View Full Version : how dangerous is loose chain?
New Leaf
22-01-07, 09:53 PM
ello again all. i was just wondering if anyone knows how dangerous it is to ride around with my chain lightly looser than it says in the mannual. The book says 20-30mm and i have abot 33mm of movement on my chain.
I'm due to go and see Spanner Man in about a month - after another 1000 miles. Do u reckon it would be okay to leave it till then or do i need to dig out my own spanners. i've never adjusted it myself, and i'd rather leave it till the service if its not too dangerous.
fizzwheel
22-01-07, 10:08 PM
adjust it yourself. Its easy and thats coming from a mechnical dunce...
northwind
22-01-07, 10:13 PM
I doubt it'll be dangerous- but I'd still fix it. As Fizz says it's really very easy. Undo axle bolt, turn adjusters clockwise (by a very small amount at a time, I do 1/6, and equally on both sides!) till you're happy then torque axle back up. No fun with just the standard toolkit, though, though that depends on how strong you are. I'm a feeb, so I wouldn't even try.
fizzwheel
22-01-07, 10:16 PM
I've done it with the standard toolkit, It was a bit of a struggle though, its easier with some better tools.
or use a wheel brace :wink:
Even I can tighten the chain!!!! All you need is a reasonable torque wrench and the right size socket. Mine was £25/£5 from a tool shop, not the cheapest but certainly not the most expensive.
fizzwheel
22-01-07, 10:24 PM
or use a wheel brace :wink:
And thats the right size to not round off the nuts is it :?:
or use a wheel brace :wink:
And thats the right size to not round off the nuts is it :?:
mine is :wink:
i would'nt bother with a torque wrench......just do it up nice & tight
i would'nt bother with a torque wrench......just do it up nice & tight
:shock: you kiddin' :?: :?: :?:
i would'nt bother with a torque wrench......just do it up nice & tight
:shock: you kiddin' :?: :?: :?:
no :shock:
Would you like to borrow mine?
northwind
22-01-07, 11:52 PM
There's no magic in a torque wrench, if you've got a good grasp of things there's no harm in doing things manually. And axles aren't very torque dependant, at least not that one. I use a torque wrench, mind, I like the backup, but not using one isn't automatically stupid...
Would you like to borrow mine?
what for??????????
:shock: :? :shock: :?
just use a socket/breaker bar/ wheel brace & your muscles :wink:
i have managed for the last 15 years without one...............IMO i dont need one
I would suprised if 33mm would cause you any problems at all.
I dont even bother adjusting mine until it gets to about 35, and then I'll adjust it back to 30, 25 always seems a bit to tight to me.
Ceri JC
23-01-07, 09:40 AM
There's no magic in a torque wrench, if you've got a good grasp of things there's no harm in doing things manually. And axles aren't very torque dependant, at least not that one. I use a torque wrench, mind, I like the backup, but not using one isn't automatically stupid...
As northwind says, I imagine the axles are one of the bits of bike that are a bit more tolerant to being over torqued. Also, you have to consider that if you take your bike to a tyre fitters, how often do they torque it up? I know mine (a biker himself) just uses a spanner, "tight as fook".
As to it being possible to do with the chocolate suzuki spanners, if it's torqued correctly/only a bit over, but mine was (admittedly done up a bit tight by a tyre fitter) no good at all. I managed to snap one of mine trying to undo the rear axle. :shock:
Dysparunia
23-01-07, 10:23 AM
What torque is recommended for the axle nut?
What torque is recommended for the axle nut?
Rear is 65 Nm
21QUEST
23-01-07, 11:11 AM
What torque is recommended for the axle nut?
Rear is 65 Nm
That'll be for the Curvy. I believe the Pointy is 100 Nm but in saying that a few very knowledgeable folks think that is a bit over the top. personally I probably wouldn't use the book figures but that's just me :wink:
Ben
I wish my eyesight was good enough to see 3mm! :shock: No problem really. Just check for any slack/tight sections but adjusting the chain is a doddle really and any bike user should really know how to go about it. bit like car drivers should know how to change a wheel, check fluids etc.
it is worth having a go just to learn and get into the habit of checking regularly, as it will help extend its useful life, your manual should tell you how. easier if you have a paddock stand (just so happens I do have a spare that might come up for sale :-dd ).
33mm nowt but I do know a guy (from way way back) who was less than vigilant, chain jumped off and jammed. He survived but minus one arm :shock:
use a torque wrench, as before mentioned they aren't exactly expensive and when you've pumped a fair amount of dosh and pride into getting your bike, the best thing to do is to keep it good and treat it right. Torque wrench is then handy for other parts of the bike. It is suprisingly easy to overtighten and damage thread and parts so why take the chance for the sake of a few quid. You get better leverage with a torque wrench too, useful if you're not packing beef :)
you have to know how to tighten the chain to pass your test, as its one of the questions the examener may ask
PsychoCannon
23-01-07, 02:37 PM
I wouldn't say it was out and out dangerous at small amounts, it gets....awkward...if it's too loose as you'll get slippage and gear changes will be messy and you'll risk damaging the sprockets etc which will cost you later.
