Chain stretch -- how much is too much?

[paul.miner]

I recently came back from a long ride, and my chain has stretched. I adjusted it a few times during the ride. The last adjustment was on 08/01, when I noticed the chain slip during hard acceleration in low gear. When I came back home the next day (probably around 1500 miles later), the chain had stretched a lot more, and would probably have slipped had I full throttled in 1st:



How much stretch is too much?

[RossW]

That's too much. 1000 miles on my old chain caused about 1 tick mark worth of stretch and that chain already had 20k very neglected miles on it.

How old is the chain, have you been cleaning/lubricating regularly, how tight have you been making the chain, and did you replace sprockets with the chain?

[Kreylyn]

Wow, that's crazy...

I've not had to adjust my chain since I installed it, and now have 3k miles on it.

Krey

[jbo197]

If you over adjust ....
It will stretch on you a lot faster ~

[squiggy]

What brand is it?

My original OEM continuous chain was RK. So the next time around I bought RK again. That chain stretched too quickly to my liking. So the third time around I bought DID and it's wearing nicely, in a good way.

[Newbie2it]

Well, Personally,I see three possibilities.

1. Improper chain maintenance for a long period of time prior to the "long Ride"
2. Improper knowledge of how to properly adjust chain
3. Your chains spent, Check your sprockets as well for excessive wear.

Let me explain the above statement.

In, no less than 3 weeks your chains stretched more than than almost an inch.
Regardless of the miles you put on during that "long trip" Yeah.. Its too much.

For example, A brand new chain is going to stretch, Its a given, After 5k hard miles, you might see 1/2' - 3/4" extra play. To adjust for the new play would require less than one full turn on the adjuster nut.

Anyway. You need a new chain, Check the sprockets though, if they look like teeth on a saw??.. You need to replace them as well.

Maintain the new chain according to the manufacturer, Clean and lube it regularly.

[H-2 CHARLIE]

a old chain starts getting loose twice after adjusting its telling you something ...i like D.I.D.

[woobie]

sounds like your chain is done, any red stuff leaking out? does it chatter or click a bit at low speeds?

[steves]

http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/motorcycle/how_to/mc_chains.html

If it is loose enough that it slipped under acceleration... that chain is toast.

[paul.miner]

The chain and both front and rear sprockets were replaced a few months ago. I lubed regularly and kept about an inch of play before I went on a roughly 6000 mile trip over the past couple weeks. I adjusted it once or twice between 07/17 and 08/01, the day I noticed it slipping. I lubed it every time I adjusted it, plus a couple other times I just lubed the chain. When I adjusted the chain, I left about an inch of play at the midway point between the front and rear sprockets.

When I adjusted it on 08/01 after it slipped, I also noticed the tips of the teeth on the rear sprocket were starting to bend. I was rather surprised how much the chain had stretched by the end of the next day, and the teeth had bent even further. I never expected the chain to stretch so quickly -- would've been checking the chain every stop instead of just once every few days had I realized...

So, definitely replace the chain (and probably the rear sprocket)? The front sprocket is new as well, and I suspect it won't have much wear, though I may replace it anyway if it's cheap.

http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/motorcycle/how_to/mc_chains.html

If it is loose enough that it slipped under acceleration... that chain is toast.

Good test, forgot about that. I'll check that when I get home.

[steves]

Unless you were lubing the chain religiously on your trip, I suspect you wore it out. Especially if the teeth are bending or wearing....

[paul.miner]

Unless you were lubing the chain religiously on your trip, I suspect you wore it out. Especially if the teeth are bending or wearing....

I wouldn't say I was religious about it, but typically every few (3?) days. I figure the teeth are bending because the chain got too loose and started riding high on the teeth instead of in the valleys.

[RossW]

You definitely need a new chain and sprockets, that's a ridiculous amount of wear. Replace both sprockets because if the rear sprocket looks like that I'll bet the front looks about the same or worse. On long trips a good habit is to oil every time you stop for gas.

[uk750]

Could that be caused by cheap sprockets made of a less durable material ?

[steves]

I wouldn't say I was religious about it, but typically every few (3?) days. I figure the teeth are bending because the chain got too loose and started riding high on the teeth instead of in the valleys.

Every three days... on a 6000 mile trip... is like... what, 1000 mile interval? book calls for every 600....