Couple of good points there. I have been adjusting chains for more than 40 years now, and I have never even considered looking out for movement on the top run. Also, wedging something between the chain and sprocket to pull everything forward is a great idea.
@@FabMotorbikesThanks Fab, I have a metre long piece of 12mm bright round bar which I know is perfectly straight, I remove the chain guard and lay this bar on, or rather in,the top run of the chain. Pushing it as far toward to the drive sprocket as possible. Then I measure from the Bar to the front and back of the wheel rim, adjusting until equal measurements and the correct chain tension is arrived at. This gives perfect chain and front to back wheel alignment. ATB. Ps, I've done this for years and think this is original as I've never heard of it before .
You’ve been adjusting chains for 40 years and you’re complimenting someone else on their techniques, this makes you an open minded, mature, considerate, and you’ve got your ego in check. I love people like you.
Several good tips here- thanks. I appreciate how quickly you get into the actual subject. Too many channels, on any subject, have a big production intro, followed by the presenter telling me what he’s going to teach me, followed by his telling me how qualified he is, which is of course, followed by him telling me at least 2 or three more times, what he’s about to teach me. At this point, I usually click to a different channel.. one that respects my time… like yours.
The clearest, straight forward, easy to follow guide ever. I watched probably 10 other videos and come away scratching my head, this 5 min video is super easy and clear. Mate thank you so much.
This is the most in-depth & straight to the point video I've seen on this. I also wanted to mention the way you described the alignment technique you used (with wedging an object in between the chain/sprocket) was very clear & direct. Much appreciated brother
Thank you so much! Really glad you found it useful. The only thing i forgot to mention was that slack measurements can differ from bike to bike, especially for those with out a centre stand. Thanks again and ride safe!
@@FabMotorbikes Is it ok to do it on side stand especially when on a ride, roadside? And I guess the owners manual always show measurement using centre stand or paddock stand?
@@royarnab22 you can definitely do it while on the kickstand but if you want to do it the best way then you’re going to want to do it on a rear stand or rig something up to where your rear tire is off the ground. You don’t really want pressure on your rear tire from sitting on the ground while your bike is titled over like how it is on the kick stand. If you have to do it roadside emergency wise then you might want to check it and see if it need to be readjusted back at home with the tire suspended in the air.
Finally I find someone who shows me in a very understandable way how to set the right slack of the chain. Now I am confident in doing the chain on my KTM 1290r adventure. Thank you! 🤗
@ragnar careful with KTM. You can't use his technique to measure the dead center where to search the tightest point. You have to take it somewhere after the chain slider under the swing arm. I have a Duke 890 R myself and KTM has its own peculiar way of measuring chain slack. !!
It would be worth mentioning that the slack measurement should be done as indicated in the user manual, most often on the side stand, not the central one like seen in the video. Thanks for the tips 🤗
FZ6 has the measurement on the center stand with 45-55mm slack per user/service manual. And too loose is much better than too tight - you are more likely to destroy your chain if you are too religious with adjustments:)
Measuring chain slack and finding the tightest section just using the side stand is a complete nightmare. Get a paddock stand to maintain static sag on the suspension and still turn the rear wheel without all the hassle.
Thought I got all the right points in my adjusting process but this dude dropping some really useful tips for things I wasn't able to address before.. Good stuff here.
A good video guide for those who haven't done it before. One point I would like to add is that the alignment markings on the swing arm should NOT be relied on as accurate. OK for a rough setting but better to check the wheel alignment with a straight edge-preferably one each side of the wheel. I was amazed to learn how far out these factory markings can be! For the absolute best accuracy get the wheels aligned by someone with a laser alignment kit. More precise than any eye measurements and you can actually feel the difference when riding. Quite a few bike shops have laser alignment kits these days.
Yea this is why I came here. Pretty sure my factory marks are off by 25% the distance between the etched lines. Exhaust and other stuff in the way of measuring from swingarm to rear axle bolt on both sides to confirm. I ordered a motion pro sight alignment tool that clamps to the chain, but not thrilled with the prospects of that, either. Also not thrilled with the price of the laser option but perhaps that's what it'll take to satisfy the standard I'm trying to acheive.
Absolutely correct. My Bandit 1200 chain adjusters are off by a FULL MARK. I recommend a "sprocket pointer tool, such as by Motion Pro, which latches on to your rear sprocket and has a stick/pointer that runs parallel with your chain edges.. a better form of adjustment.
Laser chain alignment tools are not that an expensive addition to your toolkit. I have profi-cat laser adjuster and with several bikes it gets enough use to justify its cost. I must have had it about 15 years and was amazed to see how much they cost now (mind you, I say that about the cost of everything) good tools pay for themselves over and over again! Don't work on your bike with its supplied toolkit (except in a roadside emergency), it's quality is very low, invest in some combination spanners, sockets, a few screwdrivers (jis and flat blades) and some allen keys. Aldi and lidl sell tools plenty good enough quality and in real terms tools have never been so cheap.
@04:20 Not the only way. I struggled for a long time to get the wheel aligned having to adjust left and right until eventually I thought it was straight. Took ages. Then I started using a Vernier Caliper to measure the axle block gap to make sure it's 100% even rather than eyeballing the marks on the swingarm. Works every time and it's so much faster
That's what I was looking for, straight to the point with the tools that you have at house, no lasers, expensive torq wrenches and bullshit. Great stuff 👍
Glad to hear of help! Only thing I would recommend is to read you user manual. The measurements I quote are for my bike , not every bike. For your bike it may not be optimal to adjust the chain on the centre stand.
I think to measure total slack, you have to push the chain all the way down as far as it can go then up as far as it can go. I believe this is the only way to standardize the measurements and according to motorcycle manufacturers.
This is a tip I learned from Dave moss tuning. (Great channel by the way). It ensures maximum suspension travel and reduces the risk of over tightening.It’s not for everyone. And it’s definitely not an official manufacturing recommendation.
@@FabMotorbikesthen you didn't may attention. Cause Dave Moss clearly said to push (up AND down) the chain on the bottom side till it starts to rise on the top side. In other words: measure WITHOUT overtensioning the chain when measuring
I think you do want to measure both up AND down (which I think he says in the video) however you want to do so without the other side of the chain also moving. (Otherwise it would be an immaculate measurement).
So many little details make a big difference. Much appreciated! Didn't know most any of this. So many ways to get this wrong. I'll need to reference this video often until I get it all memorized. Thanks!
The end of the chain slider on top of the swingarm is usually halfway and where manufactures tell you to check tension. No need to measure the whole thing and then half👍🏼
While its up, lube that chain and give it a wipe. I check for sprocket wear and if the chain can be lifted off the rear sprocket (indicating chain wear). String lining/laser measurements are generally overkill in my opinion, yes a lot are out but I'd bet not one of us could tell the difference (MC Mech +30yrs exp). Thumbs up for the clear instruction and hints.
Agree, but I will one up you. Clean and lube BEFORE adjusting. A loosened up chain can affect adjustment quite a bit vs a dirty/binding one. Plus there is no sense to adjust if it turns out that the chain fails inspection.
You should adjust both sides together, so keeping the wheel aligned when checking tension. With this method, you got your tension perfect by only using one adjuster, then aligned the other side which would have changed the tension again. Thanks for the other tips, I will try them next time I adjust.
You said what I was thinking. I always do 1/4 turn on one side, then the other, then check. Down to smaller adjustments if needed but always to both sides
Clear and concise with some good tips, particularly around pulling the wheel forward to take the slack up in the adjusters before tightening the wheel (now subscribed). Having had an off due to the chain snapping and locking up the back wheel on an RD400 back in the 70s, I'm still a bit paranoid about precise chain adjustment/maintenance. One thing I question though is omitting top rung slack - I have always presumed (perhaps wrongly) that you are meant to be measuring total, rather than just bottom rung chain slack. One reason I've made this assumption is that on at least some bikes which are adjusted on the side stand, the manufacturer stipulates putting the bike into neutral. This suggests to me that this is specifically allow the slack to be taken up in the top rung - being in gear would in fact prevent top rung slack being measured, so if you didn't want to measure top rung slack, having the bike in first gear would help prevent this. Am I perhaps missing something here? I also find it hard to get my head around the universal instruction to pull the chain down as well as up to measure slack. if the gearbox is in neutral, or wheel is off the ground when measuring slack, in my enfeebled brain tells me that all slack will be measured just pushing the chain upwards?
@@FabMotorbikes i was tightening my chain and then forgot the rag between the sprocket and the chain. I had the bike on the stand and put in first. The rag travelled through the back sprocket and then it snapped down after the rag made it out. Did i destroy the chain? 😥
Thx for the video its the same setup as on my CSC RX4.... I have been neglecting doing the chain adjustment and had alot of slack..... I was to nervous to do it before solo... Video helped a lot :-)
Thanks for the idea to use a spanner in the sprocket to stop the axle pulling the chain tighter when doing up the large nut. That has bugged me on my current bike for five years. Never had this problem before. Finally I can end the repeated checking and readjusting that made the whole job take four times longer.. brilliant.😊
Best chain adjustment guide I've seen. Thanks for including the all important observation of the top chain movement - If the chain on top is moving while you're pushing up on the bottom part of the chain, you're pushing too hard. Thanks for making this super clear, concise, and complete.
