ok so heres a good one (CHAIN)

[rangerbrown]

i'm out side side right now with the gs. were the hell is the master link in the chain?

i have marked and rolled  and marked again ect... and i cant find it. does the stock chain not have a master link (rivited on) and if so this is a f%$king retarded thing to do. even my 25 petal bike has a master link.


its time i think for a new one, the sprockets look really good. 12k on them and no real wear on them (steel) but i would like to get a new rear for my second set of rims. the one on the rear says 520-39 what would you say to going to a 520-42 or a 520-43 this would be for the twistys and track if i ever go.

[rangerbrown]

ok did a search and found some info, that is f%&ked up. so how do i clean it good now?

[Kerry]

Yep, the stock chain is a continuous 110 links.  The prevailing wisdom is that riveted master links are safer (assuming that the riveting is done proeprly ) ... but I'm on my 2nd clip-style master link chain.

To clean, you can use anything from

kerosene (recommended by the manuals) and a toothbrush

... to ...

sprayed-on WD-40 (quick, but potentially harmful to the O-rings) and a rag.

--------------------------------------------

As it happens, I'm about to break out the kerosene myself.  The assembly instructions for my new drill press say to use it to clean the "shipping goop" off the non-painted steel parts before applying a layer of paster wax. 

[rangerbrown]

i would asume that gas is bad? i had a hose brake and gas ran all over it while i was riding. this was a while back, got it home fixed the leak and then re oil ithe crap out of it. i have never had it that clean as it was that one time. so could i do it again as long as i reoil it.


also what it the avg life of the stock chain, i have 12k on the stock on now and is at the fourth mark on the ajustment marks on swing arm.

[Kerry]

Gas would be fine for a non-O / X ring chain, but it's a little more "hi-test" then I would want to use on a chain with rings.

The problem is this:  gas is such a good solvent that it will probably seep in between the O / X-rings and the chain plates and dissolve the factory-applied lubricant in there.  Kerosene is apparently much "milder".

My '99 came with a D.I.D. 520VM (X-ring) chain.  Most of the earlier models came with a D.I.D. 520 VS (O-ring) chain ... I couldn't say about the later models.

I replaced my original chain at 23,000 miles, with a D.I.D. 520VS chain.  ABout 10,000 miles later I noticed that a couple of links had started to "kink".

I replaced the O-ring chain at 11,500 miles with an RK 520XSO (RX-ring) chain.  That was a little over 1,000 miles ago, so I don't have any long-term feedback on it yet.

Here is a detail I just took of the box that my newest chain came in.  Check out the diagram to see what I was saying about the factory-applied lubricant.

[rangerbrown]

good point, the way i ride i am sure that i have streched the chain, so i dotn see geting near 20k but i will be mindful form now on. the big problem for me is i live down a dirt road, 2 miles long one way so that 4 miles every time i ride it. every tiem i get home i rinse the bike off so it dry over night. and when i was driving it (off the read at the time) i was clean once a week and relube with chain wax. as it block water good but dirt doesnt sick to it that well.

[rangerbrown]

ok here we go i got the rear wheel off and have a few more questons...
see the vid
http://media.putfile.com/chain-41

and now, how does this sprocket look to you? it has 12k on it. they feel even/smooth, no odd wear.

[Kerry]

Looks great to me.  I'm still on my original at 36,000 miles.  I'm sure you could find a post or two by gsJack where he says that he has never replaced a rear sprocket ... even on bikes with 100K+ miles.   


According to Clymer:

[rangerbrown]

how did the chain look?

that pic, that some extreem wear

[rangerbrown]

wow, i just pulled the cover off the front sprocket. it is full of shaZam!, and i mean full. so it is now clean. tooth brush and gas and scrub scrub scrub

[makenzie71]

... but I'm on my 2nd clip-style master link chain.

I hate rivet chains...I only use clips.  Been working fine on my TL, dealing with 3 times the power the gs is.

No chain is safe if impropperly installed...

As for cleaning I just break out the WD40 and lift the rear pf the bike.  Give the wheel a good spina nd spray liberally.  Spin again while holding a rag wrapped around the chain to whipe the old grease and oil off.  I then use an old-school oil pump can to apply used, filterd 20/50 motor oil in the same fashion, then whipe again.

[Kerry]

Sorry!  We stepped out for "dinner and a movie".  (Taco Bell and a DVD.  )

At first I thought you were asking about one of my chains (?) ... then I realized that I had missed the video link.  (sigh)

Well ... it's hard to tell for sure, but if the links really do drop back into line under the chain's weight I'd say the chain still has some miles in it.

* No missing O-rings?
* No scratchy or gritty sounds?

*

Put 'er back on![/list]

PS - Did you "cut" the chain to take it off, or do the whole remove-swingarm thing?  I have always cleaned the chain while it's on the bike, but I bet soaking it does a much better job.

[rangerbrown]

its still on,  it slowly falls back into line. i dont feel any thing grit wise, but it is far form smooth, i would say,
if you had a paper clip and was unbending it it would be half that of a avg paper clip (in resistance that is)
i am going to go ahead and plan for a new chain, as i can not aford for it to snap.



also, wheel bearings they seem dry, but still roll smooth, what can i do to repack them. can they be removed and taped back in, as a whole or just fill the area inside behind them, and let the axle do the job or moving it in?

[rangerbrown]

well took the wheel (rear) to the Honda shop, yea heres why?  free plug for the nail, and free balance and free tips on the bike even though it is a Suki. they also told me my bearings are ok but would start to look into getting new ones when time is available. the guy that was working with me said i really should loose the tires i have
maxxis promaxx m6103. the vibrations i were feeling could be the belts/cords expanding form the repair i did. so i may be in the market sooner than i wanted for my touring tire set. then he showed me a really good way to make sure that the chain is adjusted/tensioned right. which he said my help with the bearing life.

so i am off to put the thing back together.