Chain making clanking grinding sound.

[bflint]

Just noticed on my trip today that chain or wheel has clanking grinding noice. At camp tonight I lined it real well but the noise continues. Thoughts?


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[Houtman_imp]

Could you locate the sound closer from where it comes from : chain , wheel or brakes ? Does it get worse when turning the wheel faster. You can put it on the centerstand and into gear to check it even better. I hope that all is well for your journey home.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Swingarm plastic chain guard still attached?

 

[bflint]

Swingarm plastic chain guard still attached?

Guard attached... chain taught (had adjusted a few days before I left when new tires put on).


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Could you locate the sound closer from where it comes from : chain , wheel or brakes ? Does it get worse when turning the wheel faster. You can put it on the centerstand and into gear to check it even better. I hope that all is well for your journey home.

Had on centerstand... lubed heavily... noise continued. Seems like chain ... don’t hear at high speed so not a bearing ... confounding. Will try to find dealer tomorrow off I-70 in Illinois.


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[zirconxi_imp]

My other bike's chain will make clanking and grinding sound when the front sprocket are worn faster than the chain and rear sprocket. Can hear it just by turning the rear wheel by hand when I put rear wheel off the ground. Grinding and clanking when the chains slip slightly between tooth gap because the front sprocket and chain gaps are loose, even after I heavily oil it. No sound when riding with speed or load, but when riding really slow it will happen. Not sure if its the same problem but can use as reference.

 

[bflint]

My other bike's chain will make clanking and grinding sound when the front sprocket are worn faster than the chain and rear sprocket. Can hear it just by turning the rear wheel by hand when I put rear wheel off the ground. Grinding and clanking when the chains slip slightly between tooth gap because the front sprocket and chain gaps are loose, even after I heavily oil it. No sound when riding with speed or load, but when riding really slow it will happen. Not sure if its the same problem but can use as reference.

Thanks for your insight. Will see if I can find dealer to look at it tomorrow

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[the Ferret]

How many miles on the chain?

 

[Cormanus]

flint, I've had a couple of chains that make a horrible clanking sound as I take off. Sounds like it's hitting something. It's disappeared as I accelerate, but is very annoying at low speed. When it was doing it on one trip, I took it to a dealer I passed on the way and the mechanic had a good look at it. The tension was in spec, but he oiled it heavily and it stopped. The noise came back in time and oiling helped again.

zirconxi's insight is really interesting, although I recall trying to get it to make the sound on the centre stand and failing.

If you do find out what it is, please let us know.

 

[max]

You mention " the chain is taught " , i hope it has some play like 50 mm. when on the sidestand, the chain tension goes tighter when you sit on the bike because of how the shafts and pivot point lines up and if too tight puts enormous stress on bearings and the chain, i assume you already know this but just in case....

 

[Cormanus]

50mm??? I thought the specification was 30-35 mm slack?

 

[tod.branko_imp]

50mm??? I thought the specification was 30-35 mm slack?

You thought right.

It is 25-35mm on a side stand according to the service manual

Feel free to ignore the 50mm slack, not even my dirt bike used that much slack with 300mm or rear suspension travel.
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[Cormanus]

Well, the measurement is supposed to be on the centre stand and max is not usually right on the money with these things, so I might just wait and see whether it was a typo or he has some other advice.

And, I was wrong, it's 25-35mm on the centre stand, isn't it?

And I'm afraid I've deleted your photo as I'm afraid we can't allow reprinting copyright material on the forum.

 

[tod.branko_imp]

Well, the measurement is supposed to be on the centre stand and max is not usually right on the money with these things, so I might just wait and see whether it was a typo or he has some other advice.

And, I was wrong, it's 25-35mm on the centre stand, isn't it?

And I'm afraid I've deleted your photo as I'm afraid we can't allow reprinting copyright material on the forum.

That's ok, wasn't aware. And no, measuring on the side stand with swingarm loaded

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[bflint]

How many miles on the chain?

