I've been reading the stuff on the cam chain tensioner, and seen the mod offered to extend the tensioner arm for more travel.
Makes me think about the root of the problem. Honestly, I don't see that many cam chains on other bikes stretch out that much. And extending the arm just means that the chain is really stretched out.
Which isn't great for the sprockets.
Looking at the stock tensioner, it has a ratchet on it so that the arm cannot retract once it extends. So, when the cylinder is cold, the arm extends. The the engine heats up and the cylinder grows. But the chain doesn't. So maybe the grief here is that the tensioner is stretching the chain?
When we raced an SR500 in AHRMA I modified the original automatic tensioner to semi-automatic. I'd allow a little slack when the engine was cold, then when it heated up and the cylinder grew, the chain basically ran with no slack, but no tension.
Thinking about doing the same thing on the Savage. Downside is that it would mean pulling the clutch cover to adjust periodically.
Waddayatink?
-Armen

I have been thinking about this also and am very interested in batman's solution, i.e. take out the pawl. It sounds like lunacy but he swears that he has had no problems in a few thousand miles. I am very nervous about it but the proof is in the pudding. (haven't done it yet)

I have also thought about filing every other tooth off the ratchet which would possibly halve the wear cycle?

Clearly the cam chain spends a lot of its time over tensioned.

This would solve your adjustment issue...




http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1448856365

I have no idea how fast the adjustment occurs with a stock tensioner vs. how fast the wear "needs" to be adjusted.

When I last had my bike apart it was at 1,200 miles, and the tensioner measured 14mm.  I now have 7,000 miles on it and plan on taking it apart in a month or so....and I can measure it again and then convert it to manual.

I also don't know what "too loose" will be....maybe it doesn't need to be adjusted every tooth like the stock system does automatically.  I think you just ride....and maybe once a year make an adjustment until you get a feel for what is required.  After the first year you would know how much wear occurred by measuring the extension and recording the mileage before you remove the spring, then take the spring out and ride......next winter you remove the side cover, look at the tensioner and give it a small shove and see where the piston ends up (measure), then take the tensioner off, install the stock spring and rotate the engine over several times...then measure again (this will give you an idea how accurate your "shove" was.  Then take the spring back out and shove the plunger to the dimension that you measured when you put the spring back in.

Another option is to do what Verslagen is suggesting....or maybe a small cable/wire looked into the oil fill port.

I like versys idea.

As long as I don't drop the thing down in the engine

I think I am going to get pretty rapid chain wear since my riding is always 50/80 miles at a time, Never more. :'(

armen,

I thought off that. It becomes a completely manual adjuster. With the normal spring tension. And so easy to accomplish.

I think the tensioner starts out 12 to 14mm extended.  The factory plunger was just made a bit too short to allow for much stretch at all.

With Versy's extension and the added safety of the pinned slot, I'm pretty comfortable.
I don't believe we've ever had a chain stretch beyond that point,... and I don't recall a chain breaking either...

Anybody recall a broken chain?... I may be wrong.