Good point klx678, I let the tensioner set itself then turn the screw to stop it from bouncing back and forth , nothing too tight.

 

That will do it. As long as you're careful. I make my parts for those who either don't have time, equipment, materials, skills, or desire to make the part themselves. I was one of those before I started doing this. I wanted to just buy one when I needed it for my Zephyr, but no one did them and seemed interested to do so. I made mine and four more, that started the whole thing.

Some riders want to do it all, others would like to just spend a half hour putting in the new part. It's all what works for each.

 

I'm a tool and die maker, and i have my own shop. I always look at making parts before buying. I made parts and did machining on a friends Drag bike

 

And as such you fall outside the person that would buy the kit.

Not all of us have a shop, tooling, skills, time, or materials to do the work. One example I struggled with - I don't have the equipment to guarantee I tap a hole straight. My initial failure rate was about one of five I made would be angled due to hand tapping the holes. Same with hand cutting the bodies. I needed to come up with something that worked faster, easier, and, above all, more accurately.

You, of all people, would know how much shop and machine time costs. Makes it kind of prohibitive to have certain work done by a shop. Making tensioners in any kind of number took some discussion with an industrial designer, a machinist, some other industrial sources, and thought. A solution was arrived at to make a part at a price point where the average rider can afford to buy it without breaking the bank. This eventually included custom cutting gaskets for some kits since the OEM parts had O-rings, since I supply gaskets with the parts, two of them if it is a custom cut gasket.

If I still had to hand cut the tensioners I probably would have quit doing them. It was less a money making venture than a service I kind of fell into and enjoyed, knowing it kept older bikes working right. Sure I make some money, supports my bike habits, thank you. No vacation home in the Bahamas though, I'd need Tokyo Mods or APE Pro tensioner prices to do that.

 

Yeah, sure...but how about that yacht anchored off of Fiji?...and that Gulfstream you use to get there? You've made millions off the backs of us poor saps. How do you sleep at night?

 

My suggested mod was only for those who wish to try it, (the OP asked if the original tensioner could be modded) , not to take away anything from your tensioner. If mine didn't work out I would have ordered yours. I tried to make an AF screw too but decided to buy one, Can't make everything.

 

No offense taken. In the KLX650 Group I actually published a file describing how to make the 650 tensioner a manual unit. Thing is a lot of people just can't or won't do it. That's where I come in. I'm kind of like you, but without the skills and equipment... yet. I actually didn't want to make my own for my 550, I wanted to buy one. No one made it. So I did it and ended up doing a lot of them for a lot of people... In fact I have to box up some parts to shoot out to expectant sometimes impatient riders... I don't care how someone does it, just that they do it to keep the bike working right. I mention the pawl, because some riders miss that possibility of it screwing up the adjustment. Later.

 

I was just thinking about a similar idea for modifying my ACT. Now I have this method to ponder. I believe I will remove the pawl and grind the teeth off the rack and see how it goes. I have started to notice what I think is cam chain noise at 9700 miles on my bike.

 

if it's any help, mine had the noise quite strongly by the time it hit 4500 km's (2800 miles!)

 

You have to knock out the pawl to get the rack out, so that has to be done anyway, From there it is a case of how hard the rack is for grinding, plus if it will rotate without the pawl in place or not.

Now gauge the work against a known 1/2 hour fix for $36.00 plus actual shipping via USPS. If the work isn't too challenging, tools and time available, and if it will function properly it is worth it. If not, the proven kit is available.

Before I kind of fell into making the parts I decided I wanted to just buy the part for my Zephyr, I had better things to do and was willing to pay their $51.00 plus shipping... but they didn't make the part so I had to do it.

Just saying there's a point where my time and effort are worth more in other directions... the other thing to gauge. Kind of like whether you do your own taxes or take them to a tax service. This year I went to an accountant after about 45 years of doing my own. It was worth it. Same case with using the Dial-A-Jet in my carburetion work. I don't need perfect jetting, just lean, the DAJ took care of the leanness with about an hour's work. Worth the $80.00 to not have to disassemble the carb more than once, maybe twice.

It's kind of a shame the plunger on the KLX is offset plus partially cut away otherwise it would be a breeze to convert to a straight bolt adjuster. My 650 was a simple straight bolt set up, but riders still just buy one from me for them. The 250 wasn't and that was the challenge of making the set up. A straight bolt would have hit the slider off center, applying uneven pressure.