chain adjustment hawk 250

Robert44 · 06-20-2019, 07:22 PM

i just put 17 front sprocket on hawk and tightened rear wheel and now it does not spin freely. did i tighten to much? is my chain to tight? any help would be appreciated.
thanks!!

dpl096 · 06-20-2019, 08:11 PM

Sounds too tight.... What was your tightening process? On the side stand? Above all don't ride that thing until its adjusted...please

**JerryHawk250** · 06-21-2019, 09:43 AM

make sure not to over tighten the axle bolt. Chain should have about 3/4" of play without a load on the rear.

Robert44 · 06-21-2019, 01:00 PM

I have bike on jack, get appropriate chain slack (I think), tighten axle and then tighten chain tensioners. even when I don't think axle is tight enough, tire will not spin freely. also, when I keep tire centered it rubs chain.

kingofqueenz · 06-21-2019, 01:20 PM

Tighten chain tensioner?

Robert44 · 06-21-2019, 01:24 PM

I tighten chain tensioner after axle. as soon as I tighten axle, wheel does not spin freely.

o2jmpr · 06-21-2019, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert44

I tighten chain tensioner after axle. as soon as I tighten axle, wheel does not spin freely.

Doesn’t make sense to me. The axle has to be loose in order for the chain tensioners to slide and do their job. Once your slack is set,( even on both sides) then tighten down axle and as mentioned earlier, not too tight or else the swing arm box tubing will deform. If the center of the tire is lined up with the center of the shock then the chain should not rub under normal use but it will be very close to touching.

Did your bike fall into gear preventing the rear wheel from turning?

GronkFries · 06-21-2019, 02:33 PM

Did you take the rear wheel off, and if so did you check the spacing - Sounds like a spacer is missing. And tighten the axle last, after chain adjusters.

**JerryHawk250** · 06-21-2019, 02:38 PM

Did you grease the bearings? There is very little to no grease from the factory. The bearings are very simple to grease. You will need to remove the seals. After your remove the seals just pop the bearing covers off and grease them up. Rotate the bearing to work the grease in there before you replace the covers. Do the same for the front. Your bearings will thank you.

Robert44 · 06-21-2019, 03:34 PM

as soon as i start tightening the tensioner first (even just a little) i seem to lose the slack in the chain. i have read 3/4 to 1 inch in slack. is that measured from bottom of chain or from bottom to top of chain movement? if i am missing a spacer, would it be on the brake side of bike? i have not removed the tire, but will too grease bearings. thanks for photo of that!!!!!!

**JerryHawk250** · 06-21-2019, 03:57 PM

There's a spacer on the sprocket side. Once you have the slack you want and the chain is aligned then tighten the axle bolt. I just snug up the chain adjuster lightly so that it's not pulling the axle then use a 2nd nut as a locking nut so it doesn't vibrate loose. This will keep the axle from moving forward once you put a load on it from riding. Like stated before try to line up the center of the tire with the shock mount. That should get you close on chain alignment.

Megadan · 06-21-2019, 07:04 PM

I would guess missing sprocket side axle spacer at the swing arm, but let us also not forget that sometimes they goof up at the factory when installing the rear wheel bearings sometimes.

As far as tightening the axle itself, just make sure you don't go too tight. 35ft-lbs is all it takes.

bloverby · 06-21-2019, 10:12 PM

I had to move my axle as far forward as possible with the chain tensioners completely loose in order to get sufficient slack in the stock chain when I installed a 17 tooth front sprocket.

Assuming you have the spacers properly installed, keep everything loose and push forward on the wheel while keeping it centered and tighten down the axle nut, then come back and tighten the tensioners afterwards.

bloverby · 06-21-2019, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megadan

As far as tightening the axle itself, just make sure you don't go too tight. 35ft-lbs is all it takes.

Torque spec in the rps hawk owners manual is 65ft/lbs

CSC tt250 spec is 35ft/lbs

May as well throw the rps manual in the garbage really.......

Robert44 · 06-21-2019, 11:01 PM

first, i want to thank everyone for all the very useful information!! it's pretty cool that there are people so willing to help out.

now, this is what i did. i removed tire and greased bearing (hardly any in there). put clamp on chain right behind chain guide (which doesn't seem to do anything) and tightened it a bit. this was the only way i could get chain to keep slack in it. every time i would tighten axle, chain would tighten up. i made sure axle was pushed up all the way on the chain side and had to tighten tensioner on brake side a little to keep tire from rubbing chain. this took me 10 or so tries to get it where i wanted it. tire appears to be center with base of shock bracket and barely misses chain, but misses. tensioners are not tightened equally, but everything else looks pretty good. tire spins freely until caliper is bolted on. this is causing the tire not to spin freely. i only have 50 miles on bike and am hoping once pads wear down a little it will loosen up some. i don't have any problem pushing it around while in neutral.
thanks again!!!!!

