chain adjustment help

[Nobbylad]

Take it back to them (with your manual), ask them to re-adjust it so there's 20-30mm of slack and them ask them to show you how they know it's correctly aligned. Assuming you paid for the alignment service, you're well within your rights to get them to set the slack correctly and have them show you how they have aligned the chain.

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by aciduzzo

Latest update: spent the whole morning trying to sort the problem. The string method confirmed that the wheels were misaligned by at least 15mm. However, try as i might (kicking and tyre wacking included) i couldn't realign the wheels. So i gave up and took my SV650 to the tyre garage. They said the markers are fine and then spent all of five minutes re-adjusting the chain. However they used neither a laser nor a staight edge, and the chain now only has ca.10mm freeplay. However, my owner's manual says the freeplay should be 20-30mm. They said the wheel was definitely aligned correctly, but i'm not convinced. How can they be sure the weheels are correctly aligned when they only had the markers to go by? Can i trust them?!

No you cant trust them so you need to learn to do it yourself at least as well as they did.Post where you live and see if theres an orger nearby who can help you with it.

Well they only asked for 'a drink' so that was just four quid. but they didn't seem to understand the need for a proper test. They defo knew what they were doing, BUT it just seemed a bit 'lazy' to me.

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

No you cant trust them so you need to learn to do it yourself at least as well as they did.Post where you live and see if theres an orger nearby who can help you with it.

Yeh, that's what i feared I'm in Lewisham, SE London.

[Biker Biggles]

loads of orgers in South London,Im sure someone can help you with it.

If they used the markers as the only method of ensuring the rear wheel is aligned then I would say there is a good chance it isn't. It is a known fact on the SV the marker plates can move freely around the axle bolt. Trusting the markers is not enough to ensure the wheel is aligned. I would phone round and find somewhere that has the correct tools to do the job properly. I use a motorcycle tyre dealer down the road from where I work and he has the correct laser aligning tool. I'd get that correct slack back in the chain as soon as possible. A tight chain is going to effect smooth gear shifting, but more than that, it's going to cause excess stress on the chain and front sprocket spindle.

This is crazy, i've been calling round, but no one seems to have the equipment and they all tell me i'm worrying about it too much! "Just do it the best you can, and it'll be fine". Looks like it's back to the string method for me...

You can get a laser alignment tool as well. A small device you hold up against the rear sprocket and point the laser along the length of the chain all the way through to the front sprocket. If the laser hits the same part of the chain through the complete length the rear wheel is aligned. If not then adjust as necessary.

Linky

http://www.probike.co.uk/it110009.htm

That's a pretty nice gadget actually. Added to wishlist