TigerTriple.com

Talk => Speaking Of Bikes... => Topic started by: waltconrad on September 22, 2005, 08:20:20 AM

Title: Chain adjustment
Post by: waltconrad on September 22, 2005, 08:20:20 AM
The dealership here said I need to sit on the bike while checking the chain. They said if you check it while it's on it's centerstand it will end up too tight and may snap. It seems that checking the chain while sitting on the bike is not going to be easey. How do you all check the tiger's chain?
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Post by: Chris Canning on September 22, 2005, 10:09:51 AM
Do exactly what the dealer said,both for one up and two,most people at some time have done it by the book and ended up with a banjo string!!!



Chris
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Post by: Mudhen on September 22, 2005, 02:51:21 PM
There's absolutely no way I can sit on the bike and check the chain...I've tried several different ways and almost ended up on the ground each time.  However, I do see the benefit of doing it, so when my bike goes back together with its new chain next week, I plan on having someone of similar weight sit on it so I can set it appropriately.



How much play should there be when it's loaded?
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Post by: apache on September 22, 2005, 05:11:06 PM
The tightest point of the chain is when there is a straight line formed from the center of the counter sproket,swingarm pivot and rear axle. This form the longest distance. So in a nut shell yes it needs to be compressed to see the effect. Follow Triumphs specs for looseness as they take all this into consideration. Ive used a tiedown from the swingarm to a seat rail before on others to compress the rear. Hope this helps.
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Post by: Mudhen on September 22, 2005, 05:22:13 PM
Quote from: "apache"Follow Triumphs specs for looseness as they take all this into consideration.



Actually, according to the forums, the Triumph specs are much too tight...that's why everyone says to verify it on your own.



I always used the 1.5" on the center stand...but after my recent chain issues once I put the new chain on I'm going to check it for myself.  I may start believing ALL the people that keep writing in saying 1.5" is too tight!
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Post by: apache on September 22, 2005, 07:11:10 PM
Could be right on that one. On my 97 I set it about 1.5" loose and when I got home from a long ride with me off the bike I had pretty much no play. I still havent figured that one out. I backed it off a tad and its been fine since.. Go figure?? I lube mine every 250mi or so as well. In a nut shell its best to compress it if possible to get a good adjustment. Ya might wanna rotate the wheel 360 and check the tension every 1/8 turn or so. I think my issue was from a unevenly worn sprocket or shretched spot in the chain. Hum, to many wheelies I guess.
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Post by: Bliker on September 25, 2005, 05:30:29 PM
I took the seat off and just sat on the frame to adjust the chain on the Tiger. I tried it with the seat on and almost landed on my head with the bike on top of me. I can reach it easily with the seat off.
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Post by: Mudhen on September 25, 2005, 07:55:41 PM
Quote from: "Bliker"I took the seat off and just sat on the frame to adjust the chain on the Tiger. I tried it with the seat on and almost landed on my head with the bike on top of me. I can reach it easily with the seat off.



 :idea:



That's a great idea!



One warning, though...don't try to do it on the trail...it doesn't work that way...



(http://mudhen.smugmug.com/photos/26004130-L.jpg)
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Post by: Lummox on September 25, 2005, 10:55:51 PM
If your adjusting the chain on the stand then keep it loose! Almost too loose! 3" movement.
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Post by: kpresco2 on September 26, 2005, 01:02:55 AM
I set mine at 50MM with the bike on a paddock stand - so there is still some weight on the suspension.
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Post by: waltconrad on September 27, 2005, 07:37:31 AM
Thanks all. I'm tring to get my nerve up to put a chain oiler on ,but I'm afraid to cut the vacume hose ,whatever that is.
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Post by: djr on September 27, 2005, 08:06:48 AM
fit a pro-oiler instead, electronically pumped and no vacuum problems to deal with
Title: ok - just a second....
Post by: jp4evr on October 05, 2005, 06:01:31 PM
So I've been bugging Mudhen (thanks) for some help with chain adjustment.  I have a 2000 and on the center stand, I'm somewhere around 2-3 inches of travel.  



When i start out at slow speeds, I sometimes hear some slapping of the chain.  Is this normal?  Should it be tighter.  



as a backgrounder, I may be one of the smaller tiger riders and really don't compress the suspension much at 5'10" 170lb.
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Post by: Patrick the Scot on October 05, 2005, 06:43:06 PM
Quote from: "Mudhen"
Quote from: "apache"Follow Triumphs specs for looseness as they take all this into consideration.



Actually, according to the forums, the Triumph specs are much too tight...that's why everyone says to verify it on your own.



I always used the 1.5" on the center stand...but after my recent chain issues once I put the new chain on I'm going to check it for myself.  I may start believing ALL the people that keep writing in saying 1.5" is too tight!



I agree.  Triumph specs are too tight.  The Triumph dealer (PJ's Triumph) in Albuquerque, NM, adjusts the chain way looser than spec, closer to a dirt bike type setting.
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Post by: tigerhund on October 10, 2005, 05:14:24 AM
I keep my chain between 1.75" and 2.0", measured with the bike on the center stand and (of course) unladen.  I can see the bottom section of the chain moving up and down somewhat when I am riding, but it is by no means flapping wildly.  



