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Chain Life

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gravity Tester
  • Start date Start date
G

Gravity Tester

Guest
Gang,
I put the new tire on today and noticed the Chain Adjuster is already maxed out. this chain might have 6k on it. I keep it lose all the time 1.5 in of slack. Why would it have such a short life on it?

Pat
 
Did you put the new chain on old sprockets?
6k would be typical if you did.
 
tkent is barking up the right tree. Another question: how often did you clean the chain and then oil it? I mean really clean it with kerosene-soaked rag (and a toothbrush if really grungy after riding in the rain). If you don't keep a drive chain clean, the sand and grunge will wear in the little spaces between the links, acting as lapping compound. It will also dmage the o-rings, and may cause them to fail, releasing the captured grease and drastically shortening chain life.

I typically get anywhere from 15-22K from a quality O or X ring chain.
 
Now that hurt's, Besides you have not seen me in my Michael Phelps Spedo I have been swimming 2 to 3 nights a week since Oct. I have realized one thing there are some fat people that can swim very fast. I am just not one of them but I am trying. Just remember Round is a shape.

Pat
UncleMike said:
Because you need to lose weight, old man.
Click to expand...
 
I have never cleaned the chain but I lube it about twice a month I do not remember what the lube is off the top of my head but I dont think I neglect it.

Griffin said:
tkent is barking up the right tree. Another question: how often did you clean the chain and then oil it? I mean really clean it with kerosene-soaked rag (and a toothbrush if really grungy after riding in the rain). If you don't keep a drive chain clean, the sand and grunge will wear in the little spaces between the links, acting as lapping compound. It will also dmage the o-rings, and may cause them to fail, releasing the captured grease and drastically shortening chain life.

I typically get anywhere from 15-22K from a quality O or X ring chain.
Click to expand...
 
I can attest to Pat's extremely rigorous and methodical maintenance schedule.
 
Gravity Tester said:
I have never cleaned the chain but I lube it about twice a month I do not remember what the lube is off the top of my head but I dont think I neglect it.
Click to expand...

If you've never cleaned it, then 6,000 miles is about all I'd expect to get out of it. Here's an email I got years ago from RK Chain about caring for their X-Ring chain:

Thanks for buying RK chains. There should have been warranty cards in the boxes with maintenance instructions.

They come from the factory with that thick sticky grease to help them resist rusting on the ocean voyage and in storage. Leave it on and just add a layer of your favorite o-ring chain lube.

To clean the chain while it's on the bike - apply a good coat of WD-40 and let it soak in. Then wipe the chain down with a rag or soft bristle brush. After you get most of the crud off, put on another coat of lube.

To really clean the chain - take it off the bike and let it soak overnight in a pan of kerosene. Wipe most of the crud off. Hang it by one end and spray well with lube. Wipe most of it off and put the chain back on the bike.

When you lube an o-ring chain, you are not trying to get lube past the o-rings. There is already a lifetime supply of lube sealed in behind the o-rings. What you're doing by lubing the chain is keeping the metal from rusting and the rubber o-rings from drying out.

Leslie Sowden
Director of Sales
FTM Enterprises Inc.​
Click to expand...
 
Do you have the stock chain and sprocket sizes? If not, then the beginning location for the chain could be anywhere in the range. Was it an o-ring chain? Non o-ring chains wear wayyyy too fast. Riding in the rain a lot will also shorten chain life. Can you pull the links on the back sprocket and see daylight beneath them?
 
I seem to eat a chain a year. I ride alot and all year around. DID and RK
I'm going to be really diligent this year to keep it clean and lubed. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
This is an X-Ring Chain with stock sprockets. Yes it did get ridden in the rain a couple times at the WNY rally last June when it was new. As far as the rear sprocket I have not checked that in particular. What am I looking for & what does it mean.

Thanks Guy's
Pat

Don-lo said:
Do you have the stock chain and sprocket sizes? If not, then the beginning location for the chain could be anywhere in the range. Was it an o-ring chain? Non o-ring chains wear wayyyy too fast. Riding in the rain a lot will also shorten chain life. Can you pull the links on the back sprocket and see daylight beneath them?
Click to expand...
 
