Chain too short to align back wheel?

[t3rmin]

So I bought a new chain -- and rear sprocket (to bring sprocket ratios back to stock after PO upped teeth on rear). Suzuki microfiche says 106 links for the chain, and so did the selector at cyclepages.com (where I bought it). Old chain was 108 links, but old sprocket had two extra teeth, so I got the stock length of 106.

After installing everything it seems the chain is too short to give enough adjustment to properly align the rear wheel. The chain is way too tight before I've turned the left adjuster enough to stop the wheel from pointing to the right.

Have any other 650 owners had this trouble or am I insane?

Can I add an extra link instead of buying a whole new chain? I'll need a chain rivet tool, right? Or maybe if I take the chain into a bike shop they'd do it? Any ideas here?

[satchmo]

I thought all 650s were shaft drives?

[t3rmin]

Aww crap. No wonder I'm having so much trouble getting this chain to fit!! ;-)

The 650 E's are chain drive. Rare bike but they do exist. ;-)

[satchmo]

Well dog-gone-it! you're right

http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Image:1981-Suzuki-GS650E-Red-4296-7.jpg

I just thought that maybe a PO had modified it to chain drive which may affect the length.

[Big T]

So I bought a new chain -- and rear sprocket (to bring sprocket ratios back to stock after PO upped teeth on rear). Suzuki microfiche says 106 links for the chain, and so did the selector at cyclepages.com (where I bought it). Old chain was 108 links, but old sprocket had two extra teeth, so I got the stock length of 106.

After installing everything it seems the chain is too short to give enough adjustment to properly align the rear wheel. The chain is way too tight before I've turned the left adjuster enough to stop the wheel from pointing to the right.

Have any other 650 owners had this trouble or am I insane?

Can I add an extra link instead of buying a whole new chain? I'll need a chain rivet tool, right? Or maybe if I take the chain into a bike shop they'd do it? Any ideas here?

Just so I'm following you, you have the axle thru the wheel and swingarm, and the chain on the sprockets (?)
Do you have the right chain adjuster slid all the way forward?

You should start with both chain adjuster bolts backed almost all the way out, swing them up into place, and start turning them to tighten, and align, the chain from there.

[Billyboy]

I'm with big t.

If the axle is fully forward it should be mostly straight already.

I bought a smaller rear sprocket and made the mistake of cutting off 1 link. Bad Idea. I had to buy a second master link and I don't like having two on one chain.

[t3rmin]

Just so I'm following you, you have the axle thru the wheel and swingarm, and the chain on the sprockets (?)
Do you have the right chain adjuster slid all the way forward?

You should start with both chain adjuster bolts backed almost all the way out, swing them up into place, and start turning them to tighten, and align, the chain from there.

Yeah the wheel is mounted properly as is the chain. I started out with both adjusters backed all the way out and the wheel/axle pushed all the way forward.

I had a fair amount of difficulty even getting the chain on in the first place. I had to clip on the masterlink with the chain off the sprockets since I couldn't stretch it enough while interfaced with the gears, then "rolled" it on the back sprocket. It's relatively tight before using the tensioners at all, although not beyond service limits.

I wonder how the alignment would look with the chain OFF the sprockets and the tensioners slacked and the axle pushed all the way forward. If it's not the chain that's yanking it off-kilter, perhaps the swingarm is tweaked.

[Billyboy]

I wonder how the alignment would look with the chain OFF the sprockets and the tensioners slacked and the axle pushed all the way forward. If it's not the chain that's yanking it off-kilter, perhaps the swingarm is tweaked.

Didn't your Pop slap it into a wal?

[earlfor]

Did you count links on the new chain to see if it actually is 106 links long?

E.

[Boondocks]

Did you count links on the new chain to see if it actually is 106 links long?

E.

Earl's suggestion is a good one. It's probably something simple or taken for granted that is causing the excess tightness. The OEM specs call for 106 links with a 15T front and 45T rear sprocket. I would also count the teeth on the sprockets to make sure that they are OEM spec.

[Suzuki mad]

OK, mad Idea.....

Did the PO have a front sprocket with 1 or 2 extra teeth put on the bike?

If it' all standard with correct sized sprockets and chain links it should all go together and line up. (Yeah, I know stating the bl**dy obvious.)

Suzuki mad

1981 GS1000ET
1983 GS(X)1100ESD
2002 GSF1200 K1

[DaShadow]

So I bought a new chain -- and rear sprocket (to bring sprocket ratios back to stock after PO upped teeth on rear). Suzuki microfiche says 106 links for the chain, and so did the selector at cyclepages.com (where I bought it). Old chain was 108 links, but old sprocket had two extra teeth, so I got the stock length of 106.

After installing everything it seems the chain is too short to give enough adjustment to properly align the rear wheel. The chain is way too tight before I've turned the left adjuster enough to stop the wheel from pointing to the right.

Have any other 650 owners had this trouble or am I insane?

Can I add an extra link instead of buying a whole new chain? I'll need a chain rivet tool, right? Or maybe if I take the chain into a bike shop they'd do it? Any ideas here?

I had the same problem with my 82 650 E. I got the rear wheel as strait as I could, then took if for a quick spin. Then I was able to get the wheel strait. I also thought that the new chain would be too small, but if you go with to many links then you’re stuck with trying to cut some links off after the chain stretches. And that’s no fun without power tools.

[jeff.saunders]

Going down 2 teeth on a sprocket will only reduce the chain length 1 link, not 2 - only roughly half of the sprocket is in contact with the chain at any one time.

[t3rmin]

Didn't your Pop slap it into a wal?

Why yes, yes he did. ;-) I'm fairly certain the forks absorbed the energy from that head-on collision (they bent pretty good, but not so far that the wheel hit the motor), but you never know...

[t3rmin]

Did you count links on the new chain to see if it actually is 106 links long?

E.

*sigh* No. That would make sense, whouldn't it? I'll do that.