Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Jaybird, post: 1296573, member: 22283"] Good grief... You know, there are specific instructions provided by each and every mfg that cover just about every mechanical issue we can think of. Very specific details as minute as how much force to use on each itty bitty little screw... The proper care and maintenance of the drive sprockets and chain is also included in these instructions and tutorials. There is also a wealth of information here at DRN, if one would only do a simple search. I am amazed at the resources available to us, yet folks just can't help but fumble around with chain drives. I think the virus that infects the 'what ratio oil to use' rubs off on the chain drive maint mindset. BTW...the proper slack for a chain to have is, between 1%-3% of the distance between the front and rear shafts, in total up and down free movement of the chain , when the swing arm is in a straight plane with the centerline of the front and rear shafts. Also BTW... It is almost impossible to see where your chain is as far as wear is concerned. To make the statement; "My chain looks fine" can only concern how well you keep it cleaned and lubed. The looks of the chain has very little at all to do with whether it is in serviceable condition or not. To know what condition your chain is in, you need to measure it. That is just how it is done. You can try quickies like pulling it from the sprocket, but that is just fumbling around. Learn to measure the chain properly. Then, know that you will start to see wear on the sprockets once the chain has reached a point of around 1.5%-2% elongated past new pitch. If you actually have it together, you can keep an eye on this elongation of the chain, and change it out for a new one when it has reached about 1%-1.5%. This will keep a chain within mfg specs on the bike, and it will not eat out the sprockets. You can see a set of common aluminum sprockets last a phenomenally long time by using this method. Good friends like Pred make the recommendation to change it all out as a set no matter what, as a matter of dealing with the fact that the general populous is really just fumbling around with chain issues, and not really performing proper maintenance on the drives at all. So, it makes sense to change it all out as a set, especially when we really don't care to understand or subscribe to the dynamics behind them. Which is fine...hell, 'run em till they break and replace em' is an option. And seems a very popular one at that. [/QUOTE]

Verification: Which ocean is California closest to?