Chain Tension Adjustment

staggs65

staggs65

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Now there has go to be a more accurate adjustment than "finger tight". I can just about guarantee that "my finger tight" isn't the same as "somebody elses finger tight". Over the years I've come up with what seems to be best for me but somebody has got to have a better method....
 

finger tight,, with leather glove to the right,,,,,,,,,,,,NOT really tight,,,,,, just finger tight,,,,,,,,,,,,,, back offfffffffff,,, not way offfff,,,buot 6/16th of a turn to the left.. tighten lock not........... If it ratcheses under full thumb,,, adjust a 1/4 turn tighter.. as needed.................
 
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Okay no gloves,,,, finger tight , back off 1/4 turn, tighten lock nut ,,dune.............
 
If I read all the replies right you guys run TIGHT chain tension.....
I think youll find it will roll much easier with 1 inch of movement in the chain. Meaning when you run the adjuster bolt in till its snugged up aginst the chain and remove excess slack, but you can move the chain about a 1/2" to the right and then a 1/2" to the left on the long backside of the chain, this is 1 inch of movement total. The chain will be more then tight enough and it will roll much easier then a tighter setting will.

I have seen finger tight have alot of variations and maybe the hulk adjusted a few that were banjo tight.
 
kinda a funny story on chain adjustment, I bought a srx off a guy here on this site. Got it home and decided to see how it ran in the field before putting it in the shop. I tried to go/ride it from a stop and went about 10ft and let off the gas almost ate the dash/speedo....sled acted like the brakes were stuck on it. I put it up on a rear stand and tried to spin the track with the throttle. It finally spun with alot of throttle applied and it came to a very quick stop. I shut off the sled and went straight to the brake caliper, took a small prybar and pushed the caliper pistons back thinking the caliper was hanging up on the rotor. Started up the sled and same thing...hmmm, that leads to the chaincase next or a very bad drive bearing somewhere.

drained the oil and removed muffler and the chaincase cover........wham, theres the problem, the chain was set so tight you could have played a violin staff on it. I redid the adjustment and it rolled like no tommarrow. wow, I cant imagine how it was tightend up, but it wouldnt have lasted very long like that :o| .
 
don, i might go overboard a hair but i am at the 1/2 either way. especially for the tar. like to stay on that tension going 1/4 mile. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
mrviper700 said:
If I read all the replies right you guys run TIGHT chain tension.....
I think youll find it will roll much easier with 1 inch of movement in the chain. Meaning when you run the adjuster bolt in till its snugged up aginst the chain and remove excess slack, but you can move the chain about a 1/2" to the right and then a 1/2" to the left on the long backside of the chain, this is 1 inch of movement total. The chain will be more then tight enough and it will roll much easier then a tighter setting will.

I have seen finger tight have alot of variations and maybe the hulk adjusted a few that were banjo tight.
Click to expand...

That was my point with this post. And that sounds pretty close to where I run mine, i'm maybe a tad tighter. with all the tech info on these sleds I just get a kick out of "finger tight", have a brick layer put something finger tight and someone who doesn't work with their hands all day and there's going to be a big difference.
 
mrviper700 said:
If I read all the replies right you guys run TIGHT chain tension.....
I think youll find it will roll much easier with 1 inch of movement in the chain. Meaning when you run the adjuster bolt in till its snugged up aginst the chain and remove excess slack, but you can move the chain about a 1/2" to the right and then a 1/2" to the left on the long backside of the chain, this is 1 inch of movement total. The chain will be more then tight enough and it will roll much easier then a tighter setting will.

I have seen finger tight have alot of variations and maybe the hulk adjusted a few that were banjo tight.
Click to expand...
Crystal clear. Thanks Don...
 
i allways have rocked the secondary back and forth watching the slack in the chain when i adjust , but like don said it does not have to be banjo tight.Have had the lock nut come loose on the trail and the adjuster back off so i reef the #### out of the locknut now.



.
 
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