A and B.
hub ~ Sent the bolts back; if cast is cast and the hash marks use that side where the threads are or say, that whole section there is cast for the 8mm adjusters. Would that screw block [w/out nut and bolt], blue, would that measure equal on the other side too?

blue ~ You got there from what point is A to get to B?
hub ~ If I sat on my ass, placed both my feet on each pipe, wrapped my hands around the rim and pulled back on the wheel, then let go? I think I'll set the chain righthere.

blue ~ No, ha ha hand over my face icon, I did not say that.
hub ~ Yes you did, tea hee hee finger pointing icon you did too.

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/1/2011 @ 3:07 PM *

"If I sat on my ass, placed both my feet on each pipe, wrapped my hands around the rim and pulled back on the wheel, then let go?"...and this is how you align your rear wheel?

blue ~ No, ha ha hand over my face icon, I did not say that.
hub ~ Yes you did, tea hee hee finger pointing icon you did too.

WHERE did I ever explain how I adjusted my rear wheel...except for looking through the axle and aligning the hash marks up equally?(after making sure the adjusters are all the way against the adjusting bolts).....and I don't do that by pushing on the pipes and grabbing the rear wheel

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 3:20 PM *

grn: And this is how you line up your rear wheel?
hub: No, follow the steps, I said this is how you would line up the B part. YOu'd forgo the A part. So your A or B is neither. YOu pulled back the wheel, saw the weight of the chain drops down, you bolted the axle down, set the 8mm bolts to wherever the axle was dragged back to.

grn: I said that?
hub: No, I said it looks like if I were to bring my bike in to someone like your ass... Turn around. I wanna see how worn out your pants are if you start fixing things around the house too.

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/1/2011 @ 5:41 PM *

Well...okay...if you say so.Here's MY take....from day one...wheel/chain/sprockets...all lined up perfectly from the factory.Okay.Now....with the exception of changing the rear sprocket DOWN in teeth,OR the front UP in teeth...a guy will NEVER EVER move the rear wheel FORWARD.Okay?.So what that means...IS....the tension on the adjuster block/bolt will always be going rearward against the adjuster block.What does THIS mean?...it means....the rear wheel can NEVER get out of alignment as long as you are EQUALLY adjusting the bolts as your chain/sprockets wear.The wheel is NEVER going to move forward...it can't.The adjusters won't let it.It can ONLY move rearward.Which of course,is NOT going to happen while the axle nut is locked and the adjuster bolts are pushing rearward.Simple.No high tech involved with that at all...only simple physics.FACT...it cannot move forward...not without turning the adjuster bolts to allow that to happen.The chain and sprockets create the slack that occurs...not the axle moving.

IF you remove the wheel and make no adjustments to the adjuster bolts....it will align exactly to where it was previously.You won't get that if you are trying to pull the wheel back to take up chain slack or whatever.(as you apparently do to align your wheel).Whatever works for you."It's not my bike"....

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 3:39 PM *

I think this ought to clear up any misconceptions about how I adjust my rear wheel.....SERVICE MANUAL....pg 2-31.."Drive chain slack adjustment"....especially...how I ensure the alignment is correct....NOTE THE "STAR" entry .

For the life of me...I can't find any entry where it says to 'pull the wheel back and release'.Did Kawasaki incorporate a spring loaded axle while I was asleep?And they didn't even tell me!How thoughtless!The ONLY instance of moving the wheel FORWARD is a TOO TIGHT CHAIN.....which is very rare indeed...unless you replaced everything at one time(sprockets,chain).Removing and reinstalling the wheel is not going to create a TOO TIGHT CHAIN situation....

Come to think of it...I didn't see anything in there about using micrometers or any other measuring tool to check thread depth or pitch for rear wheel adjustment.I somehow missed that....you know where it is?I'd like to make sure I'm doing mine correctly.If it's in that manual...I KNOW you know where it is....being the 'by the book' guy you are (Not to be confused here with "checking chassis alignment from front to back wheels)....

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/1/2011 @ 4:11 PM *

WOW - thought it was a pretty simple straight forward question... Didn't think it would cause so much animus! I understand the process... Thanks guys! For the info and the entertainment...

