AirCooledSuzuki

Are there any benefits to use a manual cam tensioner instead of the original one?

Thought about building my own one.

I know that the stock ones can back off. I think you will get for and against with this. I put my efe on a rolling road once. Tensioner backed off. i prefer manual

All the stock ones are spring loaded, so how much torque to tighten the screw in case of using a manual one?

On the manual ones there is a oring behind the lock nut, I never torque mine up, just nipped them up.

finger tight then back off a quater of a turn was what APE said but some do it with rocker cover of and measure the free play in the cam chain

To set up the manual tensioner i would remove the spark plugs. Screw in the manual tensioner till you can feel slight resistance whilst rocking the crank. Youll know when its right as you should have 3mm of play between the crank and cam movement

I got a Ape one for my Gs1085 ,when we took my engine and a load of other bits for Roger Upperton to do his magic the first thing he picked out of the box was the
manual cam chain tensioner and "said to me you will not be needing this", he then exsplained to me why, a new cam chain stretches and slackens all the time
un less you want to keep adjusting it, he will not stand by it if it snaps....
He hates the things,they are good on a race motor which is checked out regualy but not a road bike no is wot he said to me and my wife, but roger did sort me a very nice auto one out ,he also went on to say Gs motor had 95000miles with out one so why change it now........
Then on the way back home, I get more shit from the wife about wasting more money ........