Chain adjustment


J-dan

New member
Hi I am wondering if any one could tell me the socket size which is needed to slacken off the axel bolt.
As it seems Yamaha don't want you to use a spanner?
 

Phil_B

Moderator
27mm. I found it a bit of a sod of a job due to the single bolt. And the slack plate system not being a true "square washer" one... you'll know what I mean when you do it. Its worth getting the bike level on a paddock stand and trying to hold the further away chain plate to stop it moving so much when you torque the nut back up. Once it grips the swing arm its less of an issue.

Let us know how you get on J-Dan!
 
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J-dan

New member
Cheers yea I went to do it but all I have is spanners. Bit peed off I need to use a socket set as mine is not bigger enough. Guess ill pop out to Halfords tomorrow to get one cheers.
 

Phil_B

Moderator
Ha, I know that feeling! Having relied on taking my bike to a relative with experience and the right tools, I ended up having to get a socket set and spanners for this exact job the other week. I can recommend the Halfords advance 1/2 inch drive with about 55 bits - they are good wrenches with a long guarantee plus the 1/2 inch bits fit most torque wrenches. They have half price offers on a lot!
 

allyw71

New member
Go for a Halfords Professional socket set, they come with a lifetime guarantee and are worth the extra £. If you break a socket or anything else in the set, they exchange it no quibble. I've had a few changed so far.
 

PeaceMaker

New member
27mm. I found it a bit of a sod of a job due to the single bolt. And the slack plate system not being a true "square washer" one... you'll know what I mean when you do it. Its worth getting the bike level on a paddock stand and trying to hold the further away chain plate to stop it moving so much when you torque the nut back up. Once it grips the swing arm its less of an issue.

Let us know how you get on J-Dan!
So we have to adjust the chain with the further away plate pushed down correct?

When we torque the nut, it moves up counterclockwise, leaving the adjustment out of the lines from one side to another..

I am considering the line adjustment that I had before torquing the axle, when there is slack on the chain plate and I can force it like the nut side...

Is this correct?

And the 5.5cm, should be considered from the swing arm or from the rubber chain guide?
 
D

Deleted member 20

Guest
I found the whole rear wheel mount assembly quite sloppy and messy to operate (compared to my other recent Yamahas), was quite fiddly when I removed the wheel(s) to change both tires.

As far as I understand, the bike shall stand on it wheels when doing the chain adjustment, not on a paddock stand with wheel hanging in swingarm. I'm putting something under the side stand to level the bike without falling.

Undoing the lock nuts each side.
Undoing the axel nut and hand tightening it again, keeping plenty of friction so the wheel isn't moving around.
Counting turns on adjuster nuts making sure I do the same adjustment both sides, half or quarter turns are often enough. Using visual markings as well as double check.

The 51-56 mm play must be measured from the plastic piece, not from the steel swing, as I interpret the picture in manual (?)
.View attachment 223
 
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PeaceMaker

New member
The problem is, the visual markings are ok when the chain plate is slack, but as soon as I torque the axle nut, the chain plate rotates a little and gets out of the marks...

Anyway I should consider the adjustment when there is some slack correct? Since when torquing, the chain plate doesn't stay properly aligned with the marks
 

DJP

New member
To be honest, I've found it easy enough to adjust.

I do it with the bike on the wheels and check the tension by leaning across the seat (putting as much of my bodyweight as possible on the suspension) and feeling the slack in the lower run.

I don't bother measuring, after 28 years of riding I just know what the correct tension feels like.

I also ignore the alignment marks on the swingarm – I use a chain alignment tool and thereafter ensure that I turn each adjuster by the same amount.

Incidentally, only loosen the axle nut by just enough to let the adjusters move. The chain tension tends to increase as you re-torque the nut, so that an apparently correctly adjusted chain can suddenly become too tight as you do the nut up.

My four pennorth, FWIW!
 