Looking at the sprocket from the side, pull at the link that's at 3 o'clock. If you can see daylight between the teeth under the link it's worn.

It could also be that the chain was a link too long or something, if it passes the sprocket test and has no particular binds or kinks I would consider getting a new master link, taking a few links off with the chain tool and putting some more miles on it.
 
Chain elongation can be measured and quantified; measure the length between a set number of links and calculate how much it's elongated. This link will give you some guildelines for max allowable elongation, but I suggest you do some further research since there is some difference of opinion of how much elongation is too much. http://www.reginachain.it/eng/use_and_maintenance/how_to04.shtml#02
 
Gravity Tester said:
Gang,
I put the new tire on today and noticed the Chain Adjuster is already maxed out. this chain might have 6k on it. I keep it lose all the time 1.5 in of slack. Why would it have such a short life on it?

Pat
Click to expand...

My '81 spec sheet calls for .8"-1.2" max slack (pull down/push up) 1/2 way between sprockets.
O-ring chain lasts alot longer than without.
My chain is warranteed for 20k with new sprockets but they insist that it be cleaned and oiled every 400miles to get that....hahahhaha...sure right...like anyone is going to do that.

I got about 20k miles just using WD-40 wash and chain lube/wax every now and again (monthly) before chain started binding and making noise:)
 
Very intersting thread...

Very intersting thread...

not attempting to hijack it!

As my first and only bike is a shaftie, I was always curious about chains, now I know more!
 
Links

Links

The first thing I do when I buy a new chain is count the links. Did you do that?:-k

Did the chain adjuster seem to be in the 'new chain' position when you first installed it?
 
"I have never cleaned the chain but I lube it about twice a month I do not remember what the lube is off the top of my head but I dont think I neglect it."

Most lubes and "waxes" are sticky and attract dirt. You should clean this off periodically and start over. With proper maintenance, a good "O" ring chain should last significantly longer than 6000 miles. I have put 3 chains on the same set of sprockets and still gotten decent mileage out of them. If there is still plenty of meat on the sprocket, I leave it there
 
Gravity Tester said:
Gang,
I put the new tire on today and noticed the Chain Adjuster is already maxed out. this chain might have 6k on it. I keep it lose all the time 1.5 in of slack. Why would it have such a short life on it?

Pat
Click to expand...

The number 1 cause of short chain life is too much tension. Number 2 is grit accumulation and lack of maintenance. An inch and a half of slack is probably ok if it is an inch and a half when the bike is sitting on its tires with you on it. I set chain slack with the bike on the center stand. My body weight causes about an inch of suspension compression and the bike's weight adds another inch. That, plus the normal 1 1/2 to 2" of slack I want to have when the bike is underway with me on it means I set nearly 4" of slack in the lower run of the chain when the bike is on the center stand. I averaged 25k miles on a chain/sprocket set for the 1150E. I just changed the original chain and sprockets on the Bandit 12 at 28K.

Sprockets do not noticably wear in the valleys. A stretched chain will wear one side of the teeth on the sprocket giving the teeth a beveled, chisel edge. The teeth should look squared off with flat ends.

I only adjust my chain when I replace my rear tire. That works out to one chain adjustment about every 6k miles. I wipe down and lube about once a week with a dry teflon rubber conditioner and rust inhibitor that I buy at Lowes. It is not sticky and does not attract or hold grit.

Earl
 
since this is already a chain thread... the tension in my chain will get loose and then really tight and loose again as the wheel rotates, teh chain and sprockets have been replaced by the previous owner and are not worn out. I replaced the rear sprocket as it was bent ( i guess the bike fell over at somepoint) I put my wheel back on the bike and tension the chain, it still does the same thing. I figured my chain is kinked, so since it is so close to riding season and practically is i ordered a chain. This better be the fix. I'll keep my kinked chain and clean it real well and try to get the kinks out of it as it still has life while my new chain is on the bike. I'm assuming the front sprocket isn't bent, that would be hard to do. Does this sound like a good idea anyone?
 
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