Same with it being too tight, hate to imagine what happens when a chain snaps while your moving :shock:
Biker Biggles
23-01-07, 02:42 PM
Nothing to worry about there.Keep it lubed and another 1000 miles should be fine.Do learn how to do it yourself though as it is really basic stuff.and a "need to know" thing.
Easier if you have a paddock stand
Just remember that that 25-30mm on the SV is checking it on the side stand.
If you adjust it on a paddock stand, it might seem a bit loose still when you check it on the sidestand.
Easier if you have a paddock stand
Just remember that that 25-30mm on the SV is checking it on the side stand.
If you adjust it on a paddock stand, it might seem a bit loose still when you check it on the sidestand.
Is that the case as the load is still through the 'back wheel' as such as if you have just stood the bike upright? :-k
Using a paddock stand that fits under the swingarm (or bobbins) the chain slack will be nearly the same as on the side stand. If anything slightly tighter on the paddock stand.
It's worth pointing out that the chain slack should be checked at the tightest point. All chains have tight spots, even from new.
If you have a torque wrench you should use it, over tight nuts (ooer missus :shock: ) can be just as bad as too loose.
I can't believe some you peeps on here don't use a torque wrench. :shock:
You don't buy second hand helmets and always wear your leathers but 3 white knuckles on your back wheel is ok? :?
Even when I have tyres changed on my car I make sure they torque the nuts in the garage then I do it again when I get home. Over kill? maybe but it costs nothing and I value my life. 8)
I've found it's actually considerably tighter on the paddock stand than on the side stand. There's no point adjusting it on the paddock stand to the 20-30mm measurement, I reckon that would end up being a lot too loose once back down on the ground.
I've bought myself a torque wrench recently because of things like this. I was tempted by this (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=8632&group_ID=966&store=uk&dir=catalog) but in the end I decided I wasn't confident that it would be up to the task.......so I got one for about £25.
oldjack
23-01-07, 07:02 PM
I'm amazed that you can measure it as 33mm rather than "about 30mm", I can't ! I push the bottom down hard then up hard and try to judge the difference, while on the sidestand, so I don't know if there are any tight spots.
There's a big difference in measurement depending how hard I push. Is this because the rear wheel isn't free to move and the front sproket is rigid ?
What exactly are we measuring and how does Suzuki define it ?
Another point discussed recently is to make sure you use a socket to hold the RHS of the axle otherwise the axle will rotate taking the adjuster with it and gouge your swing arm. My dealer did this on my 4000 mile service, amateurish !
you have to know how to tighten the chain to pass your test, as its one of the questions the examener may ask
Just tell them you have a shaft drive :wink:
The standard freeplay of 20-30mm is too tight IMHO, definitely too tight if you have a jack up kit.
30-35mm (with std dog bones) is a better target.
The chain gets quite a lot tighter when you sit on it, and then tighter again when you hit a bump (it tightens up until the swingarm axle, gearbox sprocket and rear axle all line up, then it gets looser again)
When I had the linkage apart for greasing, I did a check by lifting the wheel full travel to see what the chain slack did.
In order to ensure it doesn't actually go tight on bump I reckon, like andy says, that 30mm is the absolute minimum to set it at when on the side stand. 33mm is no problem I'd suggest.
carrickman
25-01-07, 08:55 AM
Hi
My chain broke in Germany back in May. I was due to trade my bike in after I got back from my holiday so I did not want to put on a new chain and sprockets. I had it checked out my a local bike shop who said it would be fine. When in Germany I could hear it rubbing against the swinging arm and adjusted it as far as it would go. I found a bike shop who said that they could not fix it for three days but it should be fine till then.
Well it broke just inside the German border with Switzerland locking up my back wheel. It happened on a corner just as I changed down gears, because I was on the non slip surface that they put on all their corners I did not skid but stopped in the road so the bike came down on top of me. I broke my ankle, shoulder six ribs and punctured a lung. I spent 2 weeks in a German hospital (which was excellent) and ended up with 14 bolts and 2 pieces of metal holding me together. The AA was no good as they said it was not a break down so my cover did not count. The garage that recovered the bike wanted 30 Euro per day for storage, as I was in no position to ride I had to let them keep the bike in lieu of payment. In future I will always fit a scottoiler and never let my chain stretch.
:(
dirtydog
25-01-07, 10:23 AM
I hate to imagine what happens when a chain snaps while your moving :shock:
Well if you're lucky like I was when my chain snapped at about a ton it'll snap and spit itself out of the rear of the bike and onto the road behind you, smashing the rear hugger, clutch push rod and cracking the engine casing
and
if you're unlucky, well read carrickmans post :shock: :shock:
I find the bike's much more prone to false neutrals when the chain gets too slack. Ie approx one a day when I let the chain get to 40mm slack, but none when I keep it under 30mm.
northwind
25-01-07, 07:34 PM
At a lot of bike shows, there'll be a wee display from one of the disabled rider's societies... That's where I ended up talking to a guy who'd had a broken chain scythe through his leg and destroy the bone from the knee down so badly that they had to amputate. I have a very well kept chain ;)
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