Thank you. Glad it was useful. The. Only think I forgot to mention was that every bike will differ in regards to whether the chain will be adjust whilst in the side stand , centre stand or on a paddock stand. In my case the measurements are for when the bike is on the centre stand, therefore the slack will be looser.
Interesting and well informed video. Just to add, on my nc750x it doesn't matter if you measure the slack on side stand or center stand. The results are the same.
Very real world Fab by working on a bike that is obviously regularly used and not one of those showroom "licked clean" machines that is so unbelieveable and unrealistic. This is just good and honest. Keep on keeping on dude. Thumbs up!
I love my garage queen, I'm able to keep it in showroom condition with baby wipes and quick detailer. I don't even get it wet to wash it. My kit is just as clean. Each to their own I say. If you're happy riding a mucky looking thing then that's fine too. But for me, nothing like turning heads with a sparkling clean bike, which I do whenever I ride mine. I also never get asked to remove my helmet at petrol stations for fuelling or payment probably because my bike always looks brand new. I enjoy cleaning it too so it's a double win for me. My car is just as well looked after.
Thanks for this mate. The manual for my kawasaki is fooking stupid for chain tension. It mentions nothing about keeping an eye on the top chain run when measuring, which meant I over tightened my chain. I knew it couldn't be right cos when I sat on the bike the chain had no slack at all. It's so simple someone like you explains it properly!
When finally tightening the axle nut at 5:17 he said a tendency to pull back. If you fit spanner handle down, you pull forward. I've used 3 different methods for aligning the wheels over the past 60 years. On most bikes front tyre is thinner than rear. First learned the string method tying string to front wheel and with string touching front of rear wheel, then checking distance to rear part of tyre, both sides. Second method, described in many manuals. Use two long straight planks touching rear wheel, front and rear. Distances from plank to front wheel shall be equal. Third method. Use a 24 inch spirit laser level pushed against rear tyre. Small cardboard boxes on each side of front wheel. Sharpie mark on laser dot. My own idea when I could not find straight planks nor a string in the workshop. Fasted and easiest to do. All alignments done with bike vertical.
Perfect video! I like to keep spare links and a chain breaker tool in my kit. After I clean my chain with ISO and a toothbrush, I use a toothbrush and 10W-30 oil to re-lube it. It drinks about 3 wide caps full. If you change your chain, change both sprockets as well, as parts that wear together repair together. If you power wash your bike, avoid directly blasting the chain, and clean and lube it right away.
Thank you! I’m glad it was helpful. The only thing I would add is to check your manual in regards to measurements and whether you should be adjusting your chain on your centre stand or side stand. As that will differ from bike to bike. Ride safe!👍
You say that adjusting the axle block and comparing to notches on the swingarm is the best and only way, that's only true if those notches are accurate, many bikes come from the factory with those settings out of whack, both screw type or snail cams can be out by quite a bit, you'll also lose accuracy with worn parts like bearings, for true accuracy set the axle to the same notches on both sides, then use a long rod with a sliding pointer and measure from the swingarm pivot to the axle pivot, the measurement should be exactly the same on both sides of the bike, with that established and with compensating for any inaccuracies you can properly adjust the chain, distance between the swingarm pivot and center of axle are all that matters, always treat the adjustment markings as suspect. excellent video.
Hi Fabian, You've educated me. I didn't know your trick of "shunting" the wheel forward by using a screwdriver between the rear sprocket and chain. Thank you.
Thank you. Glad it was useful. One thing I forgot was to mention that you should make sure you measure your slack based on what is needed for your bike. E.g on my bike, it’s when it’s on the centre stand. But in yours it may be on the side stand or a paddock stand. They’re all different!
@@FabMotorbikes On mine it is the side stand. I ride a ZZR1400, and with the twin exhausts it's a real pain in the ass to do. I noticed it clunking more into first gear and from first to second last Saturday, so I thought I'd better adjust it. I've since cleaned the bike and chain but, this weekend I'll do the adjustment. Thanks again for your excellent video.
My way of having equal distance on both sides of the swingarm is to paint one side of the adjuster bolts. The I simply count the number of turns of each nut and ensure that they are equal. Simple but effective way to have the wheel well and truly aligned. I'm amazed no-one ever thought of this before.
Bajaj motorcycles have this really great chain adjuster disc. You just loosen the bolt, twist the disc to the next number or lower number for adjusting. The same is present on the other side and if you have set both the discs on same number then your wheel will be perfectly aligned.
Do bear in mind though most bikes can be way out for wheel alignment even if you have them symmetrically set on both sides. It’s best to get this checked by a specialist who can correct front and rear alignment. Having had mine done, I found out that to be completely straight the left adjuster was set to 5 marks and right was around 6 marks. Crazy. Great video by the way 👍
I like the tip of using something to jam in the sprocket to tension everything up while torquing the axle nut. My '74 Norton Commando really changes chain tension b/c of axle movement when torquing the axle bolt. Will try your tip. Although you stated your tension spec was for bike on center stand, might want to emphasize why that is important. Many folks see the slack spec and just measure it with bike on side stand, centerstand (if equipped) or a paddock stand. It is critical to know what the spec is meant to be measured at (side, center stand or even with weight of rider sat on bike etc.) b/c the swing arm is not pivoting exactly where the front sprocket rotates...the slack spec needs to take this difference into account for the given geometry bike.
Thank you Sir. Great video. Sharp and illustrative. The tip in using a screwdriver to assist moving the axle forward was brilliant. Off to tighten mine. Thanks from the antipodes (Australia)🦘.
Thank you. Just be sure to check if you should measure your chain slack on your centre stand, side stand, whilst sitting on your bike or on a paddock stand. I missed this bit out
I find that often after slackening the axle nut, a tight or seized axle can be holding the other side adjuster rock solid and there is a risk of stripping the adjuster bolt or the swing arm thread as a result. I therefore recommend giving the axle nut a strike with a copper hide or rubber hammer to make sure the axle isn’t seized in the wheel and to alleviate the tension on the other side ready for adjustment. If the axle remains tight in the wheel due to corrosion etc, then it’s best to remove the wheel to clean and grease the axle prior to adjusting the chain. 👍
Excellent, explained a few points other guides missed!! So back out to readjust again tomorrow after wrongly adjusting today! knew something wasn't right but hopefully now i have the right points to do it correctly! So don't want to ride with it too tight again like while back when nearly trashed the gearbox by overtightening!👍🤞
Great point about top-of-chain movement . I'm with another commenter on the measurements though . My new (to me) w650 was 3.5mm out on one side, after measuring from swing-arm-pivot to rear-bolt-center . The bike was checked for frame-damage and found to be perfectly fine so assume it to be the markings. It made a slightly 'Off' sound with a clean/dry chain, that couldnt be heard with an oiled-chain...starting the search . Dave NZ
I guess I've been lucky with my bikes. All seem perfectly accurate. I also have trouble trusting myself using a tape measure between the swing am pivot bearings and axle. Yamaha's precision engineering seems to be the better bet.
FIRST check your alignment with the front wheel dead straight, then string-line the rear straight. If the axle markings agree, only then trust them for the rest of your bike's life.. if you haven't crashed. Forks can be tweaked, frames can be skewed so the swingarm pivot/rear axle method can be wrong. Only front/rear tyre sighted perfectly inline can ensure perfect alignment. They'll give anyone a TH-cam channel.
One thing id like to point out is you adjusted one side to the correct mesurment locked it all off then had to adjust other side of wheel back witch then would have put more tension on the chain leading to you doing the chain to tight again you need to take both sides back at the same time to get correct measurements on the chain
Two things there... You have not mentioned the need to shunt the non sprocket side up against the adjuster bolt. Secondly, the marks on the axle bolt block and the swinging arm you cant always trust. Best to either get a laser gadget, or do as i do and measure accurately the distances on each side from centre of swinging arm and centre of ear axle. I had issues with a new sprocket and chain set i fitted. It had a loud whine, mostly when power on in midrange speeds. I too trusted the makers marks, but on this occasion they were a good few mm out. I set the correct alignment and the whine was better. Tip.. Use a ratchet or cam strap around the foot pegs and rear wheel to keep the rear wheel shunted up to the adjusters the whole time.
Cheers for the feedback and tips. Overall I’ve found that using my method has been great for shunting both sides simultaneously but can be different on each bike. Similarly, I’ve only have good experiences with the knotches on the swing up… this too could be down to my bikes. I’ve heard a lot about the laxer tools, seem to be a good idea
Hi cheers for your video, I have just bought an alignment tool to clamp onto the sprocket to double check my swing arm markings as they are known to be out on most bikes. I can in theory look down the chain via a rod to eye it up. Has anybody used one of these tools as well?