AJ Nin

New member
I haven't adjusted the chain yet, but can't you just wind a screwdriver in the rear sprocket to get the rear wheel centered? That's always worked for me to remove the slack in the right side. Then if you have adjusted both side adjusting screws the same amount and the chain was centered to begin with...say clockwise about 1/8th turn to tighten the chain... when you tighten the axle nut and before torqueing it to specs, recheck the chain tension after removing the screwdriver or other small tool from the sprocket and it should be just right. I always mark where both adjusting screws are in the back of the swing arm with a sharpie, so I know exactly how much I've turned each adjusting screw and can see that I have adjusted each one the exact same amount. Then if there is slack in the right side say, don't worry about it cause as you wind up the screwdriver in the chain and sprocket, it will take up the slack and keep it out as you tighten the axle nut. YouTube has several videos about how to do the screwdriver trick.
 

da1kini

New member
I found the whole rear wheel mount assembly quite sloppy and messy to operate (compared to my other recent Yamahas), was quite fiddly when I removed the wheel(s) to change both tires.

As far as I understand, the bike shall stand on it wheels when doing the chain adjustment, not on a paddock stand with wheel hanging in swingarm. I'm putting something under the side stand to level the bike without falling.

Undoing the lock nuts each side.
Undoing the axel nut and hand tightening it again, keeping plenty of friction so the wheel isn't moving around.
Counting turns on adjuster nuts making sure I do the same adjustment both sides, half or quarter turns are often enough. Using visual markings as well as double check.

The 51-56 mm play must be measured from the plastic piece, not from the steel swing, as I interpret the picture in manual (?)
.View attachment 223
My mechanic at the first service did the adjustment on a paddock stand. Is that ok to?
 

AJ Nin

New member
Sure. You can do it either way. If you don't wind up the screwdriver or other tool in the sprocket, it is a little easier to not get the wheel pushed completely straight forward while the bike is on the side stand vs. a rear stand. What can happen is, as you start to tighten the axle nut, then slack could appear in the back of one swing arm and so your wheel isn't straight and neither is your chain. This is why I always wind up a tool like a screwdriver in the chain and sprocket after adjusting the nuts to prevent movement from happening. It is harder to push forward on the rear tire (without moving the bike forward and releasing the kickstand) and tighten the axle nut at the same time if you opt not to use the screwdriver trick with the bike is on the side stand. It's easier to push straight forward on the tire with the bike on a stand, but the screwdriver trick works fine with the bike on the side stand. Maybe this bike is different. My chain is still in specs and probably will be for a long time. Looks like a good O-ring chain.
 

Feliz

New member
This bike is one of the first ones I've owned without a centre stand and the only one I own now without one.
I've already picked up a paddock stand and already have two aluminum straight edges for wheel alighnment
so I'm guessing that will work. I don't understand the screwdriver trick but whatever works.

This stand cost me $75

 

da1kini

New member
This bike is one of the first ones I've owned without a centre stand and the only one I own now without one.
I've already picked up a paddock stand and already have two aluminum straight edges for wheel alighnment
so I'm guessing that will work. I don't understand the screwdriver trick but whatever works.

This stand cost me $75

Did you put the paddock stand under the swing arm? Anything between the metal of the stand and the swing arms?
 

AJ Nin

New member
Yes, as you can probably see there is a hard rubber material on the side and bottom of the rest so you don't scratch your swing arm. These are $80-175 and widely available. Make sure your rear stand comes with these swing arm rests cause some don't. They might only come with the forks that rest on spools. You would need a stand to remove the rear wheel, but not to adjust or oil the chain although some people use them for that. I oiled my chain last night...took 5 minutes or less just getting to one section at a time, them moving the bike a bit and repeating. Safer too cause a moving chain and sprocket can be a hazard for your fingers if you do decide to put the bike on a stand and rotate the tire to clean and lube the chain.
 

da1kini

New member
Yes, as you can probably see there is a hard rubber material on the side and bottom of the rest so you don't scratch your swing arm. These are $80-175 and widely available. Make sure your rear stand comes with these swing arm rests cause some don't. They might only come with the forks that rest on spools. You would need a stand to remove the rear wheel, but not to adjust or oil the chain although some people use them for that. I oiled my chain last night...took 5 minutes or less just getting to one section at a time, them moving the bike a bit and repeating. Safer too cause a moving chain and sprocket can be a hazard for your fingers if you do decide to put the bike on a stand and rotate the tire to clean and lube the chain.
thanks for info!
 


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