FIRST:
I am putting on a new chain. My chain guide on the swing arm has visible wear. I'd show a pic but presently am unable to upload. The wear is on the outer (LH) side of the chain guide, much more pronounced on the top guide than the bottom and it is worse at the back of the chain guide (nearest the rear sprocket) both top and bottom runs.

I do not know how long the chain guide has been like that. I do recall the last inspection (about 8 years ago) and it looked in very good condition.

So -- wheel was out of alignment cocked inward to the right at the front

OR Carrazzeria wheel sprocket carrier is not spaced away from the wheel enough?? Seemed fine before switching to Carrazzeria.

OR could it be the 45T sprocket I have used?

Do I need a new chain guide? It's not like half the chain guide is worn away, just like maybe 1/16" deep and 1/16" wide on the worse spot at the top back. Wish I could show my pics.

That's #1. The parts list is longer so please stay tuned.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/24/2020 @ 7:05 PM *

Without pics it's hard to wrap my mind around. Sorry.

However, 1/16 " sounds minimal to me. Doubt I'd replace it unless it was about to start digging into my swingarm.

Doubt I'd replace it unless it was about to start digging into my swingarm.

Looked at my rear sprocket last night and there is no wear to the sides of the teeth on the right or the left. That wheel was aligned near perfect to the engine sprocket.

Maybe the guide wear happened at some point before I got that wheel in there perfectly. I just screwed the bolts up all the way in and turned equal number of turns on both sides. Hubs trick. From the looks of the sprocket, it works. I also have Gilles KTS axle adjusters on there but they are supported by the stock adjuster bolts.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/25/2020 @ 5:12 PM *

OK, #2

When I took my clutch out a couple years back, I noticed the shift shaft should be replaced because the lever teeth are worn and so is the external cir-clip groove. The claw that turns the shift cam has some wear on the tips. Might as well replace that tiny spring on the claw along with the shift shaft. Might as well get a couple new cir-clips.

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/2008-kawasaki-ninja-zx-14-zx1400c8fa/o/m148910#sch550656

The detent arm and detent arm spring are new because I put an EVO shift star in there recently.

DO I need to replace anything else that goes on the shift shaft? The steel washers in and out? The needle bearing? Bearing seal? The big spring for the shift shaft?

Just wondering. I'm not replacing any of that stuff until I replace my clutch fibers maybe 6 months from now but I might as well buy the parts now since I know I need some other OEM parts immediately.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/25/2020 @ 7:15 AM *

I'm with BIG... if you are talking about the high groove being shaved down... because it was off centered, right? The low grooves were not touched so no damage to grooving the swing, yes? No need to change it.

And yes, that's a good way to tell if the wheel is off center, or the spacing is having that wear ring near the sprocket teeth on the one side.

Shift wise, it depends on the spring:
92144 - This is a 50/50 you'll need one. Do I recall someone losing one of these? Grn's bike lost shifting? If we want dependability [fix it before it breaks], you're already in there, then change it out.

92145-92145A - Both will/should last the life of the bike. Pass.

13236 - Here is 'wear' you look for pin degradation. The pin's shaft is the weak link (pun intended) and almost looks like one. The roller is harder material so yes, it wears as well, but to find out if it needs replacing is to move the washer/roller back and forth on the pin. If you can get it to oval, replace it.

480 - To use this type cir-clip, this is like looking at the steel clutch plate and noticing the cut side as opposed to the round side. Same goes for the cir-clip's cut side. You'll find these similar types used on the transmission shafts that keep the gears in place. So to understand how to flip the clip the right way is think who is the 'thrust side'? The shift shaft can't move in any farther, but can back out the one way. You want the cut to dig into the groove. The round side would pop over the groove. So you'd have the cut side facing washer 92026.

92026 - If we want to look at a washer in general, this too is stamped out and has the round/cut sides. We don't want to dig material off this floating washer, meaning, we'd have the round side facing the aluminum case so the cut would not be a tool to contaminate the oil with that sharp shaving effect. The round side won't have an edge to cut into. Same goes for the washers cut side on a flat surface. Makes the bolt head be friction free on the round side more or less is how the theories go.

I'm with BIG... if you are talking about the high groove being shaved down... because it was off centered, right? The low grooves were not touched so no damage to grooving the swing, yes? No need to change it.

Yep, the rib on the chain guide is worn on the LH upper corner. About a 1/16" wide x 1/16" deep groove where the upper outside corner was. No the chain can't contact the swing arm. So we can leave the chain guide off the parts list unless it's pretty inexpensive. I will change it someday, I'm sure.

And yes, that's a good way to tell if the wheel is off center, or the spacing is having that wear ring near the sprocket teeth on the one side.

92144 - This is a 50/50 you'll need one. Do I recall someone losing one of these? Grn's bike lost shifting? If we want dependability [fix it before it breaks], you're already in there, then change it out.

Yeah, Grn told me that thing broke on his bike.

The spring 92144 is so small it looks like a filament in a lightbulb! Looks delicate enough it might bend if I remove it to reuse it. It's just $6, I'll get it.

Here's a link with prices on the parts fiche.

https://www.babbittsonline.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b6390f8700223e47972be/gear-change-mechanism

92145-92145A - Both will/should last the life of the bike. Pass.

13236 - Here is 'wear' you look for pin degradation. The pin's shaft is the weak link (pun intended) and almost looks like one. The roller is harder material so yes, it wears as well, but to find out if it needs replacing is to move the washer/roller back and forth on the pin. If you can get it to oval, replace it.

