Chain Slack Adjustment...Am I Paranoid?

[Gone in 60]

First of all, I've checked the forum for chain adjustment discussions. Being a super cheap individual who tries not to spend more money than I have to, I try to get as many miles out of my chains and sprockets as possible, so I clean, lube and check adjustment as frequently as practical.

Putting my new tires on over the weekend, I set the chain slack per the service manual - on the center stand, in the "looser middle" of the range - 1.25", and tweaked alignment with a laser tool. Tightened everything up, checked again and called it good.

Putting the bike cover on at work this morning, after a 13 or so mile ride from the adjustment, bike on the side stand. I decided to bump the chain up and down a bit, and it seems pretty darn loose - the bottom run of chain can be pushed up to touch the swingarm. When I get home, I'll put it back on the center stand and give it another check. I understand that on the center stand, with the swingarm deflecting down more than it would be with the wheel on the ground, it might seem tighter than it would be with the bike on the side stand.

But, am I missing anything here? Yes, I rotated the wheel and checked at multiple spots along the chain, it's pretty consistent at all points that I measured, no kinked links along the chain. Checked at the center of the run. The bike has about 5,000 miles and is on the original chain and sprockets.

 

[Inhouse Bob]

Sounds like mine. Remember, you went with the loose end of the spectrum. I prefer mine a bit loose to a bit tight and I've never noticed any untoward noise or anything.

 

[Haystack_imp]

Gone in 60:

I've had good results by sitting on the bike and checking for "about" 3/4" - 1" deflection of the chain then tightening up the axle after putting it on the center stand.

My chains/sprockets go for 45,000 mi. and I replace them as a set. Champion chain lube every 500 mi. or so. None of my chains ever made it out of the "green adjustment zone" before they needed replacement. The rear tire will need replaced before a chain adjustment is necessary (depending on how you ride of course).

I'm over 103,000 mi. total and now on my 3rd set (last change at 95,000 mi.). These modern chains will give superb service even under harsh conditions.

Lube up and ................ride!

Haystack

 

[Gone in 60]

Hmm... Maybe I'll have someone sit on my bike before I leave work today, and measure it. For most other chain bikes I've had, the procedure is to measure slack on the side stand, so maybe I am worried for nothing. I usually get the mileage you guys are talking about with good care.

 

[Pauley]

I found that after getting the chain slack dialed in, the rear wheel aligned and the axel torqued down, I tighten down the two alignment bolts at the back; just tight enough to keep the axel firmly aligned.

I think that without doing that last step, the axel can slip, misalign the wheel and ruin the chain slack adjustment.

 

[peterbaron]

^+1^ and as a final step, I tighten the axle NUT while steady holding the axle shaft. Done.

 

[the Ferret]

103,000 miles. That's awesome Haystack!

 

[Gone in 60]

I don't think I'll live long enough to do 103,000 miles. That is impressive.

 

[Cormanus]

Pauley, can you expand on your advice, please? Do you tighten the adjuster bolts clockwise or anti clockwise? The manual says to do it, but I’m never sure which way.

Haystack, I’d have thought it was important to test the slack with weight off the back wheel as sitting in the bike would surely change it. Honda has presumably designed the test to be done with the wheel off the ground.

 

[Gone in 60]

I marked the end of an 8mm nut driver handle with a visual reference mark so I could keep track of full and fractional adjustment turns, and T and L on either side of the mark to remind myself which direction is tighten, and which is loosen.
If I recall correctly, left (counter-clockwise) tightens the chain, right (clockwise) loosens.

I do not know if these directions would be the same below the equator, however.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I marked the end of an 8mm nut driver handle with a visual reference mark so I could keep track of full and fractional adjustment turns, and T and L on either side of the mark to remind myself which direction is tighten, and which is loosen.
If I recall correctly, left (counter-clockwise) tightens the chain, right (clockwise) loosens.

I do not know if these directions would be the same below the equator, however.

Everything is opposite below the equator , even the seasons.....

 

[Inhouse Bob]

You made me go check the chain tension. I'm at 1.25" on the center stand so I will leave it alone. Thanks for the reminder, though.

 

[Gone in 60]

I figure if toilets go the other way, maybe adjusting screws do as well. I've never been there, so I don't know.

 

[Cormanus]

Nope. Screws go the same way.

It doesn't answer my question, though. Even though you tighten the chain by turning the adjuster screws counter (anti) clockwise. It may be better to tighten them clockwise once you've tightened the axle bolt. I dunno.

To add to my earlier question to Haystack, if the chain tightens when you sit on the bike, adjusting it to spec will, at least, not make it too tight.

 

[Gone in 60]

So, just put the bike on the center stand, measured, and it's now at about 1.75". So, something made it loosen up quite a bit on my 13 mile ride to work.
I'm tightening the axle nut to spec. I don't have any large sockets or wrenches at work, so I'll have to fix it at home, but I wonder why it's loosened up so much.

 

[peterbaron]

Nope. Screws go the same way.

It doesn't answer my question, though. Even though you tighten the chain by turning the adjuster screws counter (anti) clockwise. It may be better to tighten them clockwise once you've tightened the axle bolt. I dunno.

To add to my earlier question to Haystack, if the chain tightens when you sit on the bike, adjusting it to spec will, at least, not make it too tight.

I would say: do not tighten the axle bolt, hold it steady and tighten the axle nut. It prevents from wheel walking and interfering with chain adjustment. IMHO.

 

[Gone in 60]

Yeah, I turn the nut, not the bolt, and I don't grab the wheel while I'm tightening to avoid pushing it out of adjustment. And, I check it again after everything is tight.

 

[peterbaron]

Yeah, I turn the nut, not the bolt, and I don't grab the wheel while I'm tightening to avoid pushing it out of adjustment. And, I check it again after everything is tight.

Right on

 

[Gone in 60]

Well, whatever the case may be.. surfaced home thinking that if I kept my speed down that I wouldn’t stress the chain much.

After dinner, I went back to square one. Loosened everything up and pushed the wheel all the way forward. Tightened up each screw equally and checked alignment with a laser. Torqued the axle nut to 83 lbs, and snugged the adjuster screws. Verified that nothing moved, and called it a night.

We’ll see how that does.

 

[Cormanus]

Baron Peter. My mistake. I meant the nut. That's what I tighten.

Gone in 60, when you snugged the adjuster screws, did you do it by wing them clockwise or anti clockwise?