I try not to look down at my chain for too terribly long while riding.....
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Post by: iansoady on October 13, 2005, 12:55:58 PM
Quote from: tigerhundI try not to look down at my chain for too terribly long while riding.....

Yes I remember years ago with a ratty old C15 looking down at the back wheel for some reason & it made me so dizzy I fell over!! Even more embarrassing than falling over with the Tiger in a supermarket car park.....
Title: Chain thingy
Post by: kraftdinners on October 18, 2005, 01:57:34 PM
Just to confirm, now I set the chain to 45 - 50 mill , nearer the 50, the chain whine has gone and all seems happy...so Triumphs specs are well out of order..
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Post by: Foxy on October 18, 2005, 03:55:16 PM
I'm impressed that chain tension can be so much of a topic for discussion. I have never measured chain slack on any bike I've ever owned - a little wiggle of the chain with a spanner and if it looks okay it probably is. It's worked for the last twenty thousand miles on my current chain.
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Post by: kraftdinners on October 18, 2005, 04:05:27 PM
Quote from: "Foxy"I'm impressed that chain tension can be so much of a topic for discussion. I have never measured chain slack on any bike I've ever owned - a little wiggle of the chain with a spanner and if it looks okay it probably is. It's worked for the last twenty thousand miles on my current chain.



Well after taking delivery of the bike and checking things out as I always do, ( oil was a pint over filled for instance ) and then finding the chain adjustment not in spec with what Triumph state, I readjusted it, but thanks to this Forum I have since found out the handbook was incorrect.
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Post by: djr on October 19, 2005, 09:42:01 AM
QuoteI have never measured chain slack on any bike I've ever owned - a little wiggle of the chain with a spanner and if it looks okay it probably is. It's worked for the last twenty thousand miles on my current chain.



maybe you've just been lucky, but given the damage a chain can do, not only to the bike but the rider as well if something goes amiss, I will continue to take time to set it up properly!
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Post by: Mudhen on October 19, 2005, 11:54:34 AM
Quote from: "djr"maybe you've just been lucky, but given the damage a chain can do, not only to the bike but the rider as well if something goes amiss, I will continue to take time to set it up properly!



Hey, I resemble that...



I rode my '96 yesterday for the first time in a month and a half after my little chain incident...new front sprocket cover, clutch pushrod, pushrod seal, gearchange seal, sprockets, chain, chain slider, slider block, a couple quarts of oil - oh, and a nice ride on a flatbed.



Looking back at it I learned a lot about what to look for.  I never knew what 'tight spots' in chains were...and even though I'd read 'when tensioning the chain check it at several spots' I'd never done it.  Now I know why...
Title: Re: Chain thingy
Post by: zombie on October 19, 2005, 06:56:31 PM
Quote from: "kraftdinners"Just to confirm, now I set the chain to 45 - 50 mill , nearer the 50, the chain whine has gone and all seems happy...so Triumphs specs are well out of order..





I did the same and me bike is really happy now  and me also

cheers
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Post by: kraftdinners on October 20, 2005, 11:55:57 AM
If Triumph had got the correct bloody info in the handbook then all the folks here would never had mentioned chain problems, and thank Christ via this excellent forum we all found out in time, never had a chain break on me and I dont want to find out what destruction is caused by one letting go....

Cheers and beers
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Post by: greg on October 20, 2005, 05:42:36 PM
Just had mine readjusted at service by local dealer, it has been done correctly i.e. not by the book, so obviously they have a bit of common sense, or perhaps they found out the hard way.
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Post by: kraftdinners on October 21, 2005, 11:39:07 AM
Quote from: "greg"Just had mine readjusted at service by local dealer, it has been done correctly i.e. not by the book, so obviously they have a bit of common sense, or perhaps they found out the hard way.



Hi Greg,  your probably right, but having a near extra pint of oil in the motor ( I reckon "they" just dropped the dipstick in the hole and took the reading instead of screwing it in ) so upon checking the chain specs I assumed they cocked that up as well.....thank heavens I (we) found out it was incorrect..



Cheers Alan
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Post by: Clemski on October 22, 2005, 08:46:21 PM
The best way is to fit a scotoiler, the only time my chain gets adjusted is when the bike goes in for a service and the first set of chain and sprockets lasted 16000 miles. :P
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Post by: Sofalofa2005 on October 22, 2005, 09:43:03 PM
Speaking of Scottoilers... when I picked up my bike a few weeks ago I had one fitted before I picked it up... It was empty when I picked it up so after I'd filled it was disturbed that it had dumped its contents within 100 miles and left oil spots all over the floor whenever I parked up.



Rang the dealer and it turned out it had been set to "prime" and someone had forgotten to tell me that once the oil is flowing you have to put it onto one of the main settings (1,2,3 etc).



What's the best setting to save me having to experiment? I have it on "2" at the moment



Thanks
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Post by: Clemski on October 22, 2005, 11:24:54 PM
Number 2 is the best setting for normal weather, if it starts raining turn it up to quite a high setting as the rain washes the oil off. But as soon as the weather dries up, dont forget to turn it back down.





Cheers  :P
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Post by: Sofalofa2005 on October 23, 2005, 12:51:56 AM
Nice one, thanks mate
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