Rear tire won't adjust and chain comes off sprocket angled

MooseTraks · 10-13-2018, 07:18 PM

I put my hawk together and trued the rims to the best of my ability. Noticed the chain had alot of tension and read that they need to break in and sometimes the chains are short a link or two. After trying my damnedest to align the rear tire but every time I tighten the rear axle nut it compresses the rear fork together and takes all of my slack and tweaks the tire. I have no clue what to do.

jhawk19 · 10-13-2018, 09:28 PM

My chain had a lot of tension too...too much. My neighbor races ATVs and came over to check it out. He helped me reduce that tension and swap out sprockets. You should not run the chain too tight. He told me 1/2" of play is good. Mine was so tight it barely moved an 1/8" of an inch.

If the sprocket is angled, the chain will always come off. Have you replaced them? Are they bent at all?

You may already know all of this, but I'm putting it out there.

MooseTraks · 10-13-2018, 10:49 PM

I haven't changed the sprockets or the chain it's all stock in that aspect, but when I try to adjust the tension on the chain by loosening the rear axle and sliding with the adjusters as soon as I try to tighten the nut down it takes all of the slack I tried to adjust for. Maybe a new sprocket and chain are in order :/

david3921 · 10-13-2018, 11:34 PM

Is the axle washer nicked or warped? It sounds like the washer is turning as you are tightening the axle nut, catching the swing arm, and pulling the wheel out of true. Try an impact initially to snug it up quickly and then do your final tourque. You could also pull the axle bolt and flip it, tightening on the other side of the bike. You would then be tightening the nut in the opposite direction.

timcosby · 10-14-2018, 01:30 AM

tighten the axel nut enough to where its tight but lets the wheel move when you adjust the adjusters. eyeball the rear sprocket so it lines up with the front one. 1/2" to 3/4" slack is about right.

roundhouse · 10-14-2018, 09:44 AM

Took me a while to get my rear lined up just right and the chain at the right tension. Could be just off. Easy to have the chain side further in than the other side.

**JerryHawk250** · 10-15-2018, 03:50 PM

This is pretty close to the method I use. I snug up the axle bolt with a good bit of play in the chain then tighten up on the adjuster to alien and adjust for play. Then I tighten up the axle bolt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by timcosby

tighten the axel nut enough to where its tight but lets the wheel move when you adjust the adjusters. eyeball the rear sprocket so it lines up with the front one. 1/2" to 3/4" slack is about right.

MooseTraks · 10-16-2018, 12:27 PM

Thank you everyone for the info! Ugh I was tightening that rear axle until the all slack was taken up. (Didn't ride like this just sat in the garage a good half day mind boggled) I tried the snug up and leaving slack and it worked like a charm! It's not eating my knobs up and it's not chain snapping tight.

**JerryHawk250** · 10-16-2018, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseTraks

Thank you everyone for the info! Ugh I was tightening that rear axle until the all slack was taken up. (Didn't ride like this just sat in the garage a good half day mind boggled) I tried the snug up and leaving slack and it worked like a charm! It's not eating my knobs up and it's not chain snapping tight.

As usual, glad to help. Good idea to double nut the adjuster as they tend to vibrate loose.

10-13-2018, 07:18 PM	#1
MooseTraks Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 20	Rear tire won't adjust and chain comes off sprocket angled I put my hawk together and trued the rims to the best of my ability. Noticed the chain had alot of tension and read that they need to break in and sometimes the chains are short a link or two. After trying my damnedest to align the rear tire but every time I tighten the rear axle nut it compresses the rear fork together and takes all of my slack and tweaks the tire. I have no clue what to do. __________________ "Where we're goin....We'll be lucky if they've got roads." -SPC Garcia 2017 "Whats 30 tons of willy pete anyways??" -SGT Nicholes Have a blast both literally and figuratively.
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10-13-2018, 11:34 PM	#4
david3921 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,035	Is the axle washer nicked or warped? It sounds like the washer is turning as you are tightening the axle nut, catching the swing arm, and pulling the wheel out of true. Try an impact initially to snug it up quickly and then do your final tourque. You could also pull the axle bolt and flip it, tightening on the other side of the bike. You would then be tightening the nut in the opposite direction. __________________ 2012 Kawasaki Versys 1984 Honda Magna V65 2016 Rhino 250 2016 Tao Tao 125D
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10-14-2018, 01:30 AM	#5
timcosby Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: robertsdale alabama usa Posts: 1,007	tighten the axel nut enough to where its tight but lets the wheel move when you adjust the adjusters. eyeball the rear sprocket so it lines up with the front one. 1/2" to 3/4" slack is about right. __________________ 1991 harley heritage softail classic 2016 hawk kaw h1 400 tripple 13' long chopper in progress 2009 johnny pag bar hog 2004 hd electra glide ultra classic shriner edition 1997 harley davidson 1200 sportster 1972 harley davidson amf sx250
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10-13-2018, 09:28 PM	#2
jhawk19 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: South Carolina Posts: 32	My chain had a lot of tension too...too much. My neighbor races ATVs and came over to check it out. He helped me reduce that tension and swap out sprockets. You should not run the chain too tight. He told me 1/2" of play is good. Mine was so tight it barely moved an 1/8" of an inch. If the sprocket is angled, the chain will always come off. Have you replaced them? Are they bent at all? You may already know all of this, but I'm putting it out there.
	0

10-13-2018, 10:49 PM	#3
MooseTraks Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 20	I haven't changed the sprockets or the chain it's all stock in that aspect, but when I try to adjust the tension on the chain by loosening the rear axle and sliding with the adjusters as soon as I try to tighten the nut down it takes all of the slack I tried to adjust for. Maybe a new sprocket and chain are in order :/
	0

10-14-2018, 09:44 AM	#6
roundhouse Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: N Texas Posts: 706	Took me a while to get my rear lined up just right and the chain at the right tension. Could be just off. Easy to have the chain side further in than the other side.
	0

10-16-2018, 12:27 PM	#8
MooseTraks Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 20	Thank you everyone for the info! Ugh I was tightening that rear axle until the all slack was taken up. (Didn't ride like this just sat in the garage a good half day mind boggled) I tried the snug up and leaving slack and it worked like a charm! It's not eating my knobs up and it's not chain snapping tight.
	1