chain adjustment

[P&J]

Hi

I am looking for help/advice in adjusting the chain. I remember a while ago seeing a thread about adjusting the chain on the AT, but cant find it again now I want to do it!

I remember something about not following the advice given in the Honda manual, as it makes the chain too tight - or something like that.

Any help would be appreciated as I'm keen to stop the chain getting even more loose & slappy.

[Austin]

Hi

I am looking for help/advice in adjusting the chain. I remember a while ago seeing a thread about adjusting the chain on the AT, but cant find it again now I want to do it!

I remember something about not following the advice given in the Honda manual, as it makes the chain too tight - or something like that.

Any help would be appreciated as I'm keen to stop the chain getting even more loose & slappy.

1. fit a scotoiler
2. keep the tension on loose side of what's recommended, or even looser, but not so its slaps about.
3. If its knackered replace it

(now, if I only followed my own advice!!)

[Chad]

bike on center stand adjust the chain so you have about 65mm of free play up and down . no less as the chain would be to tight and as you ride over big bumps the chain would tighten (like snapping a rope tight between your hands) putting intermitent pressure on the output shaft bearing (bad )
this does depend a lot on how big you are but stick with the above and you should be fine.

[KEIFER]

To be blunt, I have no centre stand and regularly do about 500 miles a day so as you can imagine have to do the old chain adjustment lark on a regular basis

My advise ... well as Chad say really (!) give yourself about 65mm free play. If slightly more or less not a problem, doesn't have to be an exact science! In my view better to have it too slack rather than too tight.

Is really, really simple with the AT ... my current record is doing an adjustment in about 5 minutes

[P&J]

Thanks

I have a scottoiler which is great, otherwise i would have gone through the chain before now I have no centre stand so am curios as to how you manage to adjust the chain in 5 minutes without one

Scuse my ignorance

As I am rather on the big side I will leave as much slack as poss

[YEN_POWELL]

Thanks

I have a scottoiler which is great, otherwise i would have gone through the chain before now I have no centre stand so am curios as to how you manage to adjust the chain in 5 minutes without one

Scuse my ignorance

As I am rather on the big side I will leave as much slack as poss

As you can see from my signature I have yet to fit the centre stand on my current Africa Twin, so this is what I do at the moment. I put the bike on the side stand, turn the handlebars onto full left lock, walk around to the opposite side and push the bike away from me so it is balancing on the front wheel and sidestand. With my left foot I slide a car axlestand under the centrestand bracket (where you'd fit the centrestand if you had one). This leaves the rear wheel an inch or so off the ground so you can measure the slack with a 70mm piece of copper tube between the middle of the swingarm and the underside of the chain. It should fit without falling out ideally. Check the chain at lots of places in case you have a tight spot. You can also remove the rear wheel if you want to do a tyre change.

To remove push the bike away from you again and hook the axlestand out.

WARNING- BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE BIKE DROP SO THE AXLE STAND GOES UNDER THE EXHAUST OR THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF YOUR BIKE WILL BEAR ON IT.

I can do this alone, but it's easier with a helper, if you show them exactly where you want the axlestand placed before you stand there straining with your face going red.

[P&J]

thanks

will give that a go with a friend

hopefully we can make a go of it without looking totally stupid

[Gregger]

Quality advice here

http://www.atic.org/faq/chain.html

Always used that tip

[KEIFER]

Adjusting the chain without a centre stand is suprisingly easy!!

I simply loosen the axis bolts either side which holds the rear swing, much he same as if you were doing it with the centre stand.

But the trick is not to completly slacken the axis bolts, but to leave enough tension so that you have to exhert a bit of force on the adjusters each side.

Hence you can safely line up the marks on each side and keep the wheel level. When happy with the appropriate slack then simply tighten the axis bolts back up and voila job done

Perfectly safe and effective ... done over 15,000 on one chain doing this without problem!

The only time you will get into difficulty is if the axis bolts are completly removed and hence the wheel moves out of alignment. Then getting it back straight is a test of strength as you have to physically lift the rear end to get it back straight

[Breeze]

Quality advice here

http://www.atic.org/faq/chain.html

Always used that tip

I've used this setup and it works fine for me!