Chain tightening

[dionysus]

I tightened my chain last night and noticed something a little odd... the guides on the sides didn't match up before I tightened it they were off by one mark. It seems that would put the sprockets out of alighnment, and the dealer was just lazy.

Amyhow, I'm assuming the guides should be lined up?

[davipu]

for the most part yes, they should be lined up. although in the mass production circus they have been known to have loose tolerances and that may have been whare the bike tracks straight.  I'd line them up and see after about 300 miles if the tires are wearing abnormally and correct it from there.

[Phaedrus]

FWIW, my guides were not lined up when I went to adjust my chain the first time either [edit: on my 2004 gs500f that I bought brand new]. I assumed they were off from the factory, or the dealer got carried away when it went in for it's initial service. I dunno.  :dunno:  So I just counted the turns and checked the chain slack and it seemed to be a lot better. So now when I tighten the chain, I just count the turns still. I'm a foolish n00b and don't know how to re-align the guides. If anyone knows how, please post  :mrgreen:

[ttsquirrel]

Don't use the guides as the almighty for aligning!!

I consider myself a noobie since I had my last bike 11 years ago. I picked up a 99 gs and, like you, needed to tighten the chain. As I was loosening the axle nut, the guide slip up and was bent. Now, the guide doesn't fit properly. What I did was draw a line on the actual axle bolt. The bolt has a hex head on one side and the threads on the other. I drew a line down the middle of the hex head, from widest point to widest point. Make sure the bolt line is straight up and then draw another line on the end of the bolt where the threads are. You can use the lines as indicators as to where the bolt is on the swing arm indicators.

[Affschnozel]

Hi guys,
after chain adjustment and alignment, you can double check by measuring the protruding ends of the bolt (assuming they aren't damaged) with a straightedge. Then rotate the wheel to see(and hear) if it rotates freely.
That usualy gives me peace of mind.

[John Bates]

Every time I adjust the chain I first check/adjust the wheel alignment.  This usually moves the guides a little so they never exactly match.

It's not a perfect world, so I would rather have the wheels straight and the chain slightly out of alignment.

[deano]

To align the chain I usually measure from the centre of the rear wheel spindle bolt to the centre of the swinging arm mount bolt.  I do this for both sides to make sure they match.  I use a length of masking tape and  measure one side and mark the tape .  I then compare it on the other side and adjust accordingly.  Works well. Got 22000 KM out of my last chain.

[red_phil]

I measured from the swing arm pivot to the end of both legs of my swing arm. The were the same.
Next I measured from the hole to the end of the threaded adjustor bolt on the chain adjustors, the right one was 2mm longer.

So now I just measure the bit of bolt sticking out at the end and check that the right bolt is 2mm longer thatn the left one.

I guess you'd have to check the lengths from the swing arm pivot and on the adjusters for each bike, just to be sure.

[davipu]

but who's to say that the swing arm pivot is perpendicular to the wheelbase of the bike?

[Chuck]

You could probably do something with lasers.

[dionysus]

Thanks for all the responces... the thing of it is, the morning I walked out the garage and the're a screw sticking out of my rear tire! So, its off to get that fixed (Only 3,5k miles on it, so I'm gonna put a tube in there). So I'll probably play with my laser level this time.

[Phaedrus]

Thanks for all the responces... the thing of it is, the morning I walked out the garage and the're a screw sticking out of my rear tire! So, its off to get that fixed (Only 3,5k miles on it, so I'm gonna put a tube in there). So I'll probably play with my laser level this time.

Only 3,500 miles?? Hell, another thousand or two and it will probably be ready to replace! Eh?

[dionysus]

Thanks for all the responces... the thing of it is, the morning I walked out the garage and the're a screw sticking out of my rear tire! So, its off to get that fixed (Only 3,5k miles on it, so I'm gonna put a tube in there). So I'll probably play with my laser level this time.

Only 3,500 miles?? Hell, another thousand or two and it will probably be ready to replace! Eh?

All highway miles, had a heck of a lot of tread left.