Chain tight spot!!

quattrochris · Jul 26, 2012

Hi guys, got an rr7 with 4500. Original chain but i fitted a renthal sprocket end of last summer and now have a tight spot? checked alignment and seems ok could it be my sprocket is not round? anybody come across this?
Cheers Chris.

rocket · Jul 26, 2012

with that low mileage on a 5 year old bike its probably just got a few stiff links from when parked up unused. just spin rear wheel by hand on paddock stand and see if you can spot any tight spots as it comes off the sprocket then try to free them up. renthal sprockets are good kit so can,t imagine you have an odd shaped one. lol

scooby · Jul 26, 2012

when you say tight spot,do you mean a link that isn't moving or just your chain is tighter in certain areas?

for the latter i wouldn't worry about it as it happens,for the former,give your chain a good clean with some petrol or deisel and then lube with some chain wax etc and take for alittle run to work in into the links,or run (if you feel safe enough)it on a paddock stand for a bit.

duck · Jul 27, 2012

I sent a message to B&C Express about tight/loose spot on chain and what was the best chain they sold, here is there reply which may help you identify were your problem is:

If everything is still fitted to your bike then the following checks can be carried out to identify where the problem lies.

Get the bike onto a paddock stand or its centre stand so that the bike is upright and the rear wheel clear of the ground.

Turn the rear wheel to get the chain in a position that gives it the most amount of free-play and mark the tyre with chalk or tape at the 6 O’clock position.

Slowly turn the rear wheel through one complete rotation and keep checking the free-play in the chain as this is done.

If the chain free-play is at its least when the mark on the tyre is at 12 O’clock and then comes back to the correct setting as the datum mark comes back round to 6 O’clock then this points to the problem being at the back wheel and not with the chain.

The possible issues could be a number of things. Sprocket has been fitted and some debris has got trapped behind one or more of the fixing holes and so the sprocket is twisted. Sprocket carrier bearing is worn. Sprocket carrier is not correctly seated. Or the centre hole in the sprocket is not exactly centre.

If the expected results are not achieved with the above procedure then you need to move to looking at the chain.

Start exactly as before and get the correct amount of free-play in the chain but this time mark a specific point on the chain with Tip-ex or something similar and note a corresponding reference point on the motorcycle frame or swing arm.

Start to rotate the rear wheel and keep checking the chain free-play. If the free-play is at its least when the chain is approximately half way through its run and then comes back to the correct setting as the mark on the chain comes back to its start position then you are looking at a chain issue.

One final check, but the most unlikely, is to check the front sprocket. This will need the front sprocket cover to be removed.

The procedure is almost identical to the rear wheel only this time it is the front sprocket that will need to be marked.

Get the chain to a position that gives the correct amount of free-play and mark the front sprocket at the 6 O’clock position.

Slowly rotate the rear wheel and keep a check on the chain free-play.

If the free-play is at its least when the mark on the front sprocket reaches the 12 O’clock position but then comes back to the correct setting as the mark comes back round to the 6 O’clock point then this points to either the front sprocket centre hole not being in the correct place or the gearbox output shaft being bent.

From your explanation of the problem that you are having we would strongly recommend that you change both front and rear sprockets and also the chain, all at the same time.

We are able to supply the following parts:

333-16 front sprocket - £12.37

1306-42 rear sprocket - £23.39

530R4SRS-116 Renthal X ring Gold Chain - £114.68
Click to expand...

PeterT · Jul 27, 2012

Thanks.

martinowen · Jul 27, 2012

Good bit of info that duck, I will save that somewhere

quattrochris · Jul 28, 2012

Thanks duck thats my sunday afternoon sorted then!

duck · Jul 28, 2012

I checked mine today and found it worked best marking the wheel and chain at the same time, on mine the tight/loose spots always occurred when the wheel was in the same position no matter where the chain position was, this points to a sprocket problem and not the chain.

This was very interesting to me as I was going to just change the chain but now after the check it has proved chain and sprockets needed replacing.

Chain tight spot!!

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