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Adjusting chain slack


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19 minutes ago, betoney said:

Where are you getting "revamped specs" of 2.5-3.5" of chain slack?  It should be about 1"-1.25" slack.

Oops, got my metrics and imperials mixed up...I believe the latest specs are 25-35mm, yes?

I just re-measured and it's probably closer to 3/4"/20mm. Close enough or would be wise to loosen a little?

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19 minutes ago, upshift said:

Oops, got my metrics and imperials mixed up...I believe the latest specs are 25-35mm, yes?

I just re-measured and it's probably closer to 3/4"/20mm. Close enough or would be wise to loosen a little?

That might be a little on the tight side.  Personally, I would loosen it a bit.

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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I have found on my four Tracers that 30mm is pretty satisfactory and all but eliminates that harsh mother-in-law whining noise...

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Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

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58 minutes ago, upshift said:

Thanks for your input, @betoney, @StealthAu, and @wordsmith!

I'm gonna loosen the chain up a titch but keep it closer to 25mm, methinks...

A 'titch' - now there's an Olde Englishe term I've not heard for a very long time!   

25mm probably suits the Tracer - my 30mm is possibly a titch more betterer for the longer swing-arm on the GT.   Whatever, you can't go wrong.

Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

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2 hours ago, wordsmith said:

A 'titch' - now there's an Olde Englishe term I've not heard for a very long time!   

25mm probably suits the Tracer - my 30mm is possibly a titch more betterer for the longer swing-arm on the GT.   Whatever, you can't go wrong.

You can go wrong. 

35mm freeplay on the centrestand  provides 1% freeplay at it's tightest point in suspension travel. this is less than 7mm.

I wouldn't recommend tighter than factory specifications. You'll chew through chains quicker and risk breaking them. 

 

 

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9 hours ago, bugie said:

The manual states 35mm-45mm slack when on the centre stand. 

Just checked mine (GT) - it's at 40mm as close as I can measure, at 2355km from new.

Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

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On 9/19/2019 at 5:12 PM, betoney said:

Where are you getting "revamped specs" of 2.5-3.5" of chain slack?  It should be about 1"-1.25" slack.

And I check mine sitting on the bike reaching down with my left hand. Been doing it that way since I was a kid. It was nice those 15 years or so when i owned VMaxes. Shaft drive and all. Change the rear end gear oil once a year, oh that's tuff! 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 when it's on the center stand might work out to 1 to 1 1/2 when sitting on the bike. That's how you're measuring the slack correct? Sitting on the bike? Seems like you won't get the correct slack on the center stand. That's been the chain slack I've used on all my bikes since i was a kid. 1 to 1 1/2 inches. More like 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Pretty standard I think. 

Edited by tktplz

Ain't no fun when the rabbit gets the gun!

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16 minutes ago, tktplz said:

And I check mine sitting on the bike reaching down with my left hand. Been doing it that way since I was a kid. It was nice those 15 years or so when i owned VMaxes. Shaft drive and all. Change the rear end gear oil once a year, oh that's tuff! 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 when it's on the center stand might work out to 1 to 1 1/2 when sitting on the bike. That's how you're measuring the slack correct? Sitting on the bike? Seems like you won't get the correct slack on the center stand. That's been the chain slack I've used on all my bikes since i was a kid. 1 to 1 1/2 inches. More like 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Pretty standard I think. 

You can get correct slack on a centre stand, side stand or sitting on the bike. Required numbers between all three will vary, but anything can be used as your reference point, as long as you know what it equates to. 

As mentioned before, engineering requirement is 1 to 3% slack at tightest point. 

Tightest point is with centre of front sprocket, swingarm pivot and rear sprocket all in a straight line. 1 to 3% of distance between centre of sprockets. 

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24 minutes ago, tktplz said:

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 when it's on the center stand might work out to 1 to 1 1/2 when sitting on the bike. That's how you're measuring the slack correct? Sitting on the bike? Seems like you won't get the correct slack on the center stand.

Measuring it on the center stand is the ONLY way that I have ever set chain tension.  Page 7-25 of the owners manual, Check drive chain slack.  Step 1. Place the motorcycle on the center-stand.

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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37 minutes ago, betoney said:

Measuring it on the center stand is the ONLY way that I have ever set chain tension. 

Back in the day we didn't have center stands. Dirt bikes and such we sat on the bike and set it from that. There were only side stands till you got to bigger bikes. Now my 50 cc ZUMA scooter has a center stand but no side stand, WTH?  Then my ZRX1100 only had a side stand.

Edited by tktplz

Ain't no fun when the rabbit gets the gun!

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15 minutes ago, tktplz said:

Back in the day we didn't have center stands. Dirt bikes and such we sat on the bike and set it from that. There were only side stands till you got to bigger bikes. Now my 50 cc ZUMA scooter has a center stand but no side stand, WTH?  Then my ZRX1100 only had a side stand.

Even on my dirt bikes I only set chain slack while on a stand, been using that method since I was 7 y/o.

I would say to stick with what works for you, the last thing I want to do is sway anyone with my opinion.  👍

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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