New Laser Chain Alignment Gizmo

[Beemerphile]

I bought a set of tires recently and they popped up a special deal to buy a Laser alignment tool at a decent discount. So I bit on it. I like it a lot. You can aim it all the way up to the countershaft. Much more accurate than the MotionPro stick. Like the difference between pistol sights and Crimson Trace laser grips. It is smaller and easier to carry on the bike than the MotionPro stick. Takes two LR44 batteries which will surely go out right when you need it to work. I will keep the MotionPro as backup.

 

[bduffey]

Does it clamp to the sprocket or are you holding it in place?

 

[itlives]

Nice! A couple of extra batteries and you're set.

I had Crimson Trace on my LCP 380. It was nice, but I think there's a lot to be said for training without the laser.
Up close training and things happening quick will make the laser just something else to cloud the mind (in my case, anyway).
I traded it off for a diff gun anyway. The new one is iron sights only.

 

[Beemerphile]

Does it clamp to the sprocket or are you holding it in place?

You just find a flat place and hold it up there. Then you can rotate it to send the beam up the chain. You will know very quickly which way and how far it needs to go.

I had Crimson Trace on my LCP 380..

Ah, the Elsie Pea. I am not a fan of the caliber. My CT Laser is on my S&W 340PD. I hate that gun. It hurts me.

 

[JDE]

I recently got one of those too. I broke the little plastic screw on my Motion Pro alignment tool so figured I'd give this a try. I really like it, and there's no way I'm going to break it by rotating the wheel too much if I forget it's on there. Since you have to hold it against the sprocket.

 

[Grey1one]

Found a short Youtube demo. Looks like they're using a different model in the last half of it.

[video=youtube;9NC8p5hbJSA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NC8p5hbJSA[/video]

 

[Fuzzy]

Like it, but at the price for now will use my Motion Pro at home and if adjusting on road count turns of the adjustment nuts. We use similar tools at work to align drive chains but this one is less costly than those.

 

[itlives]

Ah, the Elsie Pea. I am not a fan of the caliber. My CT Laser is on my S&W 340PD. I hate that gun. It hurts me.

Yeah, the LCP is good for small hands, not my mitts. My edc toy is a Taurus PT709 slim. Easy to hide...

Thanks for vid Grey1one

 

[Therapy]

Nice.
But I bought a stick and thought I was into the modern century because I always used the marks on the swing arm for my whole former life.
Dag-nabbit!

 

[potter0o]

I saw one of these things with a magnetic base. Thought it was a cool concept but for my first kick at the can picked up the Motion Pro. Think the laser was over $100.

 

[DirtFlier]

[...and if adjusting on road count turns of the adjustment nuts...]

A much more accurate way is to measure the distance from the center of the swingarm pivot bolt to the center of the rear axle, on each side, using an inexpensive tape measure. If the numbers are the same, then the wheel is aligned properly.

 

[Fuzzy]

[...and if adjusting on road count turns of the adjustment nuts...]

A much more accurate way to measure the distance from the center of the swingarm pivot bolt to the center of the rear axle, on each side, using an inexpensive tape measure. If the numbers are the same, then the wheel is aligned properly.

Respectfully disagree. IF it was square to start with counting the turns is more accurate than one can visually see with a tape measure. The turns can be broken down to flats on the hex nut. Best one can see on a tape measure is the nearest 1/32". Turning one flat on the nut is about half the best one can hope for on the tape measure. Accuracy of the tape is also reduced by trying to measure the center of a shaft on both ends.

 

[Beemerphile]

I agree with Fuzzy on this. One thing I would add based on a couple of forum members' bikes that have been to my shop is to make sure the adjusting bolts are properly set before you loosen the axle. I have seen the end caps not properly located on one and a loose end cap on another. Before loosening the axle bolts, loosen the 12mm head jam nuts and make sure the end cap is centered into the end of the rectangular swingarm tube. Then make sure that the 14mm head adjusting bolts are tensioned the same (light but snug). Otherwise some of your equal movement will go to take up slack.

This step should not be necessary if the prior adjustment was done correctly, but apparently (in my limited sample) this is not always the case.

Another note of caution would be to proceed with small equal adjustments, because if you go too far you are in for a complete chain alignment. This is easy to do. Half a turn on each side makes a large difference in slack.

 

[DirtFlier]

OK, you guys do it your way and I'll do it my way.

The problem I have with using the nuts is lack of accurate registration, so being off a little on a "half turn" is just as error prone as using the tape measure. I believe Motion Pro actually has a tool that is inserted into a hollow swingarm pivot bolt and it has a beam that can be extended to the rear axle.

 

[davidc83]

I just use the marks on the side of the swing arm, per the directions in the service manual (if it wasn't accurate enough, the corporate lawyers would be all over the directions).

 

[Beemerphile]

I just use the marks on the side of the swing arm, per the directions in the service manual (if it wasn't accurate enough, the corporate lawyers would be all over the directions).

You trust lawyers (much) more than I do. I would expect that the lawyers are only concerned in areas where you might get hurt and not so much with chain and sprocket life or tire wear. Even then, I would not base my safety on their completeness. Some of the dangers are found prospectively, and some only after one or more people have been hurt.

These techniques are for owners who want to do a better (more accurate) job than is possible using the marks on the swingarm. Certainly you cannot be faulted and will not go terribly wrong by using the marks - especially if you first confirm the marks by doing a proper alignment and then confirming that the indicators point the same on both sides.

 

[Wcmike]

I tried using my Motion Pro AND a laser a while back. But with my poor skills and crooked eyes, my chain is probably still out of alignment. Just more precisely so.

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

 

[anglachel]

You trust lawyers (much) more than I do. I would expect that the lawyers are only concerned in areas where you might get hurt and not so much with chain and sprocket life or tire wear. Even then, I would not base my safety on their completeness. Some of the dangers are found prospectively, and some only after one or more people have been hurt.

These techniques are for owners who want to do a better (more accurate) job than is possible using the marks on the swingarm. Certainly you cannot be faulted and will not go terribly wrong by using the marks - especially if you first confirm the marks by doing a proper alignment and then confirming that the indicators point the same on both sides.

Corporate Lawyers only care when there is liability against them... And in the case of a company the size of Honda, only when there are enough problems costing them enough money to justify fixing the problem prior to more suits being filed.

Something goes wrong when you did your own work? It's your fault, doesn't matter if you followed the directions, there is no proof that you didn't make a mistake, so you are liable, they are in the clear.
Something goes wrong after your bike is at the dealer? Dealer is liable (or maybe even the mechanic).
Something goes wrong on every bike after dealer maintenance? Now Corporate lawyers are interested, but probably not concerned unless it's something big, and they might not even care to take notice until there is a suit filed against them.

Besides I'm guessing most bike mechanics are using the tools at their disposal to make their job easier rather than counting markings on the side of the bike... but that is admittedly just a guess.

 

[itlives]

I just use the marks on the side of the swing arm, per the directions in the service manual (if it wasn't accurate enough, the corporate lawyers would be all over the directions).

I look at at those marks like the tool kit you get with the bike. Sure, they may work in a pinch, but you will go for your Master Craft tools when at home.

 

[Beemerphile]

I tried using my Motion Pro AND a laser a while back. But with my poor skills and crooked eyes, my chain is probably still out of alignment. Just more precisely so.

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

That is a great picture to show the greater accuracy of the laser. It looks pretty good by the stick and off to the left by the laser (assuming both gauges are properly seated). What do the swingarm marks say about all this?