SIGH, Hawk 250 chain adjustment issue. Six attempts and I give up.

[HawkTwoFifty]

Can anyone please tell me why I am having issues with setting the proper (or even minimal) slack in the Hawk 250 chain? I have tried six times now to properly adjust chain and its just not happening.



Heres what I keep doing. First I jack the rear tire off the ground, then I loosen the chain adjustment nuts and rear axle bolt and test by hand that the axle slides freely forwards and rearward in the swingarm. Next I install a perfectly sized new chain which I cut to size leaving it with the perfect amount of slack (and then some) once the axle is slid all the way forward in the swingarm. After this, I slide the rear tire forward (because it naturally moves rearward with the wheel up in the air) to get my chain to the perfect slack. So I find the perfect amount of slack and snug my axle bolt and snug the chain adjustment screws even with each other. At this point, the slack is still perfect! I check twice to confirm. Its still always perfect.


Now heres where it ALWAYS goes wrong for me! As I tighten the axle bolt (after having the bolt slightly snug with the perfect amount of chain slack set) , the chain adjustment sliders in the swingarm keeps sliding rearward as I tighten the axle bolt. A major problem I see is that the chain adjustment screws do not prevent the slider from moving rearward, only frontward. So it is impossible to tighten my axle bolts without the sliders moving rearward and automatically tightening my chain! I have even applied forward pressure to my rear tire using my foot while tightening the axle bolt, but it still slides rearward and removes all the slack from my chain.


The only thing I havent tried yet is dropping the rear tire to the ground after snugging up the axle bolt.. But I was hoping to keep the rear tire up in the air to keep weight off my swingarm and sliders while tightening the axle bolts. If its in a free state without any weight applied, I would assume everything would tighten more squarely and eliminate any damage to the swingarm chain sliders or anything else.



So my end result after six attempts is a chain with barely any slack once I tighten the axle bolt.



So what I am doing wrong here? Thanks.


(Also, My bike is a 2018 and it only has 13 easy street miles on it after sitting for a few years now. Its basically brand new.)

[Boatguy]

I’m sure my bike is different than yours, but if I were in your shoes, I would just account for this situation with the initial chain adjustment.

If every time you tighten those axle bolts, the chain tightens, I would start with a more loose chain setting to account for that. That way when you tighten them up, it will be correct.

[TominMO]

^^ Yes.

[HawkTwoFifty]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

I’m sure my bike is different than yours, but if I were in your shoes, I would just account for this situation with the initial chain adjustment.

If every time you tighten those axle bolts, the chain tightens, I would start with a more loose chain setting to account for that. That way when you tighten them up, it will be correct.

Thanks, I guess this will be my last resort if I cant figure what else is wrong. If I go this route, is it ok to run two master links in a chain, or perhaps one master link and a half link when adding additional links back to the chain?


Also, I did some reading elsewhere online since posting this, and found two interesting things regarding this issue. I read discussions of other dirt bikes (non-Hawk 250 bikes) where people experienced this same issue where chain slack was removed from the chain once tightening the axle bolt. A saw posts mentioning that the location of the axle nut could cause this. After watching videos online of Hawk users working on their bikes, I see that their axle nut is installed from the left side of the bike, with the nut being on the right side. I was installing my axle nut from the right side, and having the nut on the left side. I never thought this would make any difference, but maybe the tightening forces of the nut being on the opposite side is causing this. I will give it a try, but am not very confident this will make any difference.


Another interesting thing I read was where people were placing a shop rag between the sprocket and chain and then spinning the wheel until the rag is fed (wedged) tightly into the sprocket which provides enough tension to reduce slack from happening while tightening the axle bolt.



I really hope this solves the issue...

[zscr]

I think you should check everything on the ground before torquing the nut down, if you are lifting the bike without using the swingarm(making the rear suspension hang) the chain will tighten a little more once you get it in the ground.

[HawkTwoFifty]

Originally Posted by zscr

I think you should check everything on the ground before torquing the nut down, if you are lifting the bike without using the swingarm(making the rear suspension hang) the chain will tighten a little more once you get it in the ground.

Thanks. I am adjusting the slack to be on the high side before tightening the axle bolt to compensate for any differences once lowered. Even if a leave a ton of slack, tightening the axle bolt removes every bit of slack from the chain. If only there was a locking nutt in the chain adjustment that would prevent the axle from sliding rearward while tightening the axle bolt, I'd be golden the first time. But the swingarm axle chain adjustment sliders just automatically move rearward while tightening the axle bolt and ends up removing every bit of slack I set. Its seriously wearing me out!

