chain keeps loosening

[GateKeeper]

Can you post up pics of your setup, as it is now, showing sprockets, chain, adjusters, how you place the rag, and anything else of relevance, it might help some of to see what might be wrong ?

pictures are sometimes worth a thousand words as they say.....

.

[bwanna]

Would start by figuring out if your Tension marks are good first.

If so then
Tension the chain again, find some way to lift back wheel off of the ground.
Slowly spin the wheel by hand.
Is there a area where the tension gets to tight again?
If yes then you will have to figure out why.
Check chain while off sprocket to see if any of the links are kinking. (no spin with each other)
If any of them are kinking you will have to figure out why.
If it is the masterlink then it is not installed properly or the wrong link for that chain.
If not the master but you do have a link binding then you will have to figure out what is causing it.
Possible causes that I can figure for links to bind.
1-Chain had one to start.
2-Chain adjusters way off with marks giving you a false reading and causing chain to skip on sprocket as sprocket is at angle.
3-Rear sprocket has a bend or bad teeth.
4-Rear hub has debris or chipped up material between itself and sprocket causing angle in sprocket.
5-Stud bolt holes for studs that attach sprockets have oblong shape and need filled and drilled.
6-Cush rubber needs replaced. (Rubber inside hub that sprocket hub part attaches to.
7-Rear shocks not aligned properly putting more pressure on one side of swingarm or causing swingarm to sit at a angle.
8-To much play at front sprocket.

I am sure there could be other causes for a new chain to bind, but I cannot think of any more right now.

Even if the chain does not have a kink then I would check all of the above.
Would also pay real close attention to your rear shocks to see if they have to much bounce.
If you are riding down the road and bouncing to much.
Thinking that would put a lot of work on your chain and sprockets.
Would cause more damage while turning then straight line as one side of swingarm could lift more as compared to frame then the other causing the sprockets to not be aligned while the bike is leaned.

I know that is a lot of things to check but.....

Thanks for the list. Good thoughts to consider closely. I'll review all of these on the bike... you never know what you might find. I will say that I really don't use the adjuster marks and fully rely on just doing a true wheel alignment and what the chain tension is. Where that falls on the marks is somewhat unimportant to me because they would only give a course level of detail at best. I've seen marks on some of these older bikes be way off and useless for aligning.

Thanks!!

[bwanna]

Just to be clear here, Normal load includes your weight, so you might need to get some help to do this.

Ok. Understand. I'm real interested in doing this to see if my 'wheels up' approach comes out with a different setting.

[bwanna]

Can you post up pics of your setup, as it is now, showing sprockets, chain, adjusters, how you place the rag, and anything else of relevance, it might help some of to see what might be wrong ?

pictures are sometimes worth a thousand words as they say.....

.

I'll try to do that this during the next few days. maybe I'll even get fancy and do a video!

[850 Combat]

I've never heard of the rag thing. Most bikes I have owned require the machine to be loaded, not on the center stand. Most of mine get tighter with load on them, becausre without, the swing arm is closer to the countershaft sprocket than when it is more level with a load on it.

[tkent02]

The longest point is for the chain is where the countershaft, the swingarm pivot and rear axle are all in alignment, usually about where the suspension sits with the rider's weight on it. If it's not too tight there it won't be too tight anywhere. Still I think 3/4 inch of play there is too tight.

[tatu]

The longest point is for the chain is where the countershaft, the swingarm pivot and rear axle are all in alignment, usually about where the suspension sits with the rider's weight on it. If it's not too tight there it won't be too tight anywhere. Still I think 3/4 inch of play there is too tight.

You could be right, I like mine on the 'unslack' (not tight) side because it takes the 'snatch' out from deceleration to acceleration. Having said that I also don't take a measure tape out on adjustment just do it, feel it, with my finger and call it done.

[tkent02]

You could be right, I like mine on the 'unslack' (not tight) side because it takes the 'snatch' out from deceleration to acceleration. Having said that I also don't take a measure tape out on adjustment just do it, feel it, with my finger and call it done.

Proper tuning takes the snatch out too.

[earlfor]

You could be right, I like mine on the 'unslack' (not tight) side because it takes the 'snatch' out from deceleration to acceleration. Having said that I also don't take a measure tape out on adjustment just do it, feel it, with my finger and call it done.

I've set chain slack of the lower run of the chain at midpoint at 1 1/4" of slack above and 1 1/4" of slack below, (for a total slack of 2 1/2") on every GS I have owned and on my Bandit these past 9 years. I never need to make a chain adjustment between tire changes. (12 to 15 thousand miles) The slack doesn't change. Too tight a chain will destroy a chain quicker than about anything else. I have no problem with chain snatch. I downshift to speed up, never to slow down. I use brakes for that.

[earlfor]

Proper tuning takes the snatch out too.

Yeah, if the engine isn't smooth, it ain't a gonna roll smooth either.

[tkent02]

2 1/2 inches or at least 2 inches is more like where it should be set. With a new chain and sprockets I never have to readjust anything between tire changes.

[earlfor]

2 1/2 inches or at least 2 inches is more like where it should be set. With a new chain and sprockets I never have to readjust anything between tire changes.

I learned what the correct chain adjustment is from my old days of installing chains too tight and finding that in a couple hundred miles, the chain had stretched well beyond where I had set it. It finally dawned on me that when you set a chain too tight, it will naturally stretch until it reaches the slack it must have. As it turned out, the chains kept telling me what was the correct amount of slack, but I was too focused on tight to listen to what the bike was saying. heh eh 2 to 2 1/2" is usually what bike is going to say.

[tatu]

You're both right. my 1000 has a 630 and I cant remember the last time I had to adjust it. The sticker on the chain adjuster gives it about a 1/4 of rearward movement on the wheel before a new chain is required. My first 'S' I only had one chain change in 60+k miles including at least a couple'v trips over Europe and one into the sahara, a lot of abrasive dust and sand there plus I lost my chain lube way down and used ordinary engine oil, and this one spent much time on its back wheel.
I have never had a chain fail.

[chuck hahn]

I tighten the adjusters first then do the axle bolt. No rags, no putting it in gear, no hammer slapping. The back surface of the adjuster is supposed to be holding against the axle, so tightening them first ( in theory ) holds the axle in the very last rearmost position as was applied with the adjuster. then tightening the axle bolt squeezes against the bushings and swing arm to secure it in place.

I cant recall any chain ever mysteriously going loose after Ive adjusted one.

[earlfor]

I tighten the adjusters first then do the axle bolt. No rags, no putting it in gear, no hammer slapping. The back surface of the adjuster is supposed to be holding against the axle, so tightening them first ( in theory ) holds the axle in the very last rearmost position as was applied with the adjuster. then tightening the axle bolt squeezes against the bushings and swing arm to secure it in place.

I cant recall any chain ever mysteriously going loose after Ive adjusted one.

Yep, +1 on tightening the adjusters first. That stops the axle from walking rearward when the axle nut is tightened. The adjusters don't have to be more than finger tight. All they need is to be in contact to stop any axle movement.