Varying chain tension: time for new chain?

[J///Kidd]

Noticed my chain was a bit loose the other day so I tightened it up. While checking it, I noticed that 2/3 of it was WICKED tight while 1/3 had been adjusted to within spec.

Is this a symptom of it just being worn out? Seems odd that it would be THAT different from one section to another...or is this a symptom of a jumped tooth? That I possibly let it get too loose and it jumped a tooth...????

Thoughts/advice/help?

[skjeflo]

Wha???

Do you mean that as you moved the chain around after tightening it that it had places where it was in spec and places where it got too tight? If so I'd be looking for the frozen or tight link(s) or at a sprocket that was bent or otherwise damaged.

[steves]

If you can pull the chain off the rear sprocket at all, it's out of life.

I went to look for the Cyberpoet's page on this, and it looks like it's offline now.

[maniac1886]

better safe than sorry man. id get new chsin AND sprockets

[J///Kidd]

Well, not surprisingly, this has not gotten any better.

Half the chain I can tighten to within spec (about 1") and the other half the chain has more than 2" of movement...and I can pull the chain off the back a bit more than I am comfortable with.

Stock chain lasted past 20k miles and this new X-ring chain only lasted 16k miles. Maybe I just didn't lube it enough or maybe had it too tight for a time...not sure why it didn't last that long.

[steves]

Each chain is different, it's really not totally possible to understand why one might last 20k, and the next 16k... but that's still some decent mileage IMO.

Stuck or slack points in the chain are caused by the seals breaking down. The chain won't stay "under tension" because the seals just break down more.

[rschlegel]

This is why they say to check your slack first to find the tightest spot on the chain and make your adjustment there. It would be great if they made a chain that would always wear evenly but is just not the case. This is something I'm going to need to do soon also. 16 year old bike, just over 18,000 miles on what I believe is the stock chain and sprockets. A bit overdue but signs are that the PO did maintain the bike to some degree. The PO put just over 11,000 miles on it and I picked it up August of 2013.
Good luck with it

[GSXFJim]

It's possible that one section of the chain has stretched abnormally. Has it always been like this? Did you replace the chain and sprockets at some point?
Another cause of this is a sprocket that was manufactured out of round, meaning the center hub bore and the outer diameter of the sprocket are not concentric or the sprocket is 'egg' shaped for some reason, could be one or the other.

[J///Kidd]

I replaced the chain and sprockets in November of 2006 with 20k miles on the bike. I'm about to hit 36k miles now.

The chain has always been consistent as far as tightening. I started noticing the tell-tale "red mist" on the chain about 2k miles ago and just dedicated to lubing it more. I just didn't want to accept that it was on its way out.

From what I understand, for a '95 600, the stock gearing is 14/45 with a 530 chain (112L). From the research I have done (on this site), someone mentioned that having a 15 tooth front sprocket is better for chain durability. Based on that, I was considering getting a 15/47 set hoping that will remain close to the stock gearing and even further extend the life of the chain.

1) Is my thinking sound here (ie. go with the 15/47 over the 14/45) or am I missing something?

2) Next question would be the best place to order these parts.

Thanks for any input.

[steves]

15/47 gives slightly more pull at the bottom end.

Jim can hook you up if you want to go custom with the sprox.