Chain adjustment and chain guide?

psheffie · 09-07-2008, 11:41 PM

I have been feeling a lot of vibes from the rear of the bike recently(it seems to be the rea anyway). I have tried adjusting the chain but I dont really know if it is correct adjustment or if maybe its worn through part of the guide that I cant easily see. I can see that the guide is worn and the rollers are hitting the guide, but I dont know what if that is normal or what a normal amount of wear is.

My question is, what should the chain look/feel like when it is adjusted properly and how does one remove/replace the chain guide?

Thanks for any assistance.

pizzarider · 09-08-2008, 01:02 AM

I believe it should have one and a half to two inches of play when you wiggle the chain. Much more play then that and it might come off. -Cory

red2003 · 09-08-2008, 07:51 AM

I run mine with about an inch to an inch and a quarter of slack, measured by holding the chain up, then dropping it down and measure distance between the two while the bike is at rest. Any more then this and I get too much slop, less and it stretches the chain.

psheffie · 09-08-2008, 08:06 AM

Thanks much guys.

dieselhead · 09-08-2008, 10:34 AM

The problem with chain slack on these bikes is the radical swing arm geometry fools you into "thinking" you have adaquit slack when you might be way off!
To be sure you are not yoking your engine hard in the undersize bolted engine mounts when you hit a bump,jump......whatever makes a shock compression, there is only one way to be sure your chain is correctly adjusted.
To see if you got it right, get a tie down strap and hook it to the rear rack and down to the swing arm at the lower chain guide. now sinch the strap tight untill you have compressed the rear shock enough that the swing arm is actualy pointing to the front sprocket. With the swing arm "mostly" inline with the front sprocket, you have the maximum distance between the 2 sprockets. Here is when you should look at your chain slack and adjust it to (IMO) no less than 1/2 inch. Thats fairly snug but still not binding at max extended possition. The shocker comes when you let the strap loose and see how much slop you now have in your chain with the bike on the kick stand 8O . From a mechanical piont of view "THIS" would be the right amount of slack.

Q · 09-08-2008, 03:32 PM

If you don't have a strap available you can remove one of the bolts in the suspension linkage and let the bike drop down until the countershaft, swing arm pivot bolt, and rear axle line up. Then adjust the chain to 1/2" play.

On my Lifan GY5 I end up with a full 3.25" of play with the bike on the side stand! Yikes!!! Absolutely necessary though if you don't want to break something.

The GY5 rear suspension geometry sucks. One of my winter projects is to move the swing arm pivot point down an inch or so on the frame.

Q

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselhead

The problem with chain slack on these bikes is the radical swing arm geometry fools you into "thinking" you have adaquit slack when you might be way off!
To be sure you are not yoking your engine hard in the undersize bolted engine mounts when you hit a bump,jump......whatever makes a shock compression, there is only one way to be sure your chain is correctly adjusted.
To see if you got it right, get a tie down strap and hook it to the rear rack and down to the swing arm at the lower chain guide. now sinch the strap tight untill you have compressed the rear shock enough that the swing arm is actualy pointing to the front sprocket. With the swing arm "mostly" inline with the front sprocket, you have the maximum distance between the 2 sprockets. Here is when you should look at your chain slack and adjust it to (IMO) no less than 1/2 inch. Thats fairly snug but still not binding at max extended possition. The shocker comes when you let the strap loose and see how much slop you now have in your chain with the bike on the kick stand 8O . From a mechanical piont of view "THIS" would be the right amount of slack.

red2003 · 09-08-2008, 07:08 PM

Yikes, 3 1/4 inches of free play 8O . The MX bikes don't even run that much slack with a foot of wheel travel. Your swingarm must be designed VERY different from my Roketa. At an inch +/- slack when the bike sits on the stand, I have about 1/2in slack when the swingarm is dead level. With that much slack you seriously risk kicking off the chain since these bikes don't have a chain guide for the rear sprocket. Also, that kinda slack puts a tremendous whiplash load on the tranny and rear hub.

