Drive chain maintenance

[Old Can Ride]

Everybody rides different! Do just like the book says, over the limit, adjust.

 

[Beemerphile]

Question... Is there a rule of thumb on how often a chain needs to be adjusted? every 8000 miles at oil change time? more frequent? Curious Noobie here.

Darin

They stretch irregularly - faster when new until all of the components are at full extension. On packaging machinery we used pre-stretched chains to get out of the early adjustment syndrome. With pre-stretching, a load close to the chain's rating is hung by the chain so that the pins and plates can get to their full extension. After that the stretch because of wear is much slower and is actually pin wear. If a chain is used well under its rated load (as ours is) then it can take quite a while (many adjustments) to get to the stable length. Chains operating closer to rated load would get there quicker. Once the initial stretch is out, the chain should stay in adjustment for 5,000 miles or so (obviously it depends on the chain an the maintenance it receives).

There is no reason not to check it at each clean/lube interval (along with checking for kinks) as it only takes a few seconds to do. However, with some experience, you can check it pretty close by pushing up on the bottom strand with the toe of your boot - just like a trucker can thump a tire and tell you by the sound and the feel how much pressure it has in it. I do this before every ride.

 

[bonnielover]

The recommended replacement for my 2002 HD Sportster was 50,000 miles, which is why I used that figure. I think the figure is even higher now (for HD) Of course, rocks, debris, riding style, etc. will affect the lifespan of the belt.

My 2003 Sportster belt broke at 14K miles, after 10 years. I had it on a dirt road only once about 5 years ago.

 

[BttrThnWrk]

My 2003 Sportster belt broke at 14K miles, after 10 years. I had it on a dirt road only once about 5 years ago.

I had a Buell Ulysses for awhile (about 60,000 miles), and the original factory belt lasted for 45,000 of them. I'd play with that bike in the dirt too often, but it was really too much of a street bike for many of Arizona's sandy unpaved roads. I figure the heat finally did the belt in, but have absolutely no evidence for this. It's just that the heat often nearly does ME in, so why not the belt, too? And I don't know if Buell belts were the same as Harley belts, either.

 

[Chris]

It's one of the standard pre ride checks in the manual. I never remember to do every day but it only takes a couple of seconds to check, I probably do every week/300km on average. Adjustment maybe once every 1000km

 

[n30r3l0ad3d]

I will be doing a how to video on this soon. I went ahead and picked up a chain alignment tool, Motion Pro 08-0048 on amazon for 10 bucks. I tried that maxima chainwax awhile back. I got it cheap one time at a local shop, and used it on my CB750. It flung all over, got on my wheels and made a frikken mess. That's even AFTER wiping the chain down before riding and letting it soak in. It also turns "sticky" after awhile, picking up all kinds of elements. For the NC, I went with Motul chain clean and chain lube. They use it on high end ducati's, so I wanted to give it a go.

 

[AdamW]

I'm looking forward to your video. It's exactly what a first-timer like me needs!

 

[Old Can Ride]

Looking at Beemerphile's first picture, I see he uses a product that I swear by. Dupont Degreaser, cleans your chain great like many other products do, but it does not destroy the x or o ring rubbers as a lot of other products do. Can be purchased at most Wal-marts.

 

[AdamW]

Looking at Beemerphile's first picture, I see he uses a product that I swear by. Dupont Degreaser, cleans your chain great like many other products do, but it does not destroy the x or o ring rubbers as a lot of other products do. Can be purchased at most Wal-marts.

Webbikeworld.com likes it too.

 

[StratTuner]

I still don't get how Beemerphile measured the slackness.

I've skimmed over the posts for a clarification. Did I miss it?

When I read what he wrote, I read that I'm supposed to put a tape measurer on the chain and pull down and then look at the 2" mark.
What, exactly, does THAT tell me?

I measure slack at the middle of the chain on the bottom.
1. put a ruler on the ground and note where the center of the chain bisects the ruler
2. put the bottom chain up until it stops. Note where chail bisects ruler.

It moves up like that about 30-35 mm. It doesn't move down much at all, so I don't see the point of pushing the bottom of the chain down toward the ground.

Is there a better way to do this?

 

[duk2n]

As I understand it, you must measure the complete slack, and with your method -not pushing the chain down- you miss at least 5 mm. Test it and you will see it.

Anyway, I see your method as a good one for starters, as a way to not overtighten the chain

 

[Beemerphile]

When I read what he wrote, I read that I'm supposed to put a tape measurer on the chain and pull down and then look at the 2" mark.
What, exactly, does THAT tell me?

