crooked wheel?

[Guest]

Getting a sewing machine kinda sound - it increases as speed does. On the centrestand, when I roll the back wheel, the chain gets tighter in one spot.

Both adjusters for the rear axle are at the same spot, but can anyone confirm that this is indeed just a misaligned axle?
Big ride tomorrow with the new fairing. Pics to follow once I pic up the pinstripe I need in the city.
thanks

[chef1366]

I don't use the adjustment marks. I measure from the swingarm bolt.

[Mark whiz]

It very well could be a misaligned axle. Those marks on the swingarm for adjusting the axle are notoriously inaccurate.
Here's a couple things I do to check for this:
Put the bike on center stand and -
1. rotate the wheel thru several rotations. does the chain always slide to one side of the spocket or the other? If it does, you're probably misaligned.
2. Sight along each side of the tire to a reference point such as a brake trailing arm, the chain cover, etc. If the tire is closer to the reference device at the front or back of the tire, the axle is misaligned.
3. sometimes if the misalignment is real bad, you can see it just by taking off the chain cover and observing a noticeable offset as the chain hits the spocket.

If the chain is tighter in one spot as you mention, you need to adjust your chain so that spot is at minimum adjustment, and then check the rest of the chain and make sure the rest is still within maximum spec - if it isn't you need a new chain (and probably sprockets as well).

[Jagir]

I don't use the adjustment marks. I measure from the swingarm bolt.

Thanks for the tip. Time to spin the spanners.
j

[diesel]

Probably not - axles don't rotate.

Getting a sewing machine kinda sound - it increases as speed does. On the centrestand, when I roll the back wheel, the chain gets tighter in one spot.

Both adjusters for the rear axle are at the same spot, but can anyone confirm that this is indeed just a misaligned axle?
Big ride tomorrow with the new fairing. Pics to follow once I pic up the pinstripe I need in the city.
thanks

"The chain gets tighter in one spot", usually indicates a problem with a chain or sprocket. Was either sprocket recently changed.

If the sprocket is not centered on the wheel it would make the chain tighter at one point in the wheel rotation.

An old chain can get tight links where they don't completely straighten when between the sprockets. This would be what I'd be looking for.

It could also be a countershaft sprocket not free to move on the countershaft or a bent countershaft.

[Jagir]

thanks for that,
Still trying to figure it all out.
Could wheel-balancing be part of it?
thanks,
j

[Jagir]

"The chain gets tighter in one spot", usually indicates a problem with a chain or sprocket. Was either sprocket recently changed.

If the sprocket is not centered on the wheel it would make the chain tighter at one point in the wheel rotation.

An old chain can get tight links where they don't completely straighten when between the sprockets. This would be what I'd be looking for.

It could also be a countershaft sprocket not free to move on the countershaft or a bent countershaft.

No recent work on the sprockets - just a lube and re-adjust of the chain. Will check for tight links and re-check this post in a bit.
thanks again,
j

[Jagir]

no noticible offset on the front sprocket, but that is where the tight 'groan' is coming from.
I'll keep looking...

[Jagir]

So the 'tightness' happens when a section (about 1/4) of the chain passes around the front sprocket. Have played with each link & even lubed each one individually. Can't seem to find anything there.
The sprocket looks true (eatched it spin against a reference point).
The click/groan only happens when the chain is under tension.
When the adjusters at the rear are offset by one notch it seems to lessen the problem (non-chain side is further back).
The axle nut is loose through all of this.

Now for the shameful part: I was riding last night when the noise became noticible. Did about 60km at some pretty high speeds (was checking for new fairing vibration - none)
As I said in my first post on the subject, it was giving me the loose chain whir whir whir whir.

I'm due to leave in a couple of hours for a 6 day trip (1600km) with a wedding to attend in the middle of the ride. Still need to pack the saddlebags!!

Any further ideas or advice will and would be appreciated.

[walt]

Sounds like the chain has lots of miles or sat for a very long time. You may need new chain and sprockets.

[Jagir]

Sounds like the chain has lots of miles or sat for a very long time. You may need new chain and sprockets.

Bingo. Chain was pooched. Could tell once it was off.
I did another 500 km on it before it got retired. Got a new chain, but same old sprockets. I know it's not the best plan, but I was in the city on a weekend with no time to search out parts and needed to get home on Tuesday, so off I went.
Will look into some sprockets now.
j