Chain slack

[JONO49 201]

I wasn't too happy about the amount of chain slack on my NC after having both tyres replaced when I bought the bike last week, I got my son to sit on it and it was way too tight! so looked at the w-shop manual and it quotes 30-40mm slack, I really had to push hard to make it 30mm, so I give it a tweek and it's now 35mm pushing upwards gently and now has enough enough slack with me sat on it! I must get a 6" stainless ruler as my 12 jobbie was clumsy for measuring 

Edited April 11, 2016 by JONO49

[bazza 3,629]

I cut a piece of pipe to length (wood,plastic, broken ruler?) and use it between the chain and the swinging arm to get an idea of slack

But it makes a huge difference if the suspension is compressed or not, and if on the  side stand or centre stand  -or not

 

I have had the same thing as you . I suspect the best way to do it is to have the required slack measured by someone else when you are sat on the bike ,no stands down, or having your feet on the floor -but how do you manage that?

Oh for a belt or shaft!

bazza

[Juggler 107]

Hmm, had a look at service manual and was surprised

[911767 148]

I've tried to adjust my 750x chain a couple of times and it's a real PITA. Too slack, too tight, too slack.......

 

So I've reverted to the trusted time old check system, when parked on the side stand I lift it with my boot toe and if it doesn't get within 1/2" of the swing arm then no worries.

 

I'm sure many on here will be cringing at the thought of such a basic check but it suits me.

 

In my early motorcycling days (1970 onwards) chain adjustment was once a blue moon.

[Mike5100 2,061]

I've tried to adjust my 750x chain a couple of times and it's a real PITA. Too slack, too tight, too slack.......

 

So I've reverted to the trusted time old check system, when parked on the side stand I lift it with my boot toe and if it doesn't get within 1/2" of the swing arm then no worries.

 

I'm sure many on here will be cringing at the thought of such a basic check but it suits me.

 

In my early motorcycling days (1970 onwards) chain adjustment was once a blue moon.

My guess Laslo is that would make it a bit too tight (on the X).  Sadly I spent quite a while with a steel rule blocks of wood and various implements.  Suffice it to say that eventually I came out with a reliable way of checking - if it's on the sidestand and you try to whack the chain hard against the swingarm, you will JUST fail to make contact.  If it's on the centre stand you will just make contact and hear a slight clacking sound.

Mike

[JONO49 201]

I found the adjustment I needed was  barely a quarter turn on the adjuster nut then a deft hit with a rubber mallet on the back tyre to move it then set up in line adjustments using a vernier guage against the rear axle bolt/nut washers to make them equal.

Oh and my britool torque wrench has no ratchet son I use this Britool ratchet adaptor with it to make life easy!

Edited April 12, 2016 by JONO49

[JONO49 201]

Rear wheel alignment technique I use.............

[Guest Bob]

Here's a tool I now use routinely that I never thought I would be recommending. Used a simple ruler since I got my first bike but was always unhappy with how accurate I was really adjusting the chain. I now use a Chain Monkey having had one recommended to me by someone and having seen them in use at kart tracks by quite a few people. 100% accurate every adjustment you make and a little bonus is that just quickly putting in on , which takes seconds, you can reassure your paranoid self that no adjustment is needed.

[Guest Lozzles]

Rear wheel alignment technique I use.............

20160410_090425.jpg

I like that!

[Guest Stumac]

I have been having issues with my chain slack. I only have a side stand and am adjusting the slack iaw the owners manual.

 

I initially used a steel rule to set the chain slack at around 35 mm, this didn't really work and the chain was to slack after a couple of rides. I purchased a chain monkey to set the correct tension. Which hasn't helped.

 

The real issue I'm having is that after I've set the correct tension and made sure the rear wheel is aligned and tightened the rear axle nut to 98 Nm, I check the chain and it really tight and not at the required setting.

 

Has anybody else had this issue? I've done 7400 miles since June last year.

[JONO49 201]

I think you have focused to much on the chain slack and not enough on wheel alignment! so when you finally torque the rear axle bolt it's pulling the wheel straight and altering your tension again, try to leave some tightness in the axle nut and use the adjusters to pull the chain equally in the swingarm, that's why I use the vernier guage on each side to try and make sure it's equal.

[Guest chicken george]

I think you have focused to much on the chain slack and not enough on wheel alignment! so when you finally torque the rear axle bolt it's pulling the wheel straight and altering your tension again, try to leave some tightness in the axle nut and use the adjusters to pull the chain equally in the swingarm, that's why I use the vernier guage on each side to try and make sure it's equal.

20160410_090425.jpg

 

I tried this method and my swing arm is 5mm different from one side to the other. I verified this by aligning the rear wheel running a dot laser along the whole length of the chain from rear to front sprockets. When i measured both sides it was 5mm out.

I appreciate that this might change from bike to bike and that 5mm is probably acceptable.

[JONO49 201]

I think your method is flawed! and taking a datum point from something as flexible as a chain will not be accurate, grab the chain on the rear sprocket and move it side to side and see how far out of alignment everything is then? should you have taken alignment along the faces of the front and rear sprockets that would be more accurate, but more difficult to do! and to say Honda's manufacturing tolerances are as far out as 5mm on a swing arm begs the question "are you taking the correct dosage of the medication that your on"???????

