Scratched swingarm, bent chain adjuster plate.

[Badeye]

So after my run the NEC for motorcycle live and back to leeds i thought i'd give the bike the once over. Found i needed to adjust my chain a little so off i went, all was going well until i was tightening up the bolt when the alignment plate on the left bent and came up on the swing arm leaving a nice half circle scratch mark. NOT IMPRESSED!!.

Anyway now when i move the bolt the plate moves with it unless i clamp the plate.

Anyone else had this issue, my bike is a Pointy K3

I would have minded but there was no resistance from the plate it was just like cheap soft metal. Think it's gonna have to be replaced.

[bobw1985]

I did the exact same thing. I ended up just replacing the plate, as I found it was useless after that. Left a pretty deep gouge too.

[squirrel_hunter]

They all do that sir.

[cbay]

I have that mark on my swingarm from the previous owner...

[andrewsmith]

They all do that sir.

This.
Happens to everyone once.

[maviczap]

They all do that sir.

This.
Happens to everyone once.

Doesn't help that its a Pointy :chef:

[muzikill]

Yup my ones got it. Its the soft metal bracket at the axle nut that does it. A very bad weak point at the right angle bend of it. Is there a strong replacement/fix?

[Lozzo]

There's no need to loosen the spindle nut so much that the adjuster plate can twist upwards.

[Badeye]

the nut wasn't loose enough so the plate could move, it's when the nut it being tightened that the part of the plate that hooks under the swingarm just bends. Is there any stronger replacements?

Glad its not just me its happened to, still not good for any of us tho

[DarrenSV650S]

pm bibio. He is in the process of making some hardcore versions to replace the standard cheese slice :)

[Badeye]

i will do, cheers for that. I hear alot about bolts made from cheese and now this. Do any of the other suzuki bikes like the gixxer have this problem does anyone know?

[andrewsmith]

Yep!

Most Suzuki's do have a cheese bolts, its more apparent on the budget bikes.
Yamaha's are sometimes are allergic to water

[Lozzo]

pm bibio. He is in the process of making some hardcore versions to replace the standard cheese slice :)

I'd say this was a good idea, in stainless steel with a decent amount of material lipped under the swingarm to stop it from twisting up the sides and gouging the paint.

Someone should consider making little carbon plates to stop paddock stands from scraping paint too. I see no end of bikes with an arc of damaged paint just in front of the bobbins.

[Bibio]

pm bibio. He is in the process of making some hardcore versions to replace the standard cheese slice :)

getting there. test brackets are fine so far just need to tweak the heights a little.

I'd say this was a good idea, in stainless steel with a decent amount of material lipped under the swingarm to stop it from twisting up the sides and gouging the paint.

Someone should consider making little carbon plates to stop paddock stands from scraping paint too. I see no end of bikes with an arc of damaged paint just in front of the bobbins.

it's easier said than done as there are a few things that have cropped up on the test pieces, got them all sussed out now. it's not just a case of bending them at 90 degree as this does not work you have to match the swingarm profile.

they will be made from 3mm 304 grade stainless steel and fit a lot better than the OEM cheese. there will be one slight omission that the OEM ones have and that is the lower marker hole as the brake press does not like bending the material so close to the hole and distorts the bracket in doing so. not a problem though as they will be made to a much higher tolerance which will give a better indication when adjusting the chain so only the top one will be needed. they will also be 'handed' as in a left and a right one.

time wise i hope to have then ready in about 5 weeks.

[Badeye]

Bibio, all sounds great, put me down for a set when you have them ready. Can't do with it in the back of my mind that the original plates on the bike are so flimsy.

[sniff]

The same here on my K9. Done when adjusting chain by previous owner.

Bibio I'll have a pair once they are ready to go.

[-Ralph-]

Can't do with it in the back of my mind that the original plates on the bike are so flimsy.

There's a lot you'll be wanting to replace on the SV then!! :wink:

[Wez007]

Hhhmmmm, i was just about to tighten up my chain today. Glad i gave this. Read first! I might try getting a clamp on the plate before i tighten up and see if this helps. I have not even noticed if it already had the marks on the swingarm.

Cheers guys.

[TazDaz]

I done this to SV I had, was well ****ed off. I never looked into it, but are there not after market ones anywhere?

[Stonesie]

I managed to catch the bugger on mine before it did any damage, if you use a long bar and 'jerk' it rather than undoing it in a smooth motion it appears to help brake the friction between the plate and the nut. I did put a smear of grease on the back of the nut and never had any issues with it slackening, but it did make it easier to remove without the plate spinning.

[muzikill]

Any update on this?

I always thought that the bit of the bracket that goes under the swingarm should be U shaped to the thickness of the swingarm rather than L shaped this sort of design would stop the bend & damage the oem one does.

[yorkie_chris]

i will do, cheers for that. I hear alot about bolts made from cheese and now this. Do any of the other suzuki bikes like the gixxer have this problem does anyone know?

The late GSXRs all use a completely different adjustment, a block that fits in a cast piece in swingarm.

As far as I know this problem is only on pointies, not a problem at all on carby.

[Bibio]

I always thought that the bit of the bracket that goes under the swingarm should be U shaped to the thickness of the swingarm rather than L shaped this sort of design would stop the bend & damage the oem one does.

that would help but would be a PITA when changing tyres as you would have to put the plate on first and while holding the plate push the spindle threw stop just before the spindle goes all the way threw to the other side and then put the other plate on then push the spindle home. the only way for it to be good enough is for the plate to go across the top and under the bottom that way you don't have to hold the plate in place while you push the spindle threw, but it would eventually mark the swingarm with rub marks over time which is bad news for black swingarms.

[Epic Monkey]

Having this happen to me I now also have the dreaded circular scratch on my nice black swingarm. Anyone have a suggestion on the best way to cover it up? Which paint would work best?