[MTGMTT]

I've only owned belt and shaft drive bikes before the 400. Today I'm learning all about the joys of chain maintenance.

I've been cleaning and lubing it regularly, and I'm going to check the slack.

The manual says to replace the cotter pin on the axel nut every time an adjustment is made.

Is this really necessary? A new cotter pin every 500 or so miles?

Bro, this ain't welcome back cotter, and I don't have piles of those things lying around.

What does everyone else do for slack adjustment?

 

[Vader]

Haha, I use to watch that show as a kid! Just noticed at the one minute mark it looks like they are passing around some spliffs!! �� Oh, and you should be able to reuse the pin.

 

[Rider2112]

No need to replace the pin every time IMHO. You can get plenty of uses out of the one. If if still bends without breaking I'll use it. :grin:

I've only owned belt and shaft drive bikes before the 400. Today I'm learning all about the joys of chain maintenance.

I've been cleaning and lubing it regularly, and I'm going to check the slack.

The manual says to replace the cotter pin on the axel nut every time an adjustment is made.

Is this really necessary? A new cotter pin every 500 or so miles?

Bro, this ain't welcome back cotter, and I don't have piles of those things lying around.

What does everyone else do for slack adjustment?

 

[mad_mardigen]

No need to replace the pin every time IMHO. You can get plenty of uses out of the one. If if still bends without breaking I'll use it. :grin:

^^^ This :smile:

 

[Mr Mike]

No need to replace the pin every time IMHO. You can get plenty of uses out of the one. If if still bends without breaking I'll use it. :grin:

Bump... I reuse the cotter pin maybe 4 times max - You can tell while your bending it if its getting weak and will break, just buy some the next time your at the dealer, their cheap - get your aluminum drain bolt washers at the same time too - I reuse the washer once or twice then replace it as well...!

 

[boardwalk]

I bought a hitch pin from Home Depot to replace my cotter pin. It's been a month or so and it's never budged from where I "clip" it against the axel nut. Yeah, you really should glance at it and make sure it's where it should be each time you get on the bike, but the ease of access is enough of a plus to make it worth it for me.

 

[MTGMTT]

Haha! Thanks for the responses.

The hitch pin idea is intriguing. Perma-cotter.

And I guess the regular pins are cheap enough to replace every once in a while without breaking the bank.

 

[Warp12]

I like this type of clip, also available at Home Depot/hardware stores:

I generally don't reuse the cotter pins, since bending them repeatedly will fatigue the metal.

 

[atonyshepherd]

I like this type of clip, also available at Home Depot/hardware stores:

I generally don't reuse the cotter pins, since bending them repeatedly will fatigue the metal.

I would think this would vibrate and the noise might drive me nuts

 

[Warp12]

I would think this would vibrate and the noise might drive me nuts

Disclaimer: This might not be a mod for those with Bionic hearing.

:grin:

Personally, I've never heard anything.

 

[rde09]

A friend of mine uses the safety pins on his bike with no issues thus far. I have a variety pack of cotter pins from harborfreight I use ($4.79). I had someone steal the hitch pin from my jeep one time, so I shy away from the easily removable safety pins.

https://www.harborfreight.com/555-piece-cotter-pin-storehouse-67558.html

.047 x 1-9/16" Safety Pins, Steel, 1/PKG

 

[HAYA54321!]

You need to get a file gauge metal ruler looks like a nail file, but metal and inches and mm

Step one taped off 30 mm....... mines is taped at 60mm to 30 mm
Remove clip
Brake the wheel lose but just enough that the wheel will move
Loosen the adjuster nut
Now the next nut has 6 sides so i will get on flat side and mark
Same on the other side
Not using the lines form the factory i will turn the nuts one side at time on both sides
Always adjusted with the kickstand down so their is weight on the bike

Never tried this before but this will be my new method.

 

[HAYA54321!]

With all my bikes this was the easiest and fastest. The flat ruler about 8 inches long 3/4 inch wide and taped off at 30mm.

With about 150 miles the chain was maybe 35/40 mm.

To find the midway point on the chain i came up with about 11 inches from where the bottom of the chain leaves the rear sprocket, and then i maked it on the swingarm sticker on the side with a black marker.

the tools needed were 24mm socket 17mm other side of wheel

and 12 and 14 mm for the adjuster


oil with filter change the bikes holds about 2 qts 6 oz , i will change again between 150 now and 200 miles and then have the dealer to one at 600

the hindle looks loud just looking at it, being todays sat i will wait for monday when more ppls are at work so i can run the motor in my driveway for the 15 min break in

the only other thing i needed to do was take slack out of the throttle grip twice from 5 to 7 mm back to 2 or 3 mm

 

[Muchacho22]

I bought a bunch of cotter pins and I never actually used them because in order to get them out ~the right way~ you need to punch it with a hammer from below because they are a pain in the a$s to get out. As I dont have a plastic hammer yet and I am delaying everytime to buy one, I didn't put a cotter pin on the rear. It's been almost a year now, and I adjusted the chain for 2 times already. Closed it both times as torque specs, 98Nm and marked a line on the axle & swingarm to see if it moves. Stays in it's place... I think the cotter pin is more for anti theft reasons rather than safety, because as you can see, my bike's fine...

 

[HAYA54321!]

The rear wheel should be 72 ft lbs, and no punch needed try to straighten the 2 ends and then pull thru the nut with some pliers.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

98N/m is same force as 72ft/lb

Call me casual but I just tighten mine by hand and dont have a pin in it.

 

[invenio]

First season with the N400. I've had to tension the chain twice (once at 600 miles and then at about 3700). Luckily this 2nd time it only took about 15 minutes so no big deal.

I don't ride the N400 very hard so I don't think I am putting a lot of stress on the chain. How often have you guys had to adjust the chain slack?

 

[.2611]

First season with the N400. I've had to tension the chain twice (once at 600 miles and then at about 3700). Luckily this 2nd time it only took about 15 minutes so no big deal.

I don't ride the N400 very hard so I don't think I am putting a lot of stress on the chain. How often have you guys had to adjust the chain slack?

I feel like I’m in the same boat. Haven’t adjusted since the 600 mile maintenance and slack is still within spec at 2500 miles. How often is everyone lubing the clutch cable?

 

[jh3]

This works well

Woodcraft Kawasaki Ninja 400 18-19 Axle Slider Kit (Front or Rear)

Installing this kit on the front axle will help to protect the fork bottoms as well as the axle in a crash. Installing them on the rear axle will help to protect the swingarm and rear axle in a crash. An added benefit of installing this kit is the safety pin that retains the slider on the castle nut replaces the OEM cotter pin that will fail after a couple wheel changes.

 

[Muchacho22]

First season with the N400. I've had to tension the chain twice (once at 600 miles and then at about 3700). Luckily this 2nd time it only took about 15 minutes so no big deal.

I don't ride the N400 very hard so I don't think I am putting a lot of stress on the chain. How often have you guys had to adjust the chain slack?

I feel like I’m in the same boat. Haven’t adjusted since the 600 mile maintenance and slack is still within spec at 2500 miles. How often is everyone lubing the clutch cable?

My bike came with a very tight chain, and it wasn't till 1000 km mark that I adjusted it to spec. I suppose damage was done, but there's nothing I can do now. Anyhow, I adjusted it for the first time at 6000km I think, then wasn't long again at 8000km~. There's still PLENTY of thread left. I gave it everytime a quarter of half a spin each side at most, if you are not hard on the gas, then you'll be fine.


I lube the clutch cable with a clean every several months.