[Mike5100 2,061]

well ..... Chris's observations fit in with mine, and when the chain is lined up with a tool, the two indicator plates in the swing arm slots do not show the same readings.  I have'nt tried the micrometer to axle nut measurement, but since I think my chain is well aligned at the moment I will check that dimension tonight.

Another weird thing - The chain seems to tighten on its own    This is a new bike and the chain has been well oiled by both the dealer and me.  After the first service, they had set it slightly tighter than recommended - but only very slightly so, and since the chain was well aligned I left it.  Now the chain is far too tight.  What's going on?

Mike

Edited May 22, 2016 by Mike5100

[Mike5100 2,061]

what are people's recommendations as to the best laser chain alignment tool?

Mike

[Marte 127]

They have probably over tighten the adjusters' nuts, which are then capable of slowly moving the axel backwards, helped by vibrations.

well ..... Chris's observations fit in with mine, and when the chain is lined up with a tool, the two indicator plates in the swing arm slots do not show the same readings. I have'nt tried the micrometer to axle nut measurement, but since I think my chain is well aligned at the moment I will check that dimension tonight.

Another weird thing - The chain seems to tighten on its own This is a new bike and the chain has been well oiled by both the dealer and me. After the first service, they had set it slightly tighter than recommended - but only very slightly so, and since the chain was well aligned I left it. Now the chain is far too tight. What's going on?

Mike

[trisaki 2,029]

Turn the chain to find the tightest spot and adjust it there that could be the reason why when checking your chain after you tightened everything up it is then different to what it was beforehand, worth checking because by that mileage I guarantee you have tight spots

[JONO49 201]

FFS which part of the chain "will tighten" if the "Wheel" is not aligned correctly dont you understand!!!!!! because the 98nm of torque on the axle bolt will make the wheel true up on it's own!!! It's obvious peeps on here are obssessed with aligning the "Chain" and not the "wheel"....If the two adjusters are not equal when the axle bolt is tightened it will true it up, maybe not immediately but after a run when the adjusters move and either make the chain slack or tight...usually tight!

 

"Chain Tension".............."Wheel Alignment"  Got it???????

Edited May 22, 2016 by JONO49

[Mike5100 2,061]

errrm .... I hesitate to post this Jono but I can't make your technique work with the 2016 model - don't know whether it's different on earlier models.

I was able to use the micrometer OK on the nearside of the bike but kept getting varying readings on the right - sometimes going the wrong way after drifting the axle with a piece of wood.  I then realised that the two axle nuts are not the same.  The one on the offside uses a loose washer and it's obviously not a very good fit on the axle, so whilst the axle was moving the washer was not.  I don't think your technique will work unless I can get an identical nut for the offside.  I wonder why Honda haven't done that?

Mike

[Guest Krzysztof]

I personally have terrible experience with engine oil as chain lubricant. It damaged O rings in my chain and discoloured one of my black pannier. 

I've done a simple corrosion test and it came out as corrosive (Castrol GTX). Piece of metal covered in engine oil was more corroded than unprotected one.

 

Haven't find any other test proving or disproving my findings so can't be 100% sure here. 

[Guest Krzysztof]

 

I only found this.

1. Control

6. Engine oil. 

 

All in salty water. 

Both look similar but it's a matter of interpretation. 

Top of triangle #6 is more corroded than top of Control one. There is less water on top of each triangle. 

Again, it's a matter of interpretation but it to me the engine oil is as good or worse than salty water.

[JONO49 201]

errrm .... I hesitate to post this Jono but I can't make your technique work with the 2016 model - don't know whether it's different on earlier models.

I was able to use the micrometer OK on the nearside of the bike but kept getting varying readings on the right - sometimes going the wrong way after drifting the axle with a piece of wood.  I then realised that the two axle nuts are not the same.  The one on the offside uses a loose washer and it's obviously not a very good fit on the axle, so whilst the axle was moving the washer was not.  I don't think your technique will work unless I can get an identical nut for the offside.  I wonder why Honda haven't done that?

Mike

 

The Micrometer you refer to is actually a "Vernier guage" and the axle consists of a bolt and nut, not a nut on both sides (Unless Honda have altered it for 2016) and the adjuster markings which are on the "Washer" as you call it! are on both sides, if yours are different perhaps you could post some pics from both sides and will clear up the confusion????

[JONO49 201]

 

I only found this.

1. Control

6. Engine oil. 

 

All in salty water. 

Both look similar but it's a matter of interpretation. 

Top of triangle #6 is more corroded than top of Control one. There is less water on top of each triangle. 

Again, it's a matter of interpretation but it to me the engine oil is as good or worse than salty water.

 

Krystov who the **** mentioned corrosion????? the topic is chain tension and wheel alignment!!!! keep up with the story man!!!!!

[Guest Krzysztof]

Wrong topic. My bad.

[Joeyjoejnr 96]

Lads.  We need someone to do a youtube video from start to finish of adjusting the chain. Im still not happy about my chain tension. I can push it up and it will hit the swing arm. I use a laser tool and its 95% aligned. It all goes wrong when tightening the axel nut.