49,000


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[Lord Popgun]

tod, according the the service manual YOU posted in this link: http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=16082&pid=277402#pid277402 page 3-19, it says to turn the ignition off, place the motorcycle on the centerstand, and shift the transmission into neutral. Slack should be 25-35mm at the center point.

TL/DR put bike on centerstand to check chain slack.

 

[Olof_imp]

tod, according the the service manual YOU posted in this link: http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=16082&pid=277402#pid277402 page 3-19, it says to turn the ignition off, place the motorcycle on the centerstand, and shift the transmission into neutral. Slack should be 25-35mm at the center point.

TL/DR put bike on centerstand to check chain slack.

Checked my manual and it says the same. However, all bikes I've had have tight spots, also the RS from new. Thus I find it to be good practice to check several times, rotating the wheel slightly between each measurement. Otherwise, if you aim for the minimum slack (as I do) you risk an overly tight chain.

 

[tod.branko_imp]

tod, according the the service manual YOU posted in this link: http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=16082&pid=277402#pid277402 page 3-19, it says to turn the ignition off, place the motorcycle on the centerstand, and shift the transmission into neutral. Slack should be 25-35mm at the center point.

TL/DR put bike on centerstand to check chain slack.

You are absolutely right, slip of an eye, I apologise for disinformation

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[max]

Cormanus et all you are of course exactly right with 25 to 35 mm. according to page 79 of the manual and i have just checked this method on both the center stand and side stand.

The reason for my over estimation is because i understood bflint is on a road trip and had a problem so i wanted to come up with a simple way to see if the chain was not too tight, he may not have taken a decimal ruler and manual with him and a ball park figure that would work seemed ok to me.

The effect of a slightly loose chain is only 10% of the play at the rear wheel, most is the result of the gearbox and needed for a smooth gear shift, i had always assumed it was the chain that caused the drive lash until i actually measured the amount and it surprised me so i made a short video showing the minimal effect of a loose chain on the drive train lash;

So thanks to everybody for the corrections and the very helpful link by n4rn above to help bflint solve the noise, i am also very interested in what other members use as a practical way to check the chain on a road trip?

And of course great thanks to Guth and all contributing members for this wonderful forum.

 

[Cormanus]

Max, in my earlier post, I meant to say you are usually right on the money. Apologies for the error.

I usually make sure the chain is in spec before setting out on a longish trip, lube it occasionally while away and then check and adjust if necessary when I get home. I’ve only once had a problem—the first time I suffered from the clanking described above—and I tried adjusting the chain. Pterodactyl and Inhouse Bob were with me and we did it by sight. Tension wasn’t the problem.

A bush mechanic, if really stuck, would probably find a straight-ish stick and scratch a mark on it. Using the middle joint of the little finger to measure, said bush mechanic would make another mark that distance from the first. That joint is around 1” or 25mm long which would give one a minimum spec. From there, I think you could make a reasonable guess about whether it was way too loose.

Speaking only for myself, if the chain needed tightening after I’d measured it, and I really was in the middle of no-where, I have no idea how I’d fabricate a lever sufficient to loosen (and then re-tighten) the 83 ft-lb rear axle nut. The Honda toolkit is not up to the task.

 

[the Ferret]

Wow, that's a lot of miles on the chain. Mine was shot at 37,000.

After all these years I'm still not sure I know the "correct" way (modern way?) to measure chain slack. I have always measured with bike on the center stand, roll wheel, feeling chain for tightest spot, measure slack from resting chain and pushing upwards, with tightest spot in the middle, to see how much slack there is. Measuring that, and adjusting from there.

On the sticker on the swingarm (and possibly in the manual?) it indicates "to me" to pull down on the chain until it is taut, then push up on the chain until it is taut, and measure the distance in between. Seems to me a 1 1/8" slack measuring that way would be awfully tight, especially when laden with rider and gear.

I have never seen a mechanic do it that way and was in the motorcycle business for 17 years.