[paul.miner]

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.

I'll probably replace the front, but last time I did (when I first bought the bike), the rear was worse than this, and the front wasn't too bad. The teeth were straight, just a small identation on one side of each tooth, nothing like the rear.

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

Good point.

I'll remember that next time -- every time I stop for gas. And I'll keep the necessary wrenches handier so I don't have to unpack everything to get to them.

EDIT: And a few extra cotter pins

[steves]

I


I'll remember that next time -- every time I stop for gas. And I'll keep the necessary wrenches handier so I don't have to unpack everything to get to them.

EDIT: And a few extra cotter pins

I'd recco just switching over to the correct size hair cotter pin.

[paul.miner]

I'd recco just switching over to the correct size hair cotter pin.

Good idea, I'll pick some up.

Forgot to answer about the chatter/noise. IIRC, there was a little noise towards the end of the ride. I suspect I'll really notice it if I roll it backwards with the sprocket teeth bent like that. It's been on the centerstand since I got home on 08/02.

I'll also try to figure out what brand it is, not sure if I have the original box/receipt anymore.

[steves]

You can safety wire it to the swingarm, and reuse it at least several times.

[paul.miner]

Found the receipt, it's a BikeMaster 530 O-ring chain.

Normal:


Pulling firmly:

[steves]

Dude, that chain and those sprockets = toast.

OMG. Work firewall blocked the pics.... Get an EK or RK chain this time around....

[Cheriff]

Just to clarify.. you don't need to adjust the chain really all that often (so no need to take the wrenches along), just lube more often. I prefer to use a heavy weight gear oil and do it approximatley every week (depends on miles).

I've even seen chains that were almost never lubed and the sprockets still didn't look that bad. Something else there seems a little shady to me, but I don't know what it is.

How loose would a chain have to be to start slipping??



(I had to adjust my DID one or two times after first putting it on, but haven't had to adjust it since -except for when I took the back wheel off over the winter, but that doesn't count)

[paul.miner]

Just to clarify.. you don't need to adjust the chain really all that often (so no need to take the wrenches along), just lube more often. I prefer to use a heavy weight gear oil and do it approximatley every week (depends on miles).

I've even seen chains that were almost never lubed and the sprockets still didn't look that bad. Something else there seems a little shady to me, but I don't know what it is.

How loose would a chain have to be to start slipping??



(I had to adjust my DID one or two times after first putting it on, but haven't had to adjust it since -except for when I took the back wheel off over the winter, but that doesn't count)

In the several months I used it before the 6000 mile trip, I barely had to adjust it. I remember adjusting the chain since it was getting some slack (but not enough to slip) about a week into the trip.

My guess at this point is that chain stretching begets stretching, and the more it stretches, the greater the importance of staying on top of it. I didn't, thinking it would continue to stretch at about the same rate, but instead it snowballed.

[woobie]

Paul you did have quite a bit of stuff packed on the back of your kat at the rally, any idea how much extra weight you were hauling? that may have put some extra strain on your chain.

[paul.miner]

Paul you did have quite a bit of stuff packed on the back of your kat at the rally, any idea how much extra weight you were hauling? that may have put some extra strain on your chain.

Roughly 100 lbs; definitely was affecting my top-end acceleration, and made the front end kinda light. I need a new rear tire too:

[The CyberPoet]

(A) Can I use this pic on my website for the chain webpage? Also - was it steel or aluminum (I'm guessing steel, but not sure)...

(B) You get this kind of eaten-up teeth because of only four things across just a few thousand miles -- and it looks like you got all four:

The most common one: Lack of viable lube on the outside of the roller bearings makes the roller-bearings run hot, esp over longer distances. This in turn causes the seals to fail, and once they fail, the distance between the roller bearing surface and the center-pin decreases because the internal (sealed) lube comes out [the dreaded red stuff that looks like rust for most brands -- the red is actually a clay carrier used to hold the lube]. Once that distance is gone, the roller bearings eat away the sprocket teeth in very short order because they "jump" between those that are still sealed and those that aren't. Whether the external lube is non-viable can be down to the type of lube (wax-based ones don't do well in long-haul applications), the frequency with which it's applied (on road-trips I spray down the chain every gas-up; I want the chain to run cool), or how [the second cause] contaminated it gets (debris adding more heat -- again, oil wins because it flings off debris when it flings itself).

The two runners-up are over-tightening the chain and typically to a lesser degree misaligning the rear wheel. As you tighten up the chain further, especially if it's already in bad shape, you're just accelerating the wear of the teeth AND loading up the roller-bearings that are still good with more stress, plus eating in the teeth of the sprocket harder... Note that the sprocket teeth are worn not just front-to-rear, but also down their sides -- which indicates the rear wheel alignment was off (which would also contribute to how fast your rear tire wore down in the center).

You might want to look at SideWinder Sprocket's TitaniumII sprockets -- it won't save your chains if you repeat this same behavior, but it might save your sprockets (lifetime guarantee).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[paul.miner]

(A) Can I use this pic on my website for the chain webpage? Also - was it steel or aluminum (I'm guessing steel, but not sure)...

Sure, I can send you full-res originals as well. The sprocket is steel.

Also got a pic of the sprocket that was on the bike when I bought it:

(B) You get this kind of eaten-up teeth because of only four things across just a few thousand miles -- and it looks like you got all four:

The most common one: Lack of viable lube on the outside of the roller bearings makes the roller-bearings run hot, esp over longer distances...

I'll look for some oil-based lube and apply it to the chain more often now

The two runners-up are over-tightening the chain and typically to a lesser degree misaligning the rear wheel. As you tighten up the chain further, especially if it's already in bad shape, you're just accelerating the wear of the teeth AND loading up the roller-bearings that are still good with more stress, plus eating in the teeth of the sprocket harder...

I don't think I was overtightening. When I adjusted, I left about an inch of slack, unless this should increase as the chain stretches (i.e. the more it stretches, the looser you should leave the chain?)

Note that the sprocket teeth are worn not just front-to-rear, but also down their sides -- which indicates the rear wheel alignment was off (which would also contribute to how fast your rear tire wore down in the center).

I'm not following the part about "down their sides". What should I be looking for?

Also, I've been aligning using the tick marks on the swingarm. I know it's not perfect, but I don't know of anything better. Any easy way of aligning the rear on the road?

[Black_peter]

I'm not following the part about "down their sides". What should I be looking for?

He means the side of the sprocket where the plates rub. (the part facing the camera)

Also, I've been aligning using the tick marks on the swingarm. I know it's not perfect, but I don't know of anything better. Any easy way of aligning the rear on the road?

The tick marks can suck. The common method is to lay a good straight edge along the rear tire then measure to see that the front is evenly spaced..
This string method is easier. Lord knows you can't find straight 2X4s anymore..

http://www.ehow.com/how_4584111_check-motorcycle-wheel-alignment.html

[steves]

Also, if you spin the wheel slowly, you want the chain to ride in the "center" of the sprocket. It's usually my last fine adjustment before I lock everything down.

[HS2020]

Paul hit me up for your stuff. I will take good care of you.