BW, I got dis. Blue and I expose our little ideas. You have to learn from the tuner(s) I hang with. He is the one schooling me. He was the one telling me one thread turn is so many mm's. I can't tell you where he applied that theory. I'm just using that same theory, apply it to the threads on the swingadingding.

Knock-Knock! Who is there? Toofairy. Tooth fairy who? Same lame assbackasswords if I said, you are a dentist and your idea of pulling chain or pulling toof is ropeedopet. String you along is a good polimar knot and now out she comes. That's if, blue, you get on your ass, slide down the hallway to get a good start and I'll holed the other end of the stringadingding.

I can't tell the pro job from the tree surgeon would rather load a branch like a bow and give your pants a break look up!

Well, just so's everyone knows, I'm very anal when it comes to my bike. Like of lot of us on the forum, I like to take that extra step to make sure things are done just so. I clean my 14 before I ride in the am and again when it's put to bed. I prefer to do my own wrenching, but if I ask about something and it seems to complicated or I don't have the right equipment, I will take it to someone that I trust to do the work (not that it happens that often), so far the only thing not done by me is my wheels and the tuning (which was botched by an in-experienced dyno operator). SO, I like to hear all methods for doing something, then use the one that will suit my desire to make sure it is done to my satisfaction... That's why I appreciate hearing from ALL of you more experienced 14 owners out there, this is my first 14, but definitely not my last... I've got green in the veins now and it ain't goin' away!!!! Let the good times roll!

That's the whole idea here....open up ways to work on these baby's.It's rarely only 'one way' to do something.You follow Hub's way....it's cool.....you can see mine is more straight to the point,at least explanation wise.I think so anyway.Long as everyone(including me) remembers this one thing.....I do it MY way,someone else does it theirs.Long as you get to point B from A,without wrecking something...what does it really matter?PLENTY of ways to adjust a chain in reality.Some things however can get wrecked if certain points aren't brought out...stuff that might not otherwise get noticed or whatever.That's really how I post up any advice about doing something.It may not be someone else's experience,or it might be.My main purpose for posting like I do is to make clear stuff that someone asks about,and I've actually done.How many times have I(we) said..."shit..IF ONLY SOMEONE would have"...you know.It may be something small and simple.But sometimes...it can make or break a job.I don't want to see any of us break our bikes when a simple clear explanation may keep that from happening.That's all I'm doing.

I have to say this though....virtually ALL my advice is coming from following the manual...not my own discoveries.The manual however can be sometimes a bit confusing or unclear about something...and if you are an experienced Kawasaki guy(mechanic),you probably understand what it may be actually saying.I'm not.But in my posts,I try to add the little nuances involved in doing something.I'll say here that my 'nuances' are not veering from what the manual is saying.If it says..."kick the tire forward"...I kick the tire forward.BUT....if it's sitting on it's kickstand when doing this...you MAY end up picking your bike up.So that's what I mean by throwing in a few things that I've come across(I've never actually kicked my bike off the sidestand...but I have kicked the tire forward as the manual says...and had the bike MOVE way forward on the sidestand..another half inch,she would have been history).They've either worked for me,or not...which I also put out there so someone else won't make the same mistake.I like to do work on my bike in the simplist,most accurate way possible.I hate having to go back and repeat the same work I just thought I completed.I can't remember right now...and I'm not gonna look right now...but it doesn't say...."when you do your chain adjustment,it's best to use a rear stand to get the wheel off the ground"....yet this is probably the best way to actually do a chain adjustment.Certainly the ONLY way to remove the rear wheel.Is it in there?I don't think so...but it's a MUST.So they don't tell you everything in the manual about doing some things...which an 'inexperienced' person might not realize...and there ya go...damaged parts.

And the Hubmiester caveates with this.....

"BW, I got dis"(meaning..."I've got the gift of dissing others") How's my abstract doin Hubster?
"You have to learn from the tuner(s) I hang with".In other words...."you don't know shit unless you're hangin out with the 'big boys'..LIKE I DO.. in...what land is that?...follow the recommended way of doing it ON THE ZX14 IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT...yes?And give advice from your 'tuner' instead of using the MANUAL and your personal experience using THAT as your guide.Yes?

