Just wondered whether or not there was a mark on the swingarm or other part that signified when the chain needs replacing or is is just a case of measuring between the links to see how far the chain has stretched and therefore reached it's service life? Cheers
Just a suggestion, but if the teeth on the gearbox sprocket are getting noticeably hooked that probably means the chain will need replacing too. Take off the cover (three screws) and have a look - you have to remove the clutch slave cylinder first.
Thanks Pete but I changed the front sprocket to a 14ter earler this year so I would hope that will still be in good nick! Suppose I could look at the back but it's not usually the method I would use to see if the chain needs changing...
Measure between the links. 16 links on a new 5xx chain should be 254mm, accepted limit of "stretch" seems to be 1%
Chains don't stretch... Chains wear! The pins and outer rollers will wear and so the gaps get bigger, giving the impression that the chain gets longer, hence people say that their chain has "stretched". You are right that measuring the links will give you an answer, but unless you measure along the full length of the chain, and ideally each link, then it is meaningless as you may miss a tight-spot or worn link(s) somewhere in the chain. So how can you tell when it needs replacing? To answer this you have to remember the job that a chain does - it simply transfers the drive from one sprocket to another. To keep in good working order the rubber seals which separate the internal pins, outer rollers and chain plates need to be kept in good condition so that they don't dry out and split, which results in the leaking of the internal lubricant and then problems with the flexibility of chain. The joints can seize, leading to "tight spots" in the chain which won't follow the sprocket teeth and this results in excessive wear around a sprocket and/or chain links and rollers. Remember that when you lubricate your chain, you are not oiling the rollers or the sideplates! You just need to keep those seals in good condition to stop the internal lubricant disappearing. So now you know how to keep it in good order, you will know how to spot if it needs replacing: 1. excessive tight spots on the chain due to loss of internal lubricant 2. excessive wear on the rollers or side-plates (and/or sprockets) due to the above 3. inability to correctly tension the chain due to excessive wear of the chain Hope this helps!
That's why I used " " round the word To be fair, while the material itself doesn't stretch, the overall length does.
[TABLE] [TR] [TD="class: row2"][TABLE] [TR] [TD="colspan: 2"]if you pinch the chain between thumb and forefinger at the three o'clock position on the rear sprocket and when you pull the chain you can see one whole tooth that means the chain is toast. To check chain (13) wear, stretch the chain and measure 16 links. If the length (L) is greater than 256.5mm, change the chain. measured over 16 pins of the chain found in section G8 page 51 of the maintenance manual for the 1000DS (525 chain) try this link for an online manual Home [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="class: tdRight"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: row2b"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