partsdude · 09-08-2008, 07:35 PM

One of the many reasons I like my V-Stars... Shaft Drive

Can just imagine the amount of swing in the swingarm on my Saga when I plop my 250 lbs fat butt on it. Should probably bite the bullet now and buy a longer chain and weld some sort of auto-tensioner to the swingarm

NOT!

dieselhead · 09-09-2008, 01:03 AM

One way Iv gotten around this poor geometery is on my GY5 bottom shock linkage there is a center 3rd hole on the linkage plates. the shock is in the top hole. I took the 2 plates off and since the center unused hole is larger, I welded bushings into the holes to make them the same diameter as the others and mounted the shock down into that hole. That lowered the rear of the bike a bit more than 2" off the side stand and with me on it the swing arm is still slightly pitched downward. The bike handles better (more stable) on the road And at creeping along balance is better. The down side is the pogo stick shock is softer cause the center mount hole is closer to the swing arm axle and Iv rubed that iner fender bulge under the seat a couple of times.
I think I can heat that inner fender bulge back up with a propane torch for more travel and I have some koni 11" harley lowering shocks coming from ebay that might be adjusted harder than the stock pogo. The slopy chain is history with this mod, just a few more wrinkles to iron out tho.

TheBrainII · 09-09-2008, 08:55 AM

I can also back up the 3inch of slack. My Lifan is the same way. Over 6k miles it's never come off. As soon as you sit on it it takes up most of the slack so it's not really a problem. I've adjusted it may times trying to get it just right and it always ends up looking like it has to much slack....until you sit on it. It's just the way it is. I have a post here that shows the swing arm travel. I have a feeling it sits a little higher the some other brands.
Some pics:
http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...412&highlight=

red2003 · 09-09-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBrainII

I can also back up the 3inch of slack. My Lifan is the same way. Over 6k miles it's never come off. As soon as you sit on it it takes up most of the slack so it's not really a problem. I've adjusted it may times trying to get it just right and it always ends up looking like it has to much slack....until you sit on it. It's just the way it is. I have a post here that shows the swing arm travel. I have a feeling it sits a little higher the some other brands.
Some pics:
http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...412&highlight=

Interesting...... Maybe it's a Lifan thing. My Roketa doesn't require nearly that much slack, but I totally agree with the methodology suggested. I guess everyone should follow the above directions to get a baseline measurement for their own bike. For sure it sounds like the Lifans need a lot.

knothead · 09-09-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q

If you don't have a strap available you can remove one of the bolts in the suspension linkage and let the bike drop down until the countershaft, swing arm pivot bolt, and rear axle line up. Then adjust the chain to 1/2" play.

On my Lifan GY5 I end up with a full 3.25" of play with the bike on the side stand! Yikes!!! Absolutely necessary though if you don't want to break something.

The GY5 rear suspension geometry sucks. One of my winter projects is to move the swing arm pivot point down an inch or so on the frame.

Q

X2. I started off adjusting my chain per the sticker on the swingarm. Then I noticed how tight the chain was when I sat on the bike!
So I'm like you, with no weight on the bike I have around 3" of slop. Fully compressed it's just shy of being tight. This is on an '07 GY-5 as well.

09-07-2008, 11:41 PM	#1
psheffie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 10	Chain adjustment and chain guide? I have been feeling a lot of vibes from the rear of the bike recently(it seems to be the rea anyway). I have tried adjusting the chain but I dont really know if it is correct adjustment or if maybe its worn through part of the guide that I cant easily see. I can see that the guide is worn and the rollers are hitting the guide, but I dont know what if that is normal or what a normal amount of wear is. My question is, what should the chain look/feel like when it is adjusted properly and how does one remove/replace the chain guide? Thanks for any assistance.
	0

09-08-2008, 07:51 AM	#3
red2003 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern Vermont, USA Posts: 1,240	I run mine with about an inch to an inch and a quarter of slack, measured by holding the chain up, then dropping it down and measure distance between the two while the bike is at rest. Any more then this and I get too much slop, less and it stretches the chain. __________________ First Chinabike: 2006 Roketa RSX200E Current Chinabikes: 2023 Titan DLX & 2022 Lifan KP Mini w/ 210cc BRT kit, 22 RWHP!
	0