That is your starting point. You pull down because at rest there is some catenary sag in the top strand. By pulling down, you are bringing that to the bottom to use it as part of the total slack in the chain. As far as the 2 inch mark, you can use any handy point as your basis. You are just looking for the change from that point. The reason I hook the tape on the chain and look for the move in the basis point is that it can be done more accurately that way. If you are moving the chain up and down and trying to measure the deflection, there is an opportunity for parallax error in how you are looking past the chain to the tape. Also, if you are reading from some odd starting point to some odd ending point, you have to do the math. "Let's see, I started and 6-3/8 inches and ended up at 7-3/4 inches... how much slack is that?" If you start with the tape hooked to the chain and your thumbnail pointing to a full integer number (2", 3" whatever) then it is easy to tell what number your thumbnail is resting against after you raise it. You want it to read + 1-3/8" from where it started.

I measure slack at the middle of the chain on the bottom.
1. put a ruler on the ground and note where the center of the chain bisects the ruler
2. put the bottom chain up until it stops. Note where chail bisects ruler.

The middle of the bottom strand is the correct place to measure. The two points I would add are: (1) To forcefully push down and pull up so that you measure the full slack of the chain. It is incompressible. You are just getting all of the slack into the measurement. And (2) that I can move my head around and change where the chain appears to bisect the ruler. If I have a thumbnail against the number scale, there is only one reading.

It moves up like that about 30-35 mm. It doesn't move down much at all, so I don't see the point of pushing the bottom of the chain down toward the ground.

If you don't think it makes much difference, don't bother. I do it in that manner to be rigorously correct. Maybe because I am an engineer with a pharmaceutical background. Maybe because I am a total doof. But that is what I do. The two components of slack that I will be including that you will not are the contribution of the upper strand at rest and the difference in the chain being pulled to a point vs. hanging in a chord. If you add those two together and think it not to matter, then have it your way. When the bike is under power, there is no catenary sag in the top strand. It is pulled tight under power and the full amount of slack is on the bottom strand. If the bike is idle in neutral, sag can be anywhere distributed between the upper and lower strands. I can rotate the tire forward and put more slack on the top strand or I can rotate it backwards and put more on the bottom strand. It doesn't all automatically fall to the bottom. How do you know how much of it you are comprehending in your measurement and how do you know that it will be consistent each time you measure it?

 

[StratTuner]

That is your starting point. You pull down because at rest there is some catenary sag in the top strand. By pulling down, you are bringing that to the bottom to use it as part of the total slack in the chain. As far as the 2 inch mark, you can use any handy point as your basis. You are just looking for the change from that point. The reason I hook the tape on the chain and look for the move in the basis point is that it can be done more accurately that way. If you are moving the chain up and down and trying to measure the deflection, there is an opportunity for parallax error in how you are looking past the chain to the tape. If you start with the tape hooked to the chain and your thumbnail pointing to a full integer number (2", 3" whatever) then it is easy to tell what number your thumbnail is resting against after you raise it. You want it to read + 1-3/8" from where it started.


The middle of the bottom strand is the correct place to measure. The two points I would add are: (1) To forcefully push down and pull up so that you measure the full slack of the chain. It is incompressible. You are just getting all of the slack into the measurement. And (2) that I can move my head around and change where the chain appears to bisect the ruler. If I have a thumbnail against the number scale, there is only one reading.

It doesn't all automatically fall to the bottom. How do you know how much of it you are comprehending in your measurement and how do you know that it will be consistent each time you measure it?

Q: do you measure with your rear wheel touching the ground or not?
A: It looks like you're rear wheel is suspended off the ground, now that I review. That explains to me also how the slack at the top may be moved to the bottom. I can presume that it's in Neutral as well.

from what you wrote, I read i should:
1) pull down on the chain and note where it bisects the ruler
2) push up on the chain and note the same.
pulling down first would include more slack. I get that part now.

(2) that I can move my head around and change where the chain appears to bisect the ruler.

Yes, you can, certainly, but not by much. I do make an effort to look at the chain and ruler straight out from the chain, not below it or above it.

The easiest way that I have found to gauge chain deflection is to pull the chain down firmly with a tape measure and index the tape on some even number. Here I am using 2 inches as the lower point. Holding the tape measure in a steady position, lift the chain up with your free hand and notice the new tape reading. This gives you the full range of deflection. In this case, the correct 1-3/8".

OK... I think I get it now. In your photo, the Tape measurer is resting on the table top, IN A FIXED LOCATION, so the two readings are not free floating in the air.

