Chain adjustment

[Engineern6719]

Just as a general question and not pertaining to any particular brand of bike.What is the correct method for adjusting the chain?I know you have to move the bike until you find the tightest point on the chain but the service manual makes no mention as to when to take the measurement of chain tension.I have been doing it off the side stand and sitting on the bike and setting the chain slack at 10-20 mm per the owners manual.With the bike on its side stand this measurement increases to about 30 mm.
As it's very difficult to make this adjustment on your own I have been setting the chain tension with the bike on its side stand at 30 mm knowing it will reduce to the correct tension when in the normal riding position.
Would this be the correct way of doing it or does somebody have a better method of adjusting the chain?

[SpudRider]

To me, it sounds as if you are doing a good job. If you had adjusted the chain slack to 10-20 mm on the side stand, the chain would be tight when you sat on the bike. This is not good, since a tight chain will damage the counter shaft bearing.

You want about 10-20 mm of slack while you are riding the bike, which is not a lot of extra slack. Therefore, I think you have done well.

[Engineern6719]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

To me, it sounds as if you are doing a good job. If you had adjusted the chain slack to 10-20 mm on the side stand, the chain would be tight when you sat on the bike. This is not good, since a tight chain will damage the counter shaft bearing.

You want about 10-20 mm of slack while you are riding the bike, which is not a lot of extra slack. Therefore, I think you have done well.

Thanks mate.It was the only way I could think of doing the adjustment if you are working on your own.

[pete]

on my XT660 if the chain is to lose it surges...
so i put a tie down from the swing arm to the grab handle
pull the bike down till the sprocket nut / swing arm pivit bolt
& rear axle are in line.... thats the tightest the chain will ever be
then adjust the chain with about 10mm play at that point.....


pete

[Mudflap]

What Pete said is correct, you need is 10mm to 20mm slack at the tightest possible point. That point is when the centers of the countershaft, the swing arm pivot bolt, and the rear axle are in a straight line. On some bikes you can sit on the bike to align the points but on some you would have to get your 350 lb mother in law to sit on the back seat. The tie down method mentioned by Pete works, or another way is to remove one of the shock bolts after supporting the bike with jack stands or something similar.

[Engineern6719]

Originally Posted by Mudflap

What Pete said is correct, you need is 10mm to 20mm slack at the tightest possible point. That point is when the centers of the countershaft, the swing arm pivot bolt, and the rear axle are in a straight line. On some bikes you can sit on the bike to align the points but on some you would have to get your 350 lb mother in law to sit on the back seat. The tie down method mentioned by Pete works, or another way is to remove one of the shock bolts after supporting the bike with jack stands or something similar.

Thanks Mudflap and Pete.Think I might try the tie down method.I have watched YouTube videos and searched the web but there is no mention of aligning of the back end before making adjustments.

[Weldangrind]

X3 on Pete's method. You can put the bike on a stand under the engine, remove the shock and cycle the rear wheel up and down. If you have a scissor jack, you can control the rear wheel height. When the rear axle, swingarm pivot and countershaft are all in a straight line, the chain will be at its tightest, as Pete says. Adjust so that the chain is just taught at that point.

Once you sort that out, put the bike back on the ground on the side stand. Measure the slack that results, and use that as a guide in the future.