Yeah 92153A bolt has a shoulder and I can see if that shoulder wears, the arm will be able to tilt. That bolt was replaced when I put the EVO in. The collar 92143 going with that bolt might wear too. I will have to check if I replaced that. The return spring pin 92153 for the shift shaft was replaced when I did the EVO.

480 - To use this type cir-clip, this is like looking at the steel clutch plate and noticing the cut side as opposed to the round side.

Pics of all these parts in my bike are on this thread.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=B3FBA250-1B78-59F6-02AB75C8507D10E9

https://www.babbittsonline.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b6390f8700223e47972bf/crankcase

How about replacing the shift shaft needle bearings 92046?

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/25/2020 @ 6:43 PM *

I know, you don't want to read all that me thinking to myself. Yo Hub, I am pretty sure you and I went over this exact topic a few years back. You know how you have one of those deja vus? It's all coming back, I even bought some of the aforementioned parts and they've been laying in the storage boxes for years. Glad I checked that before ordering again.

Just so we all know, the Gen1 chain guide CAN NOT be removed without first removing the swing arm. Of course, the guide wraps around the front of the swing arm pivot but Kaw also thought it best to put a side bar between the top and bottom runs that goes behind the swing arm pivot. The guide encircles the pivot so that pivot has to come out to take the guide off. I'll buy a new chain guide but I'm waiting until I get that Ti swing arm pivot someday before I bother replacing the old guide. You never know when certain parts will no longer be available. Might as well have them ready for replacement.

Thanks for help. $200 gone on Pro-Bolts. Another $200 waiting on OEM parts.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/27/2020 @ 8:14 PM *

I agree with everything Hub said I was correct on

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/28/2020 @ 6:54 AM *

https://www.babbittsonline.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b6390f8700223e47972be/gear-change-mechanism
The needle bearing takes a case split and special R&R tools for that type cage. That's another story. But to get back to basics like clip and washer position, we are up against 'for every action'. Just like looking at X, you have Y = Rub both hands together... which palm stayed cold?

X: Choose either, but I stared with thrust and used this as the 90° angle of attack. You should know both asphalt attacks over intersections, and turns on a race track. That bump made by the tires moving the hot embedded rocks is the thrust of that flat circlip rising the metal on the shift shaft's groove.

Y: The 180° swing is the up and down shifting that circles the one area to that shaft. That's a 360° groove being made by the rubber's friction. The metal then U's a groove on the shaft, and the new seal is not being forced to seal, but sinks into that groove = Leaks times 2. (1) Not catching the circlip cutting the new seal, and (2) No push at the lipped seal to hold the oil back.

So by looking at both X and Y attacks, might as well change the shaft and seal, 'wear' you basically cleaned up X and Y to new, sans the needle bearing. And that's how you 'do things right the first time'... new with new, not old with new. And if 92153 has that kind of U grooved on the pin... change that out.

It's been a while since I had to translate Hubbish but here's my go at it.

X: Choose either, but I stared with thrust and used this as the 90° angle of attack. You should know both asphalt attacks over intersections, and turns on a race track. That bump made by the tires moving the hot embedded rocks is the thrust of that flat circlip rising the metal on the shift shaft's groove.

Y: The 180° swing is the up and down shifting that circles the one area to that shaft. That's a 360° groove being made by the rubber's friction. The metal then U's a groove on the shaft, and the new seal is not being forced to seal, but sinks into that groove = Leaks times 2. (1) Not catching the circlip cutting the new seal, and (2) No push at the lipped seal to hold the oil back.

So replace the seal 92049. The needle bearing 92046 requires engine case splitting so don't worry about that until I mess with gear dogs someday. I will buy a needle bearing just incase I ever go in there. The plan is to get a Gen2 engine in my Gen 1 someday so no sense in replacing unnecessary engine parts. I see the Gen2 uses the same needle bearing though so might as well have a spare.

Thanks, Hub.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/29/2020 @ 4:26 PM *

I got the whole list.
Shift shaft
Shift shaft claw retractor spring
Shift shaft oil seal
Shift shaft needle bearings
Shift shaft external washer
Shift shaft circlips
Swing Arm chain guide
Countershaft nut washers (3)

Babbitt's: $166.83 (with tax included) and free shipping

Partzilla: $128.40 (no tax collected) + $12.95 shipping = $141.35 total.
If I throw in a new countershaft nut, the total's $151.68 and free shipping.

I have gotten very slow shipping (weeks backorder) on some parts from Partzilla in the past. Would Babbitt's be any faster?

Babbitt's has updated parts for the chain guide and the shift shaft. What could Kaw have done to improve these parts?

* Last updated by: Rook on 3/3/2020 @ 8:15 AM *

I went with Partzilla. I doubt the two parts on my list that have updates would mean very much. They might be heavier than the old ones or something like that. All the parts I need now and most others are marked "in stock" so I imaging they can't get backordered.

With a 10% promo code, I got Babbitt's down within $2 of Partzilla but that was without the new countershaft nut. Partzilla currently has no promotional offers according to a chat session I had.

Trajectory plotted. bombs away.

DAMMMMMM!!!! Partzilla zinged me with sales tax at the last possible second.

Partzilla, final total: $160.02 but at least I got a new countershaft sprocket nut out of the deal. Babbitt's would have been a couple updated parts, no sprocket nut and $6 more. They'll get you one way or another. Pay more, you usually get something for it.