This is a process that really alludes me but this video helps a lot with visualizing what's going on with each part. Most straight forward explanation of all of this. I've been trying to use those chain slack tools but I think I'll try the tape measure method and just use some basic math to figure it out because I honestly don't know if I'm even using the chain tool right to begin with lol.
@FabMotorbikes it's the motion pro chain tool. I really don't know how to properly measure with it because it has multiple moving parts but it's supposed to be more accurate.
Just a small detail but the correct point to measure the chain slack is, on the lower chain run as you did, but midway between where the chain comes off the front sprocket and goes on the rear sprocket, not midway between the sprocket centres.
Nice thorough tutorial. I find that the punch marks on the swingarm aren't necessarily even with each other, especially on KTMs. This can lead to a rear wheel that is slightly out of alignment. Being insanely detail oriented, I measure from the end of the swingarm to the block to make sure both sides are even. I use a micrometer, although a simple ruler will due I suppose! After setting the adjusters to be exactly even, you can simply count the "flats" on the adjusting screw when making small adjustments going forward.
I like this concept, but a couple potential problems I'd like to make up to ruin both of our day. What if the welder didn't slap together the swing arm so each arm is perfectly the same length? What if the hole in the block which the axle slides through wasn't drilled perfectly centered in the block? What if the blocks weren't manufactured to the exact same demensions?
just remember that must chain adjustment tolerance is with the bike upright not on a stand / main stand if the bike has one. I would also so that ones you have the wheel in line when adjusting the chain again count the flats on the bolt head of the adjuster and move the other side at the same time this also give you a bitter reading on the chain movement/ tightness. I like using a paddock stand with the rear swing arm in the riding position I made a go / no go stick of wood with the tolerances on it so from one mark to the next as long as it stays on the range on my bikes is only 5mm so +/- 2.5mm mine is 30mm / 35mm and with the power of a ZX12R you make sure its right as if you don't you will eat through chains along with what was said in the video
I agree with you to find tight spot in chain if there is one, I disagree how to check tension, you need to pull down then up and take slack out of top of chain, or you be doubling up on your total slack, as priviously mentioned in other comments
I have come across motorcycle chain alignment marks, that don't tally with each other & I've found that both sides of the wheel adjustment need's to be equal first before checking the tension otherwise like you shown, the chain tension can go out i:e to tight
it’s kind of ultimately critical that you get your chain tension just right. You have to keep in mind, that your sprockets are not truly around. They all have an elliptical orbit. If you don’t believe me, spin your back wheel. You will notice the chain tension going up and down as the wheel turns. you have to find the Tightspot and market before you adjust your chain so that you have your chain in the tight spot when you adjust it if you have a chain, that is too tight, here is an example of what can happen other than accelerated chain, and sprocket ware.. The original K1 Honda, CB 750, with a chain that was too tight, will blow the output shaft bearing. I have replaced a couple of them when I was a Honda mechanic at a dealership. A friend of mine, put a new chain on his YZ 490 and we went riding. we drove about an hour to get to the riding Play area. He immediately went for a jump… his chain was tight. It broke his engine cases when he came down making that jump. I heard that hollow pop of aluminum case cracking… don’t trust your swingarm marks to be accurate. The way I used to verify my swingarm marks on my road racing machines was to use string wrapped around the front wheel about 6 inches up off the ground on both sides of the machine and pull the string tight to both sides of the back wheel. Strings don’t lie. You can verify that your marks are believable by pulling a string with the machine upright, Front wheel and straight, and pull both sides of that string down both sides of the rear tire to ensure that your rear wheel is tracking straight, and hopefully your frame is straight. It doesn’t matter what your swingarm marks are at, it matters more that that string indicates that the rear wheel is tracking directly behind the front wheel… that does not work with all motorcycles. Because some motorcycles, the Vmax, for example, and the royal star and royal star venture motorcycles, the rear wheel is offset by 10 mm to give the tire clearance due to the driveshaft tube. A quick check to see if your chain is worn, is to pull on the chain at the 3 o’clock position, or the 9 o’clock position on the chain on the rear sprocket. If you can pull that chain off of the sprocket, even slightly, that chain and sprockets are worn out. They must be replaced as a set.. both sprockets and a new chain.. you are going to be racing, especially road racing. You have to break a chain in. Here’s what happened to me. me and three other riders were going to ride a road racing Honda 750 in a 24 hour race… we had lots of spares, including a complete motorcycle to rob parts off of in case of a crash. We even started the race on brand, new tires, and a brand new chain… everyone got to practice the bike and have it set up for them. We had all the meetings and all the understandings about when the machine comes in for a rider change and a fuel stop. My job on the first pitstop was to put a pizza box behind the chain in front of the wheel and spray the chain with chainlube, while the bike was on a stand to allow the wheel to spin while I sprayed the chain. The other pit crew members would be fueling the tank… OK, so I started spraying the brand new chain on the first pitstop, which was about 45 minutes after the start of the race. I noticed that the rear wheel did not want to spin easily like it was doing before the race, and the chain was actually turning blue, and when I hit it with the spray chain lube. The chain lube actually sizzled. That is how hot that chain was, because it was brand, new, installed just before the start of the race after all the practice. we never even considered breaking it in before we started the race ..We lost about 15 minutes putting the original chain back on… A worn chain can cost you as much as 6 hp. Ask any good dynamometer operator about that, they can tell you… I have been using 90 weight oil on my chains for decades. I have a video on my channel showing how I lubricate my chains using a bottle that has a snorkel on it that is used for oiling the oil caps on furnaces. I have that bottle filled with 90 weight, and I put one drop of oil between each side plate on both sides of the chain, and one drop on one side of the roller.. Honda recommended back in the 70s to the service departments when I was a mechanic, 90 weight gear lube on the chains, I have never worn out a chain on any of my street bikes for decades.. if you watch my video, you’ll see that I put the machine on the stand and spin the wheel, and I put one drop on each roller on both sides, and between the plates where the O-rings are. I put that on the inside of the chain, the part that meets the sprocket. Not on the outside. That way the gear lube goes through the chain before it flies off. And using only one drop per link, doesn’t make a mess out of my motorcycle from over lubricating and causing a lot of crap to fly off the chain and collect in where the counter chef sprocket is… The smaller, your front sprocket, The faster your chain wears out. I was a Salesman at a Honda/suzuki/Kawasaki dealer. The Kawasaki GPZ 750 was not the fastest 750 that year. The suzuki GS 750 was. So Kawasaki did something irresponsible. They stopped the assembly line and put a 13 Tooth counter shaft sprocket on all their GPZ 750s.. that made them the quickest in the quarter mile of all the 750s.. all the magazines would publicize all of those tests and comparisons and Kawasaki was always at the top when it came to quarter-mile times, and they wanted to stay there.. but here is what happened as a result of going to a smaller counter shaft sprocket.. The chains were wearing out before the 10,000 mile mark. They were being covered under warranty. When you have a small sprocket in the front like a 13, you don’t have four or five teeth doing the pulling. You’re down to maybe two maybe three teeth, doing all the work, and that greatly accelerates the ware.. Suzuki were the responsible company back then. They often had 17 tooth countershaft sprockets on their machines, and to get the correct gearing, they had the transmission ratios, correct, or they would go with a larger rear sprocket. Basically one tooth change in the front sprocket, is equivalent to a three tooth change in the rear… take care of your chain. A chain that is adjusted correctly and broken in, will only lose approximately 2% of your power between the transmission and the ground. That’s the same proportion of efficiency, loss for belt drive. But belts are vulnerable to rocks and stones. Chains are pretty indestructible… and a hell of a lot cheaper than belts. The Kawasaki vaquero, and Vulcan, V-twin motorcycle belts, just the belts are almost $700. I don’t know if you should replace the sprockets when you replace the belt on those machines, but if you have to replace the sprockets, that’s an additional $275 just parts, that does not include labor… that’s curious because the belt for Harley Davidson motorcycles is not even $150 for the belt.. chains are the best, most reliable, most efficient way to get power from your engine to the ground. You will never see a MotoGP, or a drag racer machine with a shaft, drive, or a belt drive.
Thanks for a very HELPFUL video! Since we've had a winter storm in the eastern US, I've been doing projects on my bike; adjusting my chain and aligning the wheel is one of those projects. I've watched a few different videos, but they all left something out. Yours helped make sense, so I'll be able to set things right. Thanks! Cheers... :)
Good video. I have had 2 belt drive BMWs and am on my second shaft drive Guzzi, and it's a long time since I adjusted a motorcycle chain. Just starting to think of replacing the Guzzi with something more mainstream and I need to overcome those distant memories of spannering and swearing in a cold car park to get the chain tension right. I had a chain snap once when I was an hour or two from home.
