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Post by medic09 on Nov 14, 2006 23:55:26 GMT -5
Finally got around to tightening the chain on my bike. The owner's manual says to check alignment by looking from above to see that the chain and wheel are largely parallel.  On a stock bike, with the chain guard in place, you can't see a thing! And the chain guard is bolted on in such a way up front, that it's not convenient to take it off for just a few minutes. I settled for laying down in the driveway, and trying to sight along the bottom line of the chain. Don't think it worked very well. Anybody else have this problem? Or am I just a novice who hasn't got a clue how to go about things?  |
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Post by StewRoss on Nov 15, 2006 1:08:05 GMT -5
Hi, I line up the front and rear wheels down their sides by eye. I was taught this a long time ago by the mechanics at the Honda shop where I used to work part time...Works fine in most cases and with the SR...some bikes are difficult to do this on properly...Katana for one. You line the wheels up by lying on the ground (well getting down low anyway) holding the front of the tyre and eyeing off the front and rear sides of the front wheel compared to the same at the back. You need to move from side to side to do it properly. Also someone will need to hold the bike up for you as the centre stand gets in the way. Once you have the rear lined up evenly side to side by this method all should be in line. While the maks on the swing arm is OK for a basic setting, I still prefer to do it this way. SR  |
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Post by wotavidone on Nov 15, 2006 1:42:30 GMT -5
The marks on the swing arm are OK if nothings bent, the engine is in the right spot in the frame, the swing arm hasn't got excessive play, etc.
I tried doing it that way on my bike, and I'm not 100% certain that things are straight.
Not too bad, but the chain does seem to rune with one side up against the sprocket and one side not, if you get what I mean.
Saw an article on setting up race bikes which involved bits of string aroound both wheels.
Eyeball is best, once you get your eye calibrated.
Mick
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Post by StewRoss on Nov 15, 2006 5:23:59 GMT -5
Yes, it takes a little while to develop the knack...but it works. SR |
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Post by sjef on Nov 15, 2006 11:34:41 GMT -5
hallo,
i always use an elastic circular rope , put it around the front and rearwheel spacers on the front to even the width with the rear and you have a perfect line to outline the chain and rearwheel.
sjef
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Post by colinjay on Nov 15, 2006 16:37:03 GMT -5
Hi Guys,
Although I don't do it with my SR, When I adjust the chain on my Husky framed SR MX bike, I measure the distance between the centre of the swingarm pivot bolt and the centre of the rear axle, and adjust so that this distance is the same on both sides (within 1mm). This make your rear axle parallel to the swingarm pivot, and asuming the frame is not bent is a very accurate way of setting the rear wheel alignment. It helps if you can get the swingarm pivot and rear axle into a lathe and have a small centre drill to mark the centre of each end.
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Post by posereddie on Nov 15, 2006 19:48:26 GMT -5
Yo! I got a 6 foot flourescent bulb. Works fine every time. I like the elastic rope idea! I used to dig graves - the idea from colinjay is the same technique we'd use to square a hole. Carpenters use it, too. If you got the bulb, though, you can't go wrong.
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Post by StewRoss on Nov 16, 2006 5:54:06 GMT -5
Hi, Yes I'd forgotten about that...it's called a trammel...I made one for when I adjusted the SP1's rear wheel...very simple...guess I could use that on the SR as well...sometimes you'd forget you nose if it wasn't bolted on...heh, heh...so long as you can get a straight line to it all is OK. SR  |
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