ericsh Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 A question to the Blackbird Ghurus. I have a 2002xx - bone stock with 3400 mi on the ticker. I have noticed that the chain seems to track shifted over to the left side of the sprocket NOT in the middle of the sprocket confirmed by the contact points. The rear wheel is aligned. Tire wear normal. Handling OK. I'm a little concerned about throwing the chain, and about chain life. Has anyone seen this before? am I missing or have the wrong spacers on the front sprocket? What do I need to do next?:roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helvet Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Do you have the correct spacers for the back-wheel mounted? Also there is a little gadget with a laser. You mount this on the sprocket, turn it a little, and you will see the laserdot move. This way you can see if the backwheel is lined up correctly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porterb123 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 This is the procedure I use to line up the front and rear tires. Put the bike on the center stand. Set the handlebars and front wheel as straight ahead as you can. Put a 6 inch piece of wire ( I use coat hanger ) under the center of the front tire contact patch on both side of the tire. They should be at 90 degrees from the tire...so sticking out like a tee...you can also just make marks on the concrete. I have a 4 foot level and a small laser torpedo level. Put the 4 footer on the side of the rear tire with the laser turned on . Rotate the tire till the laser shines on the wire or marks at the front tire....mark that spot...I use soap stone. Do the same on the opposite side of the rear tire. If the laser mark is equal distance from the side of the front tire, your good. If not adjust the rear till you get equa distance. My rear and front are lined up, but the chain adjuster shows almost half notch off. Bike runs straight and no wobbles even with no hands. If after lining things up , your chain is still at an angle, you do need to check spacers and sprockets for damage or modifications that may have been done...it takes quite a bit of misalignment to see the chain crooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrated Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Make it very simple. Put er up on the centerstand, loosen the rear axle nut and get the right amount of chain slack. Now, with the bike in Neutral, spin the rear tire/wheel several times. If the sprocket isn't in the center of the chain links, adjust adjust which ever side needs it. Spin it again. Keep adjusting until after you spin the wheel several times the sprocket in centered in the chain links. DONE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motor Psycho Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 MOTION PRO CHAIN ALIGNMENT TOOL $24.95 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Make it very simple. Â Put er up on the centerstand, loosen the rear axle nut and get the right amount of chain slack. Â Now, with the bike in Neutral, spin the rear tire/wheel several times. Â If the sprocket isn't in the center of the chain links, adjust adjust which ever side needs it. Â Spin it again. Â Keep adjusting until after you spin the wheel several times the sprocket in centered in the chain links. Â DONE!!! Ditto,works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 If your wheels are aligned with each other and it is tracking straight and your chain isn't hitting correctly, I'd almost want to check the swingarm bearings. Something's not right. Areyou sure you have the right spacers in the right spot on the rear wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I'm with Vern, and this would be the first I've heard of the marks being wrong on the XX. No matter how many times I've heard guys trying to align their chains, it always ends up that the marks are bang-on. I'd question your measuring method, instead. After all, how straight can a coat hanger be? :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I've done the string thing and found the swingarm marks to be dead on, but my rear wheel is offset 4.5 mm to the right of the front wheel. That's how accurate I was. Set up this way my chain doesn't run perfectly in the middle of the rear sprocket while freewheeling on the centerstand. Remember though the chain rides on the swingarm slider so you're not getting a true reading. Ideally you should remove your rear shock, jack up the swingarm until even with the sprockets plane, and then watch the freewheeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiXXation Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 FWIW: The chain on my 2003, with about 7500 miles on it, rides to the left, with the right side links against the rear sprocket when up on the center stand. This is after the rear axle has been aligned with a high-dollar alignment tool (and very close on the factory alignment marks also). The chain seems to run quietly enough. The left/right outside wheel spacers are different outside diameters, so you would have some serious dust seal problems if you accidentally swapped those around. There are no ride-height spacers on my rear shock. My brother's 2000 model, with 6mm shock spacer and a lot more miles on it, has it's chain centered on the rear sprocket, when up on the center stand. His axle was aligned with the same tool. He is also running an aftermarket 16-tooth front sprocket. Is it possible that running the 6mm shock spacer moves the chain guide down out of the way and let's the chain run true to the rear sprocket, or that more miles will chew the chain guide out of the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Make it very simple. Put er up on the centerstand, loosen the rear axle nut and get the right amount of chain slack. Now, with the bike in Neutral, spin the rear tire/wheel several times. If the sprocket isn't in the center of the chain links, adjust adjust which ever side needs it. Spin it again. Keep adjusting until after you spin the wheel several times the sprocket in centered in the chain links. DONE!!! I have found that when I tighten the nut, it changes the setting some. So you have to allow alittle one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiXXation Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 I double-checked the alignment on my axle using the professionally manufactured tool, and according to the tool, it was aligned properly between the axle and the swing arm mountings on each side. But the chain rode lightly to the left, looking at the rear of the sprocket. When I moved the right side of the axle out a bit more to get the chain centered on the sprocket teeth, the measuring tool shows it to be out of alignment by about 1 mm. Which condition is most important? Chain centered on the sprocket, or the axle being equidistant from the swing arm mounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rockmeupto125 Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Don't fret. One of the reasons to use a chain to drive the rear wheel is that is is pretty forgiving in regards to alinement. I'd keep an eye on it, but that's about all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Which condition is most important? Chain centered on the sprocket, or the axle being equidistant from the swing arm mounts? The most important alignment is the rear wheel to the front wheel. As Joe said, the chain is made to tolerate a little misalignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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