Great collection of bikes you have there! I have to say… there is a part of me that looks forward to the day when I’m done with chain drive. They’re so messy and never truly last, even with the best maintenance. However they’re really efficient and the breadth of bikes out there with them gives you plenty of choice!
Had to laugh when I read that. Iv'e had a shafty since 92 ! When your video popped up I thought this will be interesting it's been a while since I had to do this. Glad I did though I learned a couple of top tips from ya👍 Great video Mr F nicely done.
A great video with some great tips - i especially like the idea of putting something between the chain and rear sprocket to temporarily increase tension, and your tips on finding the centre between sprockets and watching the top of the chain while you deflect the bottom. I do take mild exception to your description of how to verify alignment as "the best and only way"; as noted by other comments, there are reasons why that may not be the case for everyone. Keep up the good work!
You cannot depend on the marks in the swingarm to line up the rear wheel! Best way to make sure the axle is in line is to measure from the center of the pivot on the swingarm to the center of the axle.
This does work and I’ve used as a double check method. So far with the bikes I’ve own (I may have got lucky) the marks on the swing arm have been perfect. I’ll also ad that it’s important to shunt the adjustment components snug up against each other if using the swing arm markings are to be used (as demonstrated)
Laser alignment tool. Can't beat it. Bought one after years of faffing about with alignment marks and measuring. Rarely need to adjust my chains now as they are kept regularly lubed.
@@FabMotorbikes sorry for replying to an old comment. But my axle was aligned to the chain being straight. The sway arm measurements always made my chain crooked. Should I go with the measurement of the pivot point to sway arm instead?
I've always been told to push the chain hard both down and up to measure the slack, making the top taut. I just went and watched Ari on MC Garage do it and that's what he does. I think you are supposed to do this as it measures the total slack in the chain. Trying not to move the top of the chain is inexact and I don't think it's what's intended.
That would work as long as your target tension amount is for that method. It’d be more accurate for sure, just need to make sure that the number you’re adjusting to is for said method.
I usually reach out and click it into first and rotate the wheel that little bit till it stops, it holds everything forward. You can get make you adjustment and then tighten the axle with your free hand.
If you put the bike in gear and rotate the rear wheel backwards and hold slight tension by hand this takes out the slack on top part of chain so all of the slack is at the bottom where you are measuring
If you are like me the chain can seem perfectly tensioned until you check it Sitting on the bike.. surprising how much it can tighten up.. so I always check while sitting on the bike using something to reach the chain in order to check. If then I check the slack with the bike on the centre stand it will SEEM TOO SLACK but is fine.
100 agree. I should have made it clearer in the video that the measurements are for my bike only. And on my bike the manual specifies to adjust the chain using the centre stand. Hence why it appears very lose. Perfect when sitting on it
Excellent presentation. Now I just have to go through the jenke Triumph owners manual (they don't "trust us" with any sort of service manual), and find what the measurement should be.
@@FabMotorbikes As far as I can tell, all of their EFI bikes are proprietary. But they could make a "change the oil, adjust the brakes, check, shut the check engine light off, adjust the chain tension and flush the brakes booklet", but no. When you buy a Triumph, you by a dealer shop step child.
i would first straighten the rear wheel, then check the slack of the chain, i found that straightening it affects the chain as well, so in your case it might be too much slack now... havent measured it yet, it just seems to me as i am doing it that it gets tighter when you adjust the other side...
Very good video. How to move the back wheel backward when the chain is too thigh. My bike chain is over tightened by the motorshop. And now I want to loosen it .
I did what you instructed. Then I held/rested a tape measure on the swingarm (not quite in the middle of the chain) rested the chain on the tape measure, moved the chain up being very careful that the tape didn't move and it gave the same measurement!!! ?
I don't understand all this faffing... Like I said, used the method shown on here and it gave the same measurement as simply holding the tape on the chain and moving it up (whilst keeping an eye on the top of the chain - Dave Moss). Had my bike for 17 years and rode it through every Winter.... The aforementioned has got me this far. I've scraped ice off my seat before leaving my friends once. "England'istan" (Essex) Winters.
Thank you. Glad it was useful. The. Only think I forgot to mention was that every bike will differ in regards to whether the chain will be adjust whilst on the side stand , centre stand or on a paddock stand. In my case the measurements are for when the bike is on the centre stand, therefore the slack will be looser.
All very useful, thanks, especially the shoving a spanner in tricks! Question, why is the centre-point of the chain not marked on the swing-arm by the manufacturer??
I’ve been told that the centre point is the end of the plastic chain runner in the top of the swing arm… but I think they don’t mark it as the centre can change as the wheel moves backwards.
I feel that by not insuring there is no slack in the upper run of chain ( by having the bike in gear and rotating the wheel to tighten the top run) you induce error in your lower run measurement.
I gotta say, I have never heard of top slack being isolated from total slack. Unless the manual specifically says otherwise, I would include all slack for tension adjustment. That will tie in with searching for tight and lose spots as mentioned.
Couple of good points there. I have been adjusting chains for more than 40 years now, and I have never even considered looking out for movement on the top run. Also, wedging something between the chain and sprocket to pull everything forward is a great idea.
Thank you
yeah, i usually bang on stuff with a rubber or deadblow hammer, but the wedging trick seems much better.
@@FabMotorbikesThanks Fab, I have a metre long piece of 12mm bright round bar which I know is perfectly straight, I remove the chain guard and lay this bar on, or rather in,the top run of the chain. Pushing it as far toward to the drive sprocket as possible. Then I measure from the Bar to the front and back of the wheel rim, adjusting until equal measurements and the correct chain tension is arrived at. This gives perfect chain and front to back wheel alignment. ATB.
Ps, I've done this for years and think this is original as I've never heard of it before .
@@AshalielYou do need to be careful, as you can put a lot of strain in the chain.
You’ve been adjusting chains for 40 years and you’re complimenting someone else on their techniques, this makes you an open minded, mature, considerate, and you’ve got your ego in check.
I love people like you.
Several good tips here- thanks.
I appreciate how quickly you get into the actual subject.
Too many channels, on any subject, have a big production intro, followed by the presenter telling me what he’s going to teach me, followed by his telling me how qualified he is, which is of course, followed by him telling me at least 2 or three more times, what he’s about to teach me. At this point, I usually click to a different channel.. one that respects my time… like yours.
Thank you. I try to keep it to the point.
The clearest, straight forward, easy to follow guide ever.
I watched probably 10 other videos and come away scratching my head, this 5 min video is super easy and clear.
Mate thank you so much.
Thank you. Glad it’s helpful 👍 remember to check your user manual though, this guide is quite specific to my bike. I should’ve mentioned that.
The trick of the wrench between the sprocket and chain is gold. Thanks.
no problem, glad to be useful
Bless this man
A piece of rag works even better.
Agreed
Agreed 👍
This is the most in-depth & straight to the point video I've seen on this. I also wanted to mention the way you described the alignment technique you used (with wedging an object in between the chain/sprocket) was very clear & direct. Much appreciated brother
Thank you so much! Really glad you found it useful.
The only thing i forgot to mention was that slack measurements can differ from bike to bike, especially for those with out a centre stand.
Thanks again and ride safe!
@@FabMotorbikes Is it ok to do it on side stand especially when on a ride, roadside? And I guess the owners manual always show measurement using centre stand or paddock stand?
@@royarnab22 you can definitely do it while on the kickstand but if you want to do it the best way then you’re going to want to do it on a rear stand or rig something up to where your rear tire is off the ground. You don’t really want pressure on your rear tire from sitting on the ground while your bike is titled over like how it is on the kick stand. If you have to do it roadside emergency wise then you might want to check it and see if it need to be readjusted back at home with the tire suspended in the air.
Finally I find someone who shows me in a very understandable way how to set the right slack of the chain. Now I am confident in doing the chain on my KTM 1290r adventure. Thank you! 🤗
I’m glad to be helpful, thank you for watching 👍
@ragnar careful with KTM. You can't use his technique to measure the dead center where to search the tightest point. You have to take it somewhere after the chain slider under the swing arm. I have a Duke 890 R myself and KTM has its own peculiar way of measuring chain slack. !!
Didn’t know this. Thank you 👍
@@moulip Thank you for the information. Yes it´s a bit more hassle to get it right on the KTM.
It would be worth mentioning that the slack measurement should be done as indicated in the user manual, most often on the side stand, not the central one like seen in the video.
Thanks for the tips 🤗
100% agree . I said this but, no where near clear enough. Every bike is different. This is for my bike . Thanks for watching
FZ6 has the measurement on the center stand with 45-55mm slack per user/service manual. And too loose is much better than too tight - you are more likely to destroy your chain if you are too religious with adjustments:)
Agreed 👍
@@h4xi0rek so it’s like growing a beard. Don’t try to make every hair perfect it never will be. Good advice. Thanks.
