DragBikeMike wrote on 07/10/20 at 11:26:13:Norm, it's fairly easy to remove the rear guide with the cylinder in place. I checked that when I first set up my tight quench engine. Did some mockups with the engine out of the bike to make sure I would be able to do it. I wanted to be able to periodically inspect the guide.
You have to remove the clutch to provide enough room to pull the guide down & out. You also have to pull pretty darned hard. When it goes back in you also have to push up pretty darned hard. Putting a small chamfer in the material around the pivot bolt helps. Then you have to get that bolt through the hole in the head & guide, but I did it without wrecking anything. Just takes patience. Tenacity helps too.
Mike, thanks for directing me to this very informative post. It puts my concern about chain stretch to rest. The rear chain guide/follower is the weakest link in the system and would need replacement long before the cam chain itself. Reading your quote, I'm not exactly looking forward to removing and re-installing it.
It's interesting that the Verslavy CCT is more to do with compensating for the aging weak tensioner than actual cam chain stretching itself. And, of course, Suzuki is proud of their rear chain guide follower at $100.
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