09-08-2008, 07:08 PM	#7
red2003 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern Vermont, USA Posts: 1,240	Yikes, 3 1/4 inches of free play 8O . The MX bikes don't even run that much slack with a foot of wheel travel. Your swingarm must be designed VERY different from my Roketa. At an inch +/- slack when the bike sits on the stand, I have about 1/2in slack when the swingarm is dead level. With that much slack you seriously risk kicking off the chain since these bikes don't have a chain guide for the rear sprocket. Also, that kinda slack puts a tremendous whiplash load on the tranny and rear hub. __________________ First Chinabike: 2006 Roketa RSX200E Current Chinabikes: 2023 Titan DLX & 2022 Lifan KP Mini w/ 210cc BRT kit, 22 RWHP!
	0

09-08-2008, 07:35 PM	#8
partsdude Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 158	One of the many reasons I like my V-Stars... Shaft Drive Can just imagine the amount of swing in the swingarm on my Saga when I plop my 250 lbs fat butt on it. Should probably bite the bullet now and buy a longer chain and weld some sort of auto-tensioner to the swingarm NOT! __________________ 1970 CT 70 - 1975 RD350 - 1977 KE100 - 1979 FL250 ODYSSEY - 1999 VSTAR650 CLASSIC - 2001 VSTAR 1100 CLASSIC - 2007 ? SAGA GY250 ?
	0

09-09-2008, 08:55 AM	#10
TheBrainII Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: PA Posts: 129	Chain slack I can also back up the 3inch of slack. My Lifan is the same way. Over 6k miles it's never come off. As soon as you sit on it it takes up most of the slack so it's not really a problem. I've adjusted it may times trying to get it just right and it always ends up looking like it has to much slack....until you sit on it. It's just the way it is. I have a post here that shows the swing arm travel. I have a feeling it sits a little higher the some other brands. Some pics: http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...412&highlight= __________________ Bone stock 2007 Lifan GY-5
	0

09-08-2008, 01:02 AM	#2
pizzarider Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 144	I believe it should have one and a half to two inches of play when you wiggle the chain. Much more play then that and it might come off. -Cory
	0

09-08-2008, 08:06 AM	#4
psheffie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 10	Thanks much guys.
	0

09-08-2008, 10:34 AM	#5
dieselhead Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Catskill Mnts NY Posts: 85	The problem with chain slack on these bikes is the radical swing arm geometry fools you into "thinking" you have adaquit slack when you might be way off! To be sure you are not yoking your engine hard in the undersize bolted engine mounts when you hit a bump,jump......whatever makes a shock compression, there is only one way to be sure your chain is correctly adjusted. To see if you got it right, get a tie down strap and hook it to the rear rack and down to the swing arm at the lower chain guide. now sinch the strap tight untill you have compressed the rear shock enough that the swing arm is actualy pointing to the front sprocket. With the swing arm "mostly" inline with the front sprocket, you have the maximum distance between the 2 sprockets. Here is when you should look at your chain slack and adjust it to (IMO) no less than 1/2 inch. Thats fairly snug but still not binding at max extended possition. The shocker comes when you let the strap loose and see how much slop you now have in your chain with the bike on the kick stand 8O . From a mechanical piont of view "THIS" would be the right amount of slack.
	0

09-09-2008, 01:03 AM	#9
dieselhead Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Catskill Mnts NY Posts: 85	One way Iv gotten around this poor geometery is on my GY5 bottom shock linkage there is a center 3rd hole on the linkage plates. the shock is in the top hole. I took the 2 plates off and since the center unused hole is larger, I welded bushings into the holes to make them the same diameter as the others and mounted the shock down into that hole. That lowered the rear of the bike a bit more than 2" off the side stand and with me on it the swing arm is still slightly pitched downward. The bike handles better (more stable) on the road And at creeping along balance is better. The down side is the pogo stick shock is softer cause the center mount hole is closer to the swing arm axle and Iv rubed that iner fender bulge under the seat a couple of times. I think I can heat that inner fender bulge back up with a propane torch for more travel and I have some koni 11" harley lowering shocks coming from ebay that might be adjusted harder than the stock pogo. The slopy chain is history with this mod, just a few more wrinkles to iron out tho.
	0