Please - the SIMPLEST method for wheel alignment and chain tightening!!!

[bremsstrahlung.positron]

My head is all woozy after watching vidz, reading posts here... Please anyone help me out with the simplest way of wheel alignment and chain tightening. I've gone  after excessive visual and literature review on internet. Regards.

[robfriedenberger]

Practice makes perfect!

Usually you can get it right heres what i usually do.

Tell my self got 1 hour to get it right. Get a drink and have at it. just take your time youll get it.

Also they sell lasers or what not that help but just practice the more you do it the better you'll get at it.

Also on a side note if any thing is damaged, it will make your life suck!

-bent wheel
- sprockets
- chain
- swing arm
- axial
-bearing

[adidasguy]

Not too difficult.

Here's an easy way......

* Bike on side stand - not center stand.
* Loosen the rear axle.
* Use ruler or calipers to measure from center of bolt to end of swing arm on each side.
* Pull rear wheel back using both sides at the same time. A little at a time until chain has the right amount of slack.
* From the rear you can look down the top of the chain from the rear sprocket to the engine and see if it looks good. If there is an obvious bend side to side you'll see it and then adjust one side or the other as needed so it looks straight.
* Then tighten rear axle. It should be straight if measured correctly from end of swing arm to center of axle bolt on each side.
* Give the chain adjusters another 1/4 turn so they are snug and tight.

[sledge]

Use a Mk1 eyeball.....and practice 

[gsJack]

Like they said, eyeball it in any way that works for you to get close.  Then I make final check, I have a metal yardstick I lay across the tire with extra length forward and sight downward at it.  Wheel will be right when chain is exactly parallel to the yardstick.  Turn wheel a couple times while checking to eliminate tire irregularities.

I only align wheel once after installing a new chain and make subsequent chain free play adjustments by taking equal turns on the adjuster screws a half turn at a time.  Rear wheel can be pulled for a tire change and put back on without touching adjusters.

[sledge]

The easiest and simplest way?

Think about this......

If you are say......100 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere and find for whatever reason you need to tension and align the chain but all you have with you are the tools that came with the bike what are you going to do? Lasers, tapes callipers bits of wood and string make the job easier but only when you have them to hand 

Start learning to do it by eye with the minimum of tools, one day you might have no option 

[JAS6377]

I generally use a tape measure and measure from the center of the axle bolt to the center of the shock bolt access holes. Not really any different from the end of the swing arm, just my preference. All you need is a socket wrench, sockets, pliers (for the pin), and a tape measure. All of which can fit in a tool kit, just in case you have to do it on the road.

[Jimbob]

I usually either measure the length of the 2 adjustment bolts and make sure they both have the same length left or count the number of notches left in them and make sure they are the same.

[DrtRydr23]

Eyeball the chain down the length.  In the past I have purposely adjusted it too far each way to get an idea about how "wrong" looks when sighting down the chain.  I pretty much just eyeball the chain and if it looks straight and then tension is right, then it's good to go.  I've never measured anything except chain tension and never had a problem.  I've seen the adjustment marks on the swingarm be pretty far off.

[Joolstacho]

I don't trust the markings on the swing arm. I've done it by eye / lengths of wood etc for many years, BUT...

Recently I made a laser aligner, cost about 12 bucks, and ensures as close to perfect alignment as you can get. Quick and easy to use.

Just get a ten dollar cylindrical laser pointer, attach it into the 'corner' of a piece of alloy angle about 600mm long, and make a piece of card about 300mm x 300mm, marked with 1 cm calibrations. Hold the angle alongside the rear wheel, and point the laser towards the piece of card which is set up at right angles to, and against back of the front tyre. Adjust chain tension, then use the laser setup to tweak the alignment, - Use it both sides of the rear tyre, and get the laser pointing the same distance each side of the front tyre as shown on the card.

(Well, anal maybe, but it's so easy to make and do, and you know for sure that the alignment is spot-on)

-Jools

[Old Mechanic]

I have a piece of heavy string with a clip that allows it to slip with some force. Wrap it around the front and back wheels, low enough to clear any parts of the bike (about 1/3rd the way up the tires).
Sight down the rear wheel and center the front wheel so both sides of the front tire have the same gap to the string. Check the front handlebars distance to the same point on the bike to make sure the front handlebars are straight.
This tells you the front and rear wheels are properly aligned. You may have to loosen the triple trees and get the front wheel straight and the handle bars evenly distanced, if the front end has been "tweaked" in a drop .
Once you get the front end right, then the distance between the string and each side of the front wheel will be equal when the rear wheel is properaligned with the front wheel. It might help to check the rear wheel by another method to confirm it's alignment. THis would confirm the frame alignment is good.

regards
Mech

[yamahonkawazuki]

I use on my goped or my gs or anything really. a coat hanger and a piece of zip tie. works on all bikes, scooters, and anything with a chain and swingarm. as well as measuring chain deflection/tension

[sledge]

"Please - the SIMPLEST method for wheel alignment and chain tightening!!!"

[Joolstacho]

You want simple? -Just use your eyes... -sight along the top chain run!!!
If you want accurate, try one of the other methods.

[sledge]

With enough practice you will be able to get it just as accurate by eye as you will with any other methods 

Although I sometimes wonder how people of my and earlier generations managed to align chains accurately before all these laser and other alignment tools were invented and hit the market.....I guess we must have been doing something right though Either that or it was just all good luck 

[Joolstacho]

More likely our bikes back then weren't putting enough horsepower through the drivetrain to cause much damage.

[sledge]

More likely our bikes back then weren't putting enough horsepower through the drivetrain to cause much damage.

Oh ok.....so misaligned chains and wheels wont affect handling/braking, wear themselves and sprockets out at an accelerated rate. or even jump off the sprockets if the bike has a relatively low HP?

You have taught me something there pal 

[Joolstacho]

With enough practice you will be able to get it just as accurate by eye as you will with any other methods 

Although I sometimes wonder how people of my and earlier generations managed to align chains accurately before all these laser and other alignment tools were invented and hit the market.....I guess we must have been doing something right though Either that or it was just all good luck 

Was someone recommending misaligned chains/wheels?
Must have missed that post.

[sledge]

More likely our bikes back then weren't putting enough horsepower through the drivetrain to cause much damage.

Apologies if I have misunderstood the above statement, would you care to elaborate on it or explain it in simpler terms 

[Joolstacho]

All cool sledge, no apologies necessary, we've probably covered enough good ways of getting the alignment job done eh?

-Jools