81 Invader for ovals

[Flying Frenchman]

I am having a problem with chain slipping around the gears in chain case.  Would anyone know of a better way to tighten this chain up?  I am setting up for ice ovals, my 3rd year.  I made some changes this year to be more competitive.  I have changed over to 38 mm carbs,  polaris Primary and secondary, and running 19/39 gears with a 66 pitch chain.  I tried a 64 pitch and it was to short.  Thinking of drilling a hole thru chain case and adapting a polaris like tighter.  Any thoughts?  The other thoughts was to make a threaded rod like mechanism between the two pucks? 

[Gilson435]

I would think an external Polaris style would be more convenient than one where you have to take the cover off. If I remember right Kawasaki made different tension springs for chain tension but not sure how available they are?

[mswyka]

If the chain is slipping, either the gears are worn or the chain is too long.  Try a different gear combination matching the gear chart in the manual to get you close to the same ratio.

[Flying Frenchman]

Would 20/40 gears work?  Will a 40 bottom gear fit? Does anyone know what other machines used the same size of spline as the invader?

[Doug in NY]

I was wondering if other manufactures gears also fit the Invader, but never got a good answer. I have attached a chart, for the original 20 - 40 setup you need a green tensioner spring hope that helps.

[sprocket]

Go to hi performance engineering .com they have a Arctic cat tensioner that works like the Polaris. I've tried the pucks I've tried a plate across to hold the pucks all sucked. I would drill a hole in the chain case & either use the Polaris style or the Arctic cat style with the ball bearing swing you will be able to tighten the chain.
On the drive shaft (Invader) that spline is bigger than any Polaris or Arctic cat sprockets to get around it either replace the drive shaft with something more common or have the gear end re-splined to except the 11W sprockets

[Flying Frenchman]

Thanks Guys.  Great help.  Got'er done tonight.  Used a Polaris tensioner and reinforced the case.  Big season opener this weekend in Bellevue. 

[Interceptor398]

Is that the correct chain for those gears?  Chain looks long?

[Flying Frenchman]

 I agree with you that i looks long.  I've got 19/39 gears with 66 pitch chain.  i tried a 64 pitch and was to short.  According to the chart Doug from NY sent the 66 is the right chain.   I should try to find a stretched 64 and see if it fits better.

[Gilson435]

Is that the correct chain for those gears?  Chain looks long?

That was my first thought too.... there is a lot of chain wrap around that bottom sprocket

[munkeystew]

I used an arctic cat tensioner. Had to grind down a little of the weld on the back side of it to sit right. The cat tensioner has a much thinner profile to run a shorter chain. My tensioner bolt ended up just below the chain case mounting tab. The Polaris tensioner is also tapered on the inside hole where it mounts. I would think that it may be forced crooked, throwing the chain. You could possibly cut out a Polaris chain case to get the tapered part out, but even then that's a lot of force on the long bolt required to use it.

[Flying Frenchman]

Thanks you guys,  That is what i did with that polaris tensioner, i cut out the tapered peg out of the polaris chain case then bolted it right were the old puck lever was,  but you are right not much room in there for adjustments.  My plan is to try to find a 64 pitch chain and see if it fits and a arctic cat tensioner.  I think there is some power loss on that long chain wrapped around that bottom sprocket like that.