Measuring chain slack and finding the tightest section just using the side stand is a complete nightmare. Get a paddock stand to maintain static sag on the suspension and still turn the rear wheel without all the hassle.
Thought I got all the right points in my adjusting process but this dude dropping some really useful tips for things I wasn't able to address before.. Good stuff here.
Thank you !
A good video guide for those who haven't done it before. One point I would like to add is that the alignment markings on the swing arm should NOT be relied on as accurate. OK for a rough setting but better to check the wheel alignment with a straight edge-preferably one each side of the wheel. I was amazed to learn how far out these factory markings can be!
For the absolute best accuracy get the wheels aligned by someone with a laser alignment kit. More precise than any eye measurements and you can actually feel the difference when riding. Quite a few bike shops have laser alignment kits these days.
Yea this is why I came here. Pretty sure my factory marks are off by 25% the distance between the etched lines. Exhaust and other stuff in the way of measuring from swingarm to rear axle bolt on both sides to confirm. I ordered a motion pro sight alignment tool that clamps to the chain, but not thrilled with the prospects of that, either. Also not thrilled with the price of the laser option but perhaps that's what it'll take to satisfy the standard I'm trying to acheive.
Absolutely correct. My Bandit 1200 chain adjusters are off by a FULL MARK. I recommend a "sprocket pointer tool, such as by Motion Pro, which latches on to your rear sprocket and has a stick/pointer that runs parallel with your chain edges.. a better form of adjustment.
Laser chain alignment tools are not that an expensive addition to your toolkit. I have profi-cat laser adjuster and with several bikes it gets enough use to justify its cost. I must have had it about 15 years and was amazed to see how much they cost now (mind you, I say that about the cost of everything) good tools pay for themselves over and over again! Don't work on your bike with its supplied toolkit (except in a roadside emergency), it's quality is very low, invest in some combination spanners, sockets, a few screwdrivers (jis and flat blades) and some allen keys. Aldi and lidl sell tools plenty good enough quality and in real terms tools have never been so cheap.
@04:20 Not the only way. I struggled for a long time to get the wheel aligned having to adjust left and right until eventually I thought it was straight. Took ages.
Then I started using a Vernier Caliper to measure the axle block gap to make sure it's 100% even rather than eyeballing the marks on the swingarm. Works every time and it's so much faster
That's what I was looking for, straight to the point with the tools that you have at house, no lasers, expensive torq wrenches and bullshit. Great stuff 👍
Glad to hear of help! Only thing I would recommend is to read you user manual. The measurements I quote are for my bike , not every bike. For your bike it may not be optimal to adjust the chain on the centre stand.
I think to measure total slack, you have to push the chain all the way down as far as it can go then up as far as it can go. I believe this is the only way to standardize the measurements and according to motorcycle manufacturers.
Correct
This is a tip I learned from Dave moss tuning. (Great channel by the way). It ensures maximum suspension travel and reduces the risk of over tightening.It’s not for everyone. And it’s definitely not an official manufacturing recommendation.
@@FabMotorbikesthen you didn't may attention. Cause Dave Moss clearly said to push (up AND down) the chain on the bottom side till it starts to rise on the top side. In other words: measure WITHOUT overtensioning the chain when measuring
@@lillnemo1I’m pretty sure he addresses this in the video..
I think you do want to measure both up AND down (which I think he says in the video) however you want to do so without the other side of the chain also moving. (Otherwise it would be an immaculate measurement).
So many little details make a big difference. Much appreciated! Didn't know most any of this. So many ways to get this wrong. I'll need to reference this video often until I get it all memorized. Thanks!
Thank you for watching! Glad it was useful
Thanks Fab, that's a handy tip about sticking a spanner in the sprocket to shunt the axle forwards.
You’re welcome. Glad you found it useful 👍
The end of the chain slider on top of the swingarm is usually halfway and where manufactures tell you to check tension. No need to measure the whole thing and then half👍🏼
If you say *usually * then perhaps there is a need for measuring - 4 seconds job.
While its up, lube that chain and give it a wipe. I check for sprocket wear and if the chain can be lifted off the rear sprocket (indicating chain wear). String lining/laser measurements are generally overkill in my opinion, yes a lot are out but I'd bet not one of us could tell the difference (MC Mech +30yrs exp). Thumbs up for the clear instruction and hints.
Thank you i
Agree, but I will one up you. Clean and lube BEFORE adjusting. A loosened up chain can affect adjustment quite a bit vs a dirty/binding one. Plus there is no sense to adjust if it turns out that the chain fails inspection.
You should adjust both sides together, so keeping the wheel aligned when checking tension. With this method, you got your tension perfect by only using one adjuster, then aligned the other side which would have changed the tension again. Thanks for the other tips, I will try them next time I adjust.
Thanks for the tips I do agree. Although I find that the key is to keep checking, checking and checking again. Things often annoyingly move.
@@FabMotorbikes That's true 👍
You said what I was thinking. I always do 1/4 turn on one side, then the other, then check. Down to smaller adjustments if needed but always to both sides
Clear and concise with some good tips, particularly around pulling the wheel forward to take the slack up in the adjusters before tightening the wheel (now subscribed). Having had an off due to the chain snapping and locking up the back wheel on an RD400 back in the 70s, I'm still a bit paranoid about precise chain adjustment/maintenance.
One thing I question though is omitting top rung slack - I have always presumed (perhaps wrongly) that you are meant to be measuring total, rather than just bottom rung chain slack.
One reason I've made this assumption is that on at least some bikes which are adjusted on the side stand, the manufacturer stipulates putting the bike into neutral. This suggests to me that this is specifically allow the slack to be taken up in the top rung - being in gear would in fact prevent top rung slack being measured, so if you didn't want to measure top rung slack, having the bike in first gear would help prevent this. Am I perhaps missing something here?
I also find it hard to get my head around the universal instruction to pull the chain down as well as up to measure slack. if the gearbox is in neutral, or wheel is off the ground when measuring slack, in my enfeebled brain tells me that all slack will be measured just pushing the chain upwards?
Life saver. I adjusted the axle nut too far back and I didn't know how to push it back forward. That trick at 3:39 saved me
Glad it helped you
I just kick the wheel when that happens.
TH-camrs to this day still cannot explain the process this good
thank you
Use a rag instead of a wrench between the sprocket and the chain. Cool tip I saw in another video, except yours explained why you do it! Thanks!
Rag is a way better tool for this. Thanks for watching!
@@FabMotorbikes i was tightening my chain and then forgot the rag between the sprocket and the chain. I had the bike on the stand and put in first. The rag travelled through the back sprocket and then it snapped down after the rag made it out. Did i destroy the chain? 😥
Thx for the video its the same setup as on my CSC RX4.... I have been neglecting doing the chain adjustment and had alot of slack..... I was to nervous to do it before solo... Video helped a lot :-)
Glad to be of service! FYI the measurements given are for my bike specifically. Please check your manual
@@FabMotorbikes I followed the measurements that was printed on the swing arm…. My china bike manual is trash ☠️
Thanks for the idea to use a spanner in the sprocket to stop the axle pulling the chain tighter when doing up the large nut. That has bugged me on my current bike for five years. Never had this problem before. Finally I can end the repeated checking and readjusting that made the whole job take four times longer.. brilliant.😊
Glad to be of help!
A very useful video & some helpful tips on tensioning the chain, which I didn’t know about & I have been riding bikes for more than 50 years! Thanks
Thank you
Best chain adjustment guide I've seen. Thanks for including the all important observation of the top chain movement - If the chain on top is moving while you're pushing up on the bottom part of the chain, you're pushing too hard. Thanks for making this super clear, concise, and complete.
Thank you. Glad it was useful. The. Only think I forgot to mention was that every bike will differ in regards to whether the chain will be adjust whilst in the side stand , centre stand or on a paddock stand. In my case the measurements are for when the bike is on the centre stand, therefore the slack will be looser.
Interesting and well informed video. Just to add, on my nc750x it doesn't matter if you measure the slack on side stand or center stand. The results are the same.
Interesting thank you
Very real world Fab by working on a bike that is obviously regularly used and not one of those showroom "licked clean" machines that is so unbelieveable and unrealistic. This is just good and honest. Keep on keeping on dude. Thumbs up!
thank you! I appreciate that. all the best
I love my garage queen, I'm able to keep it in showroom condition with baby wipes and quick detailer. I don't even get it wet to wash it. My kit is just as clean. Each to their own I say. If you're happy riding a mucky looking thing then that's fine too. But for me, nothing like turning heads with a sparkling clean bike, which I do whenever I ride mine. I also never get asked to remove my helmet at petrol stations for fuelling or payment probably because my bike always looks brand new. I enjoy cleaning it too so it's a double win for me. My car is just as well looked after.
