Chain Adjustment

NSRboi · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

I've just cleaned my chain (again). Woz using Silkolene CHAIN GEL thought it might have been better than Castol Chain Wax. Both are totally shite! What a mess! Found both made the links dry after a short time, and moisture was forming under the wax rusting my chain! Also my chain started to get quite rigid in places - not good!. A mate of mine said the wax locks in any moisture which can cause corosion probs later. I cleaned the chain with parafin, dried it, and used Silkolene (maintain) Chain Lube. It's moving more freely now, and looks great.

One problem - since i've removed the wax and lubed it, i've noticed the tension on my chain has gone up from about 1" to 2" - serious!

My bikes only 7 months old, so gunna have to re-adjust the tension. I'm a bit apprehensive about this because I don't have a centre, or paddock stand (yet), so i'm worried about the back wheel going out of sync when I adjust it.

Anyone know the best way of adjusting it? Rolling Eyes

beny · L Plate Warrior Joined: 12 Feb 2002 Karma :

I have had the same problems will my chain Silkolene CHAIN GEL Castol Chain wax are both shite! and I have all ready had a new chain. and it is only nearly 1 year old. the back wheel should not go out of sync. if u do up the nuts evenly and turn them half a turn each time. any poblems Look in your owner hand book.

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

Beny, it doesn't quite work like that mate. Just by turning each nut half a turn at a time doesn't mean it will stay aligned correctly, because he means adjusting his chain at an angle with it on the side stand. Best bet is to get a mate to help you or to buy a paddock stand, which is my next purchase I think after the replacement plastics.

Your chain is only a year old??? Most need replacing on how many miles you do on it not its age.
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A big enough hammer fixes anything!

NSRboi · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Thanks lads, had a go at it last night for the 1st time, it was fairly easy after I discovered that I was turning the adjusting nuts the wrong way and nothing was happening (stupid plonker). Yeah it seems that a paddock stand aint necessary at all, its just getting the gauges the exact same on the both sides, the adjusting nuts do all the work anyway without fiddling with the wheel itself.

A doddle now I know how to do it. Laughing

McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

Just make sure the back wheels straight Smile

Best way is to get a mate to ride along behind you, if it wobbles, it aint straight. Wink

Im amazed at the number of bikes Ive ridden behind that have had a twisted back wheel, it aint that hard to get it straight!
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BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

This is a good point by McJam, but just to add to it, just make sure your tyre is wearing evenly : Very Happy

8)

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A big enough hammer fixes anything!

Korn · Admin Joined: 01 Feb 2002 Karma :

Use Scottoil!

Even if you don't have a scottoiler buy a refill bottle of the actual lube for a fiver and lube the chain with it often, the scottoil is brilliant it will penetrate the links and the excess will drip off within minutes. The main problem with sticky chain lubes is that they attract all sorts of crap to stick to your chain, which if not cleaned turns into grinding paste - plus cleaning tacky chain wax off wheels is a total pain in the arse.

If you're skint save the old oil when you do an oil change and re-cycle it as chain lube, works equally well. As for getting old lube and brake dust off wheels get a bottle of wonder wheels from Halfords, it's an alloy wheel cleaner for cars but it works wonders on any bit of the bike which gets mucky, but don't get it on your skin or you'll start feeling a world of pain Crying or Very sad

zaknafien · Joined: 25 Mar 2002 Karma :

Korn · Admin Joined: 01 Feb 2002 Karma :

Yep. Once I made the mistake of not washing it off straight away and fuck me did it start to burn after a couple of minutes. The next morning I had skin that looked like it wanted to drop off Confused

It's inevitable to get the stuff on you when washing hard to reach places, but I dunk my hand in a bucket of warm water straight away to get rid of it, any longer than a few minutes and it starts to burn.

But despite it's hazards it's the best thing I've found so far for cleaning crap off of bikes.

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

I might try that, I take it its made of some sort of acidic solution then??? Can you fit a scottoiler to an NSR and it not lube the chain too much???
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A big enough hammer fixes anything!

Dylan · Trackday Trickster Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

The best thing i found for cleaning wheels was degreaser. Most of the crap on wheels is grease of the chain anyway. This degraeser stuff is clear but when it comes into contact with water it goes white. It only needs a bit of scrubbing to get the really hardned on grease off. Ill tell you te name of it tommorow. Its not acidic either which has got to be good for the bike and your hands. I gave up lubing my chain when it meant the rear wheel got mucky, think ill start using engine oil or summin.
Dyl