manual cam chain tensioners?

Hi all i have just been browsing around an spotted manual cam chain tensioners an was just wondering seen as the auto ones fail, would manual one be any better, as i will be doing alot of miles this year coming up.

cheers
Ben

How do you know how much to tighten them? you would have to keep adjusting them too? thats one extra thing to service.

well that i dont yet know it would take some working out, well they shouldnt need adjusting that often unless the chain keeps streching really badly.
it was just a general question to see if they could be of any benefits from having these over auto adjusters

[jambo]

Manual cam chain adjusters tend to be used in drag racing and other extreme circumstances as there is no possibility of them backing out under load. As the motors used in these sort of applications are serviced extensively after very short run times the extra maintenance isn't really a consideration.

However, given that the cam chain tensioner "failures" on SVs are almost universally adjusters sticking (that is, ceasing to automatically adjust) I'd suspect this won't be a useful update for most of us. Yes the tensioners can stick (and the early ones are worst for it) but then you get a rattle and can deal with it. I'd say for most people given the milage between serious maintenance a manual tensioner will lead to the tensioner being set at the wrong level more of the time than with the standard part.

Jambo

[mikerj]

Originally Posted by jambo

Manual cam chain adjusters tend to be used in drag racing and other extreme circumstances

One of the "extreme circumstances" being if you own a Honda The tensioner on my brothers CBR600FS expired with 9k miles on it.

Originally Posted by jambo

However, given that the cam chain tensioner "failures" on SVs are almost universally adjusters sticking (that is, ceasing to automatically adjust) I'd suspect this won't be a useful update for most of us. Yes the tensioners can stick (and the early ones are worst for it) but then you get a rattle and can deal with it.

I would love to get hand on one of this that failed. I have never seen one in 11 years I been working on this bikes. Rattle you hear is just plate on tensioner body, front one usually due to less oil in there to dampen sound.
Manual tensioner does need to be adjusted or checked on regular bases and they do wear out.

Here is picture of few manuals that had to be removed due to wear.
First from left is good one, rest are worn out.