I'm going ot go out on this hot Sunday and put my bike up on the rear wheel lift and try the tape measurer thing pushing and pulling to get all the slack on the bottom part.

 

[Fuzzy]

Owners manual says check on side stand with no load on bike. That is what the spec is based on. Will be different measurement on center stand.

 

[StratTuner]

Owners manual says check on side stand with no load on bike. That is what the spec is based on. Will be different measurement on center stand.

Yep, I got so going on this, I had to stop and re-read the owner's manual. I've measured the chain play on the side stand.
Pushing down and up gives me 1.5 inches of travel. (yes, 1 3/8 is the spec.)
taking into account the push and pull slack together which I had not before.

I've got it as straight as my motion pro, super duper, straightness measurer will let me get it.

I've cleaned the chain with a stiff brush.

I'm listening to the "Muisc Row Show" from Nashville while we eat dinner, and after, I'll put DuPont chain lube on.

All of this only took two or three hours, and I still don't trust the work. I've measured and checked and re-checked, and I'll do it again tomorrow when I get home from work. In short, I would be the world's slowest mechanic and, therefore, unprofitable.

OH well...it was too hot to go riding today, so this gave me a project to do.

 

[Beemerphile]

Owners manual says check on side stand with no load on bike. That is what the spec is based on. Will be different measurement on center stand.

It is much easier to do the adjustment on the centerstand. The tutorial was done before I had the centerstand, but now that is what I use. It has been determined that the difference between the slack on the centerstand and the sidestand is about 5mm increased slack. But it will be the same every time, so if you add 5mm to your base min and max values, then you have what you need to do it thereafter on the centerstand where you can easily rotate the wheel to find the tightest position and more easily make the adjustments.

Another thing to consider is that the slack specification changes if you have altered the height of the rear suspension. Several members have lowered their rear suspensions which means that they need to determine a new slack spec for their modified bikes. This is determined by adjusting the slack to 1/2 inch with the suspension compressed until the rear axle, the front swingarm pivot and the countershaft sprocket are aligned. It may be easier to do this with the bottom shock attachment point or the linkage dogbones disconnected. That way you do not need a helper to compress the suspension for you while you measure and adjust. Once you have the slack correct at the aligned point, reassemble everything and see what slack that relates to on the sidestand and centerstand. Thereafter, you will use that figure instead of the guidance provided by Honda. A raised suspension will create the same need.

 

[Beemerphile]

Pushing down and up gives me 1.5 inches of travel. (yes, 1 3/8 is the spec.)

Under 1-3/4 inches will be fine. It is normal practice when setting it to set it at the minimum because the slack gets larger with time. You are fine to leave it at 1-1/2 inches, it will simply be sooner before it needs adjustment than if you had set it to 1-3/8 inches. I would not re-do it just to get it to 1-3/8 inches, but just check it when you do chain lubes and when it gets to your action point, re-adjust it. I go a bit farther with mine (2 inches on the center stand) because I have confirmed for me that I am satisfied it runs well there.

 

[Beemerphile]

I'm listening to the "Muisc Row Show" from Nashville while we eat dinner, and after, I'll put DuPont chain lube on.

You will have best results if you put the chain lube on a warm chain. This is especially true of chain wax products. It is also best if it can sit for 15-30 minutes afterwards. What I find best is to take it for a ride and lube it when I return. Then it can sit overnight before I ride it again. This maximizes penetration of the lubricant and minimizes the mess slinging off the chain. Win, win. This is why when traveling I clean and lube the chain when I stop for the day and before it cools down. The next morning it is ready to go.

 

[n30r3l0ad3d]

Something I noticed on mine, is the chain is a bit tight. And them dealer guys who put my new rear tire on, clearly did not align the rear tire correctly. The sprocket is hitting on the inner side of the chain, something I should have caught sooner. Mine also only has about an inch of play up and down, and seems a bit on the tight side. I personally like about 1-1/2 inches of play to allow some suspension travel. I saw somewhere the NC spec requires .75 to 1 inch of chain slack, which seems awfully tight to me. Can someone comment on this?

I'll get to that how to video this weekend when I get a moment, and the alignment tool I ordered.

 

[Larryb]

I saw somewhere the NC spec requires .75 to 1 inch of chain slack, which seems awfully tight to me. Can someone comment on this?

Owners manual and sticker on my chain guard specify the slack 1.2" - 1.6".

Also states, Do not ride your motorcycle if the slack
exceeds 60 mm (2.4 in).