[China Rider 27]

Had the same problem when I first got my Hawk. When you have it adjusted to the slack you want I learned to use a wooden dowel rod 3/8 inch or so (a large screwdriver can work in a pinch) placed in the sprocket teeth gap. Rotate the tire rearward until you have taken all the slack out and the chain is tight. Hold the tire with your knee so it does not move and then tighten the axle nut applying force to the wrench and the ratchet ONLY in a forward towards engine direction (do not pull back toward you).

[Mudflap]

Have you tried grabbing onto the chain, both top and bottom about midway between the sprockets and squeeze hard while you tighten the axle nut?



Also make sure the chain isn't overly tight (10mm to 20mm play) when the countershaft, swing arm bolt, and rear axle are in a straight line. That is the tightest point.

[HawkTwoFifty]

Originally Posted by China Rider 27

Had the same problem when I first got my Hawk. When you have it adjusted to the slack you want I learned to use a wooden dowel rod 3/8 inch or so (a large screwdriver can work in a pinch) placed in the sprocket teeth gap. Rotate the tire rearward until you have taken all the slack out and the chain is tight. Hold the tire with your knee so it does not move and then tighten the axle nut applying force to the wrench and the ratchet ONLY in a forward towards engine direction (do not pull back toward you).

Thank you! I really think this method will work when all else fails. Luckily I happen to have some 3/8" inch dowel pins in my tool box and will try this.



Since creating this thread, I have read online of people using screw drivers and rags to lock up their chain and sprocket to solve this issue. But I have not read of anyone suggesting a 3/8 dowel pin yet. I love this idea, thanks again!!

[HawkTwoFifty]

Originally Posted by Mudflap

Have you tried grabbing onto the chain, both top and bottom about midway between the sprockets and squeeze hard while you tighten the axle nut?



Also make sure the chain isn't overly tight (10mm to 20mm play) when the countershaft, swing arm bolt, and rear axle are in a straight line. That is the tightest point.

Thank you for that idea!! I cant believe I didnt think of that myself already.

[HawkTwoFifty]

Originally Posted by China Rider 27

Had the same problem when I first got my Hawk. When you have it adjusted to the slack you want I learned to use a wooden dowel rod 3/8 inch or so (a large screwdriver can work in a pinch) placed in the sprocket teeth gap. Rotate the tire rearward until you have taken all the slack out and the chain is tight. Hold the tire with your knee so it does not move and then tighten the axle nut applying force to the wrench and the ratchet ONLY in a forward towards engine direction (do not pull back toward you).

I just wanted to give an update and say that I used your 3/8" dowel pin suggestion and it worked perfectly. I got it done super quick and without a single issue. The end result was a chain with perfect slack. If only I knew about this idea from the start, I would have spared myself a ton of frustration!

[zero_dgz]

Originally Posted by zscr

I think you should check everything on the ground before torquing the nut down, if you are lifting the bike without using the swingarm(making the rear suspension hang) the chain will tighten a little more once you get it in the ground.

This is correct, for the future reference of anyone reading this. Chain slack is generally set on all bikes, not just the Hawk, with the rear wheel on the ground and the bike on its side stand. As the rear suspension compresses and the rear tire and swingarm move up relative to the frame, the chain is effectively tightened. This is why there needs to be slack in it in the first place. In the case of a dual sport bike with a long suspension travel the difference will be a lot.



If you set your slack with the rear wheel dangling in the air you will find that it is then too tight once you set the wheel back on the ground. Trying to compensate for this by setting the chain really lose before putting everything back together and the wheel back on the ground will be a frustrating process. Just adjust it with the wheel on the ground in the first place.


This will also help prevent it from walking away on you while you tighten the axle nut. (Hold both ends of the axle with a wrench: its head with one wrench, and tighten the nut with the other.)

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by zero_dgz

This is correct, for the future reference of anyone reading this. Chain slack is generally set on all bikes, not just the Hawk, with the rear wheel on the ground and the bike on its side stand. As the rear suspension compresses and the rear tire and swingarm move up relative to the frame, the chain is effectively tightened. This is why there needs to be slack in it in the first place. In the case of a dual sport bike with a long suspension travel the difference will be a lot.



If you set your slack with the rear wheel dangling in the air you will find that it is then too tight once you set the wheel back on the ground. Trying to compensate for this by setting the chain really lose before putting everything back together and the wheel back on the ground will be a frustrating process. Just adjust it with the wheel on the ground in the first place.


This will also help prevent it from walking away on you while you tighten the axle nut. (Hold both ends of the axle with a wrench: its head with one wrench, and tighten the nut with the other.)

Explains why I never had a problem. I have never taken the bike off the ground to adjust the chain. Ever.