Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Put your new ones in with the size facing the bucket, not the valve or it will disappear.

Andi, all you need is feeler gauges. The shims are clearly marked, and as they are UNDER BUCKET shims, they DO NOT WEAR as other set ups do. I have seen 150,000 + klm shims that are still perfect. If it was a valve train set-up like on the OLD ZX10 -circa 1989, then yes a shim could wear as the cam follower actuates the shim not the bucket. But with an under bucket shim, the load is between the cam lobe and the bucket, so the shims are rarely out unless the whole plot is coming undone

Thanks!! it's good news that I don't need the micometer then ...

7 of the 8 shims in my GT have no markings on them. I got my mike for $40ish from Bunnings- got it at Bunnings Newcastle- Bunnings Toowoomba didn't have them. They are a bit hard to find- at least cheap ones.

My shims were all installed with the printing down, so the middle digit was completly gone and replaced by a polished circle. half had no markings shown at all.

So nothing to do but measure them.


What you do is use feeler gauges to measure the clearance and write them all down.
Then remove the shims you need to adjust one at a time, read/measure and dont mix them up. (if you have a good collection of shims already you can change them on the spot).
Add or subtract the difference you need so the clearance will be right. Or use the chart in the manual.
Check if any of the old shims are the right size and can be swapped into others, order the rest you need.


I have a Kingcrome micrometer from Bunnings and its good enough, but not fantastic.
The digital ones are good enough for shims and easier to read, plus can be used for lots of stuff besides measuring shims. Just treat them carefully as a precision measuring instrument or they turn crap and measure different depending on how much pressure you apply.

I got one for $25 from a specialist tool store. Not digital so a lot cheaper than the hi tech jobbies and it works fine for what I want. As far as shims go, 2 shims the same thickness can vary by a surprising amount so it is always a good idea to measure. For what a cheap micrometer and feeler guages are worth, why wouldn't you have them?

after doing my 1st shim change with normal micrometers and fucking up all the readings i went for a cheap digi verniers from jaycar for about $50

worked a treat for the next time i did the shims since they are IIRC 0.25 increments

not all shims have markings on them, maybe kwak standard do but these can be put in the wrong way and the markings are gone or using other shims that arent marked

BTW egg cartons are great for when removing shims

Of the 16 shims in my thing not one of them was legible. Some had some sort of resemblance of printing on them, but none could be read.

Johnnie5 wrote: BTW egg cartons are great for when removing shims

BigW, got a good divided plastic container for $4
Has lid so wont get messed up if someone bumps it in the shed while your waiting for shims to arrive.

They are an absolute ripoff at Bunnings at 3x the price.