Chain question, slight noise.

[O Holy P]

Rode the bike home from work tonight, it's about a 15 minute ride on the highway. I was doing 80~90mph, then off onto surface streets for about 2 miles and to the house. Parked it outside the garage for a few minutes then went out to roll it inside. When I was backing it up I could hear a very faint popping (for lack of better word), didn't sound terrible, but never heard it before. I put it on the rear stand and rotated the wheel and could hear that every time a chain barrel went into the sprocket trough that is when the noise occurred. And it seems to be only on the rear sprocket where the noise is coming from.

I checked the length from pitch 1 to 21 and it's under 12.5" so it's not stretched out. I also checked the sag and it's right at about .8~1" adding up & down together. So the tension is about perfect. Bike just rolled over 11,100 miles. I hit the chain with lube every 2~500 miles and clean it about once a month or 2. Just curious if anyone else had a similar experience.

Only thing I haven't checked is the tensioner block measurements. I had a buddy make a chain tension adjustment about 3 weeks ago because it was on the loose side and I didn't have the big socket for the axle nut. Goin' out to the garage to check that now.

 

[O Holy P]

Hmm, well it doesn't do it after it's cooled off, but......

...I think I just figured it out. If I look at the marks where the adjustment blocks are they are dead nuts even on both sides. To check further, I took a tape measure and measured from the swing arm pivot axle to the front of the adjuster blocks and there is 1/8" difference between the left and right side. After seeing that I looked at where the sprocket was on the chain, and looking directly from the rear and down the length of the chain, I could see that the sprocket was on the very left side and not in the center of the chain. Like it is jammed up against the left side of the chain & links. I guess I'll have to go buy me an axle nut socket and fix it tomorrow. I'm guessing since the wheel is probably not straight that the chain is rubbing against the sprocket, hence the noise?

 

[jphilipson]

Sounds about right to me.. unless you're popping lots of wheelies, the chain should be good still at 11k

 

[O Holy P]

I don't pop wheelies, only an occasional power wheelie in 1st or 2nd when I'm feeling frisky and I know there aren't any cops around. I ride pretty conservatively.

 

[aussiekeeper]

Could be a link or two binding..........

 

[Fastfrog007]

More lube cant huirt either,but it sounds like you've got it figured

 

[mike1180]

Could be a link or two binding..........

Yes keep an eye on this too.

 

[twotonevert]

You should have an axle nut wrench in your tool kit, might need a cheater, but a good cresent wrench will get it off too. I dont think I have ever used a socket on mine.

 

[Acehole]

You should have an axle nut wrench in your tool kit, might need a cheater, but a good cresent wrench will get it off too. I dont think I have ever used a socket on mine.

+1 for the wrench in your tool kit. Use the small cheater handle in their too. I use it all the time while on trips to adjust my chain. Using this set up and tightening all ya got till it stops is a pretty good 74ft #..

 

[BIG GUY]

I would fix the adjustment issue you mentioned and give the chain a good cleaning and thorough lube.

 

[O Holy P]

Bought a socket from Sears. Tried Ace & Lowe's, and the biggest they had were 30mm. Just re-adjusted and the indicator marks on the swing arm are not reliable at all. Used tape measure from the swing arm pivot inset and matched them up on both sides. Rolled the wheel and I could literally see the chain straighten back up on the sprocket to the center. All is good now.

Didn't even think about the tool kit, doh! Out of sight - out of mind. Oh, and also replaced the cotter pin with a stainless hood-type pin or latch pin, whatever you call them.

 

[8Daytona8]

*** Didn't even think about the tool kit, doh! Out of sight - out of mind. ***
Don't forget the landing gear in Bimini!!!

 

[O Holy P]

That's called a career check.