Thanks for this mate. The manual for my kawasaki is fooking stupid for chain tension. It mentions nothing about keeping an eye on the top chain run when measuring, which meant I over tightened my chain. I knew it couldn't be right cos when I sat on the bike the chain had no slack at all. It's so simple someone like you explains it properly!
Glad it was helpful
bro you have no idea how your video had helped me adjusting my chain....thank you!!
Thank you . Glad it helped!
When finally tightening the axle nut at 5:17 he said a tendency to pull back. If you fit spanner handle down, you pull forward.
I've used 3 different methods for aligning the wheels over the past 60 years. On most bikes front tyre is thinner than rear.
First learned the string method tying string to front wheel and with string touching front of rear wheel, then checking distance to rear part of tyre, both sides.
Second method, described in many manuals. Use two long straight planks touching rear wheel, front and rear. Distances from plank to front wheel shall be equal.
Third method. Use a 24 inch spirit laser level pushed against rear tyre. Small cardboard boxes on each side of front wheel. Sharpie mark on laser dot.
My own idea when I could not find straight planks nor a string in the workshop. Fasted and easiest to do.
All alignments done with bike vertical.
Perfect video! I like to keep spare links and a chain breaker tool in my kit. After I clean my chain with ISO and a toothbrush, I use a toothbrush and 10W-30 oil to re-lube it. It drinks about 3 wide caps full. If you change your chain, change both sprockets as well, as parts that wear together repair together. If you power wash your bike, avoid directly blasting the chain, and clean and lube it right away.
Great tips. Glad you enjoyed the video
Placing a wrench in the chain to tighten things up is a nice tip. I'll remember this. 👍🏼
Absolutely brilliant...no BS...sharply delivered mate...Ride Safe!!!
Thank you! I’m glad it was helpful. The only thing I would add is to check your manual in regards to measurements and whether you should be adjusting your chain on your centre stand or side stand. As that will differ from bike to bike. Ride safe!👍
You say that adjusting the axle block and comparing to notches on the swingarm is the best and only way, that's only true if those notches are accurate, many bikes come from the factory with those settings out of whack, both screw type or snail cams can be out by quite a bit, you'll also lose accuracy with worn parts like bearings, for true accuracy set the axle to the same notches on both sides, then use a long rod with a sliding pointer and measure from the swingarm pivot to the axle pivot, the measurement should be exactly the same on both sides of the bike, with that established and with compensating for any inaccuracies you can properly adjust the chain, distance between the swingarm pivot and center of axle are all that matters, always treat the adjustment markings as suspect. excellent video.
Hi Fabian,
You've educated me. I didn't know your trick of "shunting" the wheel forward by using a screwdriver between the rear sprocket and chain. Thank you.
Thank you. Glad it was helpful
Excellent, no-BS advice. A lot of people will benefit from this. Thanks!
Thank you, glad it was helpful 👍
That Was Pretty Good, Man. I Did Not Know To Measure Between The Two Sprockets. Thank You.
Glad it was useful
This is the best guide to chain adjustment I have ever seen. Spot on!
Thank you. Glad it was useful. One thing I forgot was to mention that you should make sure you measure your slack based on what is needed for your bike. E.g on my bike, it’s when it’s on the centre stand. But in yours it may be on the side stand or a paddock stand. They’re all different!
@@FabMotorbikes On mine it is the side stand. I ride a ZZR1400, and with the twin exhausts it's a real pain in the ass to do. I noticed it clunking more into first gear and from first to second last Saturday, so I thought I'd better adjust it. I've since cleaned the bike and chain but, this weekend I'll do the adjustment. Thanks again for your excellent video.
😊 no worries thanks for watching 👍
Locking a screwdriver into the rear sprocket to take up any slack while tightening the axle nut was just the trick that I needed.
Glad to of help
My way of having equal distance on both sides of the swingarm is to paint one side of the adjuster bolts. The I simply count the number of turns of each nut and ensure that they are equal. Simple but effective way to have the wheel well and truly aligned. I'm amazed no-one ever thought of this before.
Sounds great! Might try . Thanks for watching
Excellent directions on chain tightening, no waffle and infilling... great work
Thank you
Best explaining I’ve ever seen on a chain adjustment! Well done mate!
Thank you. Glad it was helpful 👍
Bajaj motorcycles have this really great chain adjuster disc. You just loosen the bolt, twist the disc to the next number or lower number for adjusting. The same is present on the other side and if you have set both the discs on same number then your wheel will be perfectly aligned.
Do bear in mind though most bikes can be way out for wheel alignment even if you have them symmetrically set on both sides.
It’s best to get this checked by a specialist who can correct front and rear alignment. Having had mine done, I found out that to be completely straight the left adjuster was set to 5 marks and right was around 6 marks. Crazy.
Great video by the way 👍
Great points. Thank you 👍
I like the tip of using something to jam in the sprocket to tension everything up while torquing the axle nut. My '74 Norton Commando really changes chain tension b/c of axle movement when torquing the axle bolt. Will try your tip.
Although you stated your tension spec was for bike on center stand, might want to emphasize why that is important. Many folks see the slack spec and just measure it with bike on side stand, centerstand (if equipped) or a paddock stand. It is critical to know what the spec is meant to be measured at (side, center stand or even with weight of rider sat on bike etc.) b/c the swing arm is not pivoting exactly where the front sprocket rotates...the slack spec needs to take this difference into account for the given geometry bike.
I completely agree, I should have emphasised more than I did that this is for my bike only . It’s different for side stands and paddock stands
Thank you Sir. Great video. Sharp and illustrative. The tip in using a screwdriver to assist moving the axle forward was brilliant. Off to tighten mine. Thanks from the antipodes (Australia)🦘.
Thank you for watching
Your explanations are fantastic, great attitude and delivery..
Thank you 😊 I’m glad the video was useful 👍
Hands down best explanation on TH-cam !!
Thank you. Just be sure to check if you should measure your chain slack on your centre stand, side stand, whilst sitting on your bike or on a paddock stand. I missed this bit out
Simple, Short & Straight to the point
Thank you for watching
You've got to watch a few videos on this because every TH-camr has something to add to the technique.
100% agree!
I find that often after slackening the axle nut, a tight or seized axle can be holding the other side adjuster rock solid and there is a risk of stripping the adjuster bolt or the swing arm thread as a result. I therefore recommend giving the axle nut a strike with a copper hide or rubber hammer to make sure the axle isn’t seized in the wheel and to alleviate the tension on the other side ready for adjustment.
If the axle remains tight in the wheel due to corrosion etc, then it’s best to remove the wheel to clean and grease the axle prior to adjusting the chain. 👍
Excellent points. Very helpful 👍
Clear and to the point. This helped me sort out my chain before our 2 week trip around the UK. Subscribed
Awesome! enjoy the tour!
This is the best tutorial Ive come across/ thank you for being so clear and concise
Thank you I hope it was useful
Quick, not fat, solid video! Well done!
Thank you!
Never even considered locking chain with screw driver brilliant tip mate 😅
👍😊
Excellent, explained a few points other guides missed!! So back out to readjust again tomorrow after wrongly adjusting today! knew something wasn't right but hopefully now i have the right points to do it correctly! So don't want to ride with it too tight again like while back when nearly trashed the gearbox by overtightening!👍🤞
Thank you . Glad it came it use. Indeed too tight is just as bad as too lose!
Absolute perfect sense no crap delivery..keep it up.
Thank you 😊
Great point about top-of-chain movement . I'm with another commenter on the measurements though . My new (to me) w650 was 3.5mm out on one side, after measuring from swing-arm-pivot to rear-bolt-center . The bike was checked for frame-damage and found to be perfectly fine so assume it to be the markings. It made a slightly 'Off' sound with a clean/dry chain, that couldnt be heard with an oiled-chain...starting the search . Dave NZ
I guess I've been lucky with my bikes. All seem perfectly accurate. I also have trouble trusting myself using a tape measure between the swing am pivot bearings and axle. Yamaha's precision engineering seems to be the better bet.
Thank you Brother Fab for THE best instruction I ever saw on how to adjust your chain, subscribed!
Thank you . Hope it was useful 👍
Excellent video, clear and to the point. Thank you 👍
Thank you. Glad to be of help
FIRST check your alignment with the front wheel dead straight, then string-line the rear straight. If the axle markings agree, only then trust them for the rest of your bike's life.. if you haven't crashed. Forks can be tweaked, frames can be skewed so the swingarm pivot/rear axle method can be wrong. Only front/rear tyre sighted perfectly inline can ensure perfect alignment. They'll give anyone a TH-cam channel.
Such a beautiful video. To the point, all possible details mentioned and short. Perfect
Thank you, I hope it was useful
Indeed it was
One thing id like to point out is you adjusted one side to the correct mesurment locked it all off then had to adjust other side of wheel back witch then would have put more tension on the chain leading to you doing the chain to tight again you need to take both sides back at the same time to get correct measurements on the chain
Two things there... You have not mentioned the need to shunt the non sprocket side up against the adjuster bolt. Secondly, the marks on the axle bolt block and the swinging arm you cant always trust. Best to either get a laser gadget, or do as i do and measure accurately the distances on each side from centre of swinging arm and centre of ear axle.
