Author Topic: Chain adjust (Read 3824 times)

ttewejnodnarb · « **on:** February 23, 2006, 02:05:55 PM »

I am new at wrenching but have been finding alot of success using tips here along with my Haynes manual. I have a stupid question. I've been trying to fix a thruming felt in my pegs that I have attributed to mal-adjusted and/or misalighned cain. It may even be one or two of the links sticking. I cleaned the bike the other day and tried to loosen the chain to where I could wiggle each link. Here are the problems I encountered.

1) Loosening the rear axel nut (taking off) and screwing the adjusters all the way in does not free the rear wheel to move back and forth. Do I just need to unbolt the rear break caliper torque arm and remove the rear caliper? As a point of interest the previou owner installed blue anodized adjuster shims (for lack of the correct term) that seem to hang up a little but don't impead adjustment with the adjuster screws as far as I can tell.

2) When I adjust the chain as indicated in the Manual, with the bike on the sidestand not the center stand, then re-torque the rear axel nut the chain is always much tighter than where I adjusted it.

I guess I'm asking if there is any trick to adjusting the chain or is that just the way it is and does anyone think the aftermarket "shims" are impeading rear wheel travel back and forth when the axel nut is loosened or off. I'm having a hell of a time trying to adjust the slack AND make sure it is aligned right at the same time.

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2006, 04:14:06 PM »

Quote from: "ttewejnodnarb"

1) Loosening the rear axle nut (taking off) and screwing the adjusters all the way in does not free the rear wheel to move back and forth.

I think you mean screwing the adjusters all the way OUT... even when I do that the wheel has to be forcibly moved forward to slacken the chain - it doesn't glide forward at all. The rear brake caliper doesn't need to be fooled with to adjust the chain tension.

Quote from: "ttewejnodnarb"

2) When I adjust the chain as indicated in the Manual, with the bike on the sidestand not the center stand, then re-torque the rear axle nut the chain is always much tighter than where I adjusted it.

That's pretty normal IIRC... you might start with a little more slack before the final torque of the axle nut. Remember there is a range of chain slack that is acceptable. Getting it within a millimeter is only good for the next couple of hundred miles anyway. I don't see anything drastically wrong here but I could be missing the problem.

Red01 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2006, 04:38:30 PM »

1) I always loosen the rear caliper torque arm. The wheel will move easier if it's not trying to keep the brake caliper in one place.

2) Sounds normal. You just have to make it a little looser than spec so it'll be in spec when everything's tightened down. After you've done this a few times, you'll get a feel for about how much is right for your bike.

ray nielsen · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2006, 05:40:40 PM »

I've found that the rear wheel moves just a bit as the axle nut is tightened. I use a Phillips screwdriver blade as a lever between the swing arm U slot and the adjuster block to prevent this when doing the final tightening. This movement only seems to be on the left side when the axle nut is turned, probably some binding.

The pivot bolt on the caliper does need to be loosened according to the shop manual. Otherwise it's difficult to move the wheel forward or backward when doing the chain adjustment.

ttewejnodnarb · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2006, 01:42:32 PM »

Awesome...thanks for the input...I thought I was taking crazy pills or something.