Removing front chain sprocket?

[woodsietx]

This seems simple but I want to ask anyway.

When loosening the front chain sprocket nut, with the rear tire still on the bike, should the tranny be in gear or in neutral?

Woodsie

[Dave8338]

I prefer to keep it in neutral with the rear wheel locked. They can be a pain to remove at times and I not a big fan of using a transmission (especially in a bike/wheeler) as a point of leverage or hammering torque for that matter...

[Joe Nardy]

You'll probably need it in gear. You still may have difficulty removing the nut. The easiest method is to use an impact driver. Here's a thread with more ideas. Hopefully you haven't broken the chain yet......

Thanks,
Joe

[posplayr]

This seems simple but I want to ask anyway.

When loosening the front chain sprocket nut, with the rear tire still on the bike, should the tranny be in gear or in neutral?

Woodsie

Wow a trick question? Huh, if the back tire doesn't move it wont matter. But then again everything moves. I'm guessing it doesn't matter tanking it off as you would be driving the transmission in a way to turn the motor over. Tightening would reverse and have the motor going in reverse.

To be anal, take it out of gear, but with the back brake on it should not matter.

[ReTread]

This seems simple but I want to ask anyway.

When loosening the front chain sprocket nut, with the rear tire still on the bike, should the tranny be in gear or in neutral?

Woodsie

Woodsie, I just did the 530 chain conversion yesterday on the Skunk. All went very smoothly thanks to the excellent information here on the GSR.

All I did was have someone step on the rear brake. No driveline lash to worry about this way. Just break the nut loose, leave it finger tight and continue the disassembly.

Take your time, have fun and keep the GoJo handy.

[ukilme]

Leave it out gear as stated. Used the back brake to help lock the rear wheel for sure but you can also a piece of 2x4 through the rim to help 'lock' the wheel against the swing arm. I have done every time and never had issues.

Then get a breaker bar and go to town.

[woodsietx]

Thanks for the tips.

This is why I haven't done anything to the chain yet. I knew I'd need the wheel to have leverage on the chain to loosen the nut. I was afraid of torquing the transmission if I shouldn't.

I have a new tire waiting for me when I bring in the wheel so I am trying to loosen the sprocket nut before I take off the wheel so that I don''t have to put the wheel back on after I get the tire mounted just to loosen the nut and then take the wheel off again to replace the chain and sprockets. Plus I'm going to attempt to drop the swingarm so I can put a muffler bracket back on the left side to allow me to put the passenger peg back on because I want to take my g/f for her first bike ride sometime after she arrives from Canada next week to attend my graduation. (Try to remember all that without reading it again) Otherwise, I'll be taking the wheel off 3 times. I can't afford to buy that many cotter pins.

I can diagram this out if anybody cares.

And be back home tonight to watch the Big 12 championship.

I sure wish I had my own garage.

Woodsie

[isleoman]

Leave it out gear as stated. Used the back brake to help lock the rear wheel for sure but you can also a piece of 2x4 through the rim to help 'lock' the wheel against the swing arm. I have done every time and never had issues.

Then get a breaker bar and go to town.

2X4 and breaker works for me as well.

[woodsietx]

The bad karma that strikes all my mechanical projects has struck again.

When I ran a board through the wheel, I didn't think about the valve stem. Try to turn nut. Snap sssssssssssssssssssss!!. Gotta love it.

I found the sprocket nut larger than anything I had of course. I must have missed the part where it talks about a 32MM socket. Still feeling my love?

So, I had to run 15 miles to find a socket. Made the decision at Lowe's to buy a $60 set that includes an impact wrench, air ratchet and a die grinder. That thing sure worked nicely on that nut.

At least it happened before I took the tire in.

The air ratchet was useful on the rear sprocket nuts. Popped them right off.

BUT, the spacer Z1 sent me is apparently the wrong one. My new sprocket leaves at least a 1/2" more space on the end of the rod than the old one. Gotta love that too. The spacer is about 1/8" thick. Don't think it's going to work. The chain doesn't look that flexible.

Am I missing something about what I just described? It sure doesn't look right.

I'm frustrated and haven't dug further yet. Pictures to come.

Looks like I can watch the game after all.

Woodsie

[chef1366]

You get a flat tire changing a sprocket.
That sucks.

[woodsietx]

You get a flat tire changing a sprocket.
That sucks.

Not as much as finding out, when you go to put the tire on in anticipation of getting a sprocket later, that they put the tire on backwards.

Woodsie