And don't dare listen or agree with anyone who's used the manual and found that it actually does work,you know...those pitiful ignoramuses that actually fall for the book way.Go on your own deal...and try to convince others that you're so smart...smarter than everyone else...smarter than the Kawasaki boys who built the bike and wrote the book.And ridicule anyone who appears to be a personal threat to your 'cherished' image. Where's dessert?.....

HUBSTER...I LOVE messin with you...yer just so....well...as Privateer said....'easy'

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/2/2011 @ 1:39 AM *

She it? And I should listen to you. Ever hear the word, 'cheating' in racing? They follow the book? Do I look like you? WOT page do I need to win a race?

And you do not see the propaganda play every baconday? Who, blue, who acts the high all mighty? Get it? Play those jerks for all they are worth. You don't get it! You, YOU inflea!

Thanks Grn14,
that's what I was gettin' at... I like to look at things from more than one angle, so I pose a pregunta and get you more experienced guy's takes on how to tackle it. I know in there somewhere are all of the little probs and hitches that someone has already found before me. Makes it easier for me to learn while NOT messin' up one of my prozed possessions! You guys are really great here and I have really learned a lot about the 14! Keep it comin' and I like that Hub or someone plays Devils's advocate sometimes - makes people think, keeps people on their toes, maybe helps to find or realize something that otherwise may have been missed. I'm gonna have to get a service manual myself, so that I don't seem so dummb with some of the questions I have asked!!!! THANKS ALL!

"I'm gonna have to get a service manual myself, so that I don't seem so dummb with some of the questions I have asked!!!! THANKS ALL!"....no prob.

Yer not dumb.Don't even think that way.I'm VERY anal about MY bike.I don't like going twenty miles around in a circle to get to what I need to do.I really do try to keep things as simple as possible.Reading a repair(service) manual is one thing....doing what it says can actually end up being quite a dramatic deal.Or...not dramatic.I may post what appears as a long winded way of doing something,but in reality....it will wind up being DONE,hopefully,without drama and the first time out.Once you do some of these personal maintenance deals on YOUR bike,you'll see how everything just kinda falls into place once you've done it.You know that...you've worked on bikes...we all have.Doesn't mean we should know every thing possible about a given deal.Or...we might know.That isn't important.You go with what sounds right to you.You really won't need the manual after you've "adjusted your chain" several times.You know.Doing it.It's the first 'doing it' that can be problematic IF yer not sure about how things are actually supposed to be.So that's what I post up...what I've run into that maybe could have been avoided by knowing ahead of time what to expect.I'm no mechanic.No guru.No expert.If I know from my own experience that doing a certain thing is gonna make a certain piece break,or whatever...I'm gonna post that as well...so anyone else doesn't have to go through that.If someone else does the same deal...and doesn't break something or whatever...great!Better to know that it COULD happen rather than go along and HAVE it happen cause I didn't know any better.That's how I see it.Has nothing to do with 'being better than' anyone.Or smarter,or any of that BS.

The Kawasaki manual writers are assuming that a Kawasaki Tech is repairing your bike,and reading the manual along with their training.Some of their procedures can be vague...cause they thinking that the trained tech already KNOWS about this stuff.A Kawasaki tech for instance,would be putting your bike on a lift,NOT a rear stand.So things that YOU and I are doing are requiring a bit of "imagination" to accomplish the same thing.And that's what I mean about vagueness at times when reading the manual.It's absolutely correct.Following it will never lead anyone down the wrong road.But it is geared towards an experienced Kawasaki Mechanic...not the 'regular guy'.They won't put things in there that they think a trained mechanic would already be aware of and avoid."Cautions"...yes..."do nots"...yes.But a lot they leave out.

HUB says..."She it? And I should listen to you".

I say...hell no!You've got plenty of experience doing it your way....I don't EXPECT you to listen to me....I'm not trying to GET you to listen to me.Fuggettabout that.Keep doing it the way you want...."It's YOUR bike"

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/2/2011 @ 2:41 PM *