I had issues with a new sprocket and chain set i fitted. It had a loud whine, mostly when power on in midrange speeds. I too trusted the makers marks, but on this occasion they were a good few mm out. I set the correct alignment and the whine was better. Tip.. Use a ratchet or cam strap around the foot pegs and rear wheel to keep the rear wheel shunted up to the adjusters the whole time.
Cheers for the feedback and tips. Overall I’ve found that using my method has been great for shunting both sides simultaneously but can be different on each bike. Similarly, I’ve only have good experiences with the knotches on the swing up… this too could be down to my bikes. I’ve heard a lot about the laxer tools, seem to be a good idea
Simple and easy, best chain tutorial I've seen till now, thanks bro!
Thank you
Hi cheers for your video, I have just bought an alignment tool to clamp onto the sprocket to double check my swing arm markings as they are known to be out on most bikes. I can in theory look down the chain via a rod to eye it up. Has anybody used one of these tools as well?
I’ve not used one. But I do think they’re a great idea.
I've played with those. Problem is there often isn't open space for them to do their thing.
Such a good, straight to the point tutorial
Thank you
This is a process that really alludes me but this video helps a lot with visualizing what's going on with each part. Most straight forward explanation of all of this. I've been trying to use those chain slack tools but I think I'll try the tape measure method and just use some basic math to figure it out because I honestly don't know if I'm even using the chain tool right to begin with lol.
Glad to hear this has been helpful! What is the chain slack tool?
@FabMotorbikes it's the motion pro chain tool. I really don't know how to properly measure with it because it has multiple moving parts but it's supposed to be more accurate.
I’ll look it up, thanks!
Just a small detail but the correct point to measure the chain slack is, on the lower chain run as you did, but midway between where the chain comes off the front sprocket and goes on the rear sprocket, not midway between the sprocket centres.
I agree , the difference is minimal but in the name of accuracy you are correct! 😊
Nice thorough tutorial.
I find that the punch marks on the swingarm aren't necessarily even with each other, especially on KTMs. This can lead to a rear wheel that is slightly out of alignment. Being insanely detail oriented, I measure from the end of the swingarm to the block to make sure both sides are even. I use a micrometer, although a simple ruler will due I suppose! After setting the adjusters to be exactly even, you can simply count the "flats" on the adjusting screw when making small adjustments going forward.
@@Pwilli-hs6yi Indeed. I use an inside/outside caliper. Such a handy tool to have around!
I like this concept, but a couple potential problems I'd like to make up to ruin both of our day. What if the welder didn't slap together the swing arm so each arm is perfectly the same length? What if the hole in the block which the axle slides through wasn't drilled perfectly centered in the block? What if the blocks weren't manufactured to the exact same demensions?
@@williammahoney6968 "What if the welder didn't slap together the swing arm so each arm is perfectly the same length?" Then the markings are off also.
@@williammahoney6968What if the alignment markings are applied after the assemble as been fabricated?
Good stuff. I liked the tyre shunting trick with the screwdriver. Learnt something thanks.
No worries 👍 glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching .
just remember that must chain adjustment tolerance is with the bike upright not on a stand / main stand if the bike has one. I would also so that ones you have the wheel in line when adjusting the chain again count the flats on the bolt head of the adjuster and move the other side at the same time this also give you a bitter reading on the chain movement/ tightness.
I like using a paddock stand with the rear swing arm in the riding position I made a go / no go stick of wood with the tolerances on it so from one mark to the next as long as it stays on the range on my bikes is only 5mm so +/- 2.5mm mine is 30mm / 35mm and with the power of a ZX12R you make sure its right as if you don't you will eat through chains along with what was said in the video
I agree with you to find tight spot in chain if there is one, I disagree how to check tension, you need to pull down then up and take slack out of top of chain, or you be doubling up on your total slack, as priviously mentioned in other comments
I have come across motorcycle chain alignment marks, that don't tally with each other & I've found that both sides of the wheel adjustment need's to be equal first before checking the tension otherwise like you shown, the chain tension can go out i:e to tight
I guess I have been really lucky. All my bikes the marks have been bang on. Do you measure the axle to the swing arm bearing?
best way to check rear wheel alignment ... measure from the center of the rear wheel axle to the center of the swinging arm axle on both sides 👍👌
it’s kind of ultimately critical that you get your chain tension just right. You have to keep in mind, that your sprockets are not truly around. They all have an elliptical orbit. If you don’t believe me, spin your back wheel. You will notice the chain tension going up and down as the wheel turns.
you have to find the Tightspot and market before you adjust your chain so that you have your chain in the tight spot when you adjust it
if you have a chain, that is too tight, here is an example of what can happen other than accelerated chain, and sprocket ware..
The original K1 Honda, CB 750, with a chain that was too tight, will blow the output shaft bearing. I have replaced a couple of them when I was a Honda mechanic at a dealership.
A friend of mine, put a new chain on his YZ 490 and we went riding.
we drove about an hour to get to the riding Play area. He immediately went for a jump… his chain was tight. It broke his engine cases when he came down making that jump. I heard that hollow pop of aluminum case cracking…
don’t trust your swingarm marks to be accurate. The way I used to verify my swingarm marks on my road racing machines was to use string wrapped around the front wheel about 6 inches up off the ground on both sides of the machine and pull the string tight to both sides of the back wheel. Strings don’t lie. You can verify that your marks are believable by pulling a string with the machine upright, Front wheel and straight, and pull both sides of that string down both sides of the rear tire to ensure that your rear wheel is tracking straight, and hopefully your frame is straight. It doesn’t matter what your swingarm marks are at, it matters more that that string indicates that the rear wheel is tracking directly behind the front wheel…
that does not work with all motorcycles. Because some motorcycles, the Vmax, for example, and the royal star and royal star venture motorcycles, the rear wheel is offset by 10 mm to give the tire clearance due to the driveshaft tube.
A quick check to see if your chain is worn, is to pull on the chain at the 3 o’clock position, or the 9 o’clock position on the chain on the rear sprocket. If you can pull that chain off of the sprocket, even slightly, that chain and sprockets are worn out. They must be replaced as a set.. both sprockets and a new chain..
you are going to be racing, especially road racing. You have to break a chain in. Here’s what happened to me.
me and three other riders were going to ride a road racing Honda 750 in a 24 hour race… we had lots of spares, including a complete motorcycle to rob parts off of in case of a crash. We even started the race on brand, new tires, and a brand new chain…
everyone got to practice the bike and have it set up for them. We had all the meetings and all the understandings about when the machine comes in for a rider change and a fuel stop. My job on the first pitstop was to put a pizza box behind the chain in front of the wheel and spray the chain with chainlube, while the bike was on a stand to allow the wheel to spin while I sprayed the chain. The other pit crew members would be fueling the tank…
OK, so I started spraying the brand new chain on the first pitstop, which was about 45 minutes after the start of the race. I noticed that the rear wheel did not want to spin easily like it was doing before the race, and the chain was actually turning blue, and when I hit it with the spray chain lube. The chain lube actually sizzled. That is how hot that chain was, because it was brand, new, installed just before the start of the race after all the practice. we never even considered breaking it in before we started the race ..We lost about 15 minutes putting the original chain back on…
A worn chain can cost you as much as 6 hp. Ask any good dynamometer operator about that, they can tell you…
I have been using 90 weight oil on my chains for decades. I have a video on my channel showing how I lubricate my chains using a bottle that has a snorkel on it that is used for oiling the oil caps on furnaces. I have that bottle filled with 90 weight, and I put one drop of oil between each side plate on both sides of the chain, and one drop on one side of the roller..
Honda recommended back in the 70s to the service departments when I was a mechanic, 90 weight gear lube on the chains, I have never worn out a chain on any of my street bikes for decades..
if you watch my video, you’ll see that I put the machine on the stand and spin the wheel, and I put one drop on each roller on both sides, and between the plates where the O-rings are. I put that on the inside of the chain, the part that meets the sprocket. Not on the outside. That way the gear lube goes through the chain before it flies off. And using only one drop per link, doesn’t make a mess out of my motorcycle from over lubricating and causing a lot of crap to fly off the chain and collect in where the counter chef sprocket is…
The smaller, your front sprocket, The faster your chain wears out. I was a Salesman at a Honda/suzuki/Kawasaki dealer. The Kawasaki GPZ 750 was not the fastest 750 that year. The suzuki GS 750 was. So Kawasaki did something irresponsible. They stopped the assembly line and put a 13 Tooth counter shaft sprocket on all their GPZ 750s.. that made them the quickest in the quarter mile of all the 750s..
all the magazines would publicize all of those tests and comparisons and Kawasaki was always at the top when it came to quarter-mile times, and they wanted to stay there..
but here is what happened as a result of going to a smaller counter shaft sprocket..
