First time chain adjustment

Ok its been a while since i had a new chain on my bike and its just passed the 30mm of play point. So im going to adjust it, Probably tomorrow. Soooo Having never done this before is it just a simple case of slackening off the nut and turning the adjusters by the same amount? Or do i have to worry about wheel alignment and stuff?

Also as its 20-30mm should i go for 25mm slack or 20mm?

All this should be done with the bike on its sidestand and in neutral.

Get a 22mm socket to undo the rear spindle nut, you only need to loosen it, and take a 5mm spanner and turn the adjusters on either side equally until the chain is within 20-30mm. The tighten the rear spindle nut to 65Nm.

Some say the markings on the swingarm aren't equal on either side, in all the time I have been working on SV's I have never come across one in the flesh where the markings have been out of alignment.

Dave

Dont worry too much about wheel alignment; just adjust each side by one flat of the bolt (like, of the allen bolt). Do one flat at a time, and check the tension. Thats how my dad showed me how to do it, and I've never had anything go wrong

Oh how nice a correctly tensioned and cleaned chain feels, specialy gear changes

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

Some say the markings on the swingarm aren't equal on either side, in all the time I have been working on SV's I have never come across one in the flesh where the markings have been out of alignment.

Dave

mine arnt aligned

never realised it was actually that easy!!! was planning on doing mine tomorrow as well as the calipers so was perfect that this came up

Originally Posted by AndyBrad

mine arnt aligned

But is it the wheel or the markings? I met a guy who told me that when I worked on his bike not to believe the markings on the swingarm, should have seen his face when I called him moron and showed him his wheel wasn't aligned when he arrived!

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

All this should be done with the bike on its sidestand and in neutral.

Get a 22mm socket to undo the rear spindle nut, you only need to loosen it, and take a 5mm spanner and turn the adjusters on either side equally until the chain is within 20-30mm. The tighten the rear spindle nut to 65Nm.

Some say the markings on the swingarm aren't equal on either side, in all the time I have been working on SV's I have never come across one in the flesh where the markings have been out of alignment.

Dave

Funnily enough at the same time you were posting this I was at Halfords buying a torque wrench and socket for exactly this reason. However when trying out the different size sockets it was the 24mm socket that fit the rear axel nut? I must admit that the halfords assistant didnt try a 22mm socket because the 24mm fit first time. Just wondering if you made a typo or the stupid little kid (read: Halford assistant) got it wrong?

Originally Posted by AndyL

Funnily enough at the same time you were posting this I was at Halfords buying a torque wrench and socket for exactly this reason. However when trying out the different size sockets it was the 24mm socket that fit the rear axel nut? I must admit that the halfords assistant didnt try a 22mm socket because the 24mm fit first time. Just wondering if you made a typo or the stupid little kid (read: Halford assistant) got it wrong?

IIRC, 22mm is a curvy.

24mm is a pointy.

EDIT: Also, the torque for a pointy is 110Nm, not 65Nm as DD stated. I'm guessing he was applying curvy thinking.

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

But is it the wheel or the markings? I met a guy who told me that when I worked on his bike not to believe the markings on the swingarm, should have seen his face when I called him moron and showed him his wheel wasn't aligned when he arrived!

+1

I thought the same, a quick ride told me they were out of alignment, a quick undo of the bolt and a "Tap" made the wheel sit properly, also lined up again too.

There is a very good reason for not trusting the marker plates. They are loose on the spindle and it is easily possible to have one marker plate set further back than the other.

I can tell you without even looking, the plates on my bike do not match up. I can also tell you categorically, the rear wheel is aligned correctly.

It's a different story when the markers are actually on the swingarm but the SV is not like that.