06-20-2019, 07:22 PM	#1
Robert44 Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 27	chain adjustment hawk 250 i just put 17 front sprocket on hawk and tightened rear wheel and now it does not spin freely. did i tighten to much? is my chain to tight? any help would be appreciated. thanks!!
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06-20-2019, 08:11 PM	#2
dpl096 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: East Central Hellinois Posts: 1,344	Sounds too tight.... What was your tightening process? On the side stand? Above all don't ride that thing until its adjusted...please __________________ ************************************************ * " Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted." - John Lennon “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” ― Thomas Jefferson "If you don't know where you're going any road will take you there" ....George Harrison song
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06-21-2019, 09:43 AM	#3
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,562	make sure not to over tighten the axle bolt. Chain should have about 3/4" of play without a load on the rear. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
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06-21-2019, 02:38 PM	#9
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,562	Did you grease the bearings? There is very little to no grease from the factory. The bearings are very simple to grease. You will need to remove the seals. After your remove the seals just pop the bearing covers off and grease them up. Rotate the bearing to work the grease in there before you replace the covers. Do the same for the front. Your bearings will thank you. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
	2

06-21-2019, 03:57 PM	#11
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,562	There's a spacer on the sprocket side. Once you have the slack you want and the chain is aligned then tighten the axle bolt. I just snug up the chain adjuster lightly so that it's not pulling the axle then use a 2nd nut as a locking nut so it doesn't vibrate loose. This will keep the axle from moving forward once you put a load on it from riding. Like stated before try to line up the center of the tire with the shock mount. That should get you close on chain alignment. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
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06-21-2019, 01:00 PM	#4
Robert44 Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 27	I have bike on jack, get appropriate chain slack (I think), tighten axle and then tighten chain tensioners. even when I don't think axle is tight enough, tire will not spin freely. also, when I keep tire centered it rubs chain.
	0

06-21-2019, 01:20 PM	#5
kingofqueenz Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Strong Island New Yawk Posts: 464	Tighten chain tensioner?
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06-21-2019, 01:24 PM	#6
Robert44 Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 27	I tighten chain tensioner after axle. as soon as I tighten axle, wheel does not spin freely.
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06-21-2019, 02:33 PM	#8
GronkFries Join Date: May 2019 Location: Maine Posts: 111	Did you take the rear wheel off, and if so did you check the spacing - Sounds like a spacer is missing. And tighten the axle last, after chain adjusters.
	1

06-21-2019, 03:34 PM	#10
Robert44 Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 27	as soon as i start tightening the tensioner first (even just a little) i seem to lose the slack in the chain. i have read 3/4 to 1 inch in slack. is that measured from bottom of chain or from bottom to top of chain movement? if i am missing a spacer, would it be on the brake side of bike? i have not removed the tire, but will too grease bearings. thanks for photo of that!!!!!!
	0

06-21-2019, 07:04 PM	#12
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,020	I would guess missing sprocket side axle spacer at the swing arm, but let us also not forget that sometimes they goof up at the factory when installing the rear wheel bearings sometimes. As far as tightening the axle itself, just make sure you don't go too tight. 35ft-lbs is all it takes. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
	3

06-21-2019, 10:12 PM	#13
bloverby Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 40	I had to move my axle as far forward as possible with the chain tensioners completely loose in order to get sufficient slack in the stock chain when I installed a 17 tooth front sprocket. Assuming you have the spacers properly installed, keep everything loose and push forward on the wheel while keeping it centered and tighten down the axle nut, then come back and tighten the tensioners afterwards.
	0

06-21-2019, 11:01 PM	#15
Robert44 Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 27	first, i want to thank everyone for all the very useful information!! it's pretty cool that there are people so willing to help out. now, this is what i did. i removed tire and greased bearing (hardly any in there). put clamp on chain right behind chain guide (which doesn't seem to do anything) and tightened it a bit. this was the only way i could get chain to keep slack in it. every time i would tighten axle, chain would tighten up. i made sure axle was pushed up all the way on the chain side and had to tighten tensioner on brake side a little to keep tire from rubbing chain. this took me 10 or so tries to get it where i wanted it. tire appears to be center with base of shock bracket and barely misses chain, but misses. tensioners are not tightened equally, but everything else looks pretty good. tire spins freely until caliper is bolted on. this is causing the tire not to spin freely. i only have 50 miles on bike and am hoping once pads wear down a little it will loosen up some. i don't have any problem pushing it around while in neutral. thanks again!!!!!
	0