loose tight chain

[stonedpirate]

hello,

just did my first 1000km service and noticed the chain is the right tension on half of it, the other half is so loose that it touches the chain guard.

Do i need a new chain?

Or can i do something about it?

Thanks

[CeeJay07]

adjust tension at the tightest point and lube it every ride.

[BUSGO]

Hang on!! After only 1000ks your chain is stretched??
Have you been pulling wheelies all over town?
A gen II chain is a good quality RK530G as stock and should be good for at least 40,000ks and much more if looked after.
Double check it, and set it to be at least 20mm slack at its tightest point. If this means that it is over 40mm slack at its weakest point, its stuffed!

[GRUNTMAX]

No.-1000klm
Yes.

  Drive Chain Inspection & Adjustment For Dummies.pdf (Size: 4.21 MB / Downloads: 31)

[cyndemgum]

hello,

just did my first 1000km service and noticed the chain is the right tension on half of it, the other half is so loose that it touches the chain guard.

Do i need a new chain?

Or can i do something about it?

Thanks

Mate, It is a new chain. Some plates, pins and rollers have loosened up and a section of the chain has not. As said, keep it lubed. Adjust the chain so you have about 25-30mm slack at the tight spot with the rider's weight on the bike. Remember a little loose is acceptable a little tight is not. Have a blast, Paul.

[stonedpirate]

thanks all

Seem to be getting some conflicting advice from this question on this and other forums.

Some say it is a stuffed chain, really dangerous, contact dealer etc etc

others say it is the normal process of breaking in a chain.

Would having it that loose that it touches the chain gaurd at loose points be really dangerous?

A definitive answer would be good as i dont want to crash :P

I'll call my dealer tomorrow and see what he has to say.

Cheers

[cyndemgum]

thanks all

Seem to be getting some conflicting advice from this question on this and other forums.

Some say it is a stuffed chain, really dangerous, contact dealer etc etc

others say it is the normal process of breaking in a chain.

Would having it that loose that it touches the chain gaurd at loose points be really dangerous?

A definitive answer would be good as i dont want to crash :P

I'll call my dealer tomorrow and see what he has to say.

Cheers

Fair go mate, you posted no pics, we have no idea if it has been babied for 1000ks or drag raced. Don't know if you have lubed the chain at all since new. Don't know if you know how to tension a chain correctly and you want a definative answer without seeing the bike first hand. This interwebby thingy is good but it aint that good. Paul.

[stonedpirate]

fair enough

wasnt having a go or anything

just that some people say having a tight spot means stuffed chain and some people dont.

As for pics, imagine a near new busa that was broken in by factory specs (under 6000RPM for first 1000kms) with lubed chain with good motul lube that has been babied.

The chain looks brand new.

But has had this tight loose problem pretty much since i bought it.

2cm slack at tight spot, loose spot touched chain gaurd.

[cyndemgum]

fair enough

wasnt having a go or anything

just that some people say having a tight spot means stuffed chain and some people dont.

As for pics, imagine a near new busa that was broken in by factory specs (under 6000RPM for first 1000kms) with lubed chain with good motul lube that has been babied.

The chain looks brand new.

But has had this tight loose problem pretty much since i bought it.

2cm slack at tight spot, loose spot touched chain gaurd.

Have someone who has had heaps of bikes and does all their own work have a look at it. Gut feeling, without seeing the bike, is all will be good if kept lubed and on the loose side. If aligned properly it is almost impossible for a near new chain to cause a crash. All of my bikes are absolutely flogged and i still get a minimum of 35 000kms out of chains/cogs. Have not seen a chain yet without tight/loose points. Paul.

[stonedpirate]

cool

thanks a lot man

[stonedpirate]

It's official

I'm an idiot

Didnt even want to admit my mistake here but after all the help i recieved, i feel obliged to out myself as a dick.

I finally got all my tools together to clean, adjust and lube my chain and started testing to find the tightest spot on the chain to adjust from.

I started rolling the bike forward 3 or 4 links at a time and notice that it was 75mm all around the chain.

I thought, thats strange, its now evenly loose and no tight spots.

I realised i was in neutral and the previous test were done in first gear as i live on a hill and didnt want it to roll forward. I put it into first and sure enough, the chain is tight :P

lol

ffs

No one told me to put it in neutral.

hahaha

Silly mistake but happy my chain and sprockets arent f****d.

Tightened it up to 25mm all round.

One thing i did notice though, when i was adjusting the left nut, the notches on the adjuster are uneven on the left. For example. On the right side, it is adjusted to the edge of the third notch. But on the left, it is adjusted to the third notch only on the bottom with about half a mill from the third notch on the top notch if that makes sense.

In other words, the left sides top and bottom notches aren;t perfectly aligned.

Does that mean my axle isnt straight? If so, how would i align them?

Sorry for wasting your time with that little pee wee up, but i do appreciate all your advice and learned a lot about chains and sprockets :)

[Ward P]

In other words, the left sides top and bottom notches aren;t perfectly aligned.

Does that mean my axle isnt straight? If so, how would i align them?

Sorry for wasting your time with that little pee wee up, but i do appreciate all your advice and learned a lot about chains and sprockets :)

Some people run strings from front to back wheel to check alignment, I've seen people lie down and swear they can tell just by looking,

BUT I set them by those marks on the swing arm religously. Loosen the axle nut and the chain tension nuts, and adjust till they are EXACTLY the same on both sides and the chain is the correct tension. I use a rubber mallet (or a carefully calibrated kick) on the back tyre to make small adjustments. As you tighten the axle nut, continue to check the chain tension. Remember that once off the stand with you sitting on it the chain will be a bit tighter, so it is better to have the chain a little bit loose rather than a little bit too tight. It isn't hard to get perfect.

[Shifu]

One thing i did notice though, when i was adjusting the left nut, the notches on the adjuster are uneven on the left. For example. On the right side, it is adjusted to the edge of the third notch. But on the left, it is adjusted to the third notch only on the bottom with about half a mill from the third notch on the top notch if that makes sense.

In other words, the left sides top and bottom notches aren;t perfectly aligned.

Does that mean my axle isnt straight? If so, how would i align them?

Sorry for wasting your time with that little pee wee up, but i do appreciate all your advice and learned a lot about chains and sprockets :)

The markers on the adjusters are never accurate and you should not relay on them. Align you wheels using the old fashion string method and once done make your own marks on the adjusters for reference.

[Axe]

In other words, the left sides top and bottom notches aren;t perfectly aligned.

Does that mean my axle isnt straight? If so, how would i align them?

Sorry for wasting your time with that little pee wee up, but i do appreciate all your advice and learned a lot about chains and sprockets :)

Some people run strings from front to back wheel to check alignment, I've seen people lie down and swear they can tell just by looking,

BUT I set them by those marks on the swing arm religously. Loosen the axle nut and the chain tension nuts, and adjust till they are EXACTLY the same on both sides and the chain is the correct tension. I use a rubber mallet (or a carefully calibrated kick) on the back tyre to make small adjustments. As you tighten the axle nut, continue to check the chain tension. Remember that once off the stand with you sitting on it the chain will be a bit tighter, so it is better to have the chain a little bit loose rather than a little bit too tight. It isn't hard to get perfect.

+1

[BEAU]

I never knew chains could loosen up in sections like this. One would think they'd be very uniformly put together...