Chain Tensioning Procedure + Brake Rub

[AK Baller]

Hello all,

Finally getting around to doing some maintenance on my bike - chain tensioning.

According to the Hanes manual the bike should be put on a side-stand and then the chain adjuster nuts should be worked on (after axle nut is loosened) - is this correct? I thought that the bike should be on the center stand both for checking the slack and adjusting it... Also, where's the center of the chain?

Brakes - rear
I have 2 things happening: (1) brake squicking - pads will be replaced - are the oem brakes hard or soft? (2) Brake rubbing - seems to have gotten louder, can't hear it while riding but sure can hear it while rolling in neutral - what may be the cause? The rear tire can be rotated by hand without an effort but I'd rather avoid rear binding on me...

My bike is an '05
Thanks for the help

[twocool]

The chain will become tighter and looser as the rear suspension moves.  If you adjust the chain with the bike on the center stand, there is no weight on the suspension and therefor the chain will be too tight once the bike is on its wheels and rider on bike.  If you tried to adjust chain with weight of rider on bike, the chain will be too loose.

So the reference point of chain adjust is with the bikes own weight on the rear wheel, hence on the side stand.

Cookies tip....don't go too tight on chain adjust....use "looser" part of the recommended range...
1" ~ 1.2"    If you go to the tight side, .8" the chain may make some noises.

When you check chain tension by deflection, just estimate the center between the front sprocket and the rear sprocket.  You lift the chain to check deflection.  Move forward and back a bit to determine the point where the most deflection is achieved.  Remember, we're not making a Swiss watch here...close is close enough.

The rear brakes on GS500 are known to squeal...not a whole lot you can do.  OEM pads are sort of soft.  Most replace with EBC organic....not the "fancy" EBC which may give too good braking on rear...you want good braking on front...rear you want just so-so braking action...you don't want to lock up rear wheel on braking..

The sound you are hearing when rolling bike MAY actually be chain and sprocket noises due to too tight on the chain..check this first.

Disc brakes always rub lightly on the rotor, even when brake lever is fully released, there will be slight touch of pad to rotor...just the way it is.


Cookie

[enrgizerbunny]

I need to piggyback on this thread. Currently my chain will touch the center stand when the bike is testing on the side stand, but it doesn't rub when riding. I should have about an inch of deflection when it's on the side stand, right? Right now it's closer to two I think.

[ShowBizWolf]

I don't have any specific advice on this subject but here is a video that may help out!  It really helped me when I first did anything with my chain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSa55bspoS8&;

[twocool]

Chain deflection when bike is on side stand should be 0.8" ~ 1.2"

I personally keep it 1.0" ~ 1.2", because when I make it any tighter I start to hear noises from the chain and sprockets.

2" is far too loose and potentially dangerous!  Chain could actually jump off!

Cookie

I need to piggyback on this thread. Currently my chain will touch the center stand when the bike is testing on the side stand, but it doesn't rub when riding. I should have about an inch of deflection when it's on the side stand, right? Right now it's closer to two I think.

[AK Baller]

Sweet - thanks everyone

[bmf]

Just a quick 2c on adjusting the chain and those useless "wheel alignment marks" on the side of the swing axel.
I used those and found that the wheel was still very much out of alignment using the nylon line alignment method. Worth doing, especially on a new (to you) bike where the method of equally tightening each side a number of turns might lead to keeping an original misalignment. My rear tyre wore more quickly that I expected because of this - and it was not misaligned for very long, 1000 km or so. Luckily I was running in the engine and never pushed it hard.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[X-ray]

+1 for the string method.

[AK Baller]

huh, alright - I'll look up the string method, didn't know markings could be incorrect. Thanks for the heads up.