peteinpa Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 (edited) For all who have gone to a 17 tooth front please advise. 15 FJ-09 over 7k miles on OEM chain and sprockets. Thought I'd try a 17 front and see what I thought. I don't have enough swingarm slot room up front. never had this problem on any bike. Rear axle ALL the way forward and not enough slack in chain to put on 17 tooth front. If I could there would be ZERO chain slack. Guess I should be happy my chain has zero wear yet. Pic is all OEM chain and sprockets with my normal 1.5 in. chain slack. Of course pic is upside down. GRRRRR!! Edited November 14, 2022 by peteinpa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted October 20, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted October 20, 2021 I didn’t know that one extra tooth would make it so tight. I went up 2 teeth in the back and definitely had to buy a longer chain. 1 ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhchris Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 That' strange. On my 2016 I swapped a 17-tooth in with no problems using the stock 110-link chain. I did need to remove the rear tire to get the sprocket installed, but once the chain was seated on both sprockets there was plenty of adjustment on the swing arm. I like the RPM reduction the larger sprocket provides. Now pulling 5K RPM at 80 MPH. 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 21, 2021 Author Share Posted October 21, 2021 Strange. I couldn't quite get it on, and if I could, chain slack would be way to tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 In opinion, if those pics are your current settings, somethings not right. To me, if the sprockets are orginal, the chain is too short. Those measurments marks should be further back closer to the mark on the swing arm. Count your links. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 21, 2021 Author Share Posted October 21, 2021 30 minutes ago, duckie said: In opinion, if those pics are your current settings, somethings not right. To me, if the sprockets are orginal, the chain is too short. Those measurments marks should be further back closer to the mark on the swing arm. Count your links. I guess To cover all bases I should count my links. It was used with only 1K miles on it. Can't see how the chain or sprockets were messed with. There is no master link (endless OEM chain)that much I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted October 21, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted October 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, peteinpa said: There is no master link (endless OEM chain)that much I know. There has to be a master link, otherwise there would be no way to install it on the bike. ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 21, 2021 Author Share Posted October 21, 2021 (edited) 43 minutes ago, betoney said: There has to be a master link, otherwise there would be no way to install it on the bike. Hmmmm...After dinner I'll go get intimate with my chain and report back. Edited October 21, 2021 by peteinpa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 21, 2021 Author Share Posted October 21, 2021 Well, no surprises. 110 link endless chain. Checked both sides for a master link, nothing. Does beg the question how do they do that through a reinforced swingarm??? Does Yamaha send swingarms to DID chains for installation? Does Yamaha have a heavy duty DID stamp tool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhchris Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 (edited) How many teeth on rear sprocket? Maybe that is not stock? Swing arm stock? All I can tell you is with 110 links my 17 fit my 2016 FJ no problem. Your chain seems suspect to me. Gotta have a master link someplace! Wish I could help more... Solution might be to order new (110 link) DID chain along w sprockets. Edited October 21, 2021 by nhchris 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 2 hours ago, nhchris said: How many teeth on rear sprocket? Maybe that is not stock? Swing arm stock? All I can tell you is with 110 links my 17 fit my 2016 FJ no problem. Your chain seems suspect to me. Gotta have a master link someplace! Wish I could help more... Solution might be to order new (110 link) DID chain along w sprockets. Nope, all stock. I must have got a good chain. 7500 miles and no stretch. I do lube it with Dupont at every fill. I'll just keep riding it the way it is, not going to waste a good chain. I still wonder how an endless chain goes through a swing arm. I scrutinized every pin on it, all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manxkiwi Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 Your master link will look like this. You will definitely have one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 (edited) Hmmmm, my tracer gt runs a 118 link chain when using stock sprockets…..16/45. I know the swingam is longer by roughly 2 inches. Didnt think it would take a 8 links longer chain. The green tape is used for chain adjustment. The other side has one also. I got a really good alignment of the rear. When I go to adjust the chain, I place a mark on the both tapes where the front of the axle slider is located. Once I get the chain slack where I want it using the sprocket side adjuster, I place a mark on the tape where the front of the axle slider is now. I measure the distance between the marks and then on the other side, place a mark on the tape that distance from the current mark. I then just adjust that side back until the axle slider front is at the new mark. Edited October 22, 2021 by duckie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 8 hours ago, Manxkiwi said: Your master link will look like this. You will definitely have one! Is that a pic of the OEM chain or a replacement? I know what they look like I've installed a few. I don't have one. 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 1 hour ago, duckie said: Hmmmm, my tracer gt runs a 118 link chain when using stock sprockets…..16/45. I know the swingam is longer by roughly 2 inches. Didnt think it would take a 8 links longer chain. The green tape is used for chain adjustment. The other side has one also. I got a really good alignment of the rear. When I go to adjust the chain, I place a mark on the both tapes where the front of the axle slider is located. Once I get the chain slack where I want it using the sprocket side adjuster, I place a mark on the tape where the front of the axle slider is now. I measure the distance between the marks and then on the other side, place a mark on the tape that distance from the current mark. I then just adjust that side back until the axle slider front is at the new mark. I like the tape trick! I count flats on the adj. bolts. I see your master link, but I also see your Vortex rear sprocket. Not OEM chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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