The chains were wearing out before the 10,000 mile mark. They were being covered under warranty. When you have a small sprocket in the front like a 13, you don’t have four or five teeth doing the pulling. You’re down to maybe two maybe three teeth, doing all the work, and that greatly accelerates the ware..
Suzuki were the responsible company back then. They often had 17 tooth countershaft sprockets on their machines, and to get the correct gearing, they had the transmission ratios, correct, or they would go with a larger rear sprocket. Basically one tooth change in the front sprocket, is equivalent to a three tooth change in the rear…
take care of your chain. A chain that is adjusted correctly and broken in, will only lose approximately 2% of your power between the transmission and the ground. That’s the same proportion of efficiency, loss for belt drive. But belts are vulnerable to rocks and stones. Chains are pretty indestructible… and a hell of a lot cheaper than belts. The Kawasaki vaquero, and Vulcan, V-twin motorcycle belts, just the belts are almost $700. I don’t know if you should replace the sprockets when you replace the belt on those machines, but if you have to replace the sprockets, that’s an additional $275 just parts, that does not include labor… that’s curious because the belt for Harley Davidson motorcycles is not even $150 for the belt..
chains are the best, most reliable, most efficient way to get power from your engine to the ground. You will never see a MotoGP, or a drag racer machine with a shaft, drive, or a belt drive.
Thanks for a very HELPFUL video! Since we've had a winter storm in the eastern US, I've been doing projects on my bike; adjusting my chain and aligning the wheel is one of those projects. I've watched a few different videos, but they all left something out. Yours helped make sense, so I'll be able to set things right. Thanks! Cheers... :)
Awesome thank you. I’m glad it was helpful 👍
Great video...putting the screwdriver into the chain to push wheel back in is the idea of the year 👍 👌
Thanks glad it was helpful 👍
As others have rightly said, perfectly described and straight to the point. Instantly subbed. Thank you!
Thank you for watching 👍
Good video. I have had 2 belt drive BMWs and am on my second shaft drive Guzzi, and it's a long time since I adjusted a motorcycle chain. Just starting to think of replacing the Guzzi with something more mainstream and I need to overcome those distant memories of spannering and swearing in a cold car park to get the chain tension right. I had a chain snap once when I was an hour or two from home.
Great collection of bikes you have there!
I have to say… there is a part of me that looks forward to the day when I’m done with chain drive. They’re so messy and never truly last, even with the best maintenance.
However they’re really efficient and the breadth of bikes out there with them gives you plenty of choice!
@@FabMotorbikes Not a collection: a sequence, one at a time.
Had to laugh when I read that. Iv'e had a shafty since 92 !
When your video popped up I thought this will be interesting it's been a while since I had to do this.
Glad I did though I learned a couple of top tips from ya👍
Great video Mr F nicely done.
@kougerat5388 thank you! Lol . I completely get the appeal of shaft drives. None of this faff. 😂
A great video with some great tips - i especially like the idea of putting something between the chain and rear sprocket to temporarily increase tension, and your tips on finding the centre between sprockets and watching the top of the chain while you deflect the bottom. I do take mild exception to your description of how to verify alignment as "the best and only way"; as noted by other comments, there are reasons why that may not be the case for everyone.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the feedback!
You cannot depend on the marks in the swingarm to line up the rear wheel! Best way to make sure the axle is in line is to measure from the center of the pivot on the swingarm to the center of the axle.
This does work and I’ve used as a double check method. So far with the bikes I’ve own (I may have got lucky) the marks on the swing arm have been perfect. I’ll also ad that it’s important to shunt the adjustment components snug up against each other if using the swing arm markings are to be used (as demonstrated)
Laser alignment tool. Can't beat it. Bought one after years of faffing about with alignment marks and measuring. Rarely need to adjust my chains now as they are kept regularly lubed.
I think they’re a great idea. but I’ve also often thought that an aligned chain isn’t always the same as an aligned wheel?
@@FabMotorbikes sorry for replying to an old comment.
But my axle was aligned to the chain being straight. The sway arm measurements always made my chain crooked. Should I go with the measurement of the pivot point to sway arm instead?
Thanks so much, this 125cc is my first bike and im feeling quite insecure about maintaining it properly.
No problem. Just keep learning remember to check your work over few times before riding away . Thanks
I've always been told to push the chain hard both down and up to measure the slack, making the top taut. I just went and watched Ari on MC Garage do it and that's what he does. I think you are supposed to do this as it measures the total slack in the chain. Trying not to move the top of the chain is inexact and I don't think it's what's intended.
That would work as long as your target tension amount is for that method.
It’d be more accurate for sure, just need to make sure that the number you’re adjusting to is for said method.
I usually reach out and click it into first and rotate the wheel that little bit till it stops, it holds everything forward. You can get make you adjustment and then tighten the axle with your free hand.
Excellent tip. This is even easier than my way 👍
If you put the bike in gear and rotate the rear wheel backwards and hold slight tension by hand this takes out the slack on top part of chain so all of the slack is at the bottom where you are measuring
Great idea!
Great attention to detail!! Thanks heaps from NZ :)
Thank you for watching! Hope it was useful 👍
If you are like me the chain can seem perfectly tensioned until you check it Sitting on the bike.. surprising how much it can tighten up.. so I always check while sitting on the bike using something to reach the chain in order to check. If then I check the slack with the bike on the centre stand it will SEEM TOO SLACK but is fine.
100 agree. I should have made it clearer in the video that the measurements are for my bike only. And on my bike the manual specifies to adjust the chain using the centre stand. Hence why it appears very lose. Perfect when sitting on it
Excellent presentation. Now I just have to go through the jenke Triumph owners manual (they don't "trust us" with any sort of service manual), and find what the measurement should be.
Interesting… I didn’t know that about the manual
@@FabMotorbikes As far as I can tell, all of their EFI bikes are proprietary. But they could make a "change the oil, adjust the brakes, check, shut the check engine light off, adjust the chain tension and flush the brakes booklet", but no. When you buy a Triumph, you by a dealer shop step child.
i would first straighten the rear wheel, then check the slack of the chain, i found that straightening it affects the chain as well, so in your case it might be too much slack now... havent measured it yet, it just seems to me as i am doing it that it gets tighter when you adjust the other side...
Not noticed this my self but will keep a look out next time. Thank you
Very good video. How to move the back wheel backward when the chain is too thigh. My bike chain is over tightened by the motorshop. And now I want to loosen it .
Definitely worth doing. Thank you for watching
Excellent video. Thanks.Greetings from the NJ shore USA.
Thank you!
I did what you instructed. Then I held/rested a tape measure on the swingarm (not quite in the middle of the chain) rested the chain on the tape measure, moved the chain up being very careful that the tape didn't move and it gave the same measurement!!! ?
I don't understand all this faffing... Like I said, used the method shown on here and it gave the same measurement as simply holding the tape on the chain and moving it up (whilst keeping an eye on the top of the chain - Dave Moss). Had my bike for 17 years and rode it through every Winter.... The aforementioned has got me this far. I've scraped ice off my seat before leaving my friends once.
"England'istan" (Essex) Winters.
Sounds like you’re doing fine. 👍
Just beware that some guidance marks on the swing arm are not accurate....
Great video. Love you method to pull the back wheel in!
Thank you glad it was helpful
Thanks for going into this level of detail. I like the tip about pushing too hard and robbing slack from the top. I would not have considered that.
Glad it was useful. Thanks for watching
It's good that you didn't consider it because it's wrong.
Wow! that's a great chain adjustment.
Thank you for letting me learn this maintenance. You're handsome!~
I appreciate all you say 👍
Thank you for being in depth, and informative. Watching this a long time ago would've saved me a lot of time and money.
Thank you. Glad it was useful. The. Only think I forgot to mention was that every bike will differ in regards to whether the chain will be adjust whilst on the side stand , centre stand or on a paddock stand. In my case the measurements are for when the bike is on the centre stand, therefore the slack will be looser.
All very useful, thanks, especially the shoving a spanner in tricks! Question, why is the centre-point of the chain not marked on the swing-arm by the manufacturer??
I’ve been told that the centre point is the end of the plastic chain runner in the top of the swing arm… but I think they don’t mark it as the centre can change as the wheel moves backwards.
You’ve convinced me to stick with my shaft driven BMW’s & FJR1300.
Fair play! I’d do the same
I feel that by not insuring there is no slack in the upper run of chain ( by having the bike in gear and rotating the wheel to tighten the top run) you induce error in your lower run measurement.
I gotta say, I have never heard of top slack being isolated from total slack. Unless the manual specifically says otherwise, I would include all slack for tension adjustment. That will tie in with searching for tight and lose spots as mentioned.
You're absolutely right. He's measuring slack wrong and everybody is buying into it.