Chain Neglect and Punishment

[TheDonUK]

I knew my chain had been somewhat slack for the past day or so, and had been looking online for a 22mm socket/torque wrench and paddock stand (if nothing else, just the socket), but foolishly i dident buy anything.

so i woke up this morning intending to do a gentle ride to uni followed by a trip down to my mechanics to get it adjusted (i dont have the right size socket for the rear axle bolt). I was just exiting a roundabout very close to uni, went to pull away at no more than 10mph, then i heard a CLUNK and lost all power, i realised pretty quickly what had happened and pulled over, to my dismay there was my chain dragging along the ground...

The damage was minimal thankfully, although it did cut straight through the metal bolt part that secured my hugger in place. I was wearing my boots and was unhurt, i dread to think what would have happened if i had taken it onto the A40...

I was outside pushing home distance and had no tools on me so i rang the AA who very quickly (15 mins) sent out a guy in a van, he dident have a clue about bikes mind and i had to walk him through the adjustment (and i just have a marginal clue from watching others do it). To cut the rest of the story down i rode very very sedately to the garage and had it given the once over by a mechanic. It has some adjustment left in it, but is basically shagged, so i will be needing a new one.


The thing is its been annoying me as of late that i dont have the ability to adjust my own chain and have to rely on others, which usually means it gets neglected as today. Two nights ago i was looking on ebay/argos/halfords etc for a Torque Wrench/22mm Socket (i think, its a Hornet 6) and paddock stand, but dident find anything within my very spartan price range, but i am going to have to shell out now as i have been taught a very important lesson about what happens when you get lazy with your chain, Heed this warning anyone else out there that gets slack (literally) with their chain.

Heres the damage to the bolt:

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc21/thedonuk/IMG_0869Large.jpg

[TUG]

Am sure they could get that off, or use a twist socket to get it off and replace with a new spindle.
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NIELSON-5pc-TWIST-SOCKET-SET-1-2-dr-17mm-22mm-BNIB_W0QQitemZ200172823053QQihZ010QQcategoryZ121980QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[TheDonUK]

Rear axle bolt has not much meat on the side in that photo but on the right side its fine, maybe i wrongly assumed thats how all Hornets were, Loosen and Tighten on the right hand side...

[Pie-Roe]

When mine needed doing, I just took it to a local suzuki dealer, he gave me a time later in the day when they didn't have any work, I went back and he got the 'lads' to do it for a fiver. S'easy enough. I could have done it myself, its not hard, I have the tools, but no paddock. Bricks to prop it up would have made the whole point of the exercise hard.

Pyro
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[The Tot]

Don't really need a paddock stand. Quick and easy way is to use either a metal rule and a reference point on the axle to measure distance between that point and the end of the swingarm. Use a good breaker bar and DONT think about using your torque wrench in reverse as a breaker bar! That's what i've been doing after not having a paddock stand. So long as you have the circlip that goes on top of the bolt, you'll be fine. I don't even torque mine up since i do the chain pretty much every 2nd day when i commuted to work.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[TheDonUK]

I usually just get a mate to push down on the left handle bar while holding the front brake, so the bike kinda pivots between the sidestand and the front wheel,

Either way I would like a Torque Wrench, the right size socket and a paddock stand, so i alone can go out any time day or night and adjust/lube my own chain with the minimum amount of BS, i think today showed me that this is not one of those things i should put off...

[The Tot]

The same thing happened to my 250 on my way to uni about 2 years ago, slack as britney's gash and it just skipped the sprocket, unaware after losing the power.

THAT eventually persuaded me to obtain my own stand and torque wrench. 40 quid can get you everything you'll need.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[kitty kat]

I was having to adjust my last chain everytime I went out on the bike (and yes I can do it myself) When I decided to replace it with a DID chain & sprocket set all the little rollers were breaking apart, guess I was lucky.
Fortunately this chain has been adjusted once in 10,000 miles but I lube it regularly.
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[Nb]

[craigs23]

That's dirty.

I think it was the dirt monkeys.

They're bad.

Gotta be the dirt monkeys.

I bleach their eyes out.

[Noxious89123]

Why do you need a paddock stand to do your chain tension?

1) Undo axle nut
2) Undo adjuster locknuts
3) Count the face of the adjuster bolts. Adjust both the same amount of turns until tension is correct.
4) Tighten up the locknuts (taking care that in doing so, you don't accidentally turn the adjuster nuts!)
5) retighten axle nut to appropriate torque setting.

I used my Torque wrench on one side, and my ratchet on the other.
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[mistergixer]

Another vote for Scotoilers - marvellous things! Although i check it frequently, i rarely(if ever) have to make any adjustments. In fact, the only time i ever really need to make an adjustment is when i've had the back wheel out for cleaning or new rubber.

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[doggone]

Its a bit anal to use a torque wrench on your spindle bolt IMO.
I've always done mine with the bike tool kit.

It would be hard to overtighten as the ring spanner they supply would bend first

[Noxious89123]

Really? Hmm.

I was under the impression that it was one of those things that needed to be done to a specific torque else the world would end

Was fucking hard to get it torqued as high as the manual states though....
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[stinkwheel]

If you can damage an M18 bolt by overtightening it using a standard spanner/socket set, you should be on the worlds strongest man. ie, buy a spanner that fits, tighten it as hard as you can by hand.

I never put my bike on a paddock stand to adjust the chain. Find tight spot, slacken spindle, adjust both adjusters by same number of turns (usually 1/4 turn each until tight enough). Tighten spindle, replace clip.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[TheDonUK]

Double Post

[TheDonUK]

With help from another BCF'er I got a new C+S kit on the way.

[trevoriv]

Was adjusting my chain on my thundercat every bloody few hundred miles and it was a ballache doing it every week but luckily I have never had to adjust the chain on my zx6r in 10,000 miles
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Mudskipper wrote: Someone just has to sig that...

[stinkwheel]

I'm going to have to video myself doing this them get someone to put it on as a sticky.

Equip yourself with one piece of wood* which is about 1" longer than the distance then the distance between the right side of the swingarm and the ground when the bike is on the sidestand.

Squat on the right side of the bike, facing the back wheel.

Using your right hand, push the rear part of the bike up and away from you. The rear wheel will come up off the road.

Using your left hand, place the piece of wood under the swingarm and lower the bike onto it.

Job done. You could now remove the rear wheel if you wanted to.

Also works for the front wheel of most bikes if you do it further forward. I've done it with both at the same time on my KLE500, leaving the bike sitting on two bits of wood and the sidestand.

*Or a brick, car jack, prop-stand/whatever.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Marcg868]

I hate adjusting my chain. Last 3 times have gone like this.

1st time All went well lubed it all up and didnt overtighten it.

2nd time It would not undo, so tried standing on the spanner like a dick, and fucked the thread on the bolt replaced the bolt.

3rd time Same again, but this time fucked the spindle and bolts thread

I dread doing it, bought a DID chain and ive not adjusted it for about 8,000 miles, needs a bloody good scrub tho.
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[The Tot]

I hunted about on ebay to be honest with you. I got a bargain for 12 quid on a paddock stand and a tenna for a breaker bar from halfords with the relevant socket is another 3-4 quid and there you go. I assume you have the small spanners for adjustment?

I always like to double check my wheel alignment too, since applying the torque on the axle nut can cause the swingarm to deflect, essentially tightening the chain.

I loosen the nut until it barely grips the swingarm, readjust and there you go.

A paddock stand is not particularly essential but does make the job a damn sight faster.

If you do use the bike on a commute, a little attention every weekend goes a long long way, particularly with your chain. Don't leave the rain to wash it off, get some degreaser or chain cleaning agent, do it yourself and reapply. I use either a combination of the Wurth Dry lube (7-8 quid) or the Motul Race stuff. When none are available, i just use the hein gericke stuff.

Chainsaw oil is apparently meant to be the bollocks too according to Craig.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[lukamon]

for degreasing, i take me chain off, out in a tupperware pot with half a litre of petrol, and shake it for a while
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[chris-red]

You can boil them in oil apparantly, I changed my C&S today quite an easy job.

If you want to get a chain off and it doesn't have a split link, you dont have a chain breaker and taking the swing arm of seems like far too much effort, do it my way.

Get a drift and a hammer
put the drift in between a chain link whilst it is resting on the rear sprocket.
Smash the fuck out of it.

It took about 2 minutes after I had the idea, I say I by 'I', I obviously mean my mate Steve.
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[MaybeGuy]

your chain fell off the sprockets??? you called the AA????

just slip it back on and ride slower to the nearest place that has tools!

this has happened to both my lifan and my GSXR400 because i literally havnt had the time to adjust them and the crap weather degreased the chain
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

If i remember rightly the Hornet 6 is a 25mm